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G8MNY  > TECH     26.03.06 23:17l 111 Lines 6025 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 23260_GB7CIP
Read: DL1LCA GUEST
Subj: HF ATU & SWR Bridge VC300LP
Path: DB0FHN<DB0RGB<DB0MRW<DB0FOR<DB0SIF<DB0EA<DB0RES<ON0BEL<IZ0AWG<IW8PGT<
      CX2SA<GB7CIP
Sent: 060326/2051Z @:GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EU #:23260 [Caterham] $:23260_GB7CIP
From: G8MNY@GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EU
To  : TECH@WW

By G8MNY                                           (Updated Mar 06)
(8 Bit ASCII Graphics use code page 437 or 850)
I have reverse engineered this from an old VECTRONICS ATU Model VC300LP(PreMFJ)
which seems the same as the VC-300DPL model.

             F R O N T                               R E A R
旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴커   旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴커
� 旼컴컴컴�         栢賽栢         �   �                     1    2   Rig �
� � /~~~\ �  栢栢栢 栢複栢  栢栢栢 �   �                o   (o)  (o)  (o) �
� �|_\|/_|�  栢  栢 複複複  栢  栢 �   �               Bal                �
� 읕컴컴컴�  栢栢栢 栢  栢  栢栢栢 �   � Earth          o    o   (o)   *  �
�          o  o  o  賽賽賽         �   � -o-                Wire  Byp  12v�
읕컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴켸   읕컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴켸

It is a small cheaply made unit, but it does have many advantages as there is a
lot in the one box.

       旼컴컴컴컴컴� 旼컴컴컴커          旼컴컴컴커              旼컴컴컴컴커
Rig o)캑  POWER &  쳐� Stright쳐컴컴컴컴캑        쳐컴컴컴컴컴컴캑DUMMY LOAD�
       � SWR METER � � AERIAL �  C L C   � AERIAL 쳐(o BYPASS    읕컴컴컴컴켸
       읓컴컴쩡컴컫� � SELECT � 憫컨컨커 � SELECT 쳐(o COAX1        旼컴컴컴�
      Lamp Range PEP �     atu쳐퀮.T.U.쳐�        쳐(o COAX2      >캑 Balun �
 12v >--�            읕컴컴컴켸 읕컴컴켸 �        쳐�< WIRE       >캑 Trans �
                                         읕컴컴컴컨�                읕컴컴컴�
                                                  _�_Earth
FEATURES                                         ////
  8 Position Switch:- 4 Aerial Choices, Bypass, Coax 1, Coax 2, & Wire.
  4 ATU Options:- 3 Aerials & Dummy load for pre tuning.
  300W max. (150W @ 1.8MHz) SSB ATU Rating. 4:1 Max SWR @ 300W.
  ATU is "T" Type, 48 tapped Inductor, 2 tuning Caps (1000V rating).
  30 & 300W Forward scale cross needle power meter.
  6 & 60W Reverse power scales, for increased SWR sensitivity.
  Average & PEP meter modes. (pep poor design)
  Built in dummy Load (50W cont, 1 Min rated @ 300W ?).
  4:1 BALUN option for balanced aerials (link from wire ant)
  12V Meter scale Lamp & on/off switch.
  Size 10.2 x 9.4 x 3.5" or 257 x 85 x 197mm, weight 3.4LBs

CIRCUIT
The SWR bridge is quite conventional. The PEP mode with large 47uF is not
effective, an active system is really needed for PEP!

        ring                        8 WAY O/P SELECT SWITCH
TX 0)컴컴컴컴컴컴컫컴컫컴컴컴쩡컴컴컴컴>o컴컴컴컴컴컴커
   _�_ =====   50p�  ==='\   �        / o컴컴컴컴컴컴�)컴컴컴컴컴컴(0 BYPASS
   旼컴CCCCC컴커 === '�2-20p �   Direct o컴컴컴컴컫컴�)컴컴컴컴컴컴(0 COAX 2
   �     읕컴컴)컴탠컴�220p  �30p     \ o컴컴컴컴�)컫�)컴컴컴컴컴컴(0 COAX 1
   쳐컴111R컴컴�  L  ===    ===       / o�    旼>o� � �           _�_
  _�_         _�_ 읕컴좔컴컴캑     Via  o�    �  o컴� �
  \_/  4x10n  /_\Ge         컨�    ATU  o�    �  o컴컴)컴컴컴컴컴컴�0 WIRE
   쳐캑쳐쩡늘컴�                      \ o�    �  o컴컴좌컴커 Dummy  |
  100    �    100                        �    �    68p=== 50R Load  | Bridge
   쳐캑쳐탠늘컴� +47u                    �    �        읕컴�        | For
   �    컨�    쳐캑쳐커   PEP            �    � Load      컨�       | Balanced
 旼좔쩡�100K커 쳐100K컨훟\__     Tx Cap ===' ==='Cap                | Aerial
47K  쳐컴늘컴좔)컴컴컴컴o\__�     200pF '쳐컴켸 200pF               |
PRE  �  47u  旼좔�         컨�           � A.T.U.             ===== |
 �  47K     47K 47K                      � ======           旼CCCCC�0 4:1
47K PRE     PRE PRE           Adjustable 읕CCCCCC_          �  컨�    BALUN
 픬 o�30w    픬 o�6w           Ferrite L    /\____�         읕컴컴컴0
300\       60w \   Meter                         컨�
   쳐늘컫컴늘컴�   Switch                                         旼0 EARTH
Forward �  Reverse                                               컨�
 Meter  �   Meter                                          Meter
   읕컴컨컫컴컴�                                        旼횸amp컴�(0 < 12V
         컨�                                           컨�       _�_

CONSTRUCTION
Uses thick 2 part aluminium case, thick open were for all internal connections
& the impedance is tamed by the addition of extra caps to ground (eg the 68pF
across the internal load & 30pF after the SWR Bridge). 1 PCB provides for all
the component mounting except the main switch, ATU components, & dummy load.
All earths are to the local chassis with locking washers.

TUNING UP
The best tuning method is to use the ATU into the Dummy load first at low power
(between 10 & 30W) & pre-tune the ATU with both Cs about 50% & adjust the L tap
for initial minimum SWR, then tweak the Cs for perfect 1:1 match. Then switch
to the aerial & re-tweak the Cs for 1:1. This is kindest for the ATU & also for
minimum QRM. Very briefly re-tweaking at full power may be an advantage to make
the meter read more.

Both the O/P select switch & the ATU variable L, should not be operated with
any great power flowing as the contacts could be damaged with arcing!

IN USE
The Ferrite Balun & ATU Tapped Inductor can suffer saturation losses if
inappropriately used. But in general there is much less loss with ferrite cored
devices, than the much bigger air spaced equivalents, as there is many times
less copper wire needed & associates copper loss. Typically this ATU only
losses 5% (0.2dB) of the power @ 100W on any band at any SWR.

The "T" type ATU is easy to use, but is not so good at removing Tx harmonics as
the � (pi) type. But it does an excellent job of protecting the Rx from strong
signals on lower bands (eg. removing Broadcast signals as it is >-18dB for each
frequency halving.)

The black knobs on black background are not visible, I have painted white lines
on mine, so I can easily see their direction.

The cross needle meter needed damping as it is very swingy, see my Meter
damping/speed up bulletin for corrective action.


Why don't U send an interesting bul?

73 De John, G8MNY @ GB7CIP


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