This Kilowatt Matchbox is what I call my "Station-Shop" antenna
tuner. I wanted one that I wouldn't worry
too much about if I pumped too much RF through it. So if I am testing a
KW rig on AM and want to try it on
the air for signal reports, this is the tuner I am using at that time.
Someone made some mods to it at some time and I got it off E-bay for
75.00, because I just wanted a "work-load"
type of tuner that I would NOT mind having bad things happen to. The
unit is in the photo above. I thought it would be
totally dead when it arrived, but no the relay had a stick in the wiper
to hold it permanently in the through the tuner
mode. So I also set up a "Bird" wattmeter and an ME-165 Dummy load SWR
meter combo to help in determining
when something was or wasn't really working.
max into it (more than enough) and with it in the SWR position I can pretune the KW Matchbox for minimum
swr without putting a signal on the air. This means there is only a minor touch-up required during transmissions
and does not need "Dead Mike" time tuning up.
There is an in-line SWR bridge with the tuner as well so I can keep tabs on actual readings while "On -the Air".
I find the KW matchbox to be a very useful tool as well as a great addition to the station, as I have been
restricted to a "Backyard" antenna system for a while and that works OK with the tuner from 80 - 10 meters.
The antenna is 153 feet long, and 40 feet high, and well hidden through trees, and the tuner handles it well.
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