Antenna tuners ?

[KD8NIV]

Looking to buy a tuner soon, but not sure what to get.....plan on running a amp but not right now....
What do you all recommend ?

Have a Yaesu FT 450d radio, and a couple wires up here....

 

[ab5r]

You'll have to decide on the amplifier and its wattage output FIRST, then get a tuner for that power output or higher. Nobody can decide for you, sorry.

 

[Weaksignal]

Once you decide on your specifications needed, you may wish to check eHam reviews... they're are some good tuners and some real stinkers.

eHam.net Reviews - Antenna Tuners

 

[jackj]

Buy the most tuner you can afford. You won't regret having the best and biggest.

 

[majoco]

Spend your money on improving your antennas. A bad antenna will always be a bad antenna and putting a kilowatt or more into your bad antenna via a tuner will not improve your receive capability the tiniest little bit.

 

[K4EET]

FWIW, the MFJ-989D is a great tuner if you go that route. It will tune a wet noodle if necessary. Hi, hi. I have the MFJ-989C (previous revision level). These are the MFJ VERSA TUNER V; Legal Limit Series-Roller Inductor.

But I also agree that the antenna is very important and should be looked at first. I understand that not everyone can put up a great antenna and some will need to load an antenna that is severely off-resonance. The MFJ-989D has a very broad tuning range and will tune just about any type of antenna that you use.

MFJ Enterprises Inc.

 

[jwt873]

At high power levels, you don't want to see an SWR of more than 3:1. Many external tuners will easily match 6:1 and higher, and at 100 Watts everything will seem fine.

At high power levels, the standing waves in the coax cause heating which results in a loss of power to the antenna. Normally with high SWR antennas (like horizontal loops etc) people use ladder line, (which doesn't have the problems of coax), or they'll use a remote tuner which is placed where the coax meets the antenna.

I use an old MFJ-986 roller inductor tuner with a 600 Watt sold state amp. It works well.

One thing you might consider is one of those automatic memory tuners. They are a nice touch, but the high power ones are expensive. If you have the funds you might consider one of those.

 

[KN4J]

From your signature, I see that you are running a 40 meter dipole. I would assume you're using coax for that. If so, a tuner may make your transceiver happy, but you'd be using an extremely inefficient antenna if you are attempting to tune that coax fed dipole on anything other than 40/15 meters.

If you're considering a tuner, you might want to bring what wire antennas you have down and replace them with a single ladder line fed doublet (dipole), cut it for the lowest band you want to work, and make your own ladder line - it's a fun project. Raise it about 1/2 WL if you've cut it for 40 meters (that's about 68 feet). I'll be happy to walk you through the process if you need help. Overall, a ladder line fed dipole at the suggested height will allow you to work all bands 40 through 10 (80 meters if you have the space) and will kick the pants off the Imax and will at least equal your 40 meter dipole.

Think about the antenna first and your overall operating objectives, then the tuner discussion begins.

 

[prcguy]

+1 on that!
prcguy

From your signature, I see that you are running a 40 meter dipole. I would assume you're using coax for that. If so, a tuner may make your transceiver happy, but you'd be using an extremely inefficient antenna if you are attempting to tune that coax fed dipole on anything other than 40/15 meters.

If you're considering a tuner, you might want to bring what wire antennas you have down and replace them with a single ladder line fed doublet (dipole), cut it for the lowest band you want to work, and make your own ladder line - it's a fun project. Raise it about 1/2 WL if you've cut it for 40 meters (that's about 68 feet). I'll be happy to walk you through the process if you need help. Overall, a ladder line fed dipole at the suggested height will allow you to work all bands 40 through 10 (80 meters if you have the space) and will kick the pants off the Imax and will at least equal your 40 meter dipole.

Think about the antenna first and your overall operating objectives, then the tuner discussion begins.

 

[k9rzz]

Basic. 1KW. A classic. Got mine on ebay (photo off web)

 

[KD8NIV]

Thanks guys, good info...

I also have a G5 up here its 32' in the air, with the radio it tunes on 20m, and 12m......seems to talk pretty good, but problem with it I don't have the room to straighten out the legs like they need to be, it has about 32' of LL on it, and a balun at the bottom, and went from here to the shack with LMR 400UF coax, I live on a small lot, and have power lines in the back yard......going to swap this out later and go to a G5 Jr, not sure what all bands I'd be able to tune it for, or may just go to something like a D3 or something like this, don't no for sure yet, just looking.....

I've been looking at tuners, like that Palstar 2kw tuner...

 

[prcguy]

Palstar is one of the best quality tuners currently made. If your G5RV is not bent up too much I would keep it over the Jr version, which is really a 10m antenna that sort of works down to 40m. You might look at the ZS6BKW, which is a modern computer designed version of the G5RV that can cover 40, 20, 17, 12, 10 and 6m without a tuner, 80m with a tuner and its about 93ft long or a little shorter than a G5RV.

Thanks guys, good info...

I also have a G5 up here its 32' in the air, with the radio it tunes on 20m, and 12m......seems to talk pretty good, but problem with it I don't have the room to straighten out the legs like they need to be, it has about 32' of LL on it, and a balun at the bottom, and went from here to the shack with LMR 400UF coax, I live on a small lot, and have power lines in the back yard......going to swap this out later and go to a G5 Jr, not sure what all bands I'd be able to tune it for, or may just go to something like a D3 or something like this, don't no for sure yet, just looking.....

I've been looking at tuners, like that Palstar 2kw tuner...

 

[KD8NIV]

Yeah, I like that Palstar tuner, probably be the one I go with....

The G5, the LL on it comes right to the bottom of the mast pipe, but it don't touch the ground or the siding or any part of the pipe mast, anywhere....don't have the room to straighten out the legs, not without going over on the neighbors property....there no trees here to use, unless I go under the power lines over to the mountain side....not sure what would be the right move to make here.....

 

[KD8NIV]

What's up guys, been kicking this antenna stuff around for a couple weeks, I no the G5 is the better antenna, but think I'm going to go to a G5 Jr, due to the size of my lot....there's no way to straighten out the legs of the G5 like they need to be, can't do this..

Just going to have to go to a Jr size wire and make do for awhile....


The antenna tuner, may just have to go to a MFJ 939 or something like this and make do....

 

[KD8NIV]

Update, instead of buying a big tuner, going to order a LDG AT-100 Pro 2 this week, no plans on buying a amp anytime soon, and think this is all I'd need..,,,,took a long look at the MFJ 939 tuner, but changed my mind with it....

 

[prcguy]

I thought you wanted to add an amp someday and the AT-100 will not handle that. I got tired of manually adjusting my Plaster tuner when using near legal limit tube amps and decided to go with a 500-600w solid state amp so I recently bought an LDG AT-1000. They have a 600w version but I would not true it operating at its max ratings.

On your antenna, I don't see the fascination with the G5RV in either the full size or Jr version. Except for 20m where its designed to have a little gain its just a random length dipole on all other bands, or the Jr is a 10m version. Why not put up the longest dipole that will fit your property then feed it with balanced line all the way to the tuner with a good 1:1 choke balun at the tuner for a coax to balanced line transition?

This way you will have an extremely low loss feed line, especially if you only use a few feet of LMR400 between the tuner and 1:1 balun and the antenna should tune many bands and radiate just fine.
prcguy

Update, instead of buying a big tuner, going to order a LDG AT-100 Pro 2 this week, no plans on buying a amp anytime soon, and think this is all I'd need..,,,,took a long look at the MFJ 939 tuner, but changed my mind with it....

 

[KD8NIV]

I just got off the phone with HRO and the guy there told me the tuner I was looking at wont work with my Ft 450d, thing is right now I'm running 2 different antennas, that's why I wanted that tuner, but have to do something else...

The G5RV, I really don't have room for it, that's why its hanging like it is, biggest thing I see I can use on the property out front away from the lines is a Jr side dipole.....unless I build a fan dipole..

What tuner would you guys recommend that has 2 antenna ports and will work on my Ft 450d ?..

 

[jwt873]

I don't know if the 450D has any special considerations when it comes to tuners so I can't comment.

On antenna switching... It's nice to have a tuner with a built in antenna switch, but you can buy an external one and use it at the output of the tuner..

I used one of these when I had separate 40 and 80 meter antennas. Daiwa CS-201A Coax Switches CS-201A - Free Shipping on Most Orders Over $99 at DX Engineering

 

[wb6uqa]

I have a AL 80 B amplifier and use the LDG AT 1000 tuner. It will tune almost any antenna.

 

[K4EET]

I don't know if the 450D has any special considerations when it comes to tuners so I can't comment.

On antenna switching... It's nice to have a tuner with a built in antenna switch, but you can buy an external one and use it at the output of the tuner..

I used one of these when I had separate 40 and 80 meter antennas. Daiwa CS-201A Coax Switches CS-201A - Free Shipping on Most Orders Over $99 at DX Engineering

I agree with the quote above. However, if you really want a tuner that has multiple antenna capabilities AND has a 3 KW power handling capability for when you get an amplifier down the road, the MFJ-989D "MFJ Versa Tuner V" is a good choice.

The Antenna Selector switch has the following positions:

• Coax 1 through tuner
• Coax 2 through tuner
• Coax 1 bypassing tuner
• Coax 2 bypassing tuner
• Wire - Balanced Line
• 3 KW Dummy Load

If you don't already have a high power dummy load, this tuner has one built-in to it. That is another consideration. This tuner enables you to not have an external antenna switch and to have a dummy load which both cost $$$s. This antenna tuner handles 3 antennas; 2 fed with coaxial lines and 1 long wire or ladder line fed line. Be sure to factor all that in when doing cost comparisons.

73, Dave K4EET/AE