[Flexradio] Atu malfunction with Flex-3000

[Tim Ellison]

Mike,

See my comments in-line below 


-Tim

-----Original Message-----
From: flexradio-bounces at flex-radio.biz [mailto:flexradio-bounces at flex-radio.biz] On Behalf Of Mike Sch.
Sent: Friday, April 24, 2009 10:01 PM
To: flexradio at flex-radio.biz
Subject: [Flexradio] Atu malfunction with Flex-3000

Well, I finally got my nifty new Flex-3000!  I was unsure of how to set it up, but Dudley walked me through my small trouble area with a short phone call.  (Thank you, Dudley!)

While we were on the phone, I explained my use of a dummy load (an
MFJ-264 dry load).  I had remarked to him that the ATU was very FAST in tune-up!

What I did not know was that the "fast tune-up" was not a tune-up after all!  (I had interpreted the ATU button (in RED) and the BYP (in YELLOW) as what I was looking for, in normal operation.  On page 58 of the Flex-3000 operator manual, I see that I should see the ATU in GREEN.

[Tim] If the ATU button turns green, then it was able to match something better than what you had previously.  If not it will be bypassed.

I did see the ATU button in GREEN one time only, this on an antenna that is less than 3:1 VSWR.  (This one time event was seen today, after a few hours of power-OFF for the radio.)

[Tim] The ATU will only tune antennas that are in between 1.1:1 to 3:1

At all times (even when I first powered the unit up, and did a test transmission into the dummy load while chatting with Dudley), I see the SWR indication under the TX meter selection  as 0.0:1.  -As one would expect, transmitting into a dummy load.

[Tim] The SWR meter only works when tuning.  If you are just transmitting, the SWR meter will always show 0.0:1

My settings and findings:
   AM mode; Power is set to 10 Watts
   10 Watts forward in TX meter FWD PWR
   0.0 Watts showing in the TX meter REF PWR
   0.0:1 showing in TX meter REF PWR

[Tim] Those numbers look exactly how they should for AM @ 10 watts

At all times, I  have made only very short transmissions.  In reading of the Flex Radios, I recall a database that is DELETED to resolve various issues that defy logic.  -Is this one of those times..?  

[Tim] No.  I don't see where you have a problem.

I see three suspect (NEW) files in the PowerSRR v1.18.0 folde as follows:
   PowerSDR.mdb
[Tim] This is you primary database

   PowerSDR.ldb
[Tim] This is a temporary DB that is created when PowerSDR is running.  It goes away when PowerSDR is not running.

   power.csv
[Tim] This is the data file from running a power calibration

        (All three files have today's date, 4/24/2009)

[Tim] These are files that are created when you run PowerSDR

One more NEW file, F3K_1609-0021 backup.csv is dated 4/23/2009, the date that I actually received the unit.

[Tim] This is your EEPROM backup.  Do not delete it

Any ideas?
Thank you!   -Mike-   K0JTA

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