[Elecraft] auto-tuner needs more radio output to tune

[Greg Miller]

I have the MFJ-998RT and use it everyday with an Alpha (and my K3). When I first got the tuner I tested it in the shack with 20 second key downs at 1.5KW into the dummy load. I had the cover off so I could feel how warm it was getting - no issues at all. It's been a very good tuner for me. It's best to setup the memories for your particular antenna ahead of time before you put the cover on and leave it. You can manually tweak the SWR to 'dial it in' and then record that setting. In the future it will quickly tune to that spot without doing any searching for a match. I've even thought about buying a second one.

-Greg NY6C

On Oct 15, 2013, at 3:24 PM, David Christ <radioham at mchsi.com> wrote:

> The SGC 230 is well regarded but has serious power limitations.  It is rated at 200 W PEP and only 80 W continuous (RTTY).  The K3 alone can exceed these power limits on RTTY.  And furthermore it is inadequate for use with the KPA500.
> 
> The MFJ-998RT claims to handle the power but the reviews on eHam are much less than glowing.  So it seems that a remote tuner the quality of the KAT500 (possibly based on it) would fill a need not currently being met.
> 
> I have severe space limitations so low band dipole and verticals with radials are not an option.  I really need a decent remote tuner
> 
> If Elecraft ever markets such an item you will find me near the front of the line
> 
> David K0LUM
> 
> 
> On Oct 15, 2013, at 3:32 PM, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:
> 
>> While an Elecraft product would have appeal, the SGC230 fits that bill
>> without batteries and has a long history of reliable operation in very
>> severe environments such as on board ships where it's enveloped in corrosive
>> stack gasses and doused with sea water regularly, baked under tropical suns
>> and frozen with coats of polar ice.
>> 
>> Not much interface needed. IIRC, it tunes when commanded (or SWR exceeds a
>> threshold) and remembers settings. You know it is working because the SWR on
>> the coax is low at the rig, which means it's providing a 50 ohm non-reactive
>> load at the antenna end. 
>> 
>> I worked with a lot of them on ships in the early 1990's where they were
>> used primarily at the base of a 22 foot whip to load it up on the SSB marine
>> distress frequency of 2182 kHz. At 100 watts, that was really pushing them
>> hard because of the very short radiator for that frequency, but they worked
>> FB in that service. 
>> 
>> 73, Ron AC7AC
> 
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