[Elecraft] K3 ATU

[Vic K2VCO]

Ben Linden wrote:

> Can anyone comment on how robust the internal ATU for the K3 is?  Is one 
> better off with an external ATU?

It is similar to the one in the KAT100. I am not sure what you mean by 
'robust', but it has done a fine job with the (not unreasonable) loads 
that I've given it.

If you do not need a balanced tuner, then the internal tuner is a better 
option than an external one.  For one thing, an internal tuner knows 
what band (or, in the future, band segment) that you are on, so it does 
not have to wait for you to start talking or sending to reset itself.

The KAT3 (like the KAT2 and KAT100) also has two antenna outputs, and 
can remember the per-band settings for each. You can select an antenna 
and the tuner will automatically set itself to match that antenna. I 
don't know of an external autotuner that has this capability.
-- 
73,
Vic, K2VCO
Fresno CA
http://www.qsl.net/k2vco