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Related Manuals for LDG IT-100
Summary of Contents for LDG IT-100
- Page 1 IT-100 OPERATIONS MANUAL MANUAL REV A LDG IT-100 100-Watt Automatic Tuner for Icom Transceivers LDG Electronics 1445 Parran Road St. Leonard MD 20685-2903 USA Phone: 410-586-2177 Fax: 410-586-8475 ldg@ldgelectronics.com www.ldgelectronics.com PAGE 1...
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Page 2: Table Of Contents
Compatible Transceivers Installation Operation Power-up Basic Tuning Operation Operation From the ICOM Transceiver Front Panel Operation From the IT-100 Front Panel Toggle Bypass Mode Initiate a Memory Tune Cycle Force a Full Tune Cycle Status LED Operating Hints Transceiver Tuner Status Indication... -
Page 3: Introduction
The IT-100 is similar to previous LDG tuners, but is specially engineered to integrate with your Icom HF radio. The IT-100 connects to the external tuner port on the back of the radio. The IT-100 takes advantage of this interface to simplify the tuning process -- one button push is all that is needed in order to complete a tuning cycle! The IT-100 is powered by the transceiver’s tuner interface itself. -
Page 4: Specifications
Weight: 1 pound. AN IMPORTANT WORD ABOUT POWER LEVELS The IT-100 is rated at 125 watts maximum power input at most. Many ham transmitters and transceivers, and virtually all amplifiers, output well over 125 watts. Power levels that significantly exceed specifications will definitely damage or destroy your IT-100. If your tuner fails during overload, it could also damage your transmitter or transceiver. -
Page 5: Getting To Know Your It-100
The IT-100 is powered directly from the radio interface cable; no separate power supply is needed. The IT-100 automatically powers up at the start of a tuning cycle, and then goes into an ultra-low-power sleep mode when tuning is complete. The latching relays hold the tuned configuration indefinitely, even when DC power is completely removed. -
Page 6: Rear Panel
Rear Panel The rear panel of the IT-100 features four connectors. ANT connector: Connect the 50-ohm coax antenna feedline to this standard SO-239 connector. GND connector (wing nut): Connect to antenna system ground. TX connector: Connect a 50 ohm coax jumper cable from this standard SO-239 connector to the ANT jack on the back of the transceiver. -
Page 7: Installation
INSTALLATION The IT-100 tuner is designed for indoor operation only; it is not water resistant. If you use it outdoors (Field Day, for example), you must protect it from the rain. The IT-100 is designed for use with coax-fed antennas. If use with longwires or ladder-line-fed antennas is desired, an external balun is required. -
Page 8: Operation
In this manner, the IT-100 “learns”; the longer you use it, the more closely it adapts itself to the bands and frequencies used. Most users will probably use memory tuning most of the time; it takes advantage of any saved tuning settings, but automatically defaults to a full tuning cycle if no stored data is available. -
Page 9: Operation From The It-100 Front Panel
Normally, the IT-100 is best operated from the transceiver’s front panel TUNER/CALL button, but there are certain circumstances in which operating from the IT-100 front panel gives more control. There are three operations which can be carried out by use of the front panel button... -
Page 10: Initiate A Memory Tune Cycle
Initiate a Memory Tune Cycle To initiate a memory tuning cycle, press and hold the Tune button on the front of the IT-100 until the Tuning/Status LED lights up. A memory tuning cycle will begin. The IT-100 will force the transceiver into AM mode, change the power level to one that is appropriate for tuning, and key the radio. -
Page 11: Force A Full Tune Cycle
In this case, forcing a full tune will cause the IT-100 to seek a better match than the match already stored in memory for this frequency. -
Page 12: Status Led
Automatic Bypass on Band Change Most Icom transceivers will send a bypass command to the IT-100 any time the operating band is changed. This is a feature of the Icom transceiver, and not a design feature of the IT-100. APPLICATION INFORMATION Mobile Operation The IT-100 is perfectly suited to mobile operation. - Page 13 The supplied radio interface cable is 14 inches long. If it is desired that the IT-100 is positioned farther from the transceiver than this cable length allows, a custom cable will need to be constructed. This can be accomplished in two ways: Cut the supplied cable and solder a jumper wire between all the connections, or purchase new connectors and cable to construct a custom-length interface cable from scratch.
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Page 14: Mars/Cap Coverage
MARS/CAP Coverage The IT-100 provides continuous tuning coverage over its specified range; not just in the ham bands. This makes it useful for MARS or CAP operation, or any other legal HF operation. THEORY OF OPERATION Some basic ideas about impedance The theory underlying antennas and transmission lines is fairly complex, and in fact employs a mathematical notation called “complex numbers”... - Page 15 SWR meter until a minimum SWR is reached. The LDG Electronics IT-100 automates this process. No tuner will fix a bad antenna. If the antenna is far from resonance, the inefficiencies inherent in such operation are inescapable;...
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Page 16: The Ldg It-100
This allows the IT-100 to handle loads that are either greater than or less than 50 ohms. All relays are sized to carry 125 watts continuously. -
Page 17: A Word About Tuning Etiquette
Be sure to use a vacant frequency when tuning. With today’s crowded ham bands, this is often difficult. However, causing interference to other hams should be avoided as much as possible. The IT-100’s very short tuning cycle, as little as a fraction of a second, minimizes the impact of tuning transmissions. -
Page 18: Returning Your Product For Service
Ask your shipper for a tracking number or a delivery verification receipt. This way you know the product arrived safely at LDG. Be sure to give us your email address so our shipper can alert you online when your product is en-route back to you. Periodic updates on the status of the repair are not available.