[Amps] Length of coax from xcvr to amp affecting input swr.

Jim Thomson jim.thom at telus.net
Sat Dec 31 04:40:50 PST 2011


With short length's of coax, [no more than aprx 3'], the input swr between
either my FT-1000-D  or my FT-1000-MK-V... and the input to my Drake L4B
is dead flat.   Once the coax is lengthened  to aprx 6', the input swr rises,
and can't be brought down to 1:1  No amount of slug tuning  will bring it back
down flat.  It will bring it down a tiny bit though.  What is  going on here ??

On my HB amp,  I use a variable tuned input, consisting of a pair of broadcast caps
+  tapped coil,  [pi- net].  The coax can be 25' long, and it can always be tweaked dead flat
from 160-10m.  The hb amp resides in the workshop next door. 

Having to resort to changing all the C1 + C2 values in the drake amp is a pita. Then
even if I do that, and then change the coax length yet again, I will  have to go through
the same C1 + C2 rigmarole again.  I have 4 x L4B's..and this is getting to be a real pita
with this input swr.  Does anybody else notice this effect ??   Is their  some  'magic length'
of coax that will solve my problem ?   I don't understand the mechanism why the swr changes
with coax length.   I mean, coax length  to a dummy load has no effect on swr,  so why should
it, when feeding the tuned input of a GG triode amp ? 

tnx.......... Jim   VE7RF  


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