[ICOM] Icom auto tuners and multiband antennas

[D C *Mac* Macdonald]

Why limit yourself to "auto" tuners?  I was also forced
into a change of QTH (by tornado in 1999) and lost
the 60 foot tower, beams and wire antennas that
were possible on 3/8 acre.

I am currently using a non-resonant dipole (about 110
or so feet) fed with ladder line through an old Heathkit
air-wound balun.  The on-board tuner of my IC-746
handles mismatch fine on 40 through 10 meters, but
doesn't have enough range on 80/75 meters.  There,
I use a Ten-Tec 238 tuner to gain perfect match.

No, it doesn't perform as my previous antennas do,
but at least I can get on the air.

73 - Mac, K2GKK/5
Oklahoma City, OK



----Original Message Follows----
From: "Des Pendergast" <vk3dmp at wideband.net.au>
Reply-To: ICOM Reflector <icom at mailman.qth.net>
To: <IcomTuner at yahoogroups.com>,"Icom reflector" 
<icom at mailman.qth.net>,"Icom Radio Group" <IcomRadio at yahoogroups.com>
Subject: [ICOM] Icom auto tuners and multiband antennas
Date: Sun, 4 Jun 2006 14:16:19 +1000

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.