K3: noise using MFJ auto-tuner (K9HXO)

[Bill Miller]

My newly acquired K-3 and I are getting acquainted and I'm loving the rig. I am newly re-licensed after many years off and finding lots of QRN. Not news to anyone, eh? Well, I am using an MFJ 993 tuner and just for giggles I turned it off today and the S meter dropped several points (all noise).
 
I've considered getting a KAT-3 and unless someone has a solution to the MFJ noise problem, I will go ahead with plan B.

tnx, Bill K9HXO
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[ke9uw]

When you turned off the tuner, was your antenna still resonant?

Sent from my iPad

On Apr 9, 2012, at 2:29 PM, "Bill Miller" <[hidden email]> wrote:

> My newly acquired K-3 and I are getting acquainted and I'm loving the rig. I am newly re-licensed after many years off and finding lots of QRN. Not news to anyone, eh? Well, I am using an MFJ 993 tuner and just for giggles I turned it off today and the S meter dropped several points (all noise).
>  
> I've considered getting a KAT-3 and unless someone has a solution to the MFJ noise problem, I will go ahead with plan B.
>
> tnx, Bill K9HXO
> ______________________________________________________________
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[Bill K9YEQ]

Bob,
You might try using a different power supply than a the walwart that came
with it.  I have found a couple of pieces of equipment that generated noise,
and no worse place than an antenna tuner or switch.  Try hooking up a
battery to it and run it to see if you have the same issue.  

73,
Bill
K9YEQ


-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Bill Miller
Sent: Monday, April 09, 2012 2:29 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] K3: noise using MFJ auto-tuner (K9HXO)

My newly acquired K-3 and I are getting acquainted and I'm loving the rig. I
am newly re-licensed after many years off and finding lots of QRN. Not news
to anyone, eh? Well, I am using an MFJ 993 tuner and just for giggles I
turned it off today and the S meter dropped several points (all noise).
 
I've considered getting a KAT-3 and unless someone has a solution to the MFJ
noise problem, I will go ahead with plan B.

tnx, Bill K9HXO
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[k6dgw]

On 4/9/2012 12:29 PM, Bill Miller wrote:

> I am newly re-licensed after many years off and finding lots of
> QRN. Not news to anyone, eh?

Been at this hobby for 59 years and QRN seems to have been pretty
constant to me.  There are a lot more and different types of noisemakers
out there than years ago, but power companies [the primary source many
years ago] are, by and large, much better at fixing their's.  Individual
exceptions will occur, however. :-)

  Well, I am using an MFJ 993 tuner and
> just for giggles I turned it off today and the S meter dropped
> several points (all noise).

Signals would have dropped too, it's normal with non-resonant antennas
which yours must be or you wouldn't need a tuner.  In fact, I can pretty
much get my antenna matching unit tuned just on received noise.
>
> I've considered getting a KAT-3 and unless someone has a solution to
> the MFJ noise problem, I will go ahead with plan B.

It's not the brand of tuner, it's physics.  When your antenna/tuner
presents 50 + j0 ohms to your radio, you have the most efficient
transfer of power in either direction.  When it is not 50 ohms, like
when you switch the tuner out, it's less efficient.

Glad to have you back on the air!

73,

Fred K6DGW
- Northern California Contest Club
- CU in the 2012 Cal QSO Party 6-7 Oct 2012
- www.cqp.org

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