LDG AL-100 Operation Manual

AL-100 Operations Manual Version 1.0

LDG AL-100

100 Watt Automatic

Tuner for Alinco HF

Transceivers

1

LDG Electronics

1445 Parran Road

St. Leonard MD 20685-2903 USA

Phone: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

[e-mail]

www.ldgelectronics.com

AL-100 Operations Manual Version 1.0

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION 3

Jumpstart, or “Real Hams Don’t Read Manuals” 3
Specifications 4

Getting to know your AL-100 7
Front Panel 7

Rear Panel 6
INSTALLATION 7
OPERATION 8

Power-Up 8

Basic Tuning Operation 8

Memory Tuning 8

Full Tuning 9

Bypass Mode 9

Status LED 10

Tune Button Press Summary 10

Application Notes 11
A Word About Tuning Etiquette 12
Care and Maintenance 12
Technical Support 12
Two-Year Transferrable Warranty 12
Out of Warranty Service 13
Returning Your Product For Service 13
Product Feedback 14

2

The

AL-

100 is

custom made for

You

should

really

Alinco transceivers,
and uses your
radio’s TUNE button.

AL-100 Operations Manual Version 1.0

INTRODUCTION

LDG pioneered the automatic, wide-range switched-L tuner in 1995. From its
laboratories in St. Leonard, Maryland, LDG continues to define the state of
the art in this field with innovative automatic tuners and related products for
every amateur need.

Congratulations on selecting the AL-100 100-watt automatic tuner for the
Alinco HF transceivers. The AL-100 provides semi-automatic antenna tuning
across the entire HF spectrum, at power levels up to 100 watts. It will tune
dipoles, verticals, Yagis, or virtually any coax-fed antenna. It will match an
amazing range of antennas and impedances, far greater than some other
tuners you may have considered, including the built-in tuners on many radios.
The AL-100 is similar to previous LDG tuners, but is specially engineered to
integrate with Alinco HF radios.

The AL-100 connects to the 5-pin tuner port on the back of the radio. The AL­100 is powered by the Alinco radio over the tuner interface cable, and tuning
is greatly simplified -- you use the TUNE button on the transceiver to start an
automatic tuning cycle.

read the whole
manual, but this
summary will get
you started.

Jumpstart, or “Real Hams Don’t Read Manuals”

1. Turn off power to your Alinco radio.

2. Connect the HF antenna jack on the transceiver to the “TX” jack on the AL-

100.

3. Connect your antenna’s 50 ohm coax antenna feedline to the “ANT” jack
on the AL-100.

4. Connect the 4-pin mini-DIN end of the supplied radio interface cable to the
“Radio” jack on the AL-100.

5. Connect the other end of the radio interface cable to the radio’s 5-pin tuner
jack.

6. Turn on the radio and select the desired operating frequency and mode.

7. Consult your radio’s manual on how to activate the external tuner. On most
Alinco HF radios, press FUNC and then TUNE. The transceiver
automatically keys up with a minimal amount of power, and the AL-100
begins a tuning cycle. At the end of the tuning cycle, the original mode and
power level is restored.

8. You’re now ready to operate!

3

AL-100 Operations Manual Version 1.0

Specifications.

IMPORTANT

Specifications

Always operate
within these limits.

SAFETY WARNING

• 0.1 to 100 watts SSB and CW peak power, 30W on digital modes.

• Latching relays for ultra low power operation.

• 200 memories for instantaneous frequency and band changing.

• Powered and controlled via radio interface cable.

• Designed specifically for Alinco HF transceivers.

• 1.8 to 54.0 MHz coverage.

• Tunes 4 to 800 ohm loads (16 to 150 on 6M), 16 to 3200 ohms with optional

4:1 Balun.

• For Dipoles, Verticals, Vees, Beams or any Coax Fed Antenna.

• Dimensions: 5.5” W x 6.0” D x 1.2” H.

• Weight: 1 lb

Never install antennas or transmission lines over or near power lines. You
can be seriously injured or killed if any part of the antenna, support or
transmission line touches a power line. Always follow this antenna safety rule:
the distance to the nearest power line should be at least twice the length of
the longest antenna, transmission line or support dimension.

4

You

’ll be

using

your

AL-100 for a long

There

is

only

one

time; take a few
minutes to get to
know it.

control button and
one status light, but
they do lots of

AL-100 Operations Manual Version 1.0

Getting to know your AL-100

Your AL-100 is a quality, precision instrument that will give you many years of
outstanding service; take a few minutes to get to know it.

The AL-100 is designed for use with Alinco HF radios. Tuning is performed by
pressing the TUNE button on the front of the transceiver. The tuner can be
placed in bypass mode by pressing the Tune button on the tuner
momentarily.

The AL-100 is powered by the radio via the radio interface cable; no separate
power supply is needed. Latching relays hold the tuned configuration
indefinitely, even when DC power is completely removed. Tuning memories
are stored indefinitely in flash memory.

The AL-100 has 200 frequency memories. When tuning on or near a
previously tuned frequency, the AL-100 uses “Memory Tune” to recall the
previous tuning parameters in a fraction of a second. If no memorized settings
are available the tuner runs a full tuning cycle, storing the parameters for
memory recall on subsequent tuning cycles on that frequency. In this manner,
the AL-100 “learns” as you use it, adapting to your bands and frequencies as
it goes.

Front Panel

different things.

On the front panel there is one pushbutton and one LED indicator light.

• Tune button: selects Memory Tune, Full Tune or Bypass

• Status LED: Blinks to indicate tuner status.

5