For the next few months, OnAllBands will be featuring products from the new DX Engineering Catalog. The 2021 edition is filled with 132 pages of the latest gear and tried-and-true items from the biggest names in amateur radio, including LDG Electronics, a company that pioneered the automatic Switched-L HF tuner back in 1995 and continues to deliver stand-out amateur radio products from its laboratories in southern Maryland.
Here are two fresh offerings you’ll want to consider for your shack:
LDG Z-100A Automatic Antenna Tuner
The Z-100A (LDG-Z-100A) features LDG’s famous 10:1 SWR tuning range that matches dipoles, verticals, end-fed wires, G5RVs, or even off-center-fed dipoles and Windom antennas. The updated, plug-and-play tuner works with all HF radios up to 125 watts RF output and can be interfaced with dozens of modern transceivers. The 1.5 pound Z-100A (0.1 to 125W SSB/CW, 30W Digital) goes anywhere with an HF radio: desktops, parks, islands, summits, you name it. Other perks include:
- 2,000 memories for instantaneous band changing
- Memory tuning times of 100 milliseconds to full tuning averaging six seconds
- Interfaced tuner is controlled by Icom radio Tuner button; button can be used on Tuner for other interfaced or non-interfaced brand transceivers
The Z-100A comes with interface cable for Icom AH-4 or AH-3 compatible radios and IC-104 DC power cable for semi-automatic operation without interface. Optional interface cables are available for the Yaesu, Kenwood, and Alinco transceivers below:
- LDG-IC-105: For Alinco DX-70, DX-77, SR8T, SR9T
- LDG-IC-106: For Kenwood AT-300 Compatible
- LDG-IC-108: For Yaesu FT-891, 991A, 100, 857, 897
- LDG-IC-109: for Yaesu FTDX10, 1200, FT-950, 450
- LDG-IC-115: For Yaesu FTdx-101D, 3000
Select from four colorful dual analog meters for model-specific, top-of-the-line Yaesu, Kenwood, and Icom rigs that are equipped with meter output. They display S-meter, RF power, SWR, and more. Weighing only 1.5 pounds and measuring 8 x 4 x 4, they don’t take up much space but deliver reliable readings and color/brightness adjustments to suit your visual preferences. The 13.8 VDC +/-15% meters have a maximum current draw of 400 mA.
Choose from four models:
- LDG-MC-101: For Yaesu FTdx-101D/MP
- LDG-MC-990: For Kenwood TS-990
- LDG-MC-7610: For Icom IC-7610
- LDG-MC-7800: For Icom IC-7800, IC-7851
Ham Radio 101: What’s an S-meter reading?
S-meter, or signal strength meter, tells operators the strength of their signal, from S1 (very weak) to S9 (extremely strong). Read more about the RST (Readability, Signal Strength, and Tone) reporting system that allows operators to let others on the air know the quality of their transmissions.
Don’t have your new catalog yet? Click here to request your free copy or find what you need in the easy-to-use online digital version.
