SmartSDR v3.3.29 and the SmartSDR v3.3.29 Release Notes | SmartSDR v2.7.6 and the SmartSDR v2.7.6 Release Notes
SmartSDR v1.12.1 and the SmartSDR v1.12.1 Release Notes
Power Genius XL Utility v3.6.24 and the Power Genius XL Release Notes v3.6.24
Tuner Genius XL Utility v1.1.8 and the Tuner Genius XL Release Notes v1.1.8
Need technical support from FlexRadio? It's as simple as Creating a HelpDesk ticket.
Tuner Genius and a doublet antenna
Tom
Comments
-
@Mr Radio as you note the best solution for many antennas is to use a balanced antenna tuner. Many hams force an antenna into an unbalanced condition using a BALUN. There is no way around the laws of physics and you will have heat losses. You may need to run your rig at reduced power to prevent self-protections from activating. The good news with the PGXL and the TGXL is they have very fast self protections to prevent damage to their systems. My advice is to use a very high quality BALUN from BALUN Designs. Their BALUNS are the best I’ve seen. Start testing at a couple of hundred watts.
73,
Mack
W4AX
TGXL Program Manager
0 -
Most amps limit matching SWR to 3:1 to avoid failures. New Experts amps set a limit at 5:1. At home I use MFJ-998 with up to 1.5KW, expecting it to fail every time, and it keeps on going for years, even when running. I use 1:1 baluns because of lower losses - see
http://www.karinya.net/g3txq/tuner_balun/.
One balun is by Balun Design. Second by running bifilar teflon 18 ga wire around FT240-61. Little heating and no evidence of problems in either. 4:1 baluns are sometime preferable if the tuner is weak. Less range required from the tuner but higher losses in the balun. Higher losses are usually low in casual operation but may be excessive when running at full power.
PGXL is, I think, targeted for serious contesters, who usually have low SWR antennas. For them the tuner is unimportant, perhaps with the exception of 160m.
Ignacy NO9E
0
Leave a Comment
Categories
- 18.3K All Categories
- 125 Community Topics
- 2K New Ideas
- 274 The Flea Market
- 6.1K Software
- 5.3K SmartSDR for Windows
- 90 SmartSDR for Maestro and M models
- 201 SmartSDR for Mac
- 185 SmartSDR for iOS
- 179 SmartSDR CAT
- 108 DAX
- 316 SmartSDR API
- 7.8K Radios and Accessories
- 6.3K FLEX-6000 Signature Series
- 625 Maestro
- 29 FlexControl
- 768 FLEX Series (Legacy) Radios
- 393 Genius Products
- 235 Power Genius XL Amplifier
- 140 Tuner Genius XL
- 18 Antenna Genius
- 114 Shack Infrastructure
- 71 Networking
- 196 Remote Operation (SmartLink)
- 87 Contesting
- 290 Peripherals & Station Integration
- 86 Amateur Radio Interests
- 567 Third-Party Software