[TenTec] Ten Tec 229 Tuner on 160M

[Bob McGraw - K4TAX]

This is one of those topics that gets visited from time to time.  And as 
always, there about as many opinions, ideas, experiences and preferences as 
there are stars in the universe.

Wire, whatever length you have space to string up, fed in the center with 
some balanced feedline direct to the tuner has always proven to be a good 
working general purpose antenna.  Balanced feeds are not near as fussy as 
many will technically profess.  I use both the 300 ohm and 450 ohm material, 
{window line} which I obtain from Press at Wireman.  Whatever balance method 
that exists in your tuner will likely be satisfactory.  Should your tuner 
not provide a balanced output, then add a external balun of your choice. 
I've used a W2FMI 4:1 balun rated at 10KW for my legal limit operation. I've 
also used a Radio Works 1:1 current balun rated at 5 KW for my AM station. 
Both seem to work equally well.  My favorite is "the ugly balun" as 
described on Rich Measures website. http://www.somis.org/bbat.html

I only use coax fed antennas for those that are resonant frequency 
applications.  Case and point, my 75M dipole, length cut to formula, and 
coax fed shows a 1:1 SWR value at about 3950.  It covers some +/-50 KHz 
{3900 - 4000} either side of that frequency with a 1.5:1 SWR or less.  The 
radio and amp are very happy with this configuration and I typically don't 
use the tuner on this antenna for operation in the upper end of the band. 
Now should I decide to do some PSK-31 work down at the low end of the 75M 
band, I switch in the tuner, twiddle a couple of knobs and everything is 
happy and works.

For feeding the balanced lines/antennas the Tentec 238 does a very nice job.

Try it, you'll like it.

73
Bob, K4TAX

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bwana Bob" <wb2vuf at gti.net>
To: "Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment" <tentec at contesting.com>
Sent: Friday, December 07, 2007 9:27 AM
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Ten Tec 229 Tuner on 160M


> John:
>
> How do you feed the dipole? I have a Drake MN-7 (cosmetically almost a
> perfect match to my Corsair). It loads the my 80m coax-fed dipole on
> 160m, but not perfectly. I'm thinking of switching to a W7FG "true
> ladder line" dipole.
>
> 73,
>
> Bob WB2VUF
>
> John Huffman wrote:
>> Picked up a used Ten Tec 229 tuner through this list.
>>
>> Couldn't tune my 80 meter doublet on 160 until I added external
>> capacitors to the back.  Had to add .003uf to get it to tune.  Got it
>> going this afternoon.
>>
>> Using my Omni VI (option 3) Plus, my first 160M QSO was ON4UN.  Got him
>> through the pile on second call.
>>
>> Elecraft ain't the only one with mojo.
>>
>> 73 de K1ESE
>> John
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>>
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