[Elecraft] [K3] autotuner for K3 with AL-811 amp (KAT500 or other) / random wire antenna

[Don Wilhelm]

John,

Use the 15' coax, but make sure it is low loss RG-8 size coax and all 
should be well.
At HF, there will be little loss in that 15' run.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 11/6/2014 11:47 AM, John Shadle wrote:
> Hi all,
> I've been enjoying using an AL-811 to help bust the pile-ups with my long
> wire antenna and Dentron Super Tuner Plus (manual tuner), but would really
> like to add a QRO autotuner to the mix.
>
> Currently, my K3 and AL-811 sit on my desk. The Dentron sits about 15' away
> on top of a bookshelf next to the basement window where my antenna enters
> the shack (one wire for the radiator and one wire to the radial field). The
> Dentron has a "random wire" and "ground" post on the rear, which makes
> tuning this antenna a breeze (but I have to get out of my chair and re-tune
> whenever I switch bands).
>
> I'm considering the KAT500, but wonder how it would work for this
> situation. Here are my two (please suggest more) solutions:
>
> 1. Put the KAT500 right next to the K3 and AL-811 on my desk, run a 15'
> long 50 ohm line to a balun which would attach to the antenna outside my
> basement window. Computer control is easy because the KAT500 and K3 are
> right next to each other.
> 2. Put the KAT500 right next to the antenna and run a short (2-3') 50 ohm
> line to a balun which would attach to the antenna outside my basement
> window. A 15' line from the amp to the tuner would be required and no
> computer control would be possible.
>
> If I go with Option 1, then I am trying to match the 50 ohm line for 15'
> before I get to the balun/antenna outside the window.
> If I do with Option 2, then I won't be able to use the K3/KAT500 AUXBUS
> features (I had emailed Elecraft support about this in the past and they
> suggested not using a 15' long AUXBUS connector).
>
> Anyone else tuning random wires with the KAT500? How do you do it?
>
>