[Elecraft] Algorithm for Tuner

[Bill Coleman]

On Sep 15, 2005, at 11:22 AM, Craig Rairdin wrote:

> In this particular case, if you were to iterate over all possible
> combinations of L and C it's only necessary to store the best  
> result so far
> and compare the current result to the best result. If the current  
> result is
> better, it becomes the new best. Now you have no sorting at all and  
> your
> time is order N instead of order N^2.

The problem with the exhaustive search is there are 2^17 = 131,072  
combinations to try. (256 cap and inductor values, plus reversing the  
whole L network)

It takes a few ms for each relay to physically switch. If you can try  
100 combinations a second (10 ms), that's still about 20 minutes to  
try them all. Even with 1 ms switching time, you're still looking at  
2 minutes to find a match.

A tough problem.

Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL        Mail: aa4lr at arrl.net
Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
             -- Wilbur Wright, 1901