[Antennas] How do you use an antenna tuner?

[Pat W]

My 2 cents worth.
 Tuners can tune things they really have no business
tuning in the first place, and since a t-net tuner has
infinite settings for a match(only 1 being the correct
setting), it is difficult to know when the tuner is
doing any good.
 THe simplest method for tuning(from Walt Maxwell's
'Reflections') is to add a current sensing indicator on
the ouput side of the tuner.  This is a very simple
device consisting of small powdered iron toroid(eg,
T50-2), a germanium diode, capacitor, 50k ohm carbon
potentiometer, and a good meter. The antenna center
output is wound 1 turn thru the toroid, and about 20
turns of small diameter wire is wound for the
secondary.  Tuning for maximum output on the meter is
all that is required. WHen the tuner settings are at
their optimum, the meter is showing the most antenna
current.  

 Without an output indicator, tuning in receive mode
for maximum received signal will indicate optimum
setting also.

  Pat W0OPW



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