[TenTec] Tuner Questions

[d.e.warnick at comcast.net]

It all depends on what you're tuning. 



I've used TenTec 238 & 229 tuners (same thing, different color). They work 



I now have Palstar AT5K & BT1500A. Both are great. 



Now the nitty-gritty. If you're tuning coax, don't. I'm very narrow minded about this, but unless the match is at the load (antenna), you're masking the SWR and doing nothing about the loss. Some of the best advice I ever got was from Bob, K4TAX. Go to a balanced tuner like the Measures units. That's why my AT5K is for sale. I love it, but don't use a long wire. That's the only reason to use an unbalanced tuner. An internal balun is no guarantee of an efficient or a truly balanced tuner and antenna. If the balun is at the output side, it works with the high SWR and has high losses and gets hot. None of that is good. 



I'm very fortunate in that when I moved to this QTH 2 years ago, I began to match all my antennas at the antenna for coax. I do plan a horizontal loop someday and who knows what else I'll try. So the BT1500A and an old homebrew (or maybe another one) will tune the homebrew balanced line. 



When you say 'match the Omni VII' I assume that you mean cosmetically, then you have only one choice. Spend a lot of bucks on a newer black TT 238. They will work great, but won't do much more than the Drakes you have now. 



Just my extremely narrow view after 48 years of this. Let the flames begin. 



Good luck with your decision. 



73 

Dave 

WA3F 





----- Original Message -----


From: "Richard Bell" <richfbell at sbcglobal.net> 
To: tentec at contesting.com 
Sent: Monday, January 16, 2012 3:19:43 PM 
Subject: [TenTec] Tuner Questions 

Opinions about any of the Ten-Tec 238 series tuners are wanted.  I'll take the 
the good, bad or indifferent?  

I am considering a tuner and naturally would like something to match my Omni 
VII.  I see some advantages to the 238C in that it has a built-in balun.  

I've considered a Palstar AT2K but am not decided.   

For the record, I have two Drake tuners, MN-2000 and MN-2700. I'm using a balun 
from DX Engineering with both of them.  


Feel free to send me your thoughts, richfbell at sbcglobal.net or share them with 
everyone.  Biased comments are expected and welcomed. 

73 W5BXE 
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