[Elecraft] KX1 ATU Antenna Length Question

Thu Mar 4 19:46:33 2004

I had a similar experience with 24' of wire against a 16' counterpoise. With a longer wire, about 28' feet, all three bands tune acceptably, < 2:1.

73,
Mike N2HTT

----- Original Message -----
From: Rick Hampton <[email protected]>
Date: Tuesday, March 2, 2004 9:28 pm
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KX1 ATU Antenna Length Question

> Hi, Rich.
> 
> I'm using either a 26' or 42' wire, depending on the support 
> available.  The 26' wire
> seems to be more persnickety when tuning, but I don't think I've 
> ever seen a VSWR
> above 2.0, it just takes a little longer to tune.  The 42' wire 
> seems to tune faster
> and the VSWR is nearly always less than 1.5.
> 
> Your wire might be a little short, but since I've not had any 
> problems with the two
> wires I have, I've not experimented enough to be certain that is 
> the case.  In other
> words, I'm not sure I've pushed the ATU to the limits of it's 
> matching ability.  You
> may just want to try a longer wire and see what happens.
> 
> Good luck and let us know what you find out.
> 
> Rick, WD8KEL
> KX1 #358
> 
> Rich Patrick AE7RW wrote:
> 
> > 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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