[Elecraft] Remote Antenna Tuner

[Jack Brindle]

On Sunday, September 7, 2003, at 11:52  AM, Sverre Holm wrote:

> I wonder, is there anything fundamentally difficult in making an
> automatic balanced tuner, say an automatic version of the BLT-tuner or
> another Z-match tuner? - or is the problem that there aren't enough
> people interested so that noone has bothered to try?

This is exactly like the previous discussion of "why hasn't someone  
done that?" The answer is that it simply is an exercise waiting for the  
right person knowing the right technology  to get the right brainstorm.

Having said that, there is one balanced tuner on the market at present,  
marketed by a German company. Sorry, I don't have the URL at my  
fingertips, but could look it up if pressed. The unit uses a mirrored  
version of the standard auto antenna tuner that just about everyone  
else uses. I suspect then it has the same limitations as these units.

There actually is some magic to creating a truly balanced automated  
tuner of the kind in discussion. Manual versions of this were much in  
vogue up until the late 70s, and still in use in my shack). I believe  
the magic is not that difficult, and actually results from a  
simplification of the overall design. The big problem is much more  
difficult to solve - having the time to actually build a unit!

- Jack Brindle, WA4FIB
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