开云体育

I made several control cables for me and my friends using CAT-5 cable,
20m long, all work fine. The shields were connected to the metal parts
of the mini-DIN connectors.

73, Jurgen, DJ5HD

Hi Everyone,
I'm new to this group, but not with couplers like the AH-4. I'm
replacing my Icom AH-4 with the FC-40 since I've upgraded to the Yaesu
FT-950. I've looked through the previous posts, but haven't read
anything about what materials to use for the replacement. I already
have CAT-5 cable (eight strands of wire) run to the present antenna,
but it's pretty light gauge. Has anybody used CAt-5 cable for an
extension? I will probably hack the current cable in two pieces and
splice to the cable already there. Any thoughts? Tnx & 73, Jeff/wb0m

Hi all, my 8pin din pigtail on my FC-40 has become corroded, and I am
dithering between trying to replace it with a homebrew pigtail;
running the control cable from the radio straight to the connector on
the board and eliminating the pigtail; or getting the part number and
ordering an OEM replacement pigtail from Vertex.

Is there a service manual for the FC-40 (with part numbers) available
anywhere?

Opinions are welcome.

73 de va3ae

Hi Folks...

I have an FT-857 with a FT-40 antenna tuner... My home is located below the surrounding area and my property is heavily wooded... I installed a random wire antenna about 375 feet long oriented basically North <> South...

I would be interested in anyone's experience with long-wire antennas using the FT-40 tuner...

Here are some images:

Thanks...

?

?

?

Hi All !

Last weekend I tried again OFC dipole.
It didnt work as well as I was thinking, Maybe I have to change
position of the antenna itself but here in Finland cold season
is starting (on Sat morning I found ice from my boat), this OFC
project will continue when the spring comes...

After disappointed to OFC testing I changed back to 23 m long wire.
Before that I added one ground rod to my system, I wanted to do that
because the ground gets frozen soon.

FT897 was on 3,510 and I started tuning, FC40 didnt tune that, radio
was telling HIGHSWR, then I changed freq to 3,530 where FC40 was
earlier tuned (with the old ground system). FC40 took new settings
automatically from its memory and system was perfectly tuned.
Then I changed back to 3,510 and FT told HIGHSWR again, pushed tuning
button, no change. After that I went up to 3,560, I tuned and
everything was ok., then back to 3,510 and tuning again.
Now FC40 did it well.
I dont understand this, maybe FC40 needs total resetting..

73s es GL DX de rami, oh6bi

Hi Sami, yes the mic works still in CAT mode, you just lose FST and UP / DOWN controls, but PTT is still good!
cheers
Clive

- original message -
Subject: [YaesuTuner] OFC Dipole and FC40 + CAT
From: "oh6bi" <oh6bi@...>
Date: 08/10/2007 11:33 am

Hi All !

In my last message I told to start new tests with OFC Dipole and FC40.
Last weeks not enough time to testing but yesterday I made first test.

Antenna was same as in VK2DQ writings, longer leg 38,9m and shorter
leg 12,9m connected to FC40s ground. Results where not good, no tune
in 80m either 40m. I think my setup needs some works.. continuing the
test.

Then another thing:
I am not sure if this is already in our messages but I put it here:

From the FT897 manual:
****
MENU MODE No?059 [MIC SEL]
Function: The choice of the equipment which connects to the MIC jack.
Available Values: NOR/RMT/CAT
Default: NOR
NOR: Normal Microphone.
RMT: Not available at this time.
CAT: CAT system: if you are using the optional FC-30 antenna
tuner, you can still use the CAT system by connecting
the serial Data cable to the MIC jack.
****

I have not tested this, but goeing to prepare serial cabel to see if
it works. Microphone connectors down=TXD and up=RXD. Ground is same.
Maybe it is possible to use the mike for speaking when connector is
in CAT mode ?

In my manual RMT is not available is it in use with FT897D ?

Any Comments ?

73s de rami, oh6bi

Hi All !

In my last message I told to start new tests with OFC Dipole and FC40.
Last weeks not enough time to testing but yesterday I made first test.

Antenna was same as in VK2DQ writings, longer leg 38,9m and shorter
leg 12,9m connected to FC40s ground. Results where not good, no tune
in 80m either 40m. I think my setup needs some works.. continuing the
test.

Then another thing:
I am not sure if this is already in our messages but I put it here:

From the FT897 manual:
****
MENU MODE No?059 [MIC SEL]
Function: The choice of the equipment which connects to the MIC jack.
Available Values: NOR/RMT/CAT
Default: NOR
NOR: Normal Microphone.
RMT: Not available at this time.
CAT: CAT system: if you are using the optional FC-30 antenna
tuner, you can still use the CAT system by connecting
the serial Data cable to the MIC jack.
****

I have not tested this, but goeing to prepare serial cabel to see if
it works. Microphone connectors down=TXD and up=RXD. Ground is same.
Maybe it is possible to use the mike for speaking when connector is
in CAT mode ?

In my manual RMT is not available is it in use with FT897D ?

Any Comments ?

73s de rami, oh6bi

Had custom cable made to 125ft lenth and it works fine!

--- In YaesuTuner@..., "oh6bi" <oh6bi@...> wrote:

Hi All !

Finally I bought FC40, I have used Icoms AH3 many yers and because

of

good results with it I decided to by FC40 for my FT897.

FC40 will arrive to day and first I need to extend the control

cable.

Anyone experience ? Is it needed to be shielded or not ? How long I

can

make it ? How much FC40 needs Voltage and Current for the tuning.

With

IC AH3 I have had up to 20m long cable with wire size 2x0.5 mm.

What about Ground connection ? Is it necessary to use separate

ground

cable between rig and tuner when the distance is longer than 5 m ?

First I am goeing to test FC40 with my existing inv L antenna,

vertical

part 21 m and horisontal part 41 m , total 62m (204 ft).
To compare existing IC706/AH3 and new FT897/FC40 with same wire +

Gnd.

I am goeing to use Yaesy system at my summer cottage with long

wire ,

length more than 100 meters .

Any addvises before starting the tests ?

Best Regards es 73s de rami, oh6bi

Good information-- Thanks Rami!

jp, w1jp

--- In YaesuTuner@..., "oh6bi" <oh6bi@...> wrote:

My 23m wire test is done, it took 6 weekends at cottage.

<snip/>

My 23m wire test is done, it took 6 weekends at cottage.
( HI, I didnt do that all the time..)
I started with abt 40m length wire then abt 20m then abt 11m and 15m.
Finally 23m which I found best for my needs.
The exact length for my wire is 23,2 m, first goeing 3,5 m straight
up and then rest horisontal so that the end is abt 10m up.

It works 160 to 10m but not 18 MHz. Some narrow areas at 28 MHz not
working. "It Works" means that FT897 get tuned. Really working and
radiation is another point.. depens of many other things.
The ground is one 10 ft Copper rod and 50cm deep 20m long Copper loop.

As I have earlier told that I am using also IC706/AH3 system.
My opinnion is that AH3 is better unit than FC40. AH3 has bigger
coils but FC40 has memories, it depens what you need, if you like
more lower bands AH3 is better but if you like higher bands and you
are often changing FRG then FC40 is more handy...

OK now for that

Coming weekend is to start OCF Dipole project.
What is OCF Dipole? OCF means Off Center Feed !!
There are some wery intresting writings abt OCF and after reading
those I decided start OCF Project. Please check VK3APP writing:


option=com_content&task=view&id=14&Itemid=9

The plan is to put FC40 up instead feeder and balun.
Wire will be abt 40m long, a bit longer than VK3APP is using in his
article, to get it better working at 3,5 MHz(I like more CW than ssb).

I did one windom test at my cottage five years ago. It was IC706/AH3
connected to 8m long vertical line. That was connected to 42m long
horisontal part 1/3 from the end. As I member that system was quite
good but I have lost test records .. it worked 160 to 10m, one band
was not working I dont member what it was..

Best Regards es 73s de rami,oh6bi

Hi all,

I added photos of my setup in Mauritius, 3B8 from February 2006.
The antenna was a "Spiderbeam"-fiberglass pole, 12m tall, fixed at an
old construction. The radial system consisted of about 8 wires, 5 to
15m long. The antenna wire was about 11m long, fixed at the top of the
pole and ran down to the tuner.
The FC-40 tuned well on 40m, 20m and up, but no 160m, 80m and 30m.
Signals reports on 40m were quite well from around the globe.
I had 800 QSOs in 10 days during the 1-2 hour evening openings on 40m.

Would be nice to see how you set up your FC-40.

73, Jurgen, DJ5HD

Hi All !

It was my fault, there was one bad connection.
I did new tests to day, here are the results:

1842 kHz OK
1873 kHZ OK
3520 kHZ +++++
3785 kHz +++++
7003 kHz OK
7098 kHz ++
10116 kHz ++
14030 kHz ++
14330 kHz ++
18079 kHZ NOT
18100 kHz NOT
21030 kHz OK
21370 kHZ OK
24945 kHz ++
28510 kHz ++
50000 kHz OK

OK means some SWR but very low
+++++ means perfectly matching
++ means good matching

Only 18 MHz was not working.

Wire is abt 23 m long and from the FC40 wire is goeing first 4 meters
straight up and rest of it horisontally up to 10 meters at the end.
I will take it down next weekend and measure it carefully..

Grounding as I told earlier is not very good:
there is 20 meter loop 35 sqmm copper abt 10 to 30 cm deep in the
ground and in this summer I added 3 m long groundig rod abt 45
degrees angle and some other copper wires.

Not yet counterpoises , that will come later.
I have never used that 18 MHz band, but because it is not working
I have to try something for it ...

73s es GL DX de rami oh6bi

Hi Roy, Heippa Rami!
Roy, you hit the nail with that, my Finland QTH has been built literally on a rock. No possibility of banging in a ground rod- and even if you do, its of no use unless it's resonant at the op freq!
Its why i selected the loop, as its a balanced antenna....
Has anyone any experience with offset dipoles / doublets and the FC-40 to share with us Rock Hounds?

Cheers,
Clive
OH2FBK / G1WZM

- original message -
Subject: [YaesuTuner] Re: New Problem FC40 ?
From: "roycarlson12" <ny0r@...>
Date: 10/08/2007 12:54 am

Rami
Improving ground conditions can most definitely make it more
difficult to find a match. I believe that the reason is that ground
losses can attenuate the reflected signal seen by the tuner.

Whatever the underlying reason I know from my own experience with the
FC-40 that improving your ground will often increase your SWR.

Roy

--- In YaesuTuner@..., "oh6bi" <oh6bi@...> wrote:

Hi Jurgen and Clive

Only change was the rain, it was quite rainy week and
ground was much more better than during earlier tests.
Soil in my cottage is not good, it is on island where
some soil is covering rocky hill..
Radials and counterpoises will come later: the reason I am doing

this

way is to find simple and fast antenna when I am travelling.

Anyway I will make some new tests again starting tomorrow evening.
Will see what happens, I have been searching the web and found
some other HAMs who are also speaking abt 23m long wire.

Always when I am at cottage I have two radios on HF.
The Old Radio (IC 730) is mostly QRV at 3680 kHz, connected to G5RV
antenna. If You want we can try QSO... abt after 1600 GMT until the
80 band comes too noisy. (and SAT and SUN whole day)

73s de rami, oh6bi

--- In YaesuTuner@..., "dj5hd" <jurgen@> wrote:

Rami,

did your ground conditions change?
If the FC-40 does not find a match it is often due to not

sufficiant

ground. Increasing the number of radials helped me often.

A reset clears the memories and helps in some situations.
However, if you manually tune, the FC-40 should find a match if
possible, regardless whether the memory is used or clear.

If the memories are filled up with matching settings from an

earier

used antenna, you will have to rewrite them all with the values

for

your new antenna by manual tuning.
If the memories are clear, the tuner will use the next valid
"neighbour" memory, which is obviously better than using values

from a

different antenna.


I never found a wire length that worked on all bands. Your earlier
posting sounded very promising to me...

73, Jurgen, DJ5HD



--- In YaesuTuner@..., "oh6bi" <oh6bi@> wrote:

Hi All

In June I wrote here abt 23m long wire testings, I got some

good

results. Last weekend I did new tests and started with 24,5 m

long

wire, running tests all bands (160 to 10m), then shortening abt

20 cm

and running tests again. I did that abt 10 times so long that

length

22m length was reached.
I was wery surprised: antenna or tuner didnt work as it was

working

earlier! I got match only with 18, 21 and 10 m bands, not at

all

with

lower bands. FC40 telling just HSWR... I checked all

connections,

grounding etc and they where OK.
Is it possible that FC40 needs the Reset from internal DIP

switch.

Anyone done that ?

73s de rami, oh6bi

Rami
Improving ground conditions can most definitely make it more
difficult to find a match. I believe that the reason is that ground
losses can attenuate the reflected signal seen by the tuner.

Whatever the underlying reason I know from my own experience with the
FC-40 that improving your ground will often increase your SWR.

Roy

--- In YaesuTuner@..., "oh6bi" <oh6bi@...> wrote:

Hi Jurgen and Clive

Only change was the rain, it was quite rainy week and
ground was much more better than during earlier tests.
Soil in my cottage is not good, it is on island where
some soil is covering rocky hill..
Radials and counterpoises will come later: the reason I am doing

this

way is to find simple and fast antenna when I am travelling.

Anyway I will make some new tests again starting tomorrow evening.
Will see what happens, I have been searching the web and found
some other HAMs who are also speaking abt 23m long wire.

Always when I am at cottage I have two radios on HF.
The Old Radio (IC 730) is mostly QRV at 3680 kHz, connected to G5RV
antenna. If You want we can try QSO... abt after 1600 GMT until the
80 band comes too noisy. (and SAT and SUN whole day)

73s de rami, oh6bi

--- In YaesuTuner@..., "dj5hd" <jurgen@> wrote:

Rami,

did your ground conditions change?
If the FC-40 does not find a match it is often due to not

sufficiant

ground. Increasing the number of radials helped me often.

A reset clears the memories and helps in some situations.
However, if you manually tune, the FC-40 should find a match if
possible, regardless whether the memory is used or clear.

If the memories are filled up with matching settings from an

earier

used antenna, you will have to rewrite them all with the values

for

your new antenna by manual tuning.
If the memories are clear, the tuner will use the next valid
"neighbour" memory, which is obviously better than using values

from a

different antenna.


I never found a wire length that worked on all bands. Your earlier
posting sounded very promising to me...

73, Jurgen, DJ5HD



--- In YaesuTuner@..., "oh6bi" <oh6bi@> wrote:

Hi All

In June I wrote here abt 23m long wire testings, I got some

good

results. Last weekend I did new tests and started with 24,5 m

long

wire, running tests all bands (160 to 10m), then shortening abt

20 cm

and running tests again. I did that abt 10 times so long that

length

22m length was reached.
I was wery surprised: antenna or tuner didnt work as it was

working

earlier! I got match only with 18, 21 and 10 m bands, not at

all

with

lower bands. FC40 telling just HSWR... I checked all

connections,

grounding etc and they where OK.
Is it possible that FC40 needs the Reset from internal DIP

switch.

Anyone done that ?

73s de rami, oh6bi

Hi Jurgen and Clive

Only change was the rain, it was quite rainy week and
ground was much more better than during earlier tests.
Soil in my cottage is not good, it is on island where
some soil is covering rocky hill..
Radials and counterpoises will come later: the reason I am doing this
way is to find simple and fast antenna when I am travelling.

Anyway I will make some new tests again starting tomorrow evening.
Will see what happens, I have been searching the web and found
some other HAMs who are also speaking abt 23m long wire.

Always when I am at cottage I have two radios on HF.
The Old Radio (IC 730) is mostly QRV at 3680 kHz, connected to G5RV
antenna. If You want we can try QSO... abt after 1600 GMT until the
80 band comes too noisy. (and SAT and SUN whole day)

73s de rami, oh6bi

--- In YaesuTuner@..., "dj5hd" <jurgen@...> wrote:

Rami,

did your ground conditions change?
If the FC-40 does not find a match it is often due to not sufficiant
ground. Increasing the number of radials helped me often.

A reset clears the memories and helps in some situations.
However, if you manually tune, the FC-40 should find a match if
possible, regardless whether the memory is used or clear.

If the memories are filled up with matching settings from an earier
used antenna, you will have to rewrite them all with the values for
your new antenna by manual tuning.
If the memories are clear, the tuner will use the next valid
"neighbour" memory, which is obviously better than using values

from a

different antenna.


I never found a wire length that worked on all bands. Your earlier
posting sounded very promising to me...

73, Jurgen, DJ5HD



--- In YaesuTuner@..., "oh6bi" <oh6bi@> wrote:

Hi All

In June I wrote here abt 23m long wire testings, I got some good
results. Last weekend I did new tests and started with 24,5 m

long

wire, running tests all bands (160 to 10m), then shortening abt

20 cm

and running tests again. I did that abt 10 times so long that

length

22m length was reached.
I was wery surprised: antenna or tuner didnt work as it was

working

earlier! I got match only with 18, 21 and 10 m bands, not at all

with

lower bands. FC40 telling just HSWR... I checked all connections,
grounding etc and they where OK.
Is it possible that FC40 needs the Reset from internal DIP switch.
Anyone done that ?

73s de rami, oh6bi

Rami,

did your ground conditions change?
If the FC-40 does not find a match it is often due to not sufficiant
ground. Increasing the number of radials helped me often.

A reset clears the memories and helps in some situations.
However, if you manually tune, the FC-40 should find a match if
possible, regardless whether the memory is used or clear.

If the memories are filled up with matching settings from an earier
used antenna, you will have to rewrite them all with the values for
your new antenna by manual tuning.
If the memories are clear, the tuner will use the next valid
"neighbour" memory, which is obviously better than using values from a
different antenna.


I never found a wire length that worked on all bands. Your earlier
posting sounded very promising to me...

73, Jurgen, DJ5HD

Hi All

In June I wrote here abt 23m long wire testings, I got some good
results. Last weekend I did new tests and started with 24,5 m long
wire, running tests all bands (160 to 10m), then shortening abt 20 cm
and running tests again. I did that abt 10 times so long that length
22m length was reached.
I was wery surprised: antenna or tuner didnt work as it was working
earlier! I got match only with 18, 21 and 10 m bands, not at all with
lower bands. FC40 telling just HSWR... I checked all connections,
grounding etc and they where OK.
Is it possible that FC40 needs the Reset from internal DIP switch.
Anyone done that ?

73s de rami, oh6bi

Hi All !
During last month I have done many tests with FC40 / FT897
and different lengths of wires: abt 8m, 12m, 15m, 40m ...
Some has been working with several bands, some not.

Last weekend I tried 23 meter length.
Unfortunately I chosed wrong tree , it was too close and
I had to shorten wire length 1m and the wire game abt 22 m long.

It was working nicely from 160 to 10 m , including WARC bands.
Only problem was 7 MHz, wire was too near 40m half vawe.
I desided to shorten the wire 1,5 meters :
That was wrong - I lost also 160 and 20 meter bands !!!

Coming weekend I have to find another tree to get out 23m wire
I wanted ( or maybe a bit more ), I believe now I have found the
length suitable for me. If I dont get the full coverage wit 23m wire,
then I will just add one separate wire for 7 MHz..

I have had good experience with IC AH3 and abt 22m wire earlier.

73s de rami, oh6bi