[Elecraft] News from Visalia! (:-))

[Wes Stewart]

It's nice that you bring up the SPE 1K, since it demonstrates very nicely the loss you can suffer with a built-in tuner.  

The ARRL review (http://www.arrl.org/files/file/protected/Group/Members/ProductReview/pdf/pr0909.pdf) said that there was 100-200W loss in the internal tuner, and presumably this is into a matched load in the laboratory.

With a mismatched load the losses are generally going to be even higher.

With solid-state power costing upwards of $3-$4/watt these days ($3.20 in this case), why anyone wants to leave $500-600 worth in the box is beyond me.  But then I could never get my arms around the whole mismatched antenna/ladderline/balun/tuner thing in the first place.

Wes  N7WS

--- On Sat, 4/17/10, David and Dianne on Comcast <dhhdeh at comcast.net> wrote:

> From: David and Dianne on Comcast <dhhdeh at comcast.net>
> Subject: [Elecraft] News from Visalia! (:-))
> To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> Date: Saturday, April 17, 2010, 9:30 AM
> Thanks for the info Doug.
> 
> And I am....initially.
> 
> Seems like an odd decision in light of alternatives like
> the very well 
> received  SPE 1K Expert.
> 
> Though I see the LDG is going to offer a 600W auto tuner
> this June ... 
> so that may be an alternative. 
> 
> For me the integration of a tuner into the package would
> have been 
> really great for an Elecraft  'pocket linear'.
> 
> We'll wait and see.
> 
> KPA500 Jpeg's anyone?
> 
> 73 de N1LQ-Dave
>>