[Elecraft] KX1 ATU Antenna Length Question

[Rich Patrick AE7RW]

To the KX1ers......
 
I sailed my KX1 [#422] on it's maiden voyage last evening for the 
Adventure Radio Society's Spartan Sprint.  Operated at the picnic table 
in 
the back yard.  I used the recommended wire length for the KX1 
Automatic 
Tuner:  about 25 ft with 16 ft counterpoise wire.  The antenna wire was 
made vertical with a 23 ft.  fiberglass push-up pole to simulate 
"throwing the wire up in a tree".  The KX1's ATU is calibrated 
correctly 
against a precision dummy load for SWR.  
 
14 MHz  started out great.  SWR was 1.0  per the ATUs watt/swr meter.
 
7 MHz   doesn't tune so well.  SWR was 4.x.   So I went to 10 MHz.....
 
10 MHz measures about SWR of 3.x  I quickly tried to shorten the wire a 
few feet (cutting the wire in the dark was easier than lengthening 
it).... to see if the SWR was better...NOT.  So I gave up the outside 
operation... went inside to the BIG RIGand made some very nice Q's.
 
My question to the group is:   Has anyone else had trouble tuning on 7 
MHz [and 10 MHz] with the recommended "throw it in a tree" wire length?  
If so... what wire length did you find to be best.... for all bands.   
??
 
Thanks          de Rich  AE7RW      KX1 #422       dit dit



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