Actually, "BB in a bowl" might be a better analogy. It means that the software hunts back and forth watching SWR and tuning L and C until it finds a minimum. It is like what a human does with a manual tuner. However, in tuners that use fixed binary values of L & C vs. variable capacitors and inductors, it is not possible to achieve exact steps with reasonable priced components. That means that you can get false reversals of SWR and confuse the tuner. That does not mean that there are not ways to achieve better tuning. That is just the way many ATUs work.
Future software for our existing ATUs will not work that way at all. More to come. If you think that is a tease, you are right. Gerald Gerald Youngblood, K5SDR President and CEO FlexRadio Systems(TM) 13091 Pond Springs Road, #250 Austin, TX 78729 Phone: 512-535-4713 Ext. 202 Email: ger...@flex-radio.com Web: www.flex-radio.com Tune In Excitement (TM) PowerSDR(TM) is a trademark of FlexRadio Systems On Sat, Mar 13, 2010 at 5:09 PM, Richard W. Solomon <w1...@earthlink.net>wrote: > Can you tell me what ..."BB in a barrel"... is ?? > > 73, Dick, W1KSZ > > > -----Original Message----- > >From: Gerald Youngblood <ger...@flex-radio.com> > >Sent: Mar 13, 2010 5:41 PM > >To: tpcj1...@crocker.com > >Cc: FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz > >Subject: Re: [Flexradio] Antenna tuners, etc. > > > >Dear customers, > > > >First let me acknowledge that we at FlexRadio understand that the ATUs in > >both the FLEX-3000 and FLEX-5000 can be improved. All of these > improvements > >will be in software since the hardware tuning range is more than adequate > in > >both radios. > > > >The current tuners use fairly simple "BB in a barrel" tuning algorithms, > >which can sometimes miss the optimal tuning point. We are currently > working > >on software enhancements for both radios, which should significantly > improve > >both tuning range and reliability. As usual, the radio will improve with > a > >download from our website. > > > >While we are not ready to announce when the software will be released, I > can > >confirm that the work is in process. So stay tuned for radios that keep > >getting better. > > > >73, > >Gerald > > > >Gerald Youngblood, K5SDR > >President and CEO > >FlexRadio Systems(TM) > >13091 Pond Springs Road, #250 > >Austin, TX 78729 > >Phone: 512-535-4713 Ext. 202 > >Email: ger...@flex-radio.com > >Web: www.flex-radio.com > > > >Tune In Excitement (TM) > > > >PowerSDR(TM) is a trademark of FlexRadio Systems > > > > > >On Sat, Mar 13, 2010 at 10:08 AM, John Ragle <tpcj1...@crocker.com> > wrote: > > > >> There has been a spate of stuff (I hesitate to call it a "discussion") > >> about the ATU in Flex rigs. There are some observations I would like to > >> throw into the pot for stirring: > >> > >> 1. The gentleman who got nonsense readings from his Flex when it was > >> connected to a dummy load is not confused. If the Flex (nominal output > >> impedance 50 ohms) connects to a good quality 50 + 0j ohm dummy load > with a > >> short, good quality piece of 50 ohm coax with proper fittings and gets > an > >> apparent SWR of much different from 1:1, he has a right to be somewhat > >> puzzled. > >> > >> 2. I have examined my several antennas with a good-quality network > analyzer > >> at the end seen by the Flex rig and know that the Flex is sometimes > quite > >> mistaken. > >> > >> 3. The L and C steps in the Flex ATU are so coarse that it is difficult > for > >> the circuitry to reach any sort of balance at 6 meters. > >> > >> 4. If the Flex rig measures this (or similar situations) to have an > >> excessive SWR & SHUTS DOWN the transmitter then it was probably > manufactured > >> by Toyota. My Flex 3K does exactly that, and it is pretty annoying. > >> Actually, the proper tense is "was" since I no longer use the ATU in the > >> Flex and have replaced it with a good-quality commercial tuner of the > >> Armstrong variety, adding several hundred dollars to the investment. > >> > >> 5. I have used several ATUs of different manufacture and they do not > have > >> difficulties like the ones reported here. > >> > >> 6. I think that Flex needs to give some attention to the ATU design or > >> alternatively leave it off the unit and out of the advertisements (and > >> price!) entirely. > >> > >> John Ragle -- W1ZI > >> > >> _______________________________________________ > >> 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/ > _______________________________________________ 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/
