There! I said it!

[wb3cez]

When tuning up my transmitter I usually do it on an unoccupied frequency. There, I said it! Not many will admit that! Now before all you purists get your bowles in an uproar, yes, I do have a dummy load. The dummy load presents a perfect 50 ohm impedence with a flat match. My antenna's do not! If I tune up perfectly into the dummy load, things change considerably when switching to an antenna and it needs to be retuned. So unless you have perfect antennas, what is the point of a dummy load??? Just saying since I hear so many people moaning about tuner-uppers! Proceed with your criticisms.....[/b]

[k0pd]

Yes many do go to a presumed unoccupied frequency to tune up i know i did before i got my no tune amp. But do you check to see if the frequency is occupied by asking first? Also you can run your antenna tuner between the amp and the antenna so that if your tuner has tuned your antenna to close to 1-1 that using the dummy load will have little if any effect on your amp's performance. Just saying...

[k9yli]

Yes you pretty much have to eventually tweak the tuning with the antenna.

but using a dummy load first gets the tuner in the ballpark as regards to band and frequency.

either set the tap switch or crank the rotary inductor to ballpark on that frequency.
then connect the antenna and tweak it.

going thru the tap switch setup or cranking the inductor while on the antenna
will take considerable on the air time.

get the inductor and /or capacitors close..on the dummy load first.

[wa8mea]

WB3CEZ:

I have no criticisms. I have said this for years. The dumbest statement I hear yelled on the ham bands is: "Use a dummy load!"

Sorry, my dummy load isn't the same resonance as my antenna system. Even the so-called "tweaking" using a dummy load doesn't work because the dummy load settings turn out to be quite different from the antenna settings.

HOWEVER, I do keep a chart as to which settings coincide with each band. It is THAT reference which gets me closer to the actual full power on-the-air tune-up settings in the least amount of time.

There! I said it too!

[ke5oah]

I don't know many people that uses dummy loads. Most just tune up on the qso thats on the freq where they plan on talking. Some guys go to an unoccupied freq and some don't care. I don't use a dummy load,but i don't tune on top of people. All my antennas are resident. I think a dummy load is a waste of money for the average operator. Some operators need a dummy load to tune into because their amps are smarter than they are and they can't manage to get it tuned under 5min. Then they will take a break and go at it again!