LDG Z-11ProII Operation Manual

Z-11PROII OPERATIONS MANUAL MANUAL REV A

LDG Z-11ProII

100-Watt Automatic

Tuner

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LDG Electronics

1445 Parran Road

St. Leonard MD 20685-2903 USA

Phone: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

[e-mail]

www.ldgelectronics.com

Table Of Contents

Introduction 3
Jumpstart, or “Real hams don’t read manuals!” 3
Specifications 3
An Important Word About Power Levels 4
Important Safety Warning 4
Getting to know your Z-11ProII 5

Front Panel 5
Rear Panel 6

Installation 7
Optional Internal Battery Installation 9
Operation 10

Basic Operation 10
Basic Tuning 11
Toggle Bypass Mode 12
Toggle Automatic / Semiautomatic Tuning Mode 13
Automatic Tuning Mode 13
Manual Memory Tuning 13
Manual Full Tuning 14
Tuning Status / Error Indication 15

Tuning Status Reports 16
Advanced Operation 17

Manual Inductor/Capacitor Adjustments 17
High / Low Z Relay Adjustment 17
Manual Memory Store 17
Set Automatic Tuning SWR Threshold 18

Command Summary 19
Application Information 19

Mobile Operation 19
MARS/CAP Coverage 19

Theory of Operation 19
The LDG Z-11ProII 21
A Word About Tuning Etiquette 23
Care and Maintenance 23
Technical Support 23
Two-Year Transferrable Warranty 23
Out Of Warranty Service 24
Returning Your Product For Service 24
Product Feedback 24

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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 Z-11ProII 100-watt automatic tuner. The Z-11ProII provides
semi-automatic antenna tuning across the entire HF spectrum plus 6 meters, at power levels up to
125 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 Z-11ProII is similar to previous LDG tuners, but is specially designed with battery­powered operation in mind. It uses little power while tuning, and essentially zero power when in
standby. Onboard solder pads allow easy connection of a user-supplied internal battery pack, for
the ultimate in convenience and portability. The new Z-11ProII uses a lower battery voltage than
previous versions of the Z-11Pro; this means fewer battery cells are required, making the Z­11ProII even more lightweight than its predecessors.

JUMPSTART, OR “REAL HAMS DON’T READ MANUALS!”

Ok, but at least read this one section before operating the Z-11ProII:

Connect the HF/50 MHz antenna jack on the transceiver to the “TX” jack on the Z-11ProII, using

a 50 ohm coax cable jumper.

Connect the 50 ohm coax antenna feedline to the “ANT” jack on the Z-11ProII.
Connect the Z-11ProII to a source of 7 to 16 volts DC @ 250mA, using the 2.5x5.5mm power jack

on the rear of the Z-11ProII (center positive).

Select the desired operating frequency and mode.
Begin transmitting, in any mode.1
Wait for the tuning cycle to end; you’re now ready to operate!

1

If transmitting in SSB mode, simply speak into the microphone. Tuning can occur while transmitting up to 125
watts, if the attached transceiver employs a “roll-back circuit” to protect it from high SWR. If the transceiver does
not have a roll-back circuit, power should be limited to 25 watts when tuning, in order to avoid damage to the radio
or tuner.

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SPECIFICATIONS

.1 to 125 watts SSB and CW peak power, 30 watts on PSK and digital modes, and 100 watts

•

on 6 meters.
Latching relays for ultra-low power operation.

•

2,000 memories for instantaneous frequency and band changing.

•

Built-in frequency counter for memory operation.

•

Easy to read LEDs indicate SWR and operating status.

•

1.8 to 54.0 MHz coverage.

•

Tunes 6 to 1000 ohm loads (16 to 150 on 6M), 6 to 4000 ohms with optional 4:1 Balun.

•

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

•

DC power cable included.

•

Optional external Baluns allows tuning of random length, long wire or ladder line fed

•

antennas. Optional radio interface cables available. See web site for details.
Power Requirements: 7 to 16 volts DC at 250mA max during tuning. 25 µA idle current.

•

Dimensions: 8.25”L x 5.0”W x 1.5”H.

•

Weight: 1 pound 6 ounces (without internal batteries).

•

AN IMPORTANT WORD ABOUT POWER LEVELS

The Z-11ProII 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 Z-11ProII. If your
tuner fails during overload, it could also damage your transmitter or transceiver. Be sure to
observe the specified power limitations.

IMPORTANT SAFETY WARNING

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.

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GETTING TO KNOW YOUR Z-11PROII

Your Z-11ProII is a quality, precision instrument that will give you many years of

outstanding service; take a few minutes to get to know it.

The Z-11ProII may be used with any coax-connected HF transceiver or transmitter with up to

125 watts peak output power. The Z-11 Pro II can be set to tune automatically whenever the
SWR exceeds a user-settable value, or it can be set to tune only by pressing the Tune button.

There is no power button on the Z-11ProII. The Z-11ProII automatically powers up at the
start of a tuning cycle, and 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. Tuning memories are stored in FLASH memory.

The Z-11ProII has 2,000 frequency memories. When tuning on or near a previously tuned
frequency, the Z-11ProII 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 Z-11ProII “learns” as it is used, adapting to the bands and frequencies as it goes.

Front Panel

On the front panel there are six pushbuttons and four LED indicator lights.

Func: Pressing momentarily selects secondary functions for other buttons.
C Up / C Dn: Manually increase/decrease capacitance.
L Up / L Dn: Manually increase/decrease inductance.
Tune: Initiates a tuning cycle, or places the tuner in bypass mode.

1.5, 2.0, and >3.0 LEDs: Indicate SWR.

Tune LED: Indicates tuning is in progress.

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Rear Panel

The rear panel of the Z-11ProII features five connectors.

ANT connector: Connect the 50-ohm coax antenna feedline to this standard SO-239

connector.

to the ANT jack on the back of the transceiver.

GND connector (wing nut): Connect to antenna system ground.
TX connector: Connect a 50-ohm coax jumper cable from this standard SO-239 connector

RADIO connector: Connect the optional radio interface cable to a compatible transceiver.

Power connector (coax DC jack): Connect the supplied DC power cable to a source of DC

power, 7 to 16 volts DC, 300 mA. Center pin is positive.

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INSTALLATION

The Z-11ProII 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 Z-11ProII is
designed for use with coax-fed antennas. If use with longwires or ladder-line-fed antennas is
desired, an external balun is required. The LDG RBA-4:1 or RBA-1:1 is ideal, depending on the
antenna and transmission line used.

Place the Z-11ProII in a convenient location near the transceiver. Always turn your radio off
before plugging or unplugging anything. The radio may be damaged if cables are connected or
disconnected while the power is on.

Connect the HF antenna jack on the transceiver to the TX jack on the back of the Z-11ProII,
using a 50 ohm coax cable rated 125 watts or higher.

Connect a 50-ohm antenna feedline coax to the ANT jack on the back of the Z-11ProII.

The Z-11ProII is designed to interface directly with many popular ICOM and Yaesu
transceivers, enabling one button tuning. In the case of ICOM radios, the optional interface cable
also powers the tuner.

For ICOM radios supporting the AH-3 or AH-4 external tuner, connect the 4-pin Molex
connector of the optional ICOM interface cable to the radio’s Tuner port. Then connect the 1/8”
stereo plug on the other end of the ICOM interface cable to the jack marked Radio on the rear of
the Z-11ProII. Connect the coaxial DC power plug of the ICOM interface cable to the 12 VDC
Power jack.

For Yaesu FT-857 and FT-897, use the optional Y-ACC cable and plug the red end marked
Radio into the transceiver’s ACC port. Plug the black end of the Y-ACC cable into the jack
marked Radio on the rear of the Z-11ProII.

Unless the Z-11ProII is being powered by the ICOM radio interface cable as above, you’ll
also need to plug in the supplied DC coaxial power cable2. This cable has a 2.5x5.5mm coaxial
plug on the end. Plug the coaxial plug into the 12 VDC Power jack on the rear of the Z-11ProII,
and connect the other end to a DC power source between 11 and 16 volts DC, capable of
supplying up to 300 mA. The red wire is positive.

Grounding the Z-11ProII tuner will enhance its performance and safety. LDG recommends
that you connect your tuner to a suitable ground. A common ground rod connected to buried
radials is ideal, but a single ground rod, a cold water pipe, or the screw that holds the cover on an
AC outlet can provide a serviceable ground. LDG strongly recommends the use of a properly
installed, high quality lightning arrestor on all antenna cables.

2

Or, the Z-11ProII may be powered by optional internal batteries. See the section on Battery Installation for more

details.

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