SAILOR,TT-6384B Antenna Tuning Unit (ATU)

The SAILOR TT-6384B Antenna Tuning Unit (ATU) is an essential component in maritime MF/HF radio systems. Its core function is to automatically optimize the connection between the radio and the antenna by matching their impedances. This ensures maximum power transfer, improving signal transmission efficiency and reliability for long-range communication at sea. It’s built for demanding marine environments and is commonly used with SAILOR 150W and 250W MF/HF transceivers.

Technical Specification

General:

Product Type: Antenna Tuning Unit (ATU) / Antenna Coupler
Manufacturer: Thrane & Thrane (now Cobham SATCOM)
Model Numbers: TT-6384B, S-406384B, P/N: 406384A / S-62-139291
Compatibility: Designed for SAILOR 4000 (150W only!), 5000 (150W/250W), and 6000 series (150W/250W) MF/HF transceivers. Often noted as a replacement for SAILOR 6381.

Performance:

Power Capability: Typically 150W/250W. Some sources mention 350W PEP and even up to 500W PEP for specific configurations (e.g., 500W systems might have reduced power in 1.6-4.0 MHz).
- 150 W SSB: $\pm 1.4 dB$ into $50 ohm$ Antenna
- 250 W SSB: $\pm 1.4 dB$ into $50 ohm$ Antenna
- 500 W SSB (when supported): $1.6 - 4 MHz : 400 W PEP + 0/ - 1.4 dB$ ; $4 - 27 MHz : 500 W PEP \pm 1.4 dB$ into $50 ohm$ Antenna.
Frequency Range: $1.6 MHz - 30 MHz$ (full power range on all ITU channels).
Antenna Tuning: Fully automatic with no presetting required. Fast tuning (under 1 second for previously tuned frequencies if SWR is below 1:1.4).
Output Impedance: $50 ohm$ (nominal).

Environmental:

Operating Temperature: $- 2 5^{\circ} C$ to $+ 5 5^{\circ} C$
Protection: Designed for outdoor installation, robust against marine conditions.

Features:

Rugged and reliable design.
Power regulation ensures full power on all channels within its specified range.
No fans or air filter for cooling for 150W and 250W versions.
Integrated into the SAILOR MF/HF system for GMDSS compliance (A2, A3, A4 sea areas).

Physical:

Mounting: Outdoor automatic antenna tuning unit. Specific mounting details would be in installation manuals (often mounted near the antenna base).