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PU1OWL Brazilian Ham Radio
เข้าร่วมเมื่อ 21 ต.ค. 2008
My adventures in ham radio and electronics
So, where should I place the antenna tuner??
Last thursday (Apr-6-2023), during the Coffe & Ham Radios show, someone asked about placing the tuner on the antenna feedpoint, so I decided to show on SimNEC what difference makes placing the tuner by the transceiver or the feedpoint
If you are not familiar to SimNEC I highly recomend watching: th-cam.com/video/7bHMV01ZmiM/w-d-xo.html
If you are not familiar to SimNEC I highly recomend watching: th-cam.com/video/7bHMV01ZmiM/w-d-xo.html
มุมมอง: 976
วีดีโอ
Improving your ATU100
มุมมอง 15Kปีที่แล้ว
In this video I explain the modifications I made to improve my ATU100 antena matching unit. If you want to know some more of ATUs and directional couplers (SWR bridges) you should check k6jca.blogspot.com/. Many thanks for the guys at @CoffeeandHamRadios for encouraging other hams on making their own videos!
Thanks Rafael for the nice video!
any idea why my oled goes crazy and locks up when tuning 40m?
@@lampshadesneeded most likely stray RF inside the box. The microcontroller operates with the internal oscillator, at 16MHz, close to the second harmonic of 40m. So if you have enough stray RF around, you can mess the microcontroller. Try adding a choke to the coaxial and some ferrite toroids on the button wires as I did.
I received the finished ATU100 via AliExpress yesterday. I watched this video for a bit and still went to check what diodes were in it. The answer is I don't know, because they are both in SOD-80 with the blue line. The same as was sent to you the second time. Software version 3.2. I connected it, tested it and it seems to work fine. There is almost no degradation at 30MHz. Now I'm not sure if I should replace them or not.
@@agramcroatia4185 probably not. If it ain't broke, don't fix it 😄
@@rafaelgcpp Thanks. Then I won't change the diodes, but I will still buy a couple of them, because I have two stores near me in Zagreb (Croatia) that have them. Clearly they are the original, not a Chinese forgery,
Rafael, I found out what diodes are in my ATU100. BAT41 in SOD-80 housing. (LL41) That is great.🙂🙂🙂
@@agramcroatia4185 really good news! Those are the absolutely correct ones!
Great job !!! Best Regards
Hey Rafa, hey guys. I did a dumb thing. Got my ATU100 yesterday, started trying it on all my antennae and radios and forgot its only good for up to 50 MHz .. It didn't like 70cm. It still comes on but doesn't tune. Now its an expensive SWR meter. I call these expensive life lessons TUITION
Sorry for delaying the answer as I was thinking on what could have happened. I suspect the analog I/o pins of the microcontroller might have been fried. I'll try to simulate the SWR bridge on VHF, but probably the capacitive coupling on the transformer winding might have allowed higher power to go out on the measurement terminals.
@@rafaelgcpp I ordered another one.
Why did it take me a year to find this video after it was published? Thanks Rafael, my tuner works perfectly after the modification! Thanks also for the detailed explanations. 73s SE7N
I'm glad to help!
Rookie questions. #1 Remove the surface mount diodes if doing the through hole diodes option? #2 Silver band on diodes face towards the closest edge of the PCB? Thank you.
@@regularguy519 #1. Yes, you should remove them, as the capacitances will sum up. As for #2 let me check the board drawings...
@@regularguy519 #2. They face the far end of the board. Towards the buttons, not towards the connectors.
You're the best. Thank you!
Rafael - My kit arrived. It had some sort of glass surface mount diode 655mv Forward voltage and 15pf. I replace with matched set of 1N34 with 435mv and 13pf. Still building kit. I'll let you know how it works out.
655mV and 15pf sounds like 1N4148 to me. 1N34 will work fine!
@@rafaelgcpp Rafael, I opened mine and it also has what looks like 1N4148 diodes. Are these not appropriate?
@@gpzany no. The higher Vf of the silicon diodes will make the measurement of lower SWR values incorrect. Using Schottky or germanium diodes is needed on SWR measurement.
@@rafaelgcpp Thank you for the additional information, very much appreciated.
@@rafaelgcpp 1N5711 diodes installed. Much improvement in SWR readings and tuning. Thanks again Rafael.
Good to see you online. Rio booms in here often. n2eye, NY City
Obrigado Rafael. You talked me into getting an ATU100 - Dean KC3JXT
Thank you for watching my video!
I haven't built my kit yet, but I do have a few thousand old HP1N5711's, so I'll carefully match a pair with 5 watts applied on 20 meters and install them. Thank you for the info.
Great video, Ciao. VK5LB
I modified my ATU100 as Rafael suggested using a couple of radial lead 1N5711, as suggested. It is surprising how much better it now works. The tuner is more stable and, subjectively, faster. I also have to compliment the video. I love the detail and description. Well done! Thanks Rafael.
Excellent Rafael, well done. Slightly embarrassed I just found your channel..Thank you
Hey Andy!! Nice to have you here, and I hope this video will help you! Actually I'm embarrassed I never added more content to the channel. I have a lot of plans but procrastination always wins!
@@rafaelgcpp it does for sure! I thought about buying the 1000w kit version of this ATU. I still might. Looks like a fun build
Great advice, thanks!
just ordered a kit. ill check out what diodes are in it and look into replacing them. and I will definitely be doing your suggestions
kit is here. just ordered 6 of the diodes. Ill see if I cant get a decently matched pair.
where can i get these parts at?
Assuming you are in US: Toroids: kits and parts Capacitors and diodes: Mouser
thank you
Thank you for the video! Very nice! Do you think it's a good idea to exchange the elkos with tantal types?
Tantalum capacitors are somewhat better than aluminum ones, but not much different up in the HF bands.
@@rafaelgcpp Thank you! 😀
Amazing! Easy to follow your reasoning, and some excellent thoughts on enhancing the SWR circuit - got me thinking about upgrading my SWR bridges with alternative diodes you have suggested. (Most already have the 1N60, so I don't expect much improvement, although the BAT62 microwave diode appeals to me for UHF use).
The main reason BAT62 is fine is because of its ludicrously low junction capacitance. I recently found out that 1N5711 diodes show a less steeper knee than the modern BAT diodes, so now I favor the latter.
@@rafaelgcpp Thank you 👍
Great job Rafael, will use this on my ATU. Regards from Serbia
I'm just putting one of these together. thanks for the tips much appreciated
Rafael, excellent info, now I have some work to on my kit built ATU-100, thank you very much for this video de VE7KKQ, 73, Merry Christmas (10 days away, 2023).
Excelentes explicaciones, Rafael. De acuerdo con ambos videos. Otro punto de mejora, estaría de nuevo en el acoplador direccional. Pienso que este debería usar obligatoriamente transformadores separados e idénticos para mejorar en mucho la directividad, cosa que ahora no sucede. Eso de compartir el mismo núcleo magnético con un trafo binocular, no parece una buena solución técnica en este caso, aunque si es sencilla y barata. Se trata del ajuste de precios por parte de los productos realizados en China.Lo mismo que no emplear unos sencillos y comunes 1N5711, en lugar de cualquier cosa que parezca un diodo, que como bien explicas, mejoran el rendimiento de la medidas, con solo su simple sustitución. Un abrazo. 73's
O transformador do acoplador é, sem dúvida, um ponto a ser melhorado. O núcleo binocular não é adequado, pois não há o mesmo fluxo magnético nos dois transformadores. Desta forma acaba ocorrendo acoplamento entre as medidas que distorce os valores nos casos mais extremos.
Not the brains but the eyes and ears for the brain
Indeed!
This video convinced me to get an ATU100 knowing it can be 'suped up'. Must torroid rings be used or if I have some spare clip-on ferrite clamps typically used for power supply wires and display cables suffice?
The clip-on might work. I used the smallest ferrites I had, mostly because I already had them, and they fit nicely on my enclosure
Hello brother , Where can i get ft37-43 ferrite cores? I have searched all over the aliexpress , there is no good solution
I buy them from Kits & Parts (www.kitsandparts.com) or directly from Amidon Corp.
Olá Rafael! Teve contato com o ATU-130? Dizem ser uma versão melhorada desses ATU-100. Seria interessante saber sua opinião sobre a evolução nesses projetos e se houve melhoria de design e qc. Forte 73 PU1KVD
Opa! Ainda não, mas pelo que vi nas fotos eles reorganizaram a PCB, colocando os indutores e capacitores "por fora" e os relés pra dentro. Também parece usar indutores mais grossos, pra suportar mais corrente. Tirando isso, parece ser o mesmo processador e o desenho da ponte de swr parece o mesmo. Estou falando isso somente olhando pras fotos, sem ver um esquemático... Em relação a evolução, o @Temporarily Offline mostrou outro modelo que usa uma placa para o RF e outra pro controlador. Esse eu considero evolução, pois permite que se coloque uma blindagem separando as partes (isso não vem pronto, mas é uma melhoria possível)
O outro é o AT-100M th-cam.com/video/tQzoJcL_vF8/w-d-xo.html
@@rafaelgcpp Encontrei o canal do fabricante do AT-100M no TH-cam. Saiu firmware nova dele dia 11/08 e está em prototipagem de um AT-100M-pro. Segundo ele: "The maximum total capacitance of AT-100M is 1869pf, and the inductance is 8.42uh. The total capacitance of the Pro version is 3869pf, and the inductance is 17.6uh".
th-cam.com/video/m77AZIfO7Y0/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=ANTUNER video do novo, com legendas
Let me help you The SWR are not the brains it is the eyes for the brains
Great analogy!
maybe a good idea to fit silver mica caps as well,my c2 100pf fried replaced with a 750v 100pf silver mica,the chineese kits have smd ceramics not silver mica,also the diodes dont match on mine one is a flat smt type the other glass!,these have zero qc,had one of mine arrive with a blanc pic 16f1938 as well,its pot luck,first ebay kit had the button+headers missing(but got a full refund) ,first aliexpress kit had a blanc pic,second kit from aliexpress has missing headers for the power and the button but two extra 47uf electrolytic caps,its totaly pot luck.
Congrats
Hi Rafael, Thanks again for the video. Obtaining original ST micro 1N5711 or BAT41 thc is a challenge as is 1N5711W SOD-123 (Marking Code "SA") and BAT41ZFILM SOD-123 (Marking Code "Z41").
opa! vc faz esse ajuste comercialmente? se não teria alguem pra indicar? Preferencialmente em SP já que moro aqui, mas tbm poderia enviar o equipamento. obrigado! 73
Vitor, não faço comercialmente não. São componentes muito pequenos e como faço o retrabalho com uma estação de solda comum, tem muito risco de arrancar a ilha. Por isso faço no meu, mas não no dos outros! Mas antes de mexer no ATU, é importante identificar os diodos. As vezes não precisa mexer e está tudo certo, outras vezes tem problema, mas não são os diodos. O Smoking Ape estava com um que tinha diodos certos, mas aparentemente o ferrite errado.
Outra coisa: colocar os capacitores e ferrites é sempre importante. Infelizmente não tenho extras pra te oferecer.
Great information !
Great news ! Looking forward to more great videos from you.
Nice work. To the point and “followable”. Your simulation was grand. Thanks very much!! Now, where should be buy our ATU-100 to get the correct (not fake) toroids and diodes?
That is a good question. In my point of view, all boards come from the same place in China, so it is hit or miss...
Thanks for the advice on this. I found a mis matched pair at D1 & D2 of my ATU-100 board thankfully before building. Great tips Rafael 73. Mike @merseyradar
Very nice presentation! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Jeff
Well done 👍
Thanks!
Excellent video Rafael! Interesting setup with SimNEC, i'm going to have to get that.
SimNEC is confusing at the beginning, but it is really easy to learn and it is a great tool for matching and calculating losses. Tip: I used the "reverse direction option". By default the load is on the left side and the generator on the right side, which causes even more confusion for beginners.
Hello! Sorry for my question. I have the same antenna tuner. The antenna is connected to the input ANT, and from the connector RF IN there is a connection to the transceiver, so connect it correctly. Or vice versa. Please inform. Thank you.
ANT to Antenna, RF IN to transceiver is the correct way to connect.
@@rafaelgcppThank you very much for your answer..
Really helpful, I learned a lot in this one video, I hope you will make more.
Thanks! I have a few planned, but my real job is taking a lot of my time...
Excellent well detailed suggestions. Thank you. It's my habit from the old days to place a bounce elimition capacitor across switches. It works for RF interference too. As for power lines and audio lines I use twisted pair with shield.
..... Nice job!! just one tiny point, my ATU does have small value SMD power supply bypass capacitors, mounted where the electrolytics are..... {Can't have too many supply decouplers, mind!! } . G4ZWI
My recent Aliexpress kit purchase has 2 glass SMT diodes. If there is a parts code on them, I'm never going to be able to read it :-) Any idea what part they may be? I have not assembled the kit yet, so it might make sense for me to address the diode issue as part of my build (if there even is an issue!). Many thanks. John, VK4Tj.
John, it is really hard to know. Having two of the same diodes is a huge step in the right direction, though. I would guess they are the correct BAT41 diodes, but so many diodes are similar...
awesome video
Awesome stuff!
Really valuable, thank you very much!!! 73
Shouldn't the power conn. be moved to the other end with the switches to eliminate the wires going over the coils completely?
Ideally, yes, but then the front panel would be cramped. There is an alternative design with separate RF and digital/power boards that makes much more sense. If you think about commercial transceivers, the PA, tuner and receiver board are three separate boards and the digital logic is even one more board.
Outstanding work, my friend. Super explanation of that. I've got the parts in hand, i'll be upgrading mine as soon as the shop is not -9C. Thanks for the info, and I subscribed!
Glad you liked, and thank you for subscribing!