K3: Using the MFJ-998 IntelliTuner

[Lu Romero - W4LT]

Phil:

>Does anyone use an MFJ-998 IntelliTuner with their K3 that includes the
ATU?

Yes, I have one along with an ALS600.

>If so, does the K3 interface to the MFJ-998 in a supported fashion where
the tune
>button on the K3 would control the MFJ-998 instead of the internal tuner.

No, but I have found it is not as critical as I had once thought.  I set the
MFJ for Auto Tune and set the tune power out of the K3 to 10 watts.  I then
preset the tuner memories by going to all the bands I use on all the
antennas that I use through the tuner and do a tune cycle every 10kHz.  This
memorizes the antennas to the tuner (don't worry about memory space, there
is plenty of it in the '998).  My antennas are pretty resonant, and I use
the tuner to "broaden" them out, especially on the low bands.

I run the amp through the tuner's bypass circuitry.

Then, in operation with the amp, things are simple.  Set Tune Power on the
K3 to 10 watts.  Choose a frequency and press and hold the XMIT button.  The
rig outputs a 10 watt carrier, the amp makes that 50 watts and the tuner
"snaps" in to the memorized settings.  Press and hold XMIT again when the
tune cycle is done, which usually takes about a second.  You're done!

On CW, just send some dahs.  If the SWR is too high, the tuner will bypass
the amp till it goes below your set point (mine is 1.8:1)  If the amp trips,
just flip the Operate/Standby switch when the tuner is done tuning.  

On RTTY, tap the XMIT button.  The tuner will bypass the amp, sending the
K3's full power to the antenna, the tuner tunes and then re-enables the amp
when the SWR drops to below the set point after you stop transmitting by
pressing the XMIT button again.  Or just use the low power method I describe
above (which, with the amp on its RTTY setting, gives you 35w out).

If you have a catastrophic failure in your antenna, select the wrong antenna
or simply forget to select one on your antenna routing, the tuner protects
the amp even before the amp protects itself (the amp will auto-bypass at 2:1
SWR).

Just like if you had a hard wired interface, but without the wire.

Without the amp, and on 6 meters when needed, I use the KAT3 tuner which I
HAD to purchase just so I could have two antenna inputs on the rig :(  And,
after all, its there  :)

-lu-W4LT-

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