The NA4IT "PUT" Tuner

Now you may ask what is a "PUT" tuner. Well, take a look at the following pictures, and you will see that a "PUT" Tuner is a "Pretty Ugly Tuner"!



This is the first foray into building a tuner.
L-R: Gear drive caps from an ARC-5 configured as a differential, 19uH Roller, Cap from Arc-5



Same tuner, modified a little.
L-R: Same ARC-5 caps, but reconfigured inline, 19uH roller, Same cap with another added in parallel to work some of 160M.



Now were getting "beefy"!
L-R: 2- 250pF caps in differential, gear driven, 19uH roller, 535pF cap

Below is a picture of the back of the 2- 250pF differential cap gear drive:



Neat huh! The gears are the ones off the ARC-5 caps. I placed a 1/8" washer between the cap frames to space it right.



Yep, now we are getting there!
L-R: Differental caps, 30uH GE roller, 500pF cap.



Finally got the "right stuff"! Everything rated at 2KV!
L-R: Differential caps, 30uH GE roller, 500pF cap

But, must this thing stay "naked"??? NO!

With the help of my buddy Lynn, WA4JTD, who makes some pretty cases, Now the "PUT" Tuner isn't so ugly anymore!



Here's the back. (My desk is tight, thus the 90 degree adapters.) Ground terminal in the center.



And here is the front! Custom made labels made in a "CAD" program, and laminated to the front.

And you ask how much did it cost?

Well, I am not for sure, but I think I have about $100 in the finished version. And that is cheap!
Here is a breakdown of parts if you bought it new (approx. prices):
2- 250pF capacitors @ $70 each
1- 500pF cap @ $70
1- 30uH GE Roller Inductor @ $130
1- Case @ $30
2- SO-239 jacks @ $4 each
Assorted hardware @ $5

Total if new = $383....not bad!

What about all the tuners before this one?
Well, a lot of the stuff I got given to me, some of it I bought in a $90 box of parts (which had enough in it to build 2 tuners plus some other goodies).

But the main thing is, the fun of doing it...PRICELESS! Just one plus side of the Amateur Radio Experience.

73, NA4IT