LDG RT-100 tuner help
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I have an Eagle One Vertical and ICOM 7100. Your RT-100 is designed to be mounted right at the base of the Eagle One. Hopefully that is the way you have it installed, since putting it on the end of the coax cable that is on the transceiver end is not going to work well... if at all. You'll read replies here saying you need to put an antenna analyzer on the Eagle One first before you attach any tuner. Wouldn't hurt, but I can tell you the SWR will be off the charts on all bands except 15M and 40M... where it will be passable but not great. However, you will be able to tune those two bands... and all the others... with the tuner. So now a question: When you are seeing "off the charts" SWR, where are you measuring the SWR and how? The reason I ask is to help determine if there is a defect in your RT-100... which is unlikely. But does the tuner allow your transmitter to operate? And on which bands will it work / not work?
FYI - I've heard that whenever the makers of the Eagle One are at a show with their antenna, they have an ICOM AH-4 tuner set up at the base of the Eagle One. After much experimenting with my Eagle One and IT-100, I've been able to improve the match by adding a Palomar 4:1 impedance transformer at the base of the antenna. But I'm convinced that the ICOM AH-4 would be a superior solution. However, I'm also surprised that your new RT-100 is not working similarly to an AH-4 (assuming you've installed the RT-100 as specified, and have checked to ensure you have no coaxial or connector "opens" or "shorts").
FYI - I've heard that whenever the makers of the Eagle One are at a show with their antenna, they have an ICOM AH-4 tuner set up at the base of the Eagle One. After much experimenting with my Eagle One and IT-100, I've been able to improve the match by adding a Palomar 4:1 impedance transformer at the base of the antenna. But I'm convinced that the ICOM AH-4 would be a superior solution. However, I'm also surprised that your new RT-100 is not working similarly to an AH-4 (assuming you've installed the RT-100 as specified, and have checked to ensure you have no coaxial or connector "opens" or "shorts").
Yup I mounted it right at the antenna base.
I only had to build one new coax jumper and made sure it was good to go before I installed it. Other wise all other coax was the others used in my previous manual tuner setup.
I will put my analyzer on and check to see were things are along my feed line tho.
The high swr im taking about is at the 7300 when I turn on its swr meter it goes to the top and if I ptt and speak when its in all meter mode it goes from nothing to off the meter again till I stop speaking.
I'll do another look see here later today now that I'm more awake and get some definite readings for you.
I only had to build one new coax jumper and made sure it was good to go before I installed it. Other wise all other coax was the others used in my previous manual tuner setup.
I will put my analyzer on and check to see were things are along my feed line tho.
The high swr im taking about is at the 7300 when I turn on its swr meter it goes to the top and if I ptt and speak when its in all meter mode it goes from nothing to off the meter again till I stop speaking.
I'll do another look see here later today now that I'm more awake and get some definite readings for you.
Are you doing your coax tests with a multimeter? Analyzer won’t help with opens or shorts. Use a multimeter for continuity end to end. And open between center conductor and barrel / shell.
techman210
Member
I don’t know why they put a SO-239 on the output of that tuner. It just makes people think that coax is the right medium to connect to the antenna.
I would recommend just attaching a well insulated wire to the center conductor, run that to the radiating part of the antenna, and then use the ground lug to attach to your counterpoise/earth system with another heavy gauge wire.
I know someone that has this tuner and for it to find the right initial L/C solution, it may take more than 30 seconds, so set the radio to low power and wait.
I would recommend just attaching a well insulated wire to the center conductor, run that to the radiating part of the antenna, and then use the ground lug to attach to your counterpoise/earth system with another heavy gauge wire.
I know someone that has this tuner and for it to find the right initial L/C solution, it may take more than 30 seconds, so set the radio to low power and wait.
Ok i am finding a issue. today I turn on the RC-100 and the front led lights up (dimmer then it probably should in my opinion, very dull red!) I checked the power wire and get a good 12 volts going into the controller. Just tested the SO 239 output to the tuner (manual says it should be a 12 volt current my multi meter is reading 11.38 v after I push the button for a tuning cycle.
thats prob the issue right?
thats prob the issue right?
techman210
Member
Not likely. There is no intelligence between the control box and the tuner. All that button does is interrupt power for as long as it's pressed.
To clear the tuning memory for all frequencies, is transmit first, and while transmitting, push the button.
If you're feeding the antenna from the tuner with coax, or not transmitting long enough for it to get a tuning solution, you're doing it wrong. With a longwire tuner like this, the antenna begins at the output of the tuner.
To clear the tuning memory for all frequencies, is transmit first, and while transmitting, push the button.
If you're feeding the antenna from the tuner with coax, or not transmitting long enough for it to get a tuning solution, you're doing it wrong. With a longwire tuner like this, the antenna begins at the output of the tuner.
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