[ICOM] Icom auto tuners and multiband antennas

[Larry Winslow]

I might be able to provide you with some helpful information.

First, I have a B&W Broadband Folded Dipole & 
I've been very happy with it - at least until I 
lost the tree which supported one end of it. When 
I first put it up, the thing was all but a dummy 
load. However, an email to B&W taught me that the 
coax can be very important with that antenna. 
Don't use small stuff - stick with RG-8 or RG-213 
or such makes a world of difference in the performance of the antenna.

Second, now that I've lost my tree which 
supported one end of the above antenna, I've been 
considering alternatives. One antenna which looks 
very good is the "Cobra" UltraLite antenna. I 
discovered it on eham.net and it looks like the 
way I'll be going as all but 1 review of the 
antenna is top-scale and the one is just below it.

73 - Larry WØNFU
larry_w at comcast.net



At 09:16 PM 6/3/2006, you wrote:

>Hello to all,
>
>Due to a forced change in QTH, I am considering the options of what type
>of station I will assemble once moved in there.  My present station
>consists of dedicated antennas for each of the HF bands in the form of
>dipoles and yagis - I have an AT-500 which I really use to just
>'touch-up' the final matches of these antennas which are pretty good,
>match wise, to the required band.
>
>My new QTH location is probably going to mean that I will not be
>assembling such a station - instead, maybe settling for a multiband
>antenna to cover all the HF bands 80 - 10 metres.  One antenna - and
>that will probably be it.
>
>My thoughts so far are focused on the G5RV.  An antenna I have used very
>successfully for portable operation but have never used much at home and
>therefore have never tried the Icom AT series of tuners to obtain a
>match.
>
>How do the Icom 'AT' series tuners perform and handle matching such
>antennas?  Has anyone out there tried this sort of approach?  I would be
>interested in any comments on how they worked out and how any problems
>were over come.
>
>Using something like my AT-500 will allow me to also use the IC2KL that
>I have next to it on the operating bench - just a bit of help over
>barefoot operation.  (Will be a bit short of what I can do with a 4
>element yagi as exists at present).
>
>When portable, I use an AH-4 with the G5RV - which works fine with power
>levels up to 100 watts but I would like to use the linear amp when
>operating from the home QTH and the bands are noisy.
>
>So my question is, how have others found the AT series tuners cope with
>G5RV antennas and hose similar to it?
>
>Looking forward some interesting replies,
>
>Des - VK3DMP.
>
>
>----
>Your Moderator: Dick Flanagan K7VC, icom-owner at mailman.qth.net
>Icom Users Net: Sundays, 1700Z, 14.316 MHz
>Icom FAQ: http://www.qsl.net/icom/