Big Nose wrote:

If a transceiver has an in built automatic antenna tuning and matching
unit, is there any point in measuring the VSWR as a way of ascertaining
its performance?

NOPE! The VSWR in the line = The VSWR in the line = The VSWR in the
line = The VSWR in the line. The internal tuner does absolutely nothing
[NOTHING] to the VSWR in the line.

The internal tuner will make the radio 'happy' within it's tuning range,
but it does NOTHING about the VSWR in the line!



Obviously this would be measured with a thru line meter which would be
placed in the feeder system. However, I have been thinking and it
would appear that the tuning and matching unit would become part of the
antennas impedance (its late and I hope that makes sense).

The reason I ask is because I am trying to find out how well certain
transceivers will perform with antennas which are designed for
different systems.