I have two versions of the ATU-100 models, one with internal battery. They do an amazing job! This Extended version is interesting because it will cover 6 meters. I wonder about the higher power versions: ATU-500, etc. Another great feature and detailed review, Tony. Stay cool in the heat!

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

Thank you very much Frank!.. yes agree they do a good job.. great to know there is a ATU-500, i hope i once get the change to test that one too... stay cool too, and thank for your comment.

Tony, thanks, this was a very interesting video. I got one of these several months ago, and just got around to testing it.

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

Welcome and thanks for your feedback, have fun!

Nice review Tony! Your videos are always interesting and informative. Regards, David.

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

Thank you David, very nice to let me know, enjoy!

Another great video Tony. The ATU-100 does a good job and very fast. The Kenwood is extremely well engineered with a notable very deep Q for the tuned frequency which was very impressive. Enjoy radio Tony.

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

Thank you Ian, that was exacly what i was trying to put out... its good enough, and well enough for its price and does the job. Will it beat the Kenwood? , no! but that is a differend class.. for your 80 buck you get some prity good fast automatic mobile tuner.

Very helpful video, thank you!

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

Thank you Chris!

thank you this is really helpful I have placed my order and hope to use it with an end fed antenna

@TonyAlbus

11 ай бұрын

Thank you.. usualy the endfed LW is tuned for 7 and 14 MHz .. so auto tuning that will prob. work fine. sometime even 3.5 will work. but the range of an auto tuner is less wide then a manual tuner.. on my endfed wire 21 MHz is trickey with the auto tuner, while a manual will tune it at least a bit. but it all depends also on your endfed ofcourse. but something to keep in mind, or maybe cut the endfed to your favorite freq and only tune that last bit will give you the best performance. 73

Very good review, thanks! Your base station looks very cosy 😀! I was worried about mine (the new 100m model) doing frying relays sounds, but after your video I can see where it comes from. Cheers 14CT016

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

Thanks! yes is normal...

Very good review

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

Thank you!

A nice little tuner, if I ever take the 857d out again I might get one! 73!

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

Yes agree, great for portable, nice the 857d sir!.

love the cable management in the background lol.73.

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

LOL, thanks :)

Interesting video and help me to understand that this device is working as expected Not made to tune a wet piece of spaghetti, but a "almost" correct lenght of wire/ antenna Only to bring in that last bit

@TonyAlbus

2 ай бұрын

Yes the range of a manual is usual wider. But having a good lenght is a great start... having a spaghetti tuned well does not mean it also radiates well,. Like a dummyload is also very well tuned but a very bad as an antenna :)

Nice review Tony... Thanks a lot... Greetings from Spain...EB5DQ

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

Thank you! saludos ! 73

@EB5DQH

Жыл бұрын

@@TonyAlbus Gracias amigo Tony... 73!

These seem to work fairly well for the price. Handy for portable use too, though maybe not suitable for QRP as they seem to need 10w or so to work correctly. Good overview Tony!

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

Yes agree, no problems with price and what it does, and fair , it works better then the internal, specialy with the endFed..which is always a bit tricky.. it does the job well. i think it will be my mobile choice.

@PeterJavea

Жыл бұрын

Quite right. Minimum input power is 5w to provoke it to work. So there's a ATU 10 (W) made for QRP

Hi, thanks for your video! Could you please make a video on how you 'grounded' your long wire antenna for safety reasons? Same ground as the cases of your rigs? What/how did you do? Thanks!

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

Hi, Thanks.. my lab is in the attic, my desk is close to my central heater. my central heater has water-pipes for drinking water and gas-pipes. those pipes all go down to a central point in my fuse box space. by law, this is all grounded and linked together. so i could just simply connect it to one the water-piper close to my desk. 1 central point from there i ground antenna and trx.. no daisy chain, all direct to central point.

Hello, Tony! Very glad to meet you! How are you! R1NAU

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

Same! 73 Tony PE1ONS

I just bought one (without the 6m capability, but with internal battery) to use with my FT817ND when I'm using a 45 watt amp. I have an Elecraft QRP auto-tuner but it won't take more than 20 watts.

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

Sounds great!

Lutowałem taką skrzynkę fajna tylko inne kondensatory silver mica. Ale FT 450 ma skrzynkę wbudowaną to nie potrzeba zewnętrznej. Chciałem takie radio, ale wyszło z produkcji i kupiłem FT DX 3000 :) Pozdrawiam :)

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

Yes true, it has a built-in tuner...but not that good.. the newer version FT-450D is better... still i don't think it is a bad choice to have the FT-DX3000 :))) well done mate!

Hi Tony, is the AT130 a better version or is the current AT 100 EXT sufficient? RGDS Roger ON7GY

@TonyAlbus

8 ай бұрын

The At 100 works great for me, and lots of stuff to find about it on internet. like mods for QRP etc etc.

is it possible to use these units as SWR meter/power meter without tuning? I just want to check the output of my radio without tuning the antenna, like a standalone SWR meter/power meter.

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

Hi michael, i don't remember if it had a bypass, if is has you prob. can. but why not use this one: kzread.info/dash/bejne/inh8o5ueZdDYpdI.html

I've used mine with my Xiegu g106 (5w) and it works fine

@TonyAlbus

7 ай бұрын

Thanks! great to know!

Have you tested this with full 100W power? Just wonder if it will survive a little mismatch ;) And yes, the Kenwood tuner is a beauty inside :)

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

Yes 100 Watts yes, no problem, but you always tune with less first. that is normal practice for most auto tuners. and like most autotuners there is a limit for bad swr it can compensate. for big changes the manual tuners are master. :)

Hi Tony, did you verified the SWR with an other device?

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

If i did its in the video... not sure. it was awhile ago..

Hi Tony, is de AT130 een betere versie of voldoet de huidige AT 100 EXT ? GRT Roger ON7GY

@TonyAlbus

8 ай бұрын

Hi Roger, i have not had the AT130 here yet, but it looks very much the same to me, only i find less information then on the N7DDC

That tuner looks like it is one inductor and one capacitor in L configuration, which is known to be good tuner when the difference between the impedance on the input and output is huge. That MFJ T configuration of two capacitors and one inductor and internal tuners are typically Π configuration, which is completely different case. So I think you can achieve better results if you remove that external unun (I think you have 9:1 unun on the end of abt 20m long wire, this is typical configuration.) connecting that wire directly to a center pin of that small automatic tuner. (PL259 socket accepts 4mm banana plug in its center.) I have similar tuner (LDG Z-100) and it works well with almost any longwire antena without any external ununs. I am not familiar with that TRX, but I think, that TX-Error means you are trying to transmit ouside amateur band. At least, 17m band begins at 18.068MHz, so 18.000 is outside band.

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

Thank you Niki, always very perseptive. The internal tuner is okey, but just a smaler range i bet it works fine on dipole or GPA... these random wire 9:1 indeed.. are allways a pain for ATU.. so fair to say it does its job well, better then the internal.. its worth its pay.

@germanjohn5626

Жыл бұрын

It is an L network that can switch the tuning capacitors either before the coil or after resulting in a huge range. Reading the display will show if the cap is before or after the coil by either displaying C first and L second or L first and C second.

Did you connect the long wire straight to the input or through a balun?

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

9:1 Unun Moonraker LWHF-80 go.tonyalbus.com/LWHF80amz Moonraker LWHF-40 go.tonyalbus.com/LWHF40amz

Hi Tony, Have you been able to give this further on air use? I just ordered one but want to see how you are liking it. 73, Jim.

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

Hi Jim, no i have not.. i am still looking for a smaller mobile set.. on my QTH i work with an End-Fed wire and i am now using an Old manual Kenwood AT-200 wich works amazing in combination with the wire... and manual you can just tune it a bit better... but the Kenwood is for sure to big for mobile use and then the smaller ATU-100 is perfect.

@jimwolsiffer4397

Жыл бұрын

@@TonyAlbus ok, I am not sure how I'll use the 100 yet. Was thinking a bit of both mobile and qth but not sure how it may work with my EFHW yet. I have been looking at some used Kenwood tuners as well, the 200 and 230 versions would fit the bill. Jim

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

@@jimwolsiffer4397 About the Kenwood, i used 2 MFJ's (941E/945E)before and i got more noise compaired with the Kenwood AT-200, the AT-230 is simular but has a few more bands on the selction switch.. the band switch is great, it gives a cleaner signal, allmost a band filter. it works great with my Moonraker LWHF-80 Endfed. the Kenwood is great for qth.

@jimwolsiffer4397

Жыл бұрын

@@TonyAlbus Hi Tony, My ATU 100 plus arrived today but is DOA. Waiting for eBay seller to respond. Was supposed to be brand-new but the box was certainly not the one it was designed to be in, just an oversized plain brown box, no instructions etc..anyway I also purchased a 230 so hopefully it will arrive in good shape. 73 Jim

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

@@jimwolsiffer4397 My ATU100 was from banggood, but also just a brown box, no instructions.. but it did work. hope you get your working one soon.

Can you provide a link to the tuner documentation, please?

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

No problem, i added a link to the description

I see them on AliExpress and they say they include some sort of 5volt booster board? can you tell me what that is for? so you will need less than 12volts? does it now need 12volts plus the lithium battery? thank you

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

Hi, i have the full build kit with battery, it charger with 5 volt usb... i may guess is that the mainboard runs 12volt. if you are planning to run it with 12volt, i dont think you need the battery and the boosterboard. if you want to run on on battery (lower then 12volts), you need the booster board.

@shoppersplace

Жыл бұрын

@@TonyAlbus more confused

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

@@shoppersplace If you use the first link from the description, you pick 'type A'. you will have the same is mine, with battery and it charges with usb. thats all you need. The one from ali express does not have a battery, then you need the boosterboard to power it with usb. or you connect it to 9~12 Volts direct then no boosterboard

Why did you not used the internal swr meter from the 450, to see what the swr was? I should not trust the swr from the ATU.

@TonyAlbus

7 ай бұрын

Hi, yes i trust the SWR on the ATU, as it bases its tuning on it. if you start distrusting that,, what is the point of having an ATU.

I have still to finish building mine. Cheap enough little kit.

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

Thanks George, yes worth a try... its good enough... i tought i would be just as good/bad as the internal one...but its much better.

is ATU 100 Tuner work when transmit ?? i try it's not working, the other station cannot hear my modulation

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

The ATU does not change the modulation, try first in FM to tune. i demonstrate how to operate it in the video.

Mine worked great for a while. Made several contacts in Europe and South America and on the west coast. When I tried to contact a JA station it stopped working. Hasn't worked since. Won't power up. Never ran more than 20 watts. I guess Japan was out of range for it.😂😂

@TonyAlbus

8 ай бұрын

Thats a pitty, .. it stopped tuning or you battery is death ?

The reason it doesn't tune is because your transceiver shuts down and gives it not enough power to function. I tune frequencies like that through a 3db power attenuator between the tranceiver and the tuner, it can handle 100w that way the tuner can tune and then I just switch the attenuator out with a relay, The 3 db is one of the flange mount ceramic resistors and everything is in a small box with a heat sink. 3db is enough to fool my tranceiver on all bands.

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

Yes it is recommended not to tune with full power, my transmitter can adjust power and i usualy tune with 20-30 Watts

@germanjohn5626

Жыл бұрын

@@TonyAlbus Tony, what I am saying is this, on the bands that are far out of tune your transceiver sees such a high VSWR that is reduces its power to below what is needed for the tuner to tune. My Icom 746pro does the same. Hence I use 3db between the tuner and transceiver to give the transceiver a 6db worse case return loss it will then have less fold-back and produce enough power to tune. However you will have to raise the output power 3db to account for the loss in the resistor. No big deal once the tuner finds its match I switch out the resistor.

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

Yes more then 3:1 they TRX does not like.. i now stick to Manual.. using the Kenwood At-200 .. i get it near 0 reflexted.. Manmual beats most ATU's

Hi Tony! May I ask a favor? Could you see if it will successfully initiate a tune with only 5 watts? If it will, I’ll buy one for my Flex 1500 qrp radio. Thanks!

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

Hallo Frank, that is a good question, i think it needs around 10 Watts, but i found a video of someone who modified it, so it works from 1-5 Watts. its here : kzread.info/dash/bejne/loSt1cFmj9q2k7Q.html also i will leave a link to an QRP ATU, which is also sold in Amazon in the description of the video

@germanjohn5626

Жыл бұрын

They make a low power version for 50w and a tune of 1w or more. Can be bought at Ali Express and the QRP vendor.

@Frank_K4FMH

Жыл бұрын

John, I’m familiar with the ATU-10…but for a 100w rig like the FT-891, it’s not a great solution. Thus, that’s why I asked Tony to actually test this 100w version for me.

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

@@Frank_K4FMH Hi Frank, did not do test, but it does not go below 10Watts.. this Italian Ham.. in the link i send.. fixed that.. to 1 Watt.. nice

@Frank_K4FMH

Жыл бұрын

Hmm. Actually, it wasn't the FT-891 I should have mentioned the Hermes Lite 2 and the Flex 1500 at 5 watts only. Each will drive an amplifier that puts out much more than the 50w version of this ATU. So, folks who use 5w QRP radios can't effectuate a tune cycle without a lot of fiddling to turn down the exciter power so that it's 10w+, etc. The LDG 200 Pro II, I'm told by the Johnny W5KV KZread Channel that it will conduct a tune cycle down to 1 watt...but will handle 250w SSB. So I've gone that route. Thanks to you both!

Leuk klein ding ik heb de diy versie gekocht hopen dat het lukt groeten pd1tth

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

Ja leuk ding.. suc6 met de bouw! 73

@thijmenterhaar8184

Жыл бұрын

@@TonyAlbus komt goed

I just got mine and it didn't come with a bit of paper work . Is that common ?...not impressed so fare it seems a bit manic

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

Documentattion is easy to find, you also find this project on github. or pay more and buy a real brand.

Hi!! Thanks a lot for the video and the links! I am testing an ATU-100 which I recently bought and I have this problem: it detects the incident power, but the SWR indicates zero all the time (even when I desadapt the test load on purpose). As my test load becames more reactive, the ATU accurately detects the decrease of the incident power, but the SWR remains in zero. Anyone with the same (or similar) problem? Thanks a lot!

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

Hi Jullian, first a few questions. 1. depending on the model, you can only use it between 0 to 30 MHz or 0 to 50 MHz but not above. 2. are you sure the antenna and tranceiver are connected the right way around? if these two are correct, i would contact the seller and ask for a replacement, it should work.

Can I use the tuner also in USB?

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

Yes, as most tuners, you tune on lower power 10-20 Watts on AM/FM and then when tuning is done you can go SSB and full power

Is a mobile phone charger good for power? Thank you.

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

Yes that should be enough

Is the battery replaceable?

@TonyAlbus

10 ай бұрын

Hi, if i remember correct it is a Lion, but i think i open it in the video

On my unit the power display ends in a decimal point eg pWR=0.0W. Anyone got any ideas what this . Means? I can’t find it documented anywhere

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

Oh, i did not notice that. i have no idea why that would be, other then maybe just sloppy code.

Can you make a video on how to repair an electronic device?

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

LOL.. yes a common question... my answare will not shock you: No!, this is not a repair channel. i do what i like, at that moment and i share that :)

@radiotvrepair1059

Жыл бұрын

@@TonyAlbus Do you know how to repair radios? I want to communicate with you. Thank you

Do I always need to power this ATU-100 device on after it has tuned my antenna or can it be switched off and the tuned settings will still be in effect? 🤔

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

Yes it needs to be switched on, the coils and caps are switched with normal relais.. powered down, i would guess it is in bypass (non tuned)

@germanjohn5626

Жыл бұрын

@@TonyAlbus correct, moreover, I found the battery version creates hash on the bands created by the voltage up converter. I have since removed the battery and charge / upconverter and drive it directly with 12V.

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

@@germanjohn5626 Thanks... good point.. will do the same.

@dildohorn2282

Жыл бұрын

Thanks! And I've noticed that 4W is not enought to make the relais move. :(

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

@@dildohorn2282 If i remember correct, 10 Watt is the minimum, but there is a mod for low power, just search google. github.com/Dfinitski/N7DDC-ATU-100-mini-and-extended-boards

I think that you are crazy

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

no, i am a plane :)

Where ATU-100W MADE FROM?

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

Hi Mudz, the design is from N7DDC according to QRZ.com this is a HAM form USA.. but most kits are from China

can these connect to Power Amp 100 watt?

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

If you tune it first with 10-15 watts, after you can use 100 Watts

Tony I don’t think you will read this , but you are very technically , is it possible to convert the ATU from N7DCC to remote! That you can place it outside under the antenne in water tight box Hope to get a reaction from you Like you channel best 73s PA3EKA

@TonyAlbus

2 ай бұрын

Hi Bert, It is prob. possible, but you need to think if it is worth the effort. You need to get the supply voltage up, the tune button and you will miss the display. While when you have the tuner close to the radio, you have it all there, can switch antenna's etc etc. i know Acom does have a remote tunner with there Amps, but then it has an antenna switch also, then the benefit is you need only one cable down, but that totaly different pricing. 73 Tony PE1ONS

@pa3eka

2 ай бұрын

@@TonyAlbus Thank you for the answer Tony That wat I also assumed about making this ATU to remote No display in side Recent I moved to a different house My radio is no longer to my window but more in the center of my house , I like symmetry in antenna systems , is perhaps the best solution , if I was at the same location as you , maybe I tried also the EndFet antenna, But now I have to cross almost 6 meter in a straight line to come outside And that is about 80 cm above ground , so I need a couple meters more to on a Workable height ., say total 10 meter of transport of HF with coax or Twinlead in case of Coax A remote ATU balun 1-1 or 1-4 to the Symmetrical antenna 2x10 meter aprox. The ATU inside on 10 meters of coax before reaching Antenna gives only problems and big losses of RF and possibly complicated behaviour of equipment Only on 1 freq you can find +/- 50 ohm not on multiple bands Or in case Twinlead inside ATU after TRX 1-1 or 1-4 Balun 10 Twinlead to the 2x 10 mtr antenna Or old scool symmetrisch ATU Twinlead ( homemade ) to the antenna So different roads to Paris 😀 thanks again for your response Tony , succes with your KZread channel PA3EKA

Doe mij maar gewoon een goede vintage handtuner, dan weet ik tenminste zeker dat er geen rook uit komt na een uurtje FT8 op 100 Watt 🙂

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

I ga meteen met je mee... ik zie te vaak dat 'automatisch' //best goed is.. maar met de hand zit je er bovenop... zeker die oude Kenwood AT-200 .. gewoon 0 terug... en ik heb de automatische hier gehad.. ATS=250... nou, 0 punten... en verschil MFJ of deze oude Kenwood... ik ga voor die oude Kenwood.

@M-P-X

Жыл бұрын

@@TonyAlbus Die Kenwood krijgt een breinaald nog plat van 2-30 Mhz.

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

@@M-P-X Ja beste aankoop ooit!.. en zo weinig , buiten de band, storing... dat ding is echt goed!. doet 10-500 Ohm naar 50... nou suc6 met die automatische dingen :)

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

Als toevoeging.. ik had de MFJ hiervoor en mensen konden mij 59 horen en ik hoorde hun niet, sinds vandaga de Kenwood ertussen, en ik hoor hun ook, dat scheeld een hoop in een gesprek als je elkaar kan horen... aen als je het niet ervaren hebt, denk je dat het onzin it... ik heb het ervaren... deze oude Kenwood gaat nooit meer weg hier...

@M-P-X

Жыл бұрын

@@TonyAlbus Ik kwam van de week een AT-230 op MP tegen, die heb ik maar gekocht 😃 Volgens is dat een AT-200 met de WARC banden, is nog erg netjes dus ik helemaal blij. Ik krijg zelfs mijn 3,5 meter band antenne op 10 en 20 meter redelijk, niet dat ik de straat uit kom maar het werkt wel 🙂

Longwinded.

@TonyAlbus

2 ай бұрын

Thanks!

It is not a "tuner". It tunes nothing. It matches impedance for transmitter. Radiation efficiency is a factor of antenna length. Call it an AMD (antenna matching device) or some other more descriptive name. It only makes your transmitter "happy" it does not make your wrong length antenna better.

@TonyAlbus

4 ай бұрын

And how is that different from in your mind a 'real' tuner? explaine please i like to learn

@akiddoo8113

4 ай бұрын

The function transforms impedance between transmitter and antenna. The antenna remains at the same physical length, height, and position. No electrical or physical changes are made to the physical antenna. If you were to place the device in question between your transmitter and a toilet, I presume you would refer to it as a "toilet tuner" We could go on for days with other examples but the fact is electrical laws remain. To infer the device in some fashion changes the inferior characteristics of a wire is incorrect. It only transforms impedance. Two words that should not be used together implying something that never really happens. @@TonyAlbus

@TonyAlbus

4 ай бұрын

@@akiddoo8113 But that is the same for any manual antenna tuner that is between the antenne and transmitter. i still don't see the difference between the manual tuner and this tuner. both adjust the impedance to the trx.. while the swr between the antenne and tuner stays the same. you may not agree to the term tuner, wile it is very commonly used.

blah , there is ATU-100 mini and ATU-100 ext , you can easily read

@TonyAlbus

Жыл бұрын

Thanks!

Thank you Tony.....well explained.....very good. Nick 2E0LPL

@TonyAlbus

2 ай бұрын

Thanks Nick! 73