Why an HF station doesn’t work without a tuner
The HF band 1–30 MHz is arranged more rigidly than the VHF: the wavelength here is from three hundred to ten meters, and the marine antenna - an inclined beam or pin - never coincides with the wave resistance of the transceiver at all frequencies at once. An uncoordinated antenna reflects most of the power back to the transmitter: the station is heated, the protection is triggered, and a few watts go into the air. The solution is an automatic antenna tuner between the transceiver and the antenna: it adjusts the path at each frequency in a split second. Without a tuner, the HF kit on the ship is simply not going to be assembled, no matter how expensive the transceiver is.
Icom AT-130: tuner for Icom stations
AT-130 Icom automatic antenna tuner for IC-78 series HF transceivers and compatible stations. Operates in the range of 1-30 MHz, is controlled by a cable from the transceiver: pressed the transmission - the tuner has agreed the antenna, and the station gives full power. The design is designed for marine operation: moisture, vibration and onboard network are not afraid of it. If Icom is on a ship or a coastal junction, the tuner must be native, AT-130.
Vertex FC-40: tuner for Vertex stations
FC-40 Automatic antenna tuner for HF transceivers Vertex Standard VX-1400 and VX-1700. The principle is the same: a short cable from the station to the tuner, then the feeder to the antenna, matching - automatically with each frequency change. In the configuration - coaxial cable, control cable and mounting on the pipe, that is, installation on the ship does not require anything to buy. For parks on Vertex This is a standard HF component.
How to choose a tuner for the station
The rule is one: the tuner is selected under the brand and model of the transceiver. Icom and Vertex have different tuner control systems, and there is no interchangeability here: AT-130 - to IC-78, FC-40 - to VX-1400 and VX-1700. Then there are two parameters of the antenna: the type is an inclined beam or pin, and the feeder length from the tuner to the antenna. For the 2W-L10 tilted beam and the RAK-7 pin, both tuners work normally – these are proven pairs that have been put on ships for decades.
Installation on a ship
The tuner is placed as close as possible to the point of exit of the feeder on the deck - the shorter the negligent section between the station and the tuner, the better. Mounting on the pipe from the kit allows you to place it on the mast or superstructure, where there is a short plume from the transceiver. The control cable is laid along with the feeder, the connectors are sealed: the salt in the connector is the number one cause of “mysterious” losses in the HF-track. After installation, the tuner is once run over all operating frequencies - it remembers the settings, and then the restructuring takes a fraction of a second.
How to supplement the HF-set
In addition to the tuner, the HF track needs the antenna itself: an inclined beam. 2W-L10where the mast allows, or the pin complex RAK-7Where there's no ray space. If the ship does not have an HF transceiver, start with the technical guide stations in our materials: there is a comparison of VX-1700, VX-1400 and IC-78 for different tasks. All positions are in the "Equipment to the technical guide" block below.
How to place an order
Write a letter: name the model of the transceiver and the type of antenna - confirm the compatibility of the tuner, answer the price, availability and delivery time. Delivery in Russia and Kazakhstan, the documents go along with the equipment.
