[Elecraft] T1 Operational Question

Fri Dec 25 16:50:26 EST 2015

Ray - Exactly! I have the KAT500 Autotuner to go with my K3 and KPA500. Also have the internal tuners for the K3 and my KX3. I was thinking that the T1 would act in a similar manner, since it IS called an Autotuner. But that part of it isn’t auto!!! After reading Wayne’s reply last night my first inclination was to put the T1 up for sale and look elsewhere for something that would work with the SoftRock and WSPR for multi-band use. But I’ll hang on to it for now and see what I can do. My WSPR software is not able to make the SoftRock send any sort of band/freq signal to the T1 - only a burst of RF, so the T1 WILL work with my setup, but not exactly in the manner I was hoping. Adding more outside wires is a problem for me, as we are in a HOA/CCR restricted area and I’m not supposed to have any antennas out there at all. As it is I have the doublet, an 80 meter Inverted L, a 160 meter Inverted L, a ground mounted Hustler 5BTV, and a 144/440 ground plane for local repeater use. I’m really pushing it with all that stuff, although most is fairly stealthy.

Someone suggested trying the Peaberry, but it is no longer in production. It’s successor, the Omnia SDR very well may be what I need to use instead of the SoftRock. It’s slated to be available some time in January and I sure hope to get one soon after they are out. I’ll use the T1 in conjunction with my SoftRock and WSPR, but un a semi-automatic setup for now.

73, Jim

> On   Friday, Dec 25, 2015, at  Friday, 7:00 AM, Ray Sills <raysills3 at verizon.net> wrote:
> 
> HI Jim:
> 
> I saw Wayne’s response to your inquiry.  My guess is that it’s easy to assume that the “auto” capability that -is- part of the larger tuners the Elecraft offers (like those for the K3S, and the KPA500) also applies to the T1.  I have a T1, but for my part, I have never used it but on one band at a time.  
> 
> My T1 also has the connection cable for the Yaesu FT-817.  It uses the 817’s CAT port to decode the band in use, and then recalls the most recent setting for that band in the T1.  
> 
> So, I’d think that there is a way to set up that dual band scenario that you want to do.  In any event, I certainly don’t think you have made a “$150” mistake.  The T1 is an excellent tuner.  It is designed to make use of random wire lengths, as you might have to deal with for portable operation.
> 
> Another possibility for you, since only 2 bands are in play, is to add a second set of antenna wires to that doublet, and make it a resonant antenna for each band.  Now, of course, that takes the T1 out of play.
> 
> I’ll bet others will chime in and offer advice from their experiences.  I don’t operate WSPR, so take that into account with regard to my advice.  :)
> 
> 73 de Ray
> K2ULR
> 
>> On Dec 24, 2015, at 11:50 PM, James Bennett <w6jhb at me.com <mailto:w6jhb at me.com>> wrote:
>> 
>> I hope I haven't made a $150 mistake. I'm looking for information from other T1 Automatic Antenna Tuner owners ---->
>> 
>> A couple months ago I built a SoftRock RXTX 1 watt transceiver to use as a WSPR sending and receiving rig. My intention was to use it on at least 20 and 30 meters, with the WSPR software doing "band hopping". The WSPR software, when set to do band hopping, can be made to send a few seconds of continuous tone RF so an attached antenna tuner could do it's thing before the WSPR stuff is transmitted. The antenna I use is an 88 foot long doublet fed with 600 ohm ladder line. Obviously this antenna needs to be used with a tuner. I purchased the Elecraft T1 for this purpose.
>> 
>> I was under the impression that the "automatic" part of the T1 meant that it would recall L/C values from memory automatically, so that when the WSPR software changed bands on the SoftRock and the radio sent out it's tuning signal, the T1 would see the RF frequency and automatically set the recalled L/C values. Mine does not.
>> 
>> I am testing the newly-built T1 with my KX3. Here is what happens: First, I put the T1 into auto mode, and then I set the KX3 to a frequency on 20 meters and make the T1 tune. This works fine; my SWR on the KX3 goes from ugly to 1:1. Then I go to 30 meters and do the same thing. If I now put the KX3 back on 20 meters on that exact same frequency and press my key, I have the ugly SWR back again. I thought this tuner would recall the previous setting when it saw that 20 meter RF. But alas, it does not.
>> 
>> So, my question is - have I messed something up in building the tuner, am I doing something wrong in my procedure, or have I bought myself a Christmas present I can't use?
>> 
>> Jim Bennett / W6JHB
>> Folsom, CA
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