[TenTec] What makes the 238 good or any other tuner good?

[Ynkedragon@aol.com]

In a message dated 1/18/2006 19:39:21, K9RB at bellsouth.net writes:

<< Fortunately I've never been
forced to use anything other than resonant antennas fed with good quality 50
ohm coaxial cable. If you're bound and determined to use open wire feeders
to one of the many non-resonant antenna designs of yesteryear, that would
require an antenna tuner. Why anyone who understands antennas would want to
do that 50-60 years after coaxial cable became common place is beyond my
comprehension. >>

Hi Rog,

I must say that I envy you.  Assuming that you run multiple bands, you are 
indeed fortunate to have the space and supports for resonant antennas, fed with 
coax, on all bands.

On the other hand, many of us suffer from real-world constraints such as 
antenna covenants, lack of land, or having only a single support.  Then, too, we 
sometimes operate from an alternate location (FD, vacation house, disaster 
scene, etc.)  All of these situations can necessitate getting as many bands as 
possible using one antenna.  Guess what?  The 50+ year old technology can 
actually work.  I've found few antennas as versatile, or efficient, as a loop 
(horizontal or delta) feed with ladder line through a link coupled tuner.  

Even if I don't use it every day, knowing how it works and having experience 
with gives me one more trick, one more tool.  

I agree that using a shack-end tuner, through coax, to an non-resonant 
antenna is a pretty inefficient  way to do things.  It's one of the best ways I know 
to attenuate a 100 watt transmitter output to about 5 Watts, ERP.

73,  Blair K3YD