Power Relays for 432MHz Mast head Preamp??

HA8ET for his new masthead 144MHz preamp uses miniature power relays rather than expensive coaxial relays to save on costs. He claims to be able to run 1kW without frying the preamp. Correspondence with Gyula revealed that he hadn't tried the same technique on 432MHz !! So can it be done? The relays he used appear to be obsolete but the RT114012 is a close equivalent. Initial tests on a rats nest lash up showed an through loss through two relays of about 1.3dB and a return loss slightly worse than 10dB - not good. !!  So what happens if you at least try reasonable construction techniques?

OK - thrown together and that track probaly isn't 50 ohms.  But ..............

The through loss is now down to just under 0.3dB and the return loss 15dB so its "nearly" there.  The isolation to the RX port is only 18dB but that is to be expected - and there will be a second relay shorting this port during TX.  A "Mk1 screwdriver short" gives an isolation of just over 40dB.

Unfortunately this is now tantalizingly close and would save having to remove two CX120 relays from a power amplifier!!!