Yaesu FT-450 + Sirio 27 Vertical

[MW0SWA]

Newbie to HF alert.

I have just bought a FT-450 and have used the auto ATU on it to tune the sirio GPE27 for use on 11m/10m.
I know the auto ATU will accept the antenna and happily tune up to 17m maybe even 20m.

Now i dont know much about internal auto ATUs nor do i have much experience about HF if i am totally honest. My question is if the auto atu accepts this vertical would it be ok to transmit up to 20m using it until i get a mote suitable antenna and/or stick up a dipole.

[andymuza]

The internal ATU will struggle tuning an SWR above 3.1 but if it tunes then it will be fine just don't expect much performance wise.

My advise, get some wire up

[VintageTin]

My IC 7400 makes my Gainmaster show a match down to 20m. Doesn't make it a brilliant antenna for 20m though.

[MW0SWA]

thanks for the replies guys.
ok the atu tunes down to even 40m with this vertical, although it aint the best, ive been tuning/operating mainly on 15m, so everything is fine.

with regards to earthing,

am I right in thinking you either earth the antenna or the radio? can I do both?

antenna - on this vertical would it be wise to have copper wire from base of antenna going straight down to small copper earth rod in ground
radio - bit tricky to earth this to the ground due to shack location, copper wire to radiator pipe maybe?

[Transwarp]

thanks for the replies guys.
ok the atu tunes down to even 40m with this vertical, although it aint the best, ive been tuning/operating mainly on 15m, so everything is fine.

with regards to earthing,

am I right in thinking you either earth the antenna or the radio? can I do both?

antenna - on this vertical would it be wise to have copper wire from base of antenna going straight down to small copper earth rod in ground
radio - bit tricky to earth this to the ground due to shack location, copper wire to radiator pipe maybe?

Earthing (or grounding) is a big subject with different opinions on. For me a central earth point is all you should use, that is a big copper or brass rod/spike into the ground. Lightning charge will also come down the coax if an antenna is struck, and not just the pole it's mounted to. Earthing (or grounding) a radio and power supply you have to be careful with in regards to using multiple points (radiator or water pipes in addition to earth rods/ground spikes) as an earth loop can be created and currents can build up on earth loops - which is not at all good.

I have one ground spike in back garden for my antennas and one rod in front garden for my shack - this works for me.

Earthing/grounding is about safety, and also a slight benefit of minimising static and the noise generated from.

[GW0DIV]

My IC-7400 will tune my V2000, 6,2&70cm vertical, down to 40m. It's marginally better than my dummy load down there though!!

[Diesel man]

Build yourself a 20m dipole from house wire 1.5/2.5mm sling it up at least 22ft it will work and tune 17m no problem. Far better than the vertical for 11m.

[dt307]

My siro 827 will tune every where lol
Does it work?? Yep and good too
I am giving it away to a friend as he can only have one antenna up
Its not great far from it, worked Italy on 80m last night and worked Germany on 4 watts qrp set with no atu thought I give it a try and worked him bo probs
Yes a dedicated antenna is better