Auto antenna tuners ?

I use an MFJ-986 3kw manual tuner with my AL-811H and the tuner would easily handle the SB-220 output. I don't run that much power though as I've found my SB-200 and AL-811H are all I need if I need to use an amp. I have a second radio and amp that has an LDG AT-600Pro auto tuner attached and it works well. I still prefer a manual tuner though over the autos. I can tune it faster than the auto tuner finds a match most of the time.

If you can spend the bones for a legal limit auto tuner you would need something like the MFJ-988 on the low end or Palstar HF-Auto tuner on the high end.

My personal preference is an antenna coupler, a tuner at the antenna end of the coax rather than the shack end so you don't get the feeder losses nor the extra QRM you get from a shack end tuner.

RatsoW8, an auto tuner if working properly should get a match almost instantly and only need to do a tune cycle if its a frequency thats not been used before because it should be recalling the tuning data from memory, not doing a tuning cycle every time you QSY. If it is then either your antenna tuner isn't retaining data or there's something happening with your antenna which is massively altering the impedance and reactance on that frequency when you QSY to one its been used on before.

I haven't used a high power auto tuner, but have used a 120 watt rated LDG Z-11 Pro. It works pretty darned good, and I believe the higher power units are decent, too. I found the same thing as RatsoW8, in that once I used an antenna analyzer and charted everything, I could tune up within seconds with a manual tuner. You can find really good deals on manual MFJ 989C's (one of which I scored for less than 100 bucks) or other models, and they will handle the power you are using. I am currently using a Palstar AT2K and love it.

While I agree with M0GVZ on the efficiency of an antenna mounted coupler, they are really pricey for the high power ones. LDG recently came out with a reasonably priced 100 watt unit, and SGC makes some nice ones, too. SGC's high power (500 watts) SG-235 lists for 1,200 dollars.

And then there's always the option of building an antenna that is resonant on the frequencies you operate on...
73,
Brett

It won't handle high power but I just bought the LDG Z-100. 2000 memories, virtually no external power consumption, quick tuning and super easy operation. In many ways it is superior to the AH 4 which is FAR more expensive.

When it comes time to upgrade to something that handles more power I'd stick with the LDG.

Quite satisfied with the MFJ 998 legal limit autotuner, fixe on the Inverted L for 160 - 10 meters running 1Kw in it sometimes.
When the memories are set a AM carrier tunes the tuner in a split second.
Same for the MFJ 993 - B 300 watt tuner used on the other antenna's and barefoot 225 watt from the FT 2000 - D transceiver.
Never needed the amplifier there, mostly used on 160.