Mike, I just realized that I misstated the range for the FLEX-3000 tuner below. The correct range is 17 - 150 Ohms. This will be corrected in the manual very soon. There will also be a Knowledge Base article that will describe operation in more technical detail.
Regards, Gerald Gerald Youngblood, K5SDR President FlexRadio Systems 13091 Pond Springs Rd. #250 Austin, TX 78729 Phone: 512-535-4713 www.flex-radio.com "Tune in excitement!" (TM) -----Original Message----- From: Gerald Youngblood [mailto:ger...@flex-radio.com] Sent: Monday, April 27, 2009 10:11 AM To: 'm...@s3com.net'; 'Dudley Hurry' Cc: 'flexradio@flex-radio.biz' Subject: RE: [Flexradio] [CASE CLOSED!!!] Atu malfunction with Flex-3000 Mike, This is a "cut and paste" error from the FLEX-5000 manual into the FLEX-3000 manual. The ATU in the FLEX-5000 covers a 10:1 range (6 - 1000 Ohms) as compared to the 3:1 range (12.5 - 100 Ohms) in the FLEX-3000. While the ATU in the FLEX-3000 is specified to 3:1 loads, it will attempt to tune up to 4:1. We are going to make a change to the PowerSDR software to provide more information when the antenna is outside the tuner's range. Regards, Gerald Gerald Youngblood, K5SDR President FlexRadio Systems 13091 Pond Springs Rd. #250 Austin, TX 78729 Phone: 512-535-4713 www.flex-radio.com "Tune in excitement!" (TM) -----Original Message----- From: flexradio-boun...@flex-radio.biz [mailto:flexradio-boun...@flex-radio.biz] On Behalf Of Mike Schwendeman Sent: Saturday, April 25, 2009 9:41 PM To: Dudley Hurry Cc: flexradio@flex-radio.biz Subject: [Flexradio] [CASE CLOSED!!!] Atu malfunction with Flex-3000 Dudley, Tim and Jim; I believe that we can finally put this issue to rest. It is not clearly mentioned in the manual, but it appears that the Flex-3000 has an apparent HARD CEILING on the defined 3:1 VSWR that it will accept. -The puzzler to me was the mention of the unit's ANTENNA IMPEDANCE being defined as "Antenna Impedance 50 Ohms, unbalanced 6 - 1000 Ohms, unbalanced (With Tuner ON, 160m - 10m Amateur bands)" (-This is on page 170 of the Flex-3000 manual.) From this loosely defined item, I could only believe that the ATU was the redeeming factor, which allowed the unit to "accept" the range of 6 to 1000 Ohms, as per the quoted sample. Elsewhere, the unit has been repeatedly defined as having an ATU with a 3:1 range. In my use, I have found this 3:1 to be an absolute, or at least, a closely defined precision point with this particular radio. Dudley, your unit is able to tune with your sample of 3.3:1 at 3.55 Mhz. Mine will not. But (again) I cannot rightfully expect this to be the case, as the unit is defined to have the 3:1 limit, or abilities! It might be good to edit or more clearly define the info that I have copied from the manual's page 170, as I did find this to be at first reassuring , as I was pleased to see that the earlier-defined 3:1 ceiling had possibly been expanded. Just how (or, WHY) the ATU and BYP buttons are lit (colored) is still not clear to me, even though the facts have been well defined to me by Tim. What I feel is missing is the ATU button as RED ("ATU clicked and match not found"), as this is not defined. What actually happens is that the ATU measures, and determines that the tuner has no possible solution, so it gives up, and the ATU is shown as red. (This information could be added to the paragraph "If SWR is not OK, a tuning cycle is started .") I did have a friend bring his dummy load over, and we were indeed able to confirm that the Flex-3000 is able to tune a 2:1 mismatch. (Thanks, Dudley!) (Snip from an email from Tim) [Tim] It does attempt to tune, that is how it determines what the actual impedance load is and if it is low (<1.1:1) then it bypasses You had mentioned that your Flex-3000 does not TUNE your dummy load; In this case, do you get a GREEN ATU button indication in PowerSDR? [Tim] No. The green button indicates that the tuner is engaged and it is compensating for an impedance >1.1:1 -Tim, I was not seeing a green button at all, when I was asking the ATU to load my dummy load. (I now finally know what to expect, when I load into a dummy load!) I am able to allow the Flex's ATU to tune to a GREEN ATU indication if I am above 3.935 Mhz, in my case. (3.925 Mhz = no go, and I get a red ATU display.) I believe that 3.935 is very close to a 2.6:1 VSWR, as a small point of reference; I do not know what 3.925 is, but it is obviously worse... So: Case closed. The unit will tune a known 2:1 VSWR. In my case, it will only tune from 3.935 Mhz and above. (All other bands are an absolute no-go, but this is OK, as I am exceeding the 3:1 limit, as defined in the Flex information sources.) I am able to use the unit with either an MFJ-993 or an LDG Z-11 Pro. These both will tune readily. I had unjustifiably assumed that I'd be able to free myself from an added external tuner, per the info on page 170. 73 to all who offered the fine help! -Mike- K0JTA Dudley Hurry wrote: > Mike, > > If the SWR is less than 1.2:1 I don't think that the tuner needs to > tune anything and drops out. My dummy load won't tune either, but > doesn't need to. Also my 75 meter does not tune, but it is 1.08:1.. > at 3.847,, but at 3.55 it's 3.3:1, but the tuner will re-tune it to > 1.1.. Look at it this way, the SW is smart enough not to waste your > time trying to better your match.. One way to check it out is to T > two dummy loads together to create a 2:1 load and try it there.. > > 73, > Dudley > > WA5QPZ > > > > Mike Sch. wrote: >> Tim; Thank you for your prompt reply! I will add my comments below, >> and trim off some the unneeded... >> >> >> Tim Ellison wrote: >>> Mike, >>> >>> See my comments in-line below >>> >>> -Tim >>> >>> >>> >>> What I did not know was that the "fast tune-up" was not a tune-up >>> after all! (I had interpreted the ATU button (in RED) and the BYP >>> (in YELLOW) as what I was looking for, in normal operation. On page >>> 58 of the Flex-3000 operator manual, I see that I should see the ATU >>> in GREEN. >>> >>> [Tim] If the ATU button turns green, then it was able to match >>> something better than what you had previously. If not it will be >>> bypassed. >>> >> >> [Mike] OK on that; I am tuning into a KNOWN GOOD (tested on an IC-756 >> Pro-II in RTTY and AM modes) dummy load. I have an expected 1:1 >> match, no reflected on the Icom radio. It was my hope that the ATU >> would accept the dummy load that I am using. >> >>> I did see the ATU button in GREEN one time only, this on an antenna >>> that is less than 3:1 VSWR. (This one time event was seen today, >>> after a few hours of power-OFF for the radio.) >>> >>> [Tim] The ATU will only tune antennas that are in between 1.1:1 to 3:1 >>> >> >> [Mike] My point exactly. I am tuning into (mostly) the MFJ dummy >> load. (This should meet the minimum requirements.) I have tried two >> different coax cable assemblies, when I have tried to tune the Flex >> into the dummy load; -I have this same non-tune into the dummy load >> and/or to the actual antenna. >> >> [Mike] Yet, if I do not tune, (if I ignore the ATU's refusal to tune) >> I see 10 Watts of FWD power, and 0 Watts of REF power when I have the >> dummy load attached to the Flex-3000. (As it should be, when I am >> using a dummy load.) My point is that the dummy load is OK. >> >> >>> At all times (even when I first powered the unit up, and did a test >>> transmission into the dummy load while chatting with Dudley), I see >>> the SWR indication under the TX meter selection as 0.0:1. -As one >>> would expect, transmitting into a dummy load. >>> >>> [Tim] The SWR meter only works when tuning. If you are just >>> transmitting, the SWR meter will always show 0.0:1 >>> >> >> [Mike] OK on this. I had not known this, but I accept. When I >> attempt an ATU-tune (the ATU attempts for a second (maximum time), >> then refuses) I do not see any REF power. -Again, I am using a dummy >> load, so this is as it should be. I should not see any reflected >> power, and I do see the (10) watts of forward power, as it should be. >>> My settings and findings: >>> AM mode; Power is set to 10 Watts >>> 10 Watts forward in TX meter FWD PWR >>> 0.0 Watts showing in the TX meter REF PWR >>> 0.0:1 showing in TX meter REF PWR >>> >>> [Tim] Those numbers look exactly how they should for AM @ 10 watts. >> >> [Mike] I agree. The above is what I get, when the Flex is attached >> to my dummy load. >> >> [Mike] But..., I am expecting the ATU to TUNE (show the ATU button >> as GREEN) in this condition. (It should be easy, as I am using a >> dummy load...) -THIS is my point, that the ATU will not tune into a >> dummy load, nor into my 2:1 to 3:1 "real antenna." >> >> [Mike] The ONE time that the Flex-3000's ATU worked for me, the time >> it took was considerably longer than the one second or less that I >> have always seen. I accept and understand the time needed to tune. >> This ONE TIME, with the longer tune period, was the ONLY time that I >> saw the ATU button showing a GREEN color. In all other times and >> cases, I see the ATU as GRAY or YELLOW. >> >> [Mike] I have attached an LDG Z-11 Pro to the Flex-3000; This unit >> will tune my dummy load as well as my 2:1 to 3:1 "real" antenna. >> >> Thanks for your support. 73! -Mike- K0JTA >> >> _______________________________________________ >> FlexRadio Systems Mailing List >> FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz >> http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz >> Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ >> Knowledge Base: http://kc.flex-radio.com/ Homepage: >> http://www.flex-radio.com/ >> > _______________________________________________ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kc.flex-radio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flex-radio.com/ _______________________________________________ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kc.flex-radio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flex-radio.com/
