Antennas & Tuners

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f4jpy
 

Posts: 4
Joined: 14 Aug 2023, 15:40
Location: FRANCE
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Antennas & Tuners

Post by f4jpy »

Hello,

As I am a newbee with (tr)uSDX, I would like to have some advice on antennas and the need of a tuner (or not).

I was thinking to order from here : https://www.hfkits.com

Following antennas would interest me, especially Delta antennas to make some DX-QSOs... =
https://www.hfkits.com/product/30-meter ... p-antenna/
https://www.hfkits.com/product/160-mete ... p-antenna/ (for using with a QCX+ on 160m, I am building :oops: )
https://www.hfkits.com/product/10-15-20 ... tenna-kit/
https://www.hfkits.com/product/zs6bkw-a ... 1-1-balun/

I found a little power tuner on Amazon.fr, around 70-75 €, to tune if SSB use even if I will use the (tr)uSDK mostly for CW.
I found some other tuners as the Z-817 - LDG - QRP Automatic Antenna Tuner or the LDG - RT-100 - External Automatic Tuner

Please tell me what you think on those choices :lol:

Thx,
73
Best regards,
73,
Jérémy, alias F4JPY

Website: https://f4jpy.fr
ki6bty
 

Posts: 2
Joined: 26 Jul 2023, 04:18

Re: Antennas & Tuners

Post by ki6bty »

I don't know those antennas specifically, but unless the antenna is resonant on a particular frequency you will need a tuner. I use a fairly cheap ATU-100 tuner that I got on Amazon from the same place that sells the completed truSDX kits and the battery packs. Used it last weekend for a SOTA activation with a Buddipole and an EFHW and also on my FT891. Only downside is it has no memory.
f4jpy
 

Posts: 4
Joined: 14 Aug 2023, 15:40
Location: FRANCE
Contact:

Re: Antennas & Tuners

Post by f4jpy »

Thanks for tour answer! I was thinking of getting a ATU 10 to be sure of low power. What do you think? I also found some "QRP" tuners from MFJ, but overpriced for me...
Best regards,
73,
Jérémy, alias F4JPY

Website: https://f4jpy.fr
calinb
 

Posts: 23
Joined: 28 Aug 2022, 19:23

Re: Antennas & Tuners

Post by calinb »

Jérémy,

Sorry for my delayed response to your post.

I have an LDG Z100A, AT-100ProII and an Antuner AT100M (http://www.antuner.com/en.html), which is not related to the ATU-10 design base at all. The Antuner is closed source. I'm most impressed with the Antuner. It tunes quickly where the LDG tuners struggle and sometimes fail to tune at all, stressing a QRP rig the entire time! With its fast and accurate tuning and Li-ion battery power source, the Antuner is a perfect fit for little QRP radios.

My Antuner AT100M worked great right out of the box but, for anyone trying to weak the settings, I have a few notes that I obtained in an email conversation with the designer in China. Thank goodness for Google translate! I have no commercial interest in Antuner. My QRZ page isn't very impressive, but here are the notes:
https://www.qrz.com/db/ad8q

To play it safe, I usually tune initially using USB power on my (tr)uSDX or I flip the switch on my QRP guys SWR bridge to "tune" (limiting power and also SWR as seen by the transmitter to 2:1) and then switch the bridge to "operate" after tuning.

I purchased the SWR bridge to protect my PreppComm MMX QRP radio's very fragile finals (which blow fuses and BJTs on the board too, when the BS170s blow. It's a problem other users have experienced with the MMX too, so I reworked my PreppComm PCB and replaced the SMT BS170s with through-hole T0-92 BS170 FETs when FETs blew. Through hole parts, like the (tr)uSDX wisely uses, provide significant additional Id and power capability vs. the surface mount versions. My PreppComm experience has really made me appreciate the superiority of the (tr)uSDX! In the USA, engineers call design margin "guard band." Manuel was asking about an appropriate term for margin in on of his videos I watched. I've always liked the term.

Here's the SWR bridge: https://qrpguys.com/tuning-indicator

I've been using it as a hook to hang my (tr)uSDX too. It seems to be able to handle the light-weight (tr)uSDX just fine! Here it is hanging on a shelf (I can never get images to display with [img]https:blah, blah[/img] :() .)

https://1drv.ms/i/s!Aj2aP2M080x7iFYct9i ... 7?e=6j2znd

Hanging it makes it easy to operate the slider switch and also see the tuning LED. I should add some sticky backed foam or rubber tape to the bottom to improve grip and protect the shelf.

73,
Cal -- AD8Q
SP9TKW
 

Posts: 59
Joined: 03 Jan 2022, 21:11
Location: Krakow

Re: Antennas & Tuners

Post by SP9TKW »

I usually use my truSDX with home made antennas which are resonant on the bands I intend to use. SWR is usually lower than 1.7:1. I maing use EFHW4010.

Several times I used nonresonant antenna (long wire 41feet and 9:1 unun). In such case I use 5mtr counterpoise as well as ATU-10.

You need to be carefull where you buy ATU-10 as there are couple cases where ATU did not work as expected. I had such unit. It was a case for resoldering several connectors on relays and coils.

ATU works now great and I usually get SWR below 1.3:1 with long wire and 9:1

GL 73 Marek
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