ATU-1000, 1KW Automatic Antenna tuner

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As I have succesfully built the ATU-100 kit, I decided to go for a beafier ATU kit.

Some weeks ago I received a kit from Ali Express.

The ATU-1000 Automatic Antenna tuner kit.

It is based on the same design of N7DCC, but the board is designed by EU2AV.
The same firware is used as the ATU-10/100 firmware. but configured in EEPROM to match the ATU-1000 specifications.

All parts are inside the kit to fully build the tuner.

Nowhere on the internet were some building instructions easy to find. Fortunately, the kit came with a document with some directions on how to wind the coils.
I thought this was useful info, and something to share with you.

I was a bit sceptical about the genuinity of the T200 cores, but I have tested them compared to original Amidon T200 cores I have had lying arround.
And to my surprise there where genuine 🙂

Assembly was easy as all SMD and PIC Microcontroller where already soldered.

The only thing needed to do was soldering in all the relays and inductors.

I had already decided not to use the small OLED display. A large tuner needs a decent larger display 🙂

So I decided to use a 2×16 LCD.

 

I had a nice case lying around, really perfect for this tuner. so this is done and the tuner is placed in this housing.

I just had to put the controller board somewhere else.I made new board connector cabling so I could place it next to the tuner board.

Not entirely unimportant was the design of the front.
Drawn in Corel Draw, and printed with a laser printer on special aluminum foil. and this foil sticked again on 2 layers of PVC adhesive foil. this is to make the foil as a whole a lot more rigid.
Furthermore, the print is finished with 5 layers of acrylic spray paint.

 

Things to do:

Improve SWR Bridge, sometimes it doesn’t measure the right SWR, especially with completely non-resonant antenna systems, it can sometimes indicate that the SWR is well matched. But in use, the SWR is still high.

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11 Responses

  1. F6EHJ says:

    Hi,
    That’s very interesting because I am facing some difficulties with this auto tuner…
    First of all, the bypass relais is always actuated and the RB1 grouding has only effect on the display (_) but the relay stays in the same position.
    Finally, I have remove the 2N7002 which command this line.
    Tests are in progress…
    Regards

  2. Matze says:

    Hi.
    I have the same Tuner.
    Is there any changes for usind a 2×16 LCD?
    My extra LCD shows no numbers or letters. Only light
    73 Matze DO4OD

  3. martinn says:

    Hello pd5d
    whats the version of FW you are using ? I am facing some problems with tunning.
    Can you send me also your hex to compare ?

    73 de OE9SAU

  4. pd5dj says:

    I finally had some time to retrieve the firmware + eeprom settings from my unit.
    You can download it here: https://www.pd5dj.nl/wp-content/uploads/firmwares/ATU-1KW_04-11-2022.hex

    Right Click Save as

    • Franta says:

      hello, I downloaded your file but it doesn’t work for me, I have a pic 16F1938 and a 1602 LCD, do you know where the error could be? The older one works thanks Franta 73 OK2W

  5. Roberto says:

    Hello, I wanted to know if the 6 Toroids are T200 Amidon or T68-2 ? Thank you

  6. Axel says:

    Hi !
    Do you have a picture of bottom PCB ??

    i have buil the same unit, but i think that the capacitor presoldered onboard are not as the schema..

    the scheme report 10p,22p,40p,82p,160p,320p,640p
    but my measure on soldered capacitors report : 30p,100p,160p,330p,750p,1650,3500p

    Can you measure yours capacitor for me ?
    Tnx !

  7. Fred Wagner says:

    Hi pd5dj, can you offer me your Atu 1000W case ? Or were can i buy it ?
    Your case looks perfectly and very good!

    dk9wf, Fred

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