My vertical needs radials or on most bands you can forget tuning it. I don't 
know about yours but it's probably similar. They all need radials of some 
sort.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Richard B McDonald" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, September 11, 2014 10:42 AM
Subject: TS-2000 Internal Antenna Tuner Basics & the Effect of Radials on 
SWR


> Hi Steve!  Your question (below) about my radial system leads me to ask
> everyone the following question: Is SWR affected by radials?  Presently, I
> seem to have some trouble successfully using the TS-2000's internal 
> antenna
> tuner.  I seem to always get a "SWR" CW squawk : (  I *think* I should get
> an "A" CW squawk when the tuning was successful. Isn't that right?  The
> following is a bit more background.
>
> Right now, *no* radials are laid-in.  I have purchased all the materials 
> for
> my radial system and made a plan, but I have not yet had time with my
> electrician friend (sighted) to lay it in.  So far, just getting up this 
> 43
> foot 160M - 6M vertical and laying in the ~75 feet LMR-400 coaxial feed 
> line
> has been a fair amount of work.  My radials will be the final step; and 
> that
> should happen within a few days.  The radial system *will be* the 
> following:
>
> * 10'X4'W 19 gauge galvanized steel industrial mesh, centered at the base 
> of
> the antenna
> * 4 ~43' 14 gauge shielded copper wires
> * About 8 ~7' random length radials like the last item
> * I may also connect to my neighbor's adjacent chain link fence ; )
>
> For now, I cannot even tell you what, exactly, my SWR is.  My wife 
> (sighted)
> cannot understand how to read the SWR meter (girls ; )).  I will need a 
> man
> to explain it to her; so she might then be able to tell me what it says if 
> I
> were to ask her to read it for me.
>
> All of the foregoing are, I suppose, a result of my inexperience and 
> normal
> learning curve growing pains attendant with being brand new to all this : 
> (
> So, all the advice I can get is greatly appreciated.
>
> 73,
> Richard KK6MRH
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: For blind ham radio operators [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> On Behalf Of Steve Forst
> Sent: Wednesday, September 10, 2014 7:15 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: TS-2000 Internal Antenna Tuner & Mode Basics on 6M
>
> Richard,
>
> Just curious.  What kind of radial system were you able to put under the
> vertical?
>
> 73, Steve KW3A
>
> On 9/10/2014 9:54 AM, Richard B McDonald wrote:
>> Hi Steve!
>>
>> Thanks so much for your below.  This is very helpful.  I *totally*
>> will soon upgrade to "General."  The contest you mention below will
>> allow me to trial-and-error my way around my HF antenna.  I will report
> back about it.
>>
>> 73,
>> Richard KK6MRH
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: For blind ham radio operators
>> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
>> On Behalf Of Steve Forst
>> Sent: Wednesday, September 10, 2014 4:30 AM
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: Re: TS-2000 Internal Antenna Tuner & Mode Basics on 6M
>>
>> Richard,
>>
>> I'm not much of a 6 meter guy, although my new antenna will work on 6.
>> For what it's worth there is a VHF contest this weekend, starting at
>> 1800 UTC Saturday.   I don't think you work CW, so most of the  "good"
>> stuff will be USB with the main calling frequency at 50.125.    Most of
>> the folks will be using horizontal antennas, but there is no reason you
>> can't make some contacts with your antenna.     The other station will
>> just want your 4 digit grid square.
>>
>>
>> You may also hear 2 meter USB around 144.200 for this contest.
>>
>> As time goes on, you will learn what modes are used where and when and
>> so be in the proper mode at the proper place.
>>
>>
>> How is the antenna working?   Since you do have a tech license, there
>> are places in the HF band where you can check it out and see  how it
> works.
>>     Maybe prowling around the bands will entice you to upgrade.
>>
>> 73, Steve KW3A
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On 9/8/2014 12:21 PM, Richard B McDonald wrote:
>>> Hi!
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I just got my 6M - 160M 43 foot vertical antenna up, and am now ready
>>> to explore HF for my first time.  I want to start with the 6M band;
>>> since I
>> am
>>> only a technician for now.  I have a Kenwood TS-2000.  My questions
>>> relate to 1) use of the internal antenna tuner and 2) what mode to be
>>> in while scanning through the band listening for activity.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> About the internal antenna tuner, I know "SWR" in CW sounds if no
>>> match
>> can
>>> be found, but what should I hear if the tuning was successful?  Also,
>>> is tuning only necessary before transmitting but not for receiving
>>> (just listening)?  Basically, what's the best way to employ the
>>> internal antenna tuner?
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> About "scanning" what I mean here is manually dialing through the
>>> band -
>> not
>>> auto scanning of any sort.  So, when doing this what mode (e.g., AM,
>>> FM, USB, LSB) should I be in to best hear some activity?  Also, am I
>>> correct that once I hear something I can then switch among these
>>> modes so as to better tune-in the activity?
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Many thanks!  This is all new to me; so any tricks are greatly
>> appreciated.
>>> This is especially so for how best to use the internal antenna tuner!
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> 73,
>>>
>>> Richard KK6MRH
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>