[Elecraft] K3- How Robust iis the Tuner?

[Roy Davis]

Just for information, DX Engineering has a good page on their website 
(Choosing the correct balun).  They recommend current type baluns, but 
different ratios for different antenna.  I use a multi band dipole fed with 
ladder line.  I use what they recommend for a multi band dipole.  The 
antenna is cut for the lowest frequency to operate, and use a 1.1 Balun. 
The ladderline is 1/8 multiples of the lowest frequency to operate.  I use 
the 450 ohm ladder line because it was on hand, 300 ohm is what's 
recommended.

With this setup my Palstar tuner tunes easily, and the K3's tuner tunes 
easily as well when used alone with the antenna.

I hope this of interest to the group.

Roy - WK4Y
# 1366


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <Steven.Zabarnick at notes.udayton.edu>
To: <Elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Monday, October 13, 2008 3:19 PM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3- How Robust iis the Tuner?



Maybe it needs to be more robust? Last week I was attempting to tune a
short ladderline fed (via a balun) doublet on 80 meters using the KAT3. The
tuner successfully tuned the system for the cw part of the band, but had
trouble on 75 meters. I tried retuning a few times, and noted smoke and a
burning smell. Now antennas connected to the ANT1 connector are deaf, while
using the ANT2 connector the tuner works fine.

I've successfully used this antenna on 80 meters using an external manual
Palstar balanced tuner, but never got a match using the internal tuner in
my IC756. While the IC756 tuner cannot provide a match, it never was
damaged in my attempts.

On the bright side, Elecraft support is sending a replacement KAT3, no
questions asked.

Steve N9SZ

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