[TenTec] 160 meters, ten ted 238 tuner, part two

[Bob McGraw - K4TAX]

Having gone back and reviewed some 30 or so e-mail exchanges on this topic, 
it is my conclusion that the length of the wire should be OK and the type 
and length of the feed-line should be OK.    Further, this configuration 
should be relatively easy for most all external tuners to affect a good 
match, all bands, from 160M - 10M.  There is something yet to be discovered 
in, with, or related to the installation that is the cause of this issue.

The fact that the 253 Automatic tuner finds a match, somewhat affirms that 
the wire length. antenna position and the feed-line type/length is not the 
issue.

73
Bob, K4TAX



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Bryce" <prosolar at sssnet.com>
To: "Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment" <tentec at contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, October 30, 2013 2:11 PM
Subject: [TenTec] 160 meters, ten ted 238 tuner, part two


Well gang,

It’s great being able to move again and once more I’m in the shack.

I did some interesting testing with my doublet.

here’s a recap

132 feet on each side fed with 180 ish feet of 600 ohm open line. That goes 
to an external 1:1 balun feed with three feet of LMR400 to the coupler.

A palstar coupler and the Ten Tec 238 coupler were unable to find a match.

So I added 15 feet to both ends.

No joy.

I added about 10 feet of wire inside the shack and strung it across the 
ceiling. Looks like hell, but it’s up there

The palstar will find a solution at 1.890 now, but the swr is around 2.7:1

The 238, not so much. I did get it to tune, but the SWR slowly increased (I 
plan on modifying the coupler with the high voltage doorknob caps)

Now, here’s the odd part.

I have a Ten Tec 253 AUTOMATIC tuner. That tuner found a solution for the 
160 meter band from one end to the other.

Happy days!

But, using the same tuner, it can’t find a solution on 30 meters.

But the 238 and the palstar will tune it flat.

I don’t mind changing antennas, but swapping out couplers to operate from 
one band to the other kinda sucks.


Mike WB8VGE



Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; Wisdom is not putting it in a 
fruit salad.
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