PowerGenius Tuner

Rich - N5ZC

Has the tuner debuted at the Flex Booth.  If yes how about a pic.

Thanks

Rich - N5ZC

Steve K9ZW

Exhibition prototype shown. Ranko said it will be controlled via the amp's touchscreen. 73 Steve K9ZW

Larry - WA7LZO

Any pics of the Tuner?

Steve K9ZW

When I get some connectivity I'll put one up.

Larry - WA7LZO

Thanks, Steve!

David Orman

Sounds great Steve, thank you! If you took pictures of the FRS booth/gear in general, they would all be appreciated. How wide ranging is this tuner?

Steve K9ZW

Lash up for the show. Final unit will differ. 73 Steve K9ZW

Tim VE6SH

My understanding is the tuner will now come with the Power Genius ordered in 2017. Tim VE6SH

Larry - WA7LZO

Steve, Will it fit inside of the PG XL amp? Thanks! Larry WA7LZO

Steve K9ZW

@Tim - I understood that ones delivered in 2017 would include the tuner. The kit to remote the tuner is an optional extra. @Larry - Ranko said it would fit behind the tuner rather than under it. 73 Steve K9ZW

Tim VE6SH

Yes. I should have said delivered. And yes i understood it would fit behind the amp with an option to remote. Tim VE6SH

Rich - N5ZC

What's with the 3 knobs sticking up towards the back of the unit?

Rich - N5ZC

Doug - W5WTX

The prototype FLEX tuner has three coax connectors.  Do you know if that is 1-in / 2-out or 2-in / 1-out?  Have not seen that question posed or answered.

Doug - W9PN/5

Steve K9ZW

I don't recall if they were labeled. 

The unit was one of their "test mules" prettied up as a "lash up" for the show according to Ranko.

Would look to the production unit spec for connectivity.

BTW there was a fourth control - the red "stick" button that was brought up through the cover and signs of possibly a few more that were not brought out on this show display unit.

Hoping that Ranko 4o3a will post more information and pictures of a unit closer to the ones we will see with the PowerGeniusXLs when they deliver.

73

Steve K9ZW

Burch - K4QXX

The only bummer about the tuner is it will only tune 3:1 SWR from what I have been told.  

Steve K9ZW

@Burch - That was the rating for the amp Without the Tuner. I think Ranko had quite a number circa 9:1 with the tuner inline. Wish I had a better 80m and 160m antenna option, as I need a tuner only for those two bands due to compromised antenna sizes. 73 Steve K9ZW

Rich - N5ZC

I think I read the tuner will handle 4:1 and the amp will handle 2.5:1 without a tuner.

Rich - N5ZC

Steve K9ZW

Correct - my typo mistake as 4:1 and 2.5:1 are correct.

https://community.flexradio.com/flexr...

Thanks for catching my mistake.

73

Steve
K9ZW

Burch - K4QXX

I emailed Flex sales on May 31st and asked about the tuner and they said 3:1. I hope that is not correct but that's what I was told.  I still have the email I received.

Tim - W4TME

One in, two out

Burch - K4QXX

Tim, can you confirm the SWR range for the tuner?  The other thread said 4:1 but when I emailed Flex sales they said 3:1.

Tim - W4TME

The FAQ quotes "The TunerGenius S will tune 15 to 200 ohms at 2 kW." which would be a 4:1 VSWR.  If I learn otherwise, I'll update the FAQ and make a point to add something to this post.

Burch - K4QXX

Ok, thanks

Rich - N5ZC

So if 4:1 is the rating at 2kw, Maybe its a bit better at 1.5kw.

Rich - N5ZC

Burch - K4QXX

The new elecraft amp includes a tuner but it is only 3:1 at 1500 watts.  Their brochure says the range is better at lower power levels so maybe that is the case with the Power Genius.  I guess I am spoiled with my cheap MFJ auto tuner as it has a range of 20-1600ohms.  It's good to 1500 watts.  Of course it took me two tries to get one that works!

HCampbell WB4IVF

I doubt that there is much consistency among most published autotuner specs, so comparing them may be apples and oranges.  For example, my LDG is advertised as being capable of matching a 10:1 SWR, but sometimes can’t get a match at much lower SWR (especially on the low bands).   I’ve heard the same about other brand autotuners.  When my LDG can’t get a match I have to switch in my manual tuner.  I suspect some claimed SWR numbers are "best case", and the real SWR limits could be lower depending on the complex impedance encountered, frequency, power level, etc.  Possibly the Tuner Genius is spec’d more conservatively than others.

Howard

Tim - W4TME

ATU specs are usually done with purely resistive loads.  Once you start presenting the tuner with really "squirrely" reactance, then that is when things get really interesting.  With a "quantized" tuner (as opposed to variable capacitance and impedance) if you are in between step values, you may not get a good match.

Ria

There's only so much you can do with toroidal inductors before they begin to saturate. At some point you have to go to roller inductors and that is more expensive and complicated (motors). So most tuners will be 3:1.

HCampbell WB4IVF

Thanks Tim and Ria!  I’ll probably go with the Flex tuner due to its integration with Power Genius  - not to mention it coming free with the Genius!  (-:

BTW for anyone who’s interested, here’s an excellent article on autotuners by Adam Farson that I found helpful when I got back into the hobby several years ago and was trying to catch up on progress since I became inactive:

http://www.ab4oj.com/atu/main.html

Howard

Ned K1NJ

     Will a weather-proof enclosure be made available for the tuner?

   Ned, K1NJ

Varistor

I really don't understand why would anyone prioritize a fairly expensive amplifier before proper antennas and matching at the feed point. Can some please explain why you would not want to build good antennas and instead would rather use a tuner? I get it that many hams have significant space restrictions, but even then there are plenty of good options for single or multi-band resonant antennas that can deliver SWR under 2. A well built OCF- a compromise antenna by all standards- can do better than 2:1. IMHO, using an amp with antennas that have SWR higher than 2:1 makes no sense and is a waste of money.