Re: [Elecraft] K3 KAT3 Antenna Tuner Tutorial
Windy, What sort of arrangement are you using to connect the feeder to the antenna? Do you get a lot of wind-blown dust / sand during the dry weather, some of which might be staying on the feeder until most is washed off by rain. 73, Geoff GM4ESD Windy KM5Q wrote on Thursday, October 22, 2009 at 4:38 AM Here's another question: I have a dipole with 200 feet of window-line feed. It works great with the ATU. When it's wet, I have to re-tune, then it's fine again. I've tuned it at lots of spots in some favorite bands during dry weather (most of the time in New Mexico). But on a rainy day, I end up retuning frequencies here and there. Next sunny day, does the system detune me when I run into a previously wet-tuned segment? Oddly, I haven't observed this, but I don't understand why. Windy KM5Q __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 KAT3 Antenna Tuner Tutorial
Geoff has touched on what may be happening. I've seen this on my systems here too... and the issue comes down to the material, in this case mud or water and dust... collecting on the feeder, then as the moisture drys away, the change in transmission line characteristics also change. There are a whole page of math equations and figures that prove this, but suffice it to say for now, that open wire, doesn't have this issue... it has others... more physical, like how to keep it spaced and installed correctly. Retuning isn't a real problem, it is pretty much just adjusting for what the moisture is changing. However... be watchful for the moisture changes to not go away completely then go look for where the moisture isn't leaving and find an opening in the insulation, and repair it, before the feedline becomes damaged too much by the moisture invasion. Still beats coax for losses. --... ...-- Dale - WC7S in Wy From: gm4...@btinternet.com To: k...@mac.com Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:53:53 +0100 CC: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 KAT3 Antenna Tuner Tutorial Windy, What sort of arrangement are you using to connect the feeder to the antenna? Do you get a lot of wind-blown dust / sand during the dry weather, some of which might be staying on the feeder until most is washed off by rain. 73, Geoff GM4ESD Windy KM5Q wrote on Thursday, October 22, 2009 at 4:38 AM Here's another question: I have a dipole with 200 feet of window-line feed. It works great with the ATU. When it's wet, I have to re-tune, then it's fine again. I've tuned it at lots of spots in some favorite bands during dry weather (most of the time in New Mexico). But on a rainy day, I end up retuning frequencies here and there. Next sunny day, does the system detune me when I run into a previously wet-tuned segment? Oddly, I haven't observed this, but I don't understand why. Windy KM5Q __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html _ Windows 7: I wanted more reliable, now it's more reliable. Wow! http://microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/default-ga.aspx?h=myidea?ocid=PID24727::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:WWL_WIN_myidea:102009 __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 KAT3 Antenna Tuner Tutorial
Dale, I suspect that in Windy's case moisture could be entering via tiny holes drilled in the dielectric by windblown sand or dust. Unfortunately I cannot offer any practical solution to prevent this happening, because I do not use window line. 4 wire open wire feeder behaves like a lovesick octopus unless kept under tension. A very useful type of low cost feeder for long low loss horizontal runs at HF and VHF though. 73, Geoff GM4ESD Dale Putnam wrote on Thursday, October 22, 2009 1:01 PM Geoff has touched on what may be happening. I've seen this on my systems here too... and the issue comes down to the material, in this case mud or water and dust... collecting on the feeder, then as the moisture drys away, the change in transmission line characteristics also change. There are a whole page of math equations and figures that prove this, but suffice it to say for now, that open wire, doesn't have this issue... it has others... more physical, like how to keep it spaced and installed correctly. Retuning isn't a real problem, it is pretty much just adjusting for what the moisture is changing. However... be watchful for the moisture changes to not go away completely then go look for where the moisture isn't leaving and find an opening in the insulation, and repair it, before the feedline becomes damaged too much by the moisture invasion. Still beats coax for losses. --... ...-- Dale - WC7S in Wy __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 KAT3 Antenna Tuner Tutorial
Fellows, I'm not asking you to go off-topic with advice on my feedline. I'm asking only about the behavior of the ATU memory system after I've retuned a few band segments to wet condx, then condx return to dry. Thanks Windy On Oct 22, 2009, at 7:03 AM, Geoffrey Mackenzie-Kennedy wrote: Dale, I suspect that in Windy's case moisture could be entering via tiny holes drilled in the dielectric by windblown sand or dust. Unfortunately I cannot offer any practical solution to prevent this happening, because I do not use window line. 4 wire open wire feeder behaves like a lovesick octopus unless kept under tension. A very useful type of low cost feeder for long low loss horizontal runs at HF and VHF though. 73, Geoff GM4ESD __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 KAT3 Antenna Tuner Tutorial
I've heard that some folks rub silicone furniture polish on the ladder line to keep moisture from settling, then dust, mud, etc doesn't stick. David G3UNA Geoffrey Mackenzie-Kennedy gm4...@btinternet.com wrote: Dale, I suspect that in Windy's case moisture could be entering via tiny holes drilled in the dielectric by windblown sand or dust. Unfortunately I cannot offer any practical solution to prevent this happening, because I do not use window line. 4 wire open wire feeder behaves like a lovesick octopus unless kept under tension. A very useful type of low cost feeder for long low loss horizontal runs at HF and VHF though. 73, Geoff GM4ESD Dale Putnam wrote on Thursday, October 22, 2009 1:01 PM Geoff has touched on what may be happening. I've seen this on my systems here too... and the issue comes down to the material, in this case mud or water and dust... collecting on the feeder, then as the moisture drys away, the change in transmission line characteristics also change. There are a whole page of math equations and figures that prove this, but suffice it to say for now, that open wire, doesn't have this issue... it has others... more physical, like how to keep it spaced and installed correctly. Retuning isn't a real problem, it is pretty much just adjusting for what the moisture is changing. However... be watchful for the moisture changes to not go away completely then go look for where the moisture isn't leaving and find an opening in the insulation, and repair it, before the feedline becomes damaged too much by the moisture invasion. Still beats coax for losses. --... ...-- Dale - WC7S in Wy __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 KAT3 Antenna Tuner Tutorial
Your feedline impedance changes when wet and the memory will change in the tuner. I would expect that is quite normal and a good thing! 73, Bill K9YEQ K2 #35; KX1 #35; K3 #1744; mini mods ATS-3B -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Windy Dankoff Sent: Thursday, October 22, 2009 9:02 AM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 KAT3 Antenna Tuner Tutorial Fellows, I'm not asking you to go off-topic with advice on my feedline. I'm asking only about the behavior of the ATU memory system after I've retuned a few band segments to wet condx, then condx return to dry. Thanks Windy On Oct 22, 2009, at 7:03 AM, Geoffrey Mackenzie-Kennedy wrote: Dale, I suspect that in Windy's case moisture could be entering via tiny holes drilled in the dielectric by windblown sand or dust. Unfortunately I cannot offer any practical solution to prevent this happening, because I do not use window line. 4 wire open wire feeder behaves like a lovesick octopus unless kept under tension. A very useful type of low cost feeder for long low loss horizontal runs at HF and VHF though. 73, Geoff GM4ESD __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] K3 KAT3 Antenna Tuner Tutorial
Windy, The latest QST has an article on window feed line that discusses this very topic Julius Fazekas N2WN Tennessee Contest Group http://www.k4ro.net/tcg/index.html http://groups.google.com/group/tcg1?hl=en Tennessee QSO Party http://www.tnqp.org/ Elecraft K2/100 #4455 Elecraft K3/100 #366 Elecraft K3/100 #1875 __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 KAT3 Antenna Tuner Tutorial
Yes, and it is a quite poorly done article with various procedural errors and measurement inconsistencies. I recommend you ignore it. See the message thread initiated by W8JI in the Elmers forum on eHam for more discussion about it. 73, Dave AB7E Julius Fazekas wrote: Windy, The latest QST has an article on window feed line that discusses this very topic Julius Fazekas N2WN __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 KAT3 Antenna Tuner Tutorial
I know someone that drives a bus for a living.. WHAT DOES ANY OF THIS HAVE TO DO WITH THE GUYS QUESTION. He had a VERY simple question. Just answer it if you know, if not, save your science lessons for those that actually want to talk about that off the reflector! Some times you CAN be too smart for your own good. Guys, You don't always have to answer EVERYTHING just because you think you can. Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:05:37 +0100 From: d.cut...@ntlworld.com To: k...@mac.com; gm4...@btinternet.com; daleput...@hotmail.com CC: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 KAT3 Antenna Tuner Tutorial I've heard that some folks rub silicone furniture polish on the ladder line to keep moisture from settling, then dust, mud, etc doesn't stick. David G3UNA Geoffrey Mackenzie-Kennedy gm4...@btinternet.com wrote: Dale, I suspect that in Windy's case moisture could be entering via tiny holes drilled in the dielectric by windblown sand or dust. Unfortunately I cannot offer any practical solution to prevent this happening, because I do not use window line. 4 wire open wire feeder behaves like a lovesick octopus unless kept under tension. A very useful type of low cost feeder for long low loss horizontal runs at HF and VHF though. 73, Geoff GM4ESD Dale Putnam wrote on Thursday, October 22, 2009 1:01 PM Geoff has touched on what may be happening. I've seen this on my systems here too... and the issue comes down to the material, in this case mud or water and dust... collecting on the feeder, then as the moisture drys away, the change in transmission line characteristics also change. There are a whole page of math equations and figures that prove this, but suffice it to say for now, that open wire, doesn't have this issue... it has others... more physical, like how to keep it spaced and installed correctly. Retuning isn't a real problem, it is pretty much just adjusting for what the moisture is changing. However... be watchful for the moisture changes to not go away completely then go look for where the moisture isn't leaving and find an opening in the insulation, and repair it, before the feedline becomes damaged too much by the moisture invasion. Still beats coax for losses. --... ...-- Dale - WC7S in Wy __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html _ Windows 7: It helps you do more. Explore Windows 7. http://www.microsoft.com/Windows/windows-7/default.aspx?ocid=PID24727::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:WWL_WIN_evergreen3:102009 __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 KAT3 Antenna Tuner Tutorial
Wes, N7WS has a paper on window line which is much more informative: http://users.triconet.org/wesandlinda/ladder_line.pdf. Bob, N7XY On Oct 22, 2009, at 10:15 AM, Julius Fazekas wrote: Windy, The latest QST has an article on window feed line that discusses this very topic Julius Fazekas N2WN Tennessee Contest Group http://www.k4ro.net/tcg/index.html http://groups.google.com/group/tcg1?hl=en Tennessee QSO Party http://www.tnqp.org/ Elecraft K2/100 #4455 Elecraft K3/100 #366 Elecraft K3/100 #1875 __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 KAT3 Antenna Tuner Tutorial
See Pg 66. 73, Bill K9YEQ -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Julius Fazekas Sent: Thursday, October 22, 2009 12:16 PM To: k...@mac.com Cc: Elecraft Discussion List Subject: [Elecraft] K3 KAT3 Antenna Tuner Tutorial Windy, The latest QST has an article on window feed line that discusses this very topic Julius Fazekas N2WN __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 KAT3 Antenna Tuner Tutorial
Sure Bill. When feedline is wet, I alter some band segments by retuning as needed, as I operate. Then when dry, I encounter the re- tuned segments again when I encounter a high-SWR after I QSY. So then I re-tune, of course. As far as I can observe, that seems to wipe out the wet setting that was recorded at some nearby frequency. Seems OK. I just have to accept that I don't know where the segments are, and so I keep an eye on the SWR when I QSY (normal habit anyway). I'll await any more helpful info from the creators. I accept that it may be simple just keep doing what you are doing. It isn't a problem, I'll await any further understanding of the rules that the ATU memories follow. Thanks / Windy KM5Q Bill K9YEQ wrote: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:09:57 -0700 Your feedline impedance changes when wet and the memory will change in the tuner. I would expect that is quite normal and a good thing! 73, Bill K9YEQ K2 #35; KX1 #35; K3 #1744; mini mods ATS-3B -Original Message- Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 KAT3 Antenna Tuner Tutorial Fellows, I'm not asking you to go off-topic with advice on my feedline. I'm asking only about the behavior of the ATU memory system after I've retuned a few band segments to wet condx, then condx return to dry. Thanks Windy __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 KAT3 Antenna Tuner Tutorial
Windy, I usually push the ATU tune whenever I change bands but have never relied upon the tuner to manage. Here's the manual: ATU (KAT3) If you have the KAT3 antenna tuner installed, you can select ANT1 or ANT2 by tapping ANT . Hold ATU to select AUTO (autotune enabled) or BYPASS. If the ATU icon is on, the antenna can be matched for best SWR by tapping ATU TUNE . Up to 30 ATU settings are saved for both antennas on every band. The ATU icon will flash briefly whenever new settings are automatically loaded. Tapping ATU TUNE a second time within 5 seconds of a match attempt will retry using a more extensive search. This may improve the match when using high-SWR or narrow-band loads. I don't believe this answers the question as to when the tuner invokes an automatic retune, however. 73, Bill K9YEQ -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of KM5Q Sent: Thursday, October 22, 2009 2:02 PM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 KAT3 Antenna Tuner Tutorial Sure Bill. When feedline is wet, I alter some band segments by retuning as needed, as I operate. Then when dry, I encounter the re- tuned segments again when I encounter a high-SWR after I QSY. So then I re-tune, of course. As far as I can observe, that seems to wipe out the wet setting that was recorded at some nearby frequency. Seems OK. I just have to accept that I don't know where the segments are, and so I keep an eye on the SWR when I QSY (normal habit anyway). I'll await any more helpful info from the creators. I accept that it may be simple just keep doing what you are doing. It isn't a problem, I'll await any further understanding of the rules that the ATU memories follow. Thanks / Windy KM5Q Bill K9YEQ wrote: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:09:57 -0700 Your feedline impedance changes when wet and the memory will change in the tuner. I would expect that is quite normal and a good thing! 73, Bill K9YEQ K2 #35; KX1 #35; K3 #1744; mini mods ATS-3B -Original Message- Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 KAT3 Antenna Tuner Tutorial Fellows, I'm not asking you to go off-topic with advice on my feedline. I'm asking only about the behavior of the ATU memory system after I've retuned a few band segments to wet condx, then condx return to dry. Thanks Windy __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] K3 KAT3 Antenna Tuner Tutorial
The K3 KAT3 antenna tuner is a puzzle to me. The user manual says that there are up to 30 ATU settings stored for each antenna on each band by the antenna tuner. There is no further discussion as to when a setting is saved or how a setting is chosen from those saved. Is the frequency tracked as the VFO changes and a new setting put into the antenna tuner when the VFO has been changed enough? Does a setting get changed if the VFO has changed enough and the K3 instructed to transmit? My antenna tuner seems to me to retune too often. Again my expectations may not match how the tuner works. I would appreciate a tuner tutorial for the KAT3. Some topics for said tutorial would include: (1) frequency spacing for tuning settings on each band, (2) does the tuner remember settings for an antenna from one time when the radio was on to the next time the radio was on, (3) does the tuner remember previous tuned setting from a previous visit to a band, (4) how far the SWR must be off for the tuner to retune, (5) how does the tuner indicate a failure to tune, (6) does it make sense to tune ahead so to speak where you may want to have the antenna tuned up ahead of an event? Don, N0YE -- View this message in context: http://n2.nabble.com/K3-KAT3-Antenna-Tuner-Tutorial-tp3868991p3868991.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 KAT3 Antenna Tuner Tutorial
Hi Don, The manual is a bit sparse in this area -- I'll improve it next time. The user manual says that there are up to 30 ATU settings stored for each antenna on each band by the antenna tuner. Yes. 10 kHz per segment on 160 m, 20 kHz per segment on 80-12 m, 100 kHz on 10 m, and 200 kHz on 6 m. There is no further discussion as to when a setting is saved or how a setting is chosen from those saved. When you hit ATU TUNE, the ATU checks the SWR and goes through the matching process if necessary. If so, new LC settings is saved for the present band segment. Is the frequency tracked as the VFO changes and a new setting put into the antenna tuner when the VFO has been changed enough? Does a setting get changed if the VFO has changed enough and the K3 instructed to transmit? LC network changes do not occur in receive mode, as we found that very distracting. Instead they occur on band change or antenna change, or (if necessary) when you transmit. If you have moved the VFO from one segment to another since the last transmission, and the best available LC settings have also changed, the ATU will automatically load the new settings when you transmit. The ATU icon flashes briefly to let you know this has occurred. Best available is determined by comparing the present VFO location to segments for which LC data has been stored. Let's say you've tuned up the ATU only at 7000 and 7250 kHz on 40 m. If you move the VFO to 7180 and transmit, the ATU will load the settings from the 7250 kHz bin, since that's the closest one. My antenna tuner seems to me to retune too often. Again my expectations may not match how the tuner works. This depends on the Q of the antenna. If Q is high (i.e. the antenna is narrow-banded), the ATU will retune more often. You could if you wish go through each band and tune up at the intervals mentioned above. On 160 m you'd start somewhere between 1800 and 1810 kHz, etc. But this is definitely not necessary. Up to 30 LC settings are stored for both antennas on all bands. All settings are saved in EEPROM so you don't have to retune if you power the radio off. 73, Wayne N6KR Some topics for said tutorial would include: (1) frequency spacing for tuning settings on each band, (2) does the tuner remember settings for an antenna from one time when the radio was on to the next time the radio was on, (3) does the tuner remember previous tuned setting from a previous visit to a band, (4) how far the SWR must be off for the tuner to retune, (5) how does the tuner indicate a failure to tune, (6) does it make sense to tune ahead so to speak where you may want to have the antenna tuned up ahead of an event? Don, N0YE -- View this message in context: http://n2.nabble.com/K3-KAT3-Antenna-Tuner-Tutorial-tp3868991p3868991.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 KAT3 Antenna Tuner Tutorial
A really great feature of K3EZ is that it auto tunes the rig at all of the preset bins across all bands that you wish. This is something that would be slick if it were built into the calibration section of the elecraft K3 app but otherwise the K3EZ app does a good job of this. ~Brett On Wed, 2009-10-21 at 16:08 -0700, Wayne Burdick wrote: Hi Don, The manual is a bit sparse in this area -- I'll improve it next time. The user manual says that there are up to 30 ATU settings stored for each antenna on each band by the antenna tuner. Yes. 10 kHz per segment on 160 m, 20 kHz per segment on 80-12 m, 100 kHz on 10 m, and 200 kHz on 6 m. There is no further discussion as to when a setting is saved or how a setting is chosen from those saved. When you hit ATU TUNE, the ATU checks the SWR and goes through the matching process if necessary. If so, new LC settings is saved for the present band segment. Is the frequency tracked as the VFO changes and a new setting put into the antenna tuner when the VFO has been changed enough? Does a setting get changed if the VFO has changed enough and the K3 instructed to transmit? LC network changes do not occur in receive mode, as we found that very distracting. Instead they occur on band change or antenna change, or (if necessary) when you transmit. If you have moved the VFO from one segment to another since the last transmission, and the best available LC settings have also changed, the ATU will automatically load the new settings when you transmit. The ATU icon flashes briefly to let you know this has occurred. Best available is determined by comparing the present VFO location to segments for which LC data has been stored. Let's say you've tuned up the ATU only at 7000 and 7250 kHz on 40 m. If you move the VFO to 7180 and transmit, the ATU will load the settings from the 7250 kHz bin, since that's the closest one. My antenna tuner seems to me to retune too often. Again my expectations may not match how the tuner works. This depends on the Q of the antenna. If Q is high (i.e. the antenna is narrow-banded), the ATU will retune more often. You could if you wish go through each band and tune up at the intervals mentioned above. On 160 m you'd start somewhere between 1800 and 1810 kHz, etc. But this is definitely not necessary. Up to 30 LC settings are stored for both antennas on all bands. All settings are saved in EEPROM so you don't have to retune if you power the radio off. 73, Wayne N6KR Some topics for said tutorial would include: (1) frequency spacing for tuning settings on each band, (2) does the tuner remember settings for an antenna from one time when the radio was on to the next time the radio was on, (3) does the tuner remember previous tuned setting from a previous visit to a band, (4) how far the SWR must be off for the tuner to retune, (5) how does the tuner indicate a failure to tune, (6) does it make sense to tune ahead so to speak where you may want to have the antenna tuned up ahead of an event? Don, N0YE -- View this message in context: http://n2.nabble.com/K3-KAT3-Antenna-Tuner-Tutorial-tp3868991p3868991.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 KAT3 Antenna Tuner Tutorial
Here's another question: I have a dipole with 200 feet of window-line feed. It works great with the ATU. When it's wet, I have to re-tune, then it's fine again. I've tuned it at lots of spots in some favorite bands during dry weather (most of the time in New Mexico). But on a rainy day, I end up retuning frequencies here and there. Next sunny day, does the system detune me when I run into a previously wet-tuned segment? Oddly, I haven't observed this, but I don't understand why. Windy KM5Q __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
