Ragnar Otterstad
email : otterstad@inet.uni-c.dk
> My tuner is the venerable Dentron DTR-3KA. I've had it a long time, and
it is built stronger than almost anything.
WHAT ????
It can take lots of power,( that is not quite true , which the info below
suggests) and is accurately resettable. It is simply a great classic tuner.
> Unfortunately, even though it was rated for 160-10, I know from past
> experience that it didn't do 160 too well, since if you ran power
> through it on 160 it would arc at abt 400-500 watts!
YES !
>
> I was setting the tuner up for 80, and had no problem, either with
> exciter or amp. When I got to 160, I set the tuner with the exciter and
> all was fine. Then I started to give the amp some juice, no reflected
> power - and I forgot that this would happen - when I got to 400-500
> watts, POP! Not only did the tuner arc inside, but it blew my 1000MP
> back to 40-meters (it's ok, just scared me) and the amp went into a
> fault mode and won't come out. I am now sure I blew at least a PIN
> diode. I am waiting for "the guy" from Alpha to call me tomorrow, and
> we'll see. So for now, I am in deep doo-doo. I'll live. Contest season
> (for me) is six weeks off, so my timing could have been worse.
>
> Here's my question: I certainly don't want to tune up the antenna again
> with the Dentron on 160 when my amp is working once again. I am ready to
> get a different tuner, one which can handle 160 MUCH better than my
> Dentron, and would appreciate any advice, from your experience or
> otherwise about the other qualified tuners out there. If you know of a
> better tuner better suited for 160, please let me know. It can be
> something curently in production or an oldie, doesn't matter.
I had similar problems with VECTRON HF-1500, which came after my Dentron
tuner.
I solved my problem by going to the W1BB inverted L antenna of 52 meters
length with a series capacitor.
However there was an article on tuner evaluation in a recent QST. I suggest
you read it.
73 Rag OZ8RO also LA5HE
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