[CTSARA] Antenna tuner

[Sander Pool]

Hi,

I would list the requirements and then match to available tuners. Some 
things to consider:

- power capability
- automatic vs. manual
- frequency range (some do 6m, some don't)
- matching capability
- how many balanced and unbalanced inputs does it take?
- built in Watt meter
- built in SWR display
- remote vs. desk top
- built in antenna switch

All these suggest you know what kind of antennas you're going to deploy 
and how you're going to feed them to the tuner and radio. When I planned 
the purchase of my radio I planned to construct a vertical with a remote 
tuner at the base. This morphed into building a horizontal loop with a 
remote tuner in a corner. Now I'm a fan of balanced feed line which 
allows me to keep the tuner indoors.

I summarize the purpose of an antenna tuner to be "maximize antenna 
radiation for a given radio output". Using a tuner near the radio with a 
long stretch of coax into a poorly matched antenna isn't an ideal 
situation. Either use a remote tuner close to the antenna and feed it 
using coax to the radio or use balanced line to feed the antenna to the 
tuner with a short run of coax to the radio.

I use a 40m doublet fed with balanced line into a homebrew 4:1 balun to 
the internal tuner of my TS-2000. I'm considering upgrading to an 
MFJ-993B because it has a wider matching capability, is automatic, takes 
balanced line and coax (ie. has built in balun) and other goodies.

http://www.mfjenterprises.com/Product.php?productid=MFJ-993B

If you get a tuner without a Watt meter I recommend getting an external 
one. I picked one up second hand right when I got my radio and it's a 
great debugging tool to see powering going in both direction.

Let us know a little more about your antenna plans and maybe we can help 
you along picking the right tuner.

73,

     Sander W1SOP