On Wed, 12 Feb 2014 09:36:12 +0000, Kafkaësque
wrote:

On 12/02/2014 00:32, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
On Tue, 11 Feb 2014 20:12:14 -0000, "gareth"
wrote:

With the onset of automatic ATUs, is the the final technical
skill that disambiguates the radio amateur from the CBer
being lost?

However, you are correct that the ATU is a dying art. I've been
zapped by the high voltages produced by antenna tuners often enough to
suspect that dying might be involved in the tuning process. If it's
not science, it must be art.

Art - most definitely.

Science = Does the necessary calculations. Understands how it works.
Art = Cut and try. Tune for maximum smoke. No test equipment.

But where's the "technical skill" in adjusting a
pi network of two capacitors and one inductor?

The technical skill is hidden in the initial decision to *NOT* use an
overpriced antenna tuner in order to match a narrow band antenna over
a narrow frequency range. Additional skill is required at the front
end to *NOT* select a random length antenna, that is likely to be
difficult to match and not have any gain. Of course, some technical
skill will be required in order to build, measure, and verify the
performance of the matching network.

CBers may not need to worry about ATUs, but many are quite capable of
using the pi networks on the PAs of their valved rigs which have been
re-crystalled for 6.5 and/or 27 MHz.

Extra technical credit for electing not to use an ATU or a Pi section
network in order to match a 50 ohm transmitter to a 50 ohm antenna.
The technical skill is not in the construction or testing. It's in
the decision as to whether a tuner is needed. In most cases for CB,
neither an ATU or a Pi section is inappropriate.

I could argue that technical expertise in an obsolete technology, such
as tubes (valves) might contribute to the premature death of the art
of antenna matching, but I don't want to start yet another endless
non-technical discussion.

--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558