oh wow   I thought the antenna  controller actually looked at the match and tuned for that, it ust follows a table of known settings?  that must be faster, but I would think less effective for any kind of changes,  including running it during bad weather   with the tower collapsed if it is a crank up for example.  sounds like a real pain  but wow  you could jus build a monster amplifier and be your own broadcast station :)  all ya have to do is buy your license from the ccc, where everything is for sale to the ighes tbidder :)
On Feb 1, 2014, at 5:50 PM, Alan R. Downing <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> The problem is of my own making.  My DB36 is not a standard run of the mill
> antenna.  I didn't want to use the factory internal 50 ohm to 25 ohm balun
> that resides inside the driven element's EHU.  That balun is rated at 3 KW
> which I felt was insufficient.  I worked with SteppIr's owner and the
> decision was made to build my antenna without a balun and I would provide a
> custom balun myself.  I ordered a 10 KW 50 ohm to 25 ohm balun from Array
> Solutions.  The balun is probably 6 times the size of the factory balun, so
> therefore wouldn't fit inside the EHU.  I mounted the balun on the boom
> right next to the EHU, and ran Teflon wires from the balun into the EHU, and
> connected the wires to the same place on the brush assembly that the
> standard internal balun connects to.  However, the length of those two wires
> adds to the length of the driven element.  The wires were 12 inches long,
> hence I lengthened the driven element by a total of 24 inches.  That meant
> that none of the factory element length tables would work.  I had to go thru
> every band for forward, 180, and bi-directional mode and develop a
> completely new set of tables.  Since I switched controllers the other day, I
> had to create the tables all over again.  It is a very lengthy procedure,
> taking perhaps 12 hours to get it all right.
> 
> To anyone not familiar with the way SteppIrs work, this explanation probably
> makes no sense.  Believe me that it is a lot of work, but I am just about
> done.  The bottom line is that my antenna has a balun that can easily handle
> 10 KW.  Don't ask, Hi!
> 
> Alan
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Alan R. Downing
> Phoenix, AZ
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: For blind ham radio operators [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> On Behalf Of Michael Thurman
> Sent: Saturday, February 01, 2014 3:29 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: ts480 stumped
> 
> 1.3 to 1 and you are panicked?  i think hat is rather obsessive =
> compulsive. there are many qst articles that talk about how you should =
> not be obsessed with swr readings if they are reasonable.. the arrl lab  =
> people would agree that anything under 1.5 is completely irrelevant and =
> are as likely to be errors in the metering as any actual reflected =
> power.   , tt having been said, i am very surprised that you can=92t get =
> your step ir to tune better than that, and would think some checks of =
> connections and such are in order up there. good luck with that one :)  =
> enjoy
> 
> On Feb 1, 2014, at 2:29 PM, Alan R. Downing <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> 
>> Richard, the 480 might be folding back due to excessive SWR.  =
> Personally I
>> would not operate a transmitter into an SWR of 2 to 1, and I lose =
> sleep
>> worrying about an SWR of 1.5 to 1.  I am presently adjusting my =
> SteppIr DB36
>> with my new SDA100 and SteppIr Reader, and on 15 I haven't gotten it =
> below
>> 1.3 to 1, and I won't even transmit into that with my amps.  So, I =
> would try
>> using an antenna tuner and see what happens to the 480's output power. =
> My
>> guess is that it will go back to normal, or nearly so.
>> =20
>> Good luck.
>> =20
>> KD7GC
>> =20
>> =20
>> Alan R. Downing
>> Phoenix, AZ
>> =20
>> =20
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: For blind ham radio operators =
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
>> On Behalf Of Richard Fiorello
>> Sent: Saturday, February 01, 2014 12:13 PM
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: ts480 stumped
>> =20
>> Hi;
>> Dusted off the ts480 because things have been busy for the past month=20=
> 
>> and I'm stumped.  My swr is around 2/1 but the forward power is only =
> 20=20
>> wats.  I have the level at 100% and don't know of any reason that =
> there=20
>> would be a problem with the final.  The transmit and receive are using=20=
> 
>> the same vfo.  Can't think of what else to check.  If its an antenna=20=
> 
>> issue its going to wait to decent weather but I'm wondering if there =
> is=20
>> something I've overlooked.
>> Thanks
>> Richard