[Elecraft] KX1 Tuner

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

Ed, you didn't mention the length of the wire you are using. Certain lengths
will present an impedance outside of the range of the tuner -  especially
the KX1 tuner. The KX1 doesn't have as much matching range as other tuners.
The L and C combinations had to be limited to fit it into the tiny space.  

It's not unusual for a wire to tune very differently when moved from one
place to another. Nearby objects can have a large effect on its electrical
length and so its resonant frequency.

I'd try a different length of wire - if you don't want to cut the wire, just
fold back some of the far end a few feet along itself. Even if insulated,
such a wire then looks like one thicker wire to RF since RF does not flow
through the conductor, but travels along the outside of it as a wave. 

Bare wire is fine for an antenna, provided it's not touching any other
conductors. Even insulated wire should be spaced well away from conductors.
And be sure your bare wire connected to the center conductor isn't shorting
to the outer metal ring of the antenna connector. 

Ideally you'd have a second wire attached to the KX1 case (or the shiny
outer ring of the antenna connector) to act as a counterpoise. More than one
wire attached to the case is even better. If they're elevated off of the
ground, one for each band 1/4 wavelength long is the best. That would be 33
feet for 40 meters, 16 feet for 20 meters, etc. If they're lying on the
ground the length is unimportant. The ground will detune them anyway. In
that case the more the better. 

Ron AC7AC

-----Original Message-----

Hello,

My KX1 has been having problems getting a low SWR.  At home I had a long
wire strung out the up stairs window getting 1.2:1 to 1.6:1.  I took the
same wire with me on a trip and now I cannot get the Antenna Tuner to tune. 
I'm getting 9.9:1 on both 20 and 40m.  I'm in Anchorage Alaska and I'm not
receiving any signals as well.  There must be some on 40 meters I would
think.  

The only difference is that I broke one of the wire connectors from the wire
so I tried attaching bare wire to the antenna connector.  

I did a inductor/capacitor relay check using a dummy load on 20 and 40m and
this is what I have found:

20m       Watts          SWR             

L0              .6             1.0
L1            1.2             2.1
L2            1.2             9.9
L3              .9             7.9
C0           1.0              9.0
C1            .7               7.3
C2            .6               7.0
C3            .5               5.8
n1            .6               1.0
n2            .5               1.0

40m        Watts          SWR
L0             1.1             1.0
L1             1.0             1.2
L2             1.2             2.1
L3               .9             6.0
C0             1.0             3.2
C1             1.0             3.0
C2             1.0             2.8
C3               .8             3.1
n1               .5             1.0
n2              1.0            1.0


I am away from home and was planning taking the KX1 camping next week.  I
have no access to any equipment for the time being so it looks like I may
ended up leaving the radio in the car.

Your thoughts would be appreciated!

73,
Ed ke7hga
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