Hi Steve, your explanation is great.  I think at this point, I 
will just go with the TS-480 with its internal tuner.  I plan to 
work with the Alpha 1 this weekend band conditions permitting or 
not.  Will hopefully send some remarks after tests tomorrow.  Jim 
WA6EKS.

 ----- Original Message -----
From: Steve <[log in to unmask]
To: [log in to unmask]
Date sent: Fri, 20 Jul 2012 14:02:36 -0400
Subject: Re: External tuner vs internal tuner?

Jim,

Typically, the internal tuner won't match much more than a 3:1 or 
maybe at
the outside 6:1 SWR, the older internal tuners on the TS-850 
would match
10:1.  Now, some of that might depend on your reactances, but 
since they
have small caps, they don't have the capabilities of external 
tuners.

Then, let's say you have a couple different scenarios.  First, 
let's say you
want to be real efficient and feed your wire antenna with 
open-wire.  You
could try running it through a balun, but it would probably be 
easier to
have an external tuner with the balanced feed point on it.

The second scenario: you want to run a linear amp.  You'll then 
definitely
need an external tuner.


----- Original Message -----
From: Jim Gammon
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Thursday, July 19, 2012 1:10 PM
Subject: External tuner vs internal tuner?


Steve, what advantage is there to using an external auto tuner
over the internal tuner in the TS-480? I have the 100 w model and
really think it's a great rig.  That question about the tuner has
nagged at me though.  I have been wondering if it would be
worthwhile to get something like an MFJ external tuner, or is
that simply redundant because of the existing internal one.  I
have occasionally used the rig running low power when I had
terrible SWR and still worked stations.  Jim WA6EKS