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[TowerTalk] ++ High SWR and Modern Transceivers

To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: [TowerTalk] ++ High SWR and Modern Transceivers
From: alex@sandlabs.com (alex)
Date: Wed, 12 Dec 2001 04:38:12 -0500
Tom. You are promulgating wrong ideas and concepts which will repeated by
the neophyte.
Please go back to the books and redo your homework about energy
conversion/conservation in RF systems.

Besides, Pete did _not_ ask how an antenna tuner works but if his
transceiver is safe with his high SWR antenna. As such your message is moot.


Alex, N2NNU

===================================
If we can accept the notion that GUNS are
the killers and not the people, why is it that
we can not accept the idea that CARS are
the speeders and not the drivers?

Alex, trying to understand the world around.

==================================.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Tom Rauch" <w8ji@akorn.net>
To: <towertalk@contesting.com>; "Pete Smith" <n4zr@contesting.com>; "alex"
<alex@sandlabs.com>
Sent: Tuesday, December 11, 2001 12:48 PM
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] ++ High SWR and Modern Transceivers


> > less drive from the transceiver is available. As all other form of
> > energy, SWR must go somewhere ... As it is not allowed to reach the
> > transmitter output it will dissipate in the antenna tuner components
> > as heat. If there is enough heat it might melt some components like my
> > roller inductor in the MFJ -989C :)
>
> Actually transmitters are energy conversion devices. Maximum
> available power capability that does not reach the antenna does not
> necessarily turn to heat. As a matter of fact a mismatch just as
> often reduces heat in the transmitter PA....but it does so at the
> expense of increased voltages in the PA.
>
> If the mismatch is such that load impedance at the output device
> increases, heat is generally reduced. If the mismatch is in a
> direction that reduces load impedance seen by the PA output
> device, the dissipation generally increases.
>
> Despite common wisdom that professes SWR adjustment is
> important for improved tuner power ratings, tuners have a similar
> effect as PA stages. Heating generally relates to current through a
> component, and certainly does NOT depend on a match at the
> antenna. As a matter of fact, a mismatch can greatly reduce
> heating!
>
> > Manufacturers of Antenna Tuners are specifying them for certain power
> > levels ... 100W to more than 4KW. However, this is valid in a perfect
> > resistive load, where there is no reactance. Once some reactance is
> > added, like a real life antenna will do, the tuner specifications must
> > be derated.
>
> Not so.
>
> Consider the case of a conventional T network matching an
> impedance lower than the lowest obtainable surge impedance of
> the network. With 220pF capacitors, that would be about 3000
> ohms on 160 (1500 ohms on 80 meters, 750 ohms on 40 meters,
> and so on).
>
> If I add inductive reactance to the load on a T-network, the power
> handling of the network actually increases. In some cases it can
> be a significant increase in power handling.
>
> If I add series capacitive reactance, the power handling generally
> decreases.
>
> With no change at all in load impedance, just by changing how I
> adjust the capacitors in a tuner, I can make a tuner that melts
> down or arcs at 100 watts safely handle a kilowatt or more! This is
> the reason it is VERY important to ALWAYS adjust your tuner so
> the capacitors are as far meshed as possible while still allowing a
> match, and why a better tuner design generally uses a large value
> of capacitance (lots of plates) over having wide plate spacing (and
> fewer plates) in a similar physical size capacitor.
>
> If you are buying a tuner by looking for wide plate spacing and high
> voltage rating, you are making a poor choice (unless the
> capacitance is also the same or higher)!
>
> The same tuner into exactly the same load can "melt down" if you
> use less than maximum available capacitance  match the load.
>
> T-network tuners (on lower bands) also handle significantly more
> power into a higher impedance load than they do into low
> impedance loads, so the power rating at 3000 ohms load
> impedance (a 60:1 50-ohm normalized VSWR) can be many times
> better than the same tuner feeding a 50 ohm load!
>
> How much "wasted power" does it take to melt a conventional
> inductor with #14 wire and plastic supports? About 10 to 50 watts
> of heat will do it. An insignificant amount of power loss, when
> running a kilowatt, will destroy most tank coils.
>
>
> 73, Tom W8JI
> W8JI@contesting.com
>


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