[Elecraft] OT: Remote tuner, vertical, and K3 help needed

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

Have you substituted your dummy load in place of the tuner at the antenna
and rechecked the SWR? That will identify any connector/coax/arrester
issues. 

Ron AC7AC

-----Original Message-----
I have a weird problem that I could use help on.  I have limited experience
with antennas, so the answer could be something simple I have overlooked. 

I am using a K3/100 with the ATU.  I recently installed a 31 foot vertical
antenna with ground radials and a balun at the base. The MFJ analyzer shows
an SWR (at my K3) below 1. 3:1 on 40M and near 15M as you would expect.  SWR
for the other bands are much higher, about 4:1 for 17, 12, and 10. But, the
K3 tuner trims up fine. I understand the efficiency is hit, but it does
work. On 20M, the SWR is near 6:1. Again, I can tune it with the K3, but I
am not getting out well.  These results are the same with the Electraft BL2
balun OR a DX Engineering line choke installed. There is about 80 feet of
LMR-400 between the rig and the antenna.  I also have a static/lightning
arrestor in line. 

In doing some research, it seems that a remote tuner at the antenna base
would be a more efficient system. I purchased a remote tuner kit from DX
Engineering, that includes an MFJ 927 tuner at the base (along with a mount
and a line choke). I  bypassed the internal K3 tuner.  With the remote tuner
in place, the SWR HI message is displayed on my K3 when I try to transmit
most of the time, and on all bands.  The tuner was checked out by MFJ under
warranty, and came back fine.  I reinstalled it, and have the same
problem... 

Thanks in advance.

73s

Randy K6CRC
K3#2051
k6crc at arrl.net