LDG RT-100 100-Watt Remote Automatic Tuner
Contents
1. product whenever you send your product to LDG for repair Products sent to LDG without a receipt are considered requests for out of warranty repair PAGE 14 LDG does not warranty against product damage or abuse This means that a product failure as determined by LDG to be caused by the customer or by other natural calamity e g lightning is not covered under the two year warranty Damage can be caused by failure to heed the product s published limitations and specifications or by not following good Amateur practice OUT OF WARRANTY SERVICE If a product fails after the warranty period LDG wants to help you get it fixed Send the product to us for repair any time you like We will determine what needs to be done and based on your instructions either contact you with an estimate or fix it and contact you with a request to pay any repair charges Please contact LDG if you have any questions before you send us an out of warranty product for repair RETURNING YOUR PRODUCT FOR SERVICE Returning a product to LDG is easy We do not require a return merchandise authorization and there is no need to contact LDG to return your product Visit the LDG web site and download the LDG Product Repair Form On the Repair Form tell the LDG technicians exactly what happened or didn t happen and why you believe the product needs servicing The technician attempts to duplicate the problem s you had based on how well you describe it so take the time2. Tips for Outdoor Installation for more on how to ensure your LDG RT 100 will give years of service outdoors The RT 100 is designed for use with coax fed antennas If use with longwires or ladder line fed antennas is desired an external balun is required Always turn your radio off before plugging or unplugging anything The radio may be damaged if cables are connected or disconnected while the power is on Connections To install the RT 100 system place the a bias tee in a convenient position near the transceiver s operating position Connect a 50 ohm coax jumper from the transceiver s Antenna jack to the bias tee s RF jack For installation using the optional RC 100 controller see the RC 100 s user manual Place the RT 100 Tuner near to the antenna Connect a short 50 ohm coax jumper from the RT 100 Tuner s ANT jack to the antenna Connect the RT 100 Tuner s RADIO jack to the bias tee s RF DC jack via a length of coaxial cable feedline LDG recommends grounding the RT 100 Tuner via the wingnut marked GND Connect the bias tee to a source of 12VDC power 500 mA NOTE The RT 100 has no SWR display If your transceiver does not have a built in SWR Ant Feedline 12VDE 500mA Bias lee Transceiver PAGE 7 display you will need to put an external SWR meter in between the output of the transceiver and the input of the bias tee 12VDC 500mA To Tuner SWR Meter Bias Tee
3. case of a difficult tune The tuning routine uses an algorithm to minimize the number of tuner adjustments The routine first de energizes the high low impedance relay if necessary then individually steps through the inductors to find a coarse match With the best inductor selected the tuner then steps through the individual capacitors to find the best coarse match If no match is found the routine PAGE 13 repeats the coarse tuning with the high low impedance relay energized The routine then fine tunes the inductors and capacitors The program checks LC combinations to see if a 1 5 1 or lower SWR can be obtained and stops when it finds a good match The microprocessor runs a fine tune routine just after the tuner finds a match of 1 5 1 or less This fine tune routine now tries to get the SWR as low as possible not just to 1 5 it takes about half a second to run A WORD ABOUT TUNING ETIQUETTE Be sure to use a vacant frequency when tuning With today s crowded ham bands this is often difficult However causing interference to other hams should be avoided as much as possible The RT 100 s very short tuning cycle minimizes the impact of tuning transmissions CARE AND MAINTENANCE The RT 100 tuner is essentially maintenance free Power limits in this manual should be strictly adhered to The outer case may be cleaned as needed with a soft cloth slightly dampened with household cleaning solution As with any modern electronic d
4. takes advantage of any saved tuning settings but automatically defaults to a full tuning cycle if no stored data is available Fully Automatic Memory Tuning In order to begin a fully automatic memory tuning cycle simply tune the radio to the band and frequency desired and while the RT 100 is powered on simply being transmitting If a high SWR condition is detected the RT 100 Tuner will begin tuning To watch the progress of the tuning cycle keep an eye on your radio s built in SWR meter or external SWR meter if applicable The SWR needle will jump around for a bit and then will settle down to a low SWR value Once this happens tuning is complete If the tuner is tuning on a previously memorized frequency the tuning cycle will only last for a short instant while memory settings are recalled Forcea Full Tuning Cycle In some instances you may wish to force the RT 100 to begin a full tuning cycle instead of just the usual memory cycle In order to do this turn off power to the RT 100 do this by switching off power to the bias tee begin transmitting a carrier and while still keying the radio turn on power to the bias tee Continue transmitting the tuning carrier until the SWR settles to a low value When using the RC 100 transmit a carrier press the tune button on the RC 100 for one second then release Continue transmitting the tuning carrier until the SWR settles to a low value PAGE 12 Re tuning Prohibition In so
5. the antenna to the Ant jack on the RT 100 5 Connect a source of 12VDC 500mA to the Power jack on the optional RC 100 or the bias tee 6 Begin transmitting the tuner will automatically begin tuning if there is an SWR mismatch PAGE 3 SPECIFICATIONS e 0 1 to 100 watts SSB and CW peak power 30W on digital modes e Latching relays for ultra low power operation e 2 000 memories for instantaneous frequency and band changing e Power 12VDC 500mA extracted from the coax feedline via built in bias tee DC injection bias tee not included e 1 8 to 54 0 MHz coverage e Tunes 4 to 800 ohm loads 16 to 150 on 6M 16 to 3200 ohms with optional 4 1 Balun e For Dipoles Verticals Vees Beams or any Coax Fed Antenna e Water resistant case and rubber gaskets Non immersible e Operating temperature range OF 110F 18C 43C e Optional external Balun allows tuning of random length long wire or ladder line fed antennas e Optional RC 100 controller provides DC power injection On Off switch and Tune button e Dimensions 7 0 L x 5 5 W x 3 57H e Weight I Ib 0 oz AN IMPORTANT WORD ABOUT POWER LEVELS The RT 100 is rated at 125 watts maximum power input at most Many ham transmitters and transceivers and virtually all amplifiers are capable of transmitting well over 125 watts Power levels that significantly exceed specifications will definitely damage or destroy your RT 100 If your tuner fails during overl
6. the circuit and the parallel capacitors are switched to ground under microprocessor control The high low impedance relay switches the capacitor bank either to the transmitter side of the inductor bank or to the antenna side This allows the RT 100 to handle loads that are either greater than or less than 50 ohms All relays are sized to carry 100 watts continuously The SWR sensor is a variation of the Bruene circuit This SWR measuring technique is used in most dual meter and direct reading SWR meters Slight modifications were made to the circuit to provide voltages instead of currents for the analog to digital converters that provide signals proportional to the forward and reflected power levels The single lead primary through the center of the sensor transformer provides RF current sampling Diodes rectify the sample and provide a DC voltage proportional to RF power These two voltages are read by the ADCs in the microprocessor and are used to compute SWR in real time The relays are powered by the 12VDC supplied over the coax cable via a bias tee The bias tee allows both RF and DC to be carried over the same conductor Although the microprocessor s oscillator runs at 32 MHz which allows the main tuning routine to execute in only a few milliseconds the relays require several milliseconds of settling time for every combination of inductors and capacitors Thus it may take several seconds before all relay combinations are exhausted in the
7. to apply a thin layer of grease to the U bolt to keep it from rusting in the rain to allow for easy removal later If you wish to use a larger U bolt to bolt to a larger mast for example or other fastening system see the mounting bracket dimensions below in inches for sizing purposes 0 370 1 400 3 100 3 870 4 500 PAGE 10 BIAS TEE INFORMATION The LDG Electronics RT 100 does not come with a bias tee it must be supplied by the customer While the LDG Electronics RC 100 is a perfect companion to the RT 100 and includes a built in bias tee designed specifically for use with the RT 100 some hams may want to use their own bias tee A bias tee is a circuit which injects DC power onto the coax feedline while isolating the DC power from both the transmitter and the antenna A sample schematic is shown here C1 C3 EG ai ToRT 100 9 RF in RF DC out f L1 jii 47 100uH ii 1A t DC Bias Tee 12VDC in Alternatively ready made bias tees are available from a number of suppliers including the SGC 54 70 DC Coaxial Line Isolator the Array Solutions Bias T Master and many others The only requirement is that the bias tee is rated for IA current draw 1 8 to 54 MHz For more information on bias tee construction and theory see the Wikipedia article Bias Tee at http en wikipedia org wiki Bias_tee ARRL s QST article in the January 2013 issue Vol 97 Issue 1 p46 or the Array Solutions Bias T Ma
8. to be accurate and complete Ask your shipper for a tracking number or a delivery verification receipt This way you know the product arrived safely at LDG Be sure to give us your email address so our shipper can alert you online when your product is en route back to you Please be assured that our staff makes every effort to complete repairs ahead of our published wait time Your patience is appreciated Repairs can take six to eight weeks but are usually faster The most recent information on returning products for service is found on the LDG website under Support then Tech Support Send your carefully packaged unit with the Repair Form to LDG Electronics Inc C 4 Attn Repair Department 1445 Parran Rd St Leonard MD 2068 PRODUCT FEEDBACK We encourage product feedback Tell us what you really think of your LDG product In a card letter or email preferred tell us how you used the product and how well it worked in your application Send along a photo or even a schematic or drawing to illustrate your narrative We like to share your comments with our staff our dealers and even other customers at the LDG website http www dgelectronics com PAGE 15
9. Transceiver Installing Into An Existing Outdoor Antenna Installation The RT 100 is designed to allow you to easily upgrade your existing outdoor antenna installation to one with a remote tuner at the antenna end of the feedline Because the RT 100 receives its power and control signals over the coax it is not necessary to run any additional cables Simply unhook the existing antenna from the antenna end of the feedline and connect that end of the feedline to the RT 100 s RADIO jack Now connect a short coax jumper from the RT 100 s ANT jack to the antenna At the radio end of the feedline disconnect the feedline from the radio and connect it to the RF DC jack on a bias tee Now connect a short coax jumper from the transceiver s TX jack to the RF jack on the bias tee and connect DC power Tips for Outdoor Installation Although the RT 100 is water resistant it is not 100 waterproof Additionally the RT 100 should be mounted to a mast and it should be mounted with the mounting bracket facing upward and the SO 239 jacks facing downward Even if you are using the RT 100 at the base of a vertical antenna do not simply lay it on the ground pound a short mast into the ground beside PAGE 8 your vertical antenna and mount the RT 100 to it with the bracket facing up and the connectors facing down In order to prevent rain water from running down the feedline cables and into the connectors all connections should be wrapped w
10. W RT 100 OPERATIONS MANUAL MANUAL REV A LDG RT 100 100 W att Remote Automatic Tuner ELECTRONICS LDG Electronics 1445 Parran Road St Leonard MD 20685 2903 USA Phone 410 586 2177 Fax 410 586 8475 ldg ldgelectronics com www ldgelectronics com T able Of Contents Introduction J umpstart or Real hams don t read manuals Specifications An Important Word About Power Levels Important Safety Warning Getting to know your RT 100 RT 100 Connections Installation Connections Installing Into An Existing Outdoor Antenna Installation Tips for Outdoor Installation Securing the RT 100 to a Mast Bias Tee Information Operation Basic Tuning Operation Fully Automatic Memory Tuning Force a Full Tuning Cycle Re tuning Prohibition MARS CAP Coverage The LDG RT 100 A Word About Tuning Etiquette Care and Maintenance Technical Support Two Year Transferrable Warranty Out Of Warranty Service Returning Your Product For Service Product Feedback O O N N OW A aA A WW UW PPP PP RP RR RARE RER op HH OUA BP A PW VU NNNNN RO PAGE 2 INTRODUCTION LDG pioneered the automatic wide range switched L tuner in 1995 From its laboratories in St Leonard Maryland LDG continues to define the state of the art in this field with innovative automatic tuners and related products for every amateur need Congratulations on selecting the RT 100 100 watt remote automatic tuner The RT 100 provides full and semi automatic antenn
11. a tuning across the entire HF spectrum plus 6 meters at power levels up to 100 watts It will tune dipoles verticals Yagis or virtually any coax fed antenna It will match an amazing range of antennas and impedances far greater than some other tuners you may have considered including the built in tuners on many radios The RT 100 is similar to previous LDG tuners but is powered over coax so that the tuner element may be placed as near to the antenna as possible The tuner element is powered over the coax feedline by means of a built in bias tee so no additional cables are required in order to place the tuner at the antenna end of the feedline By placing the tuner as close to the antenna as possible SWR losses over the length of the feedline are minimized The optional RC 100 control unit for the RT 100 provides DC power injection via a bias tee as well as a convenient on off switch power indicator and TUNE button which momentarily interrupts power to the RT 100 JUMPSTART OR REAL HAMS DON T READ MANUALS Ok but at least read this one section before operating the RT 100 1 Turn off power to your radio 2 Connect the antenna jack on the transceiver to the Radio jack on the optional RC 100 or the RF jack of a bias tee not included 3 Connect the Tuner jack of the optional RC 100 or RF DC jack of a bias tee to the Radio jack on the RT 100 via your antenna s existing feedline 4 Connect
12. evice the RT 100 can be damaged by temperature extremes impact or static discharge LDG strongly recommends the use of a good quality properly installed lightning arrestor in the antenna lead TECHNICAL SUPPORT The LDG customer support staff is ready to answer your product question by telephone and by e mail We know that you will enjoy your product even more knowing LDG is ready to answer your questions as the need arises LDG regularly updates on line information so the best on line support information is available all day and every day The LDG website provides links to product manuals just in case you lose this one When you are thinking about the purchase of other LDG products our website also has complete product specifications and photographs you can use to help make your purchase decision Don t forget the links to all of the quality LDG Dealers also ready to help you make that purchase decision TWO YEAR TRANSFERRABLE WARRANTY Your product is warranted against manufacturer defects in parts and labor for two full years from the date of purchase This two year warranty is also transferable When you sell or give away your LDG product give the new owner a copy of the original sales receipt and the two year warranty goes with the new owner There is no need to complete a warranty card or to register an LDG product Your product receipt establishes eligibility for warranty service so save that receipt Send your receipt with the
13. ith self sealing coax sealing tape such as Coax SeallM sealing tape Additionally drip loops should be constructed via coiling the coax and zip tying it into a loop which hangs below the connectors The drip loop collects any water running along the coax and makes it drip away from the tuner This technique should also be employed where the coax cable enters the house to prevent water from running along the coax and into your house Be sure the drip loop hangs lower than the coax entry point into the house House To Antenna o T aw e To RT 100 PAGE 9 Securing the RT 100 to a Mast Once the RT 100 is connected it must be installed with the mounting bracket facing upward and the SO 239 connectors facing downward to prevent rain from entering the connectors LDG supplies a U bolt that permits securing the RT 100 to a mast To secure the RT 100 first remove the nuts and clamp from the U bolt Place the U shaped threaded bolt around the mast then slide the clamp over the threaded ends of the U bolt so that the flat edge of the clamp faces away from the mast Now poke the threaded ends of the U bolt thru the back of the mounting bracket at the top of the RT 100 Finally thread the nuts back onto the U bolt and snug them up Tighten only as much as is required to keep the RT 100 from sliding down the mast Do not over tighten Although the U bolt is electroplated to resist corrosion you may wish
14. me rare cases when an antenna is tuned far from its resonant frequency the RT 100 may erroneously continue to attempt to re tune even though it has already found a good match for the current antenna and frequency In these cases if the RT 100 decided to re tune after it has already found a good match simply turn the RT 100 off by removing power from the bias tee The latching relays inside the tuner will keep the current match settings even with power off but the tuner will stop attempting to re tune MARS CAP Coverage The RT 100 provides continuous tuning coverage over its specified range not just in the ham bands This makes it useful for MARS or CAP operation or any other legal HF operation THE LDG RT 100 In 1995 LDG Electronics pioneered a new type of automatic antenna tuner The LDG design uses banks of fixed capacitors and inductors switched in and out of the circuit by relays under microprocessor control An additional relay switches between high and low impedance ranges A built in SWR sensor provides feedback the microprocessor searches the capacitor and inductor banks seeking the lowest possible SWR The tuner is a Switched L network consisting of series inductors and parallel capacitors LDG chose the L network for its minimum number of parts and its ability to tune unbalanced loads such as coax fed dipoles verticals Yagis and in fact virtually any coax fed antenna The series inductors are switched in and out of
15. oad it could also damage your transmitter or transceiver Be sure to observe the specified power limitations IMPORTANT SAFETY WARNING Never install antennas or transmission lines over or near power lines You can be seriously injured or killed if any part of the antenna support or transmission line touches a power line Always follow this antenna safety rule the distance to the nearest power line should be at least twice the length of the longest antenna transmission line or support dimension PAGE 4 GETTING TO KNOW YOUR RT 100 Your RT 100 is a quality precision instrument that will give you many years of outstanding service take a few minutes to get to know it The RT 100 tuner is designed to be used as a remote antenna tuner powered over a single coax cable that carries both the RF energy and DC power An on board bias tee separates the RF from the DC power In order to power the RT 100 a separate bias tee must be used to inject DC power at the feed end of the coax Alternately the optional RC 100 Controller unit may be used It contains not only a DC bias tee for injecting power but also an Off On power button LED power indicator and a Tune button which momentarily interrupts power to the RT 100 OO Uu pe RT 100 Controller ELECTRONICS The RT 100 is powered via 12VDC which is supplied over the same coax cable used for the antenna feedline A bias tee or optional RC 100 is needed a
16. ster product review in QST September 2009 PAGE 11 OPERATION Basic Tuning Operation Two types of tuning cycles are available a memory tuning cycle and a full tuning cycle The memory tuning cycle attempts to tune quickly based on having previously tuned on the present frequency selection If the tuner previously was successful in tuning on the currently selected frequency the settings for that match will be loaded into the tuner relays and checked to see that an acceptable SWR match is found If this fails to find a good SWR match then a full tuning cycle begins A full tuning cycle starts from scratch and begins a fixed tuning sequence where the RT 100 rapidly tries varying combinations of inductance and capacitance values and then zeroes in on the best match possible When the tuning cycle is complete if an acceptable match was found the inductance and capacitance settings are saved in a memory associated with the selected frequency so that they may be recalled quickly in the future via a memory tuning cycle In this manner the RT 100 learns the longer you use it the more closely it adapts itself to the bands and frequencies used Whenever the RT 100 is powered up it is in fully automatic Memory Tuning mode This means that any time RF is present if the SWR detected is too high above about 1 7 a memory tuning cycle will automatically begin Most users will probably use memory tuning most of the time it
17. t the radio end of the cable to inject DC power onto the feedline Because power is supplied over coax the existing coax feedline to your antenna is all you need to hook up the RT 100 No additional cables are required in order to run power or control signals to the tuner The RT 100 has 2 000 frequency memories When tuning on or near a previously tuned frequency the RT 100 uses Memory Tune to recall the previous tuning parameters in a fraction of a second If no memorized settings are available the tuner runs a full tuning cycle storing the parameters for memory recall on subsequent tuning cycles on that frequency In this manner the RT 100 learns as it is used adapting to the bands and frequencies as it goes The RT 100 s latching relays hold the tuned configuration indefinitely even when DC power is completely removed Tuning memories are stored in non volatile FLASH memory PAGE 5 RT 100 Connections The RT 100 has three connectors e ANT SO 239 Output to the antenna Connect the antenna to this SO 239 e GND wingnut Connect to antenna system ground e Radio SO 239 Connect to the feedline which comes from the optional RC 100 or bias tee PAGE 6 INSTALLATION The RT 100 tuner is designed for outdoor operation however it is Not waterproof LDG recommends using silicone coax sealing tape on the coax connections after installation to ensure water stays out of the connections See the section on
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