PA0SNY

Tools

My tools are just practical additions to a shack for HF to UHF.
Click on the icon (or a link in the text) for a (higher resolution) picture.

Tool picture (icon)	Description	Remarks
	The Kenwood AT-200 is the company's matching unit for the TS-820 Transceiver. It is quite straight forward in design and matches various coaxial fed antennas satisfactory. The Antenna that I use for HF (see below) is the End Fed Half Wave (EFHW) for 40m with extension for 80m, built by HyEndFed Company. In fact, for the 'classic' bands I normally use it on position THROUGH, except for the low and high ends of the 80 meter band. Also, for the FM part of 10 meters (29.000 till 29.700) I tend to use the tuner in the position MATCHING as well. I made some pictures of the interior and rear side. AT-200 top view - AT-200 side view - AT-200 rear view	Although it has the six 'classic' HF bands only, it appears functioning properly for the 60 meter band and for 30 meters, 17 meters and 12 meters, when I have the EFHW Antenna attached. This is basically half wave for 40 meters, with a coil and some 3,5 meters of wire (so in total 23,5 meters).
	This straight forward SWR meter has always been between the Transceivers and the Antenna Tuner, eventhough the AT-200 has it's own meter. But you need two needles for best observations.	The Zetagi HP-500 should be fine up to 200 MHz, but here in the old city of Haarlem, I only use it for HF. In fact, there is no SWR meter in my VHF/UHF antenna line. The V2000 matches (almost) perfectly. The weak part of the SWR meter is the potentiometer, of which the reflected power part shows intermittent operation sometimes. I should replace the part, but that is a challenge!
	The NanoVNA V2. This is a real positive addition to the Shack. Developement goes fast for such parts. If you read this, there might be another Vx available. The NanoVNA V2 provides a wide variety of applications. I use it (in fact) only for antenna measurements on HF and VHF/UHF. Sorry.....	This small unit works great. In the field where I use it (as stated on the left), it does not really need a coupling to a laptop. As I use it for measuring antenna's, it is easy to select the frequency band for measurement, calibrate the unit (once more) and measure the effects of changeing an antenna. A laptop is convenient when you want to add (much) more measuring points. See the Antenna section below for measurements on antennas (pdf files)
	This LC-meter is a very useful instrument in the shack, when designing antennas with coils. This LC-meter has the big advantage that it can measure very small values for C and L with a precision of <1%. Specifications: L meter: 1 nH till 100mH, C meter: .010pF 1uF. The meter was designed by Cor, PA0CHN in April 2000. It came as a kit with all relevant parts supplied. It has a nulling function to rule out wire capacitance or inductance before starting the measurements. I have the design and partslist available for those whore are interested. Send an email to [my call]@qsl.net	In the specific example a coil was measured of about 20 wdgs of 1.2 mm copper on a 19mm pvc tube. I use the rimstar.org website for the coil design, for the simple reason that I forget the exact formula for coil design, and this website offers a great help. Whether you want to use coil length or the number of windings: the used method is very intuitive. The web gave 5.95 uH and the meter indicated 5.98
	The MFJ-941D is the tuner that has been used during my "Vijfhuizen" years (I lived in this small village till 2014). I matched the Open Dipole (2x 13,5m) on the balanced input of this tuner. For that setup, and the fact that I don't operate with PA's, it is an ideal tuner	See the Antenna section, where I describe that ideal antenna. This Tuner has only one, and then a small meter. Therefore the Zetagi SWR meter is the supporting companion in the shack. I also own an automatic MFJ-993B Automatic Antenna Tuner, but that one is in use by Cor PA2MCE (next item)
	The MFJ-993B IntelliTuner is a handy device for automatic tuning of a transmission line / antenna system. I have used it in combination with the FT-897D and a random piece of wire.	The MFJ-993B. It is now in use by PA2MCE, for the use of this 2x 20m (18m30) dipole on other frequencies. He is happy with the part
an example of  one cable	Programming sets and porto's: this is making life easier than doing it manually, and in some cases, you cannot even do it manually. For my YAESU equipment I use the software that Bob Freeth G4HFQ has developed. Since I own the FT-8900 I was looking for strong and intuitive software. I purchased FTBasisMMO (for the FT-897 and more rigs), FTB60 for the FT-60D and FTB8900 for the FT-8900. Bob has always supported withing 24 hours on any questions that I had.... I prefer it over CHIRP. I use CHIRP for the other equipment	On his website Bob Freeth has announced that he has updated the on line versions of all help files for reasons that you have to check on his website yourself. He also announced that his programming software is now free of charge, but suggests that you donate to any charity in stead. The other programming software is CHIRP. Well supported and continously updated, but less intuitive (my opinion). It is FOC as well. Many supporting sites can help you using it for programming. Check my Library page for articles on programming and my experience with the various cables and plugs.
Miscellaneous Equipment	YAESU FT227-RA (since 1978!) 2mtr FM trx ICOM IC-04E 70cm FM porto From dump/surplus: Bosch KF-161 digX (surplus/reworked) 2mtrs FM trx Teletron T813 (surplus/reworked) 2 mtr FM trx CONDOR SE550, 70cm FM transceiver (PA4DEN EPROM)	All of these listed sets still have a place in my shack or in the cellar. My intention is to use the once in a while, which is certainly possible for local qso's on 2 meters. But all of them have no subaudio for repeaters and their use remains very limited. But I cannot throw it away.