W3LPL's Solution by Frank Donovan, W3LPL

Somewhat in the same vein as my last post, about WZ7I's RBN node, here is W3LPL's setup, in his own words (warning, this post may trigger severe aluminum-envy):

I use an extremely complex system of nearly two dozen large antennas

feeding a nine port combiner that then feeds a single QS1R.

The secret to the combiner design is my W3LPL band pass filters (Google it). 

Unlike many filters, my band pass filters have approximately 50 ohm

impedance in-band and are high impedance out of band. This characteristic

allows the output side of up to five filters to be connected together to

form a frequency selective signal combiner.

I built a low band combiner and a high band combiner that capitalizes

on this band pass filter characteristic:

     - a 160, 80, 40 and 30 meter combiner, and

     - a 20, 17, 15, 12, and 10 meter combiner.  

The two combiners feed a 3 dB splitter -- operating as a passive combiner --

which then feeds the QS1R input.

A Clifton Labs preamp in front of each of the 17, 15, 12 and 10 meter filters

optimizes QS1R sensitivity on those bands.  Additional bandpass filters at the

inputs of each of the 17, 15, 12 and 10 meter preamps protects them from overload.

This arrangement results in an excellent nine input signal combiner with

one output feeding a single QS1R.

Treating each band independently (they are highly isolated from each

other), these antennas feed each of the nine combiner inputs:

160 meters:  any combination of receiving antennas manually selected

by a K9AY switch feeds the combiner.  The most frequently used receiving

antenna is a 160 meter  W8JI/W5ZN/N4HY eight circle array pointed NE.

80 meters:  any combination of receiving antennas manually selected

by a K9AY switch feeds the combiner.  The most frequently used receiving

antenna is an 80 meter W8JI/W5ZN/N4HY eight circle array pointed NE.

40 meters: two 3 element full size Yagis feed the combiner through a

matching transformer.  The most common configuration is a 3 element

Yagi 200 feet high pointed NE and a 3 element Yagi 100 feet high pointed

at 130 degrees azimuth.  When the 40 meter transmitter is transmitting

during contests, a relay switches the combiner input to any combination

of receiving antennas manually selected by a K9AY switch.  The most

frequently used receiving antenna is a 40 meter W8JI/W5ZN/N4HY

eight circle array pointed NE.

30 meters: a full size 3 element Yagi 120 feet high feeds the combiner,

typically pointed NE.

20 meters: three six element Yagis feed the combiner through a matching

transformer.  The most common configuration is a 200 foot high Yagi

pointed at 120 degrees and a pair of stacked Yagis pointed NE.  When

the 20 meter transmitter is transmitting during contests, a relay switches

the combiner input to a four square receiving antenna typically pointed NE.

17 meters: a 5 element Yagi 120 feet high feeds the combiner, typically

pointed NE.

15 meters: three seven element Yagis feed the combiner through a matching

transformer.   The most common configuration is a 200 foot high Yagi pointed

at 120 degrees and a pair of stacked Yagis pointed NE.  When the 15 meter

transmitter is transmitting during contests, a relay switches the combiner input

to a four square receiving antenna typically pointed NE.

12 meters: a 5 element Yagi 130 feet high feeds the combiner, typically

pointed NE.

10 meters: three eight element Yagis feed the combiner through a matching

transformer  The most common configuration is a 200 foot high Yagi pointed

east and a pair of stacked Yagis pointed south.  When the 10 meter transmitter

is transmitting during contests, a relay switches the combiner input to a

four square receiving antenna typically pointed south.