Hello i'm new to this hf ham stuff I was wondering could some body help me out on telling me which antenna tuner would be better a manual or automatic one.The tuners i'm looking at are a mfj 948 and a ldg at200 pro.The tranciever I will be useing is a kenwood ts450s and the antenna I will be useing is a 10 thru 80 meters g5rv.I know there is better tuners on the market and antennas but i'm on a limited budget.I also wanted to know should I use a balun on the g5rv to keep rf off the sheild of the coax if a balun is recommended what one would be the best to use.The only power I will be running is what the radio put outs I might get a amplifier later in the future.
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Which antenna tuner would be better manual or automatic
- Thread starter boxcar112
- Start date
Why don't you just use a regular dipole antenna rather than a G5RV?
Your choice. Manual tuners are less complex, therefor, less stuff to break. They usually can take more wattage too. However, if you surf the bands a lot, you'll find yourself tuning more than talking.
Your choice. Manual tuners are less complex, therefor, less stuff to break. They usually can take more wattage too. However, if you surf the bands a lot, you'll find yourself tuning more than talking.
Personally I prefer a manual tuner unless I am mobile or want to mount the tuner at the antenna feedpoint and then I want a remote auto tuner. Manual tuners will handle more power generally than an auto tuner will. There are very few auto tuners on the market that will handle more than a couple hundred watts.
RatsoW8
Supporting Member, W9WDX ARC Member - WD8T
I own both auto and manual tuners and just call me old school but I prefer the manual tuner. I can usually tune anything manually. The autos can be less forgiving and they're more expensive. The MFJ-962D is a good choice and handles 1.5 kw so you have some headroom to add an amp later on.
The G5RV will work great on 20 meters which is what is was designed for. It's beng marketed as an "all bander" but it's not. A better choice would be a fan dipole with several "resonant" antennas on one feedline. NO tuner required if you take the time to tune it.
The G5RV will work great on 20 meters which is what is was designed for. It's beng marketed as an "all bander" but it's not. A better choice would be a fan dipole with several "resonant" antennas on one feedline. NO tuner required if you take the time to tune it.
Thanks for some advice guys I looked at the mfj 962d and it's only about 70 dollars more than the ldg at200 pro i'll think the mfj 962d will do the trick for me like that one guy said it will hold a amplifier when I decide to add one later.The amplifier i'm looking at to purchase later in the future is the ameritron 811 600 watts would be plenty of power for me.I'll check into the fan dipoles to since it will out perform a g5rv.
I had a question I for got to ask in my last reply can some one tell me where I might be able to find some parts for a kenwood ts450s.You know how knobs get a little loose feeling when you turn them after years of operations well I have a few knobs on mine that got a little loose feel to them I'm wanting to know where maybe I could purchase some replacement knobs that way if I have them already when the original ones mess up I will have replacements.
cant you buy a antenna that you can tune yourself
then not have to worry about getting a tuner and still having high swr on the other end
even though your radio sees 1.1
.
then not have to worry about getting a tuner and still having high swr on the other end
even though your radio sees 1.1
.
Just to be clear, you have a Kenwood TS-450S that doesn't have the automatic tuner already built in? You didn't mention this specifically in your original post. The internal tuner is/was optional, but most of the ones I've seen on the used market had the tuner included.
If that's the case, then that's a shame: the built-in auto tuner is pretty nice, and it should be able to handle a G5RV without any problems. That's if you intend to operate barefoot though. With an amp, you'll still need a separate tuner.
I happen to have the MFJ-962D. It works fine, though in retrospect I wish I had gotten one with an internal dummy load.
There's one small thing I would watch out for if you choose to get it. The MFJ-962D has a light bulb behind the meter on the front panel, which can be powered by +12v. A small power cable is included that plugs into a jack on the back of the tuner. You can wire this to the back of the power supply you're using for the TS-450. Pressing the red power button under the meter will light it up. (Alternatively, you can buy a separate 'wall wart' power module.)
I have a TS-850S/AT and a PS-52 power supply. For some reason, when I had the power cable connected to the PS-52 to light up the meter, I kept getting RF feedback in my audio on some bands, particularly 40 meters. As soon as I unplugged the power from the back of the tuner, the feedback went away. I suspect that I created a ground loop somehow. In any case, I didn't have a burning need to keep the meter illuminated, so I never bothered reconnecting the power cable. (You do not need it for the peak reading function on the wattmeter.)
This may not occur in your setup, but if you do notice an RF squeal in your audio and you have the light plugged in, try disconnecting it at some point to see if it helps.
I have to admit that I've been spoiled by the auto tuner in the TS-850. It's really very quick (enable it, then just press the tune button and it typically locks in in just a couple of seconds), and it remembers settings when you move back and forth from one VFO to another or between memory channels. I tend to jump around between 10, 15, 17, 20 and 40 meters a lot, so this is handy. I've never looked into getting an automatic external tuner though. They're more expensive, and it's one more thing you need power for. If you're on a tight budget, the manual tuner is probably better: just keep some notes of where the 'sweet spots' are on your favorite bands so you can dial it in quickly as you move around.
-Bill
If that's the case, then that's a shame: the built-in auto tuner is pretty nice, and it should be able to handle a G5RV without any problems. That's if you intend to operate barefoot though. With an amp, you'll still need a separate tuner.
I happen to have the MFJ-962D. It works fine, though in retrospect I wish I had gotten one with an internal dummy load.
There's one small thing I would watch out for if you choose to get it. The MFJ-962D has a light bulb behind the meter on the front panel, which can be powered by +12v. A small power cable is included that plugs into a jack on the back of the tuner. You can wire this to the back of the power supply you're using for the TS-450. Pressing the red power button under the meter will light it up. (Alternatively, you can buy a separate 'wall wart' power module.)
I have a TS-850S/AT and a PS-52 power supply. For some reason, when I had the power cable connected to the PS-52 to light up the meter, I kept getting RF feedback in my audio on some bands, particularly 40 meters. As soon as I unplugged the power from the back of the tuner, the feedback went away. I suspect that I created a ground loop somehow. In any case, I didn't have a burning need to keep the meter illuminated, so I never bothered reconnecting the power cable. (You do not need it for the peak reading function on the wattmeter.)
This may not occur in your setup, but if you do notice an RF squeal in your audio and you have the light plugged in, try disconnecting it at some point to see if it helps.
I have to admit that I've been spoiled by the auto tuner in the TS-850. It's really very quick (enable it, then just press the tune button and it typically locks in in just a couple of seconds), and it remembers settings when you move back and forth from one VFO to another or between memory channels. I tend to jump around between 10, 15, 17, 20 and 40 meters a lot, so this is handy. I've never looked into getting an automatic external tuner though. They're more expensive, and it's one more thing you need power for. If you're on a tight budget, the manual tuner is probably better: just keep some notes of where the 'sweet spots' are on your favorite bands so you can dial it in quickly as you move around.
-Bill
Back in the day nobody had money to spend on this stuff so no build/no communicate.
Doctors and lawyers could have had store bought stuff especially transmitters.
A DX40 + Regen Receiver wasn't an exactly expensive combination. The DX40 came onto the market in 1958 for $64.95. ~$476 in today's money. That prices it well below the entry price of almost all transceivers on the market today.
Heathkit VF1 VFO : Now available with more chirp!
You probably have 5 percent of all the DX-40s left.
Wait until the gay groups find out about your contest! You will have to change the name.