Does the TGXL ground all ports when power is off?

Brian_W9HLQ

For some lightning protection, I wonder if unused antenna ports are grounded. Further, when power is off are all ports grounded? Brian, W9HLQ

Butch

Assuming it does, I seriously doubt your station would be protected from lightning by merely grounding the TG-XL's ports.

Brian_W9HLQ

Thanks for the reply, but I asked if the ports were grounded. I am aware all bets are off for a flash of direct lightning hit, but in a midwest summer thunderstorm static charges do build up. In this case, relay contacts will do well to bleed off those charges. I have measured with a VOM, but not knowing the internal wiring of the tuner, a showing very low ohms is not definitive. Brian, W9HLQ

Dan-N7HQ

Brian,

The SO2R version does not ground the Antenna contacts when the power is off. You are likely measuring the output of the exciter/amplifier you have connected to the tuner's input.

I'm not sure about the 1x3 version since we don't have one to confirm it or not.

73,

Brian_W9HLQ

Thanks for the reply, Dan.🙂 I failed to mention I am using a 1x3 model. I will assume since your SO2R does not ground when power is off, then my model does not also. This may be best answered by the Flex folks.

Dan-N7HQ

Hi Brian,

I am "Flex Folks". The switching is vastly different between the 1x3 and SO2R, so I would not expect them to behave the same way.

We literally do not have a 1x3 TGXL available for me to test this and I have sent a question sent off to the 4O3A folks.

In the meantime, you can test this empirically: **** power to your TGXL, disconnect the input, and use an ohm-meter to check across each antenna port. It should read zero or close to zero ohms if they are shorted. If 4O3A used the same switching methodology as the Antenna Genius, they should be grounded when unused or powered down.

73,