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| Reviews Summary for MAXX-COM AUTOMATIC ANTENNA TUNER |
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Reviews: 13
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Average rating: 2.7/5
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MSRP: $$395-$595
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Description: 100% Solid State Construction. No moving parts to break or
wear out. MAXX-COM is the most compact, simple, and
efficient antenna tuner available! MAXX-COM matches in
1/1200th of a second. 150 - 2000 Watts. .1 - 250 MHz. VSWR
is less than 1.5:1 on all frequencies.
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Product is not in production.
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More info: http://www.maxx-com.com
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write your own review of the MAXX-COM AUTOMATIC ANTENNA TUNER.
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W4EAL
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Rating: 5/5
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May 22, 2011 11:38
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The ARRL dummy load that works
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have owned this tuner for over 5 years. It has always worked. I had the center up at 35' and the ends of the 150' span were at 10'. All I can say is it works. I didn't cut it open, x-ray it or anything else. I just enjoyed it every day for the 5+ years I have had it. If it is a resistor (I don't believe a 50 watt resistor would fit in the case) so be it. I do believe there are coils of Teflon wire within. Can't be very large though. Pan it all you want, does not change the fact that it works very well. I had used it so long that I had forgotten how to use a manual tuner. I bought and installed the Buxcom 80-1nfinity windom and took the Maxx-com down. Just to be fair I have been using the windom for about 6 months now and it works very well. The Maxx-com is quieter though. I hear lots of signals I didn't hear on the dummy load tuner but all of them are unwanted (noise, static crashes and such) but the modulation of ops I want to work are there and quiet. No programming to do no relays to stick or burn from nearby lightning strikes and no power required to operate it. Sonny is a genius. Sorry to see he has gone to another calling, but I am going to take the Buxcom down and get back to the Maxx-com.
Denny
w4eal
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KC8AON
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Rating: 0/5
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Oct 19, 2009 18:18
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Hogwash !
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Time owned: months
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You can do the same thing by using a coax T connector on your dummy load and connect a wire to it - much cheaper and will get out equally poor ! Use a real antenna and tuner and you will get much better results ! WH ywould anyone want to spend hundreds of $ on a resistor in a box ? I have never owned one and never will - I'm smarter than that !
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AF2Q
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 19, 2009 00:14
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Worked great for me
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Time owned: months
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Back in 1996 I had the small unit.
I think right after ARRL called it junk.
My wire was 120 feet long.
18 feet up going out the window and 13 feet off the ground on the far end.
I was a constant 15=20 over S-9 working KA2ONS in Alaska.
He was in a jeep and used a CB whip.
I gave it to another ham and it's still in use today so why put it down if it works?
BOB
AF2Q
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KK8ZZ
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Rating: 0/5
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Aug 26, 2009 17:56
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What a Crock!
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Add a little wire to a dummy load and you have this amazing POS... shows that someone will buy almost anything... Jeepers, guys... read up a little!
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SWL377
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Rating: 0/5
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Jul 9, 2008 08:25
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lossy resistor antenna
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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If you believe the hype build your own and save hundreds. I think the transformer is non essential. Just transmit into a 50 ohm resistor and attach some wire to radiate. If you want a closer copy, wind your own RF transformer on a torroid and connect it as a balun, 4:1 turns ratio ought to work.
It astounds me that any EE would endorse the mfr's performance claims, but rather than descend into that maelstrom I'll just say that I disagree. Anecdotal DX accomplishments mean zero. When conditions are right you can communicate with very low radiated power. People have worked HF DX transmitting into a coat hanger.
Do you wonder why no independent lab measurements of radiated power are presented? I don't.
MAX CON or MAX COMM? you decide.
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WA4MZE
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Rating: 5/5
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Jul 16, 2007 04:16
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IT ALWAYS WORKS !!!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I own 2 Maxx-Coms. I have also owned 3 other (brands) automatic tuners & 1 manual roller inductor tuner within the past 2 years.
I have 2 friends, one 60 miles & the other 330 miles from me that also use Maxx-Coms. We have compared signals on most bands with different antennas & tuners & have found that there is no appreciable difference in that the Maxx-Com will sometimes be 1 or 2 S units lower or higher depending on the antenna.
I am now spending the time talking on my radio that I was spending sending the other tuners back to either the factory or to the dealer.
Given my bad experiences with the other tuners, I am willing to trade a little power for reliability. Not one of the stations that I talk to each day, on any band, has mentioned a reduction in my signal.
Before you throw rocks at the Maxx-Com, please try one. Look at the instructions & pay close attention to the part on wire length & resonance.
It appears that some of you have deemed this product a scam just because you either haven't used it or you don't know what's inside of it.
Give me a break, I really don't care what's inside as long as it works.
Oh yeah, it does not have 50 relays inside of it to fail either.
As I mentioned, while my other tuners were dropping like flies, THE MAXX-COM ALWAYS WORKED.
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K0KTB
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Rating: 5/5
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Sep 17, 2006 13:29
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Works for me
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have had the coupler for a year. Works just fine. Use an Icom IC7000 with HRD Deluxe on the computer and have worked all over the world on SSB and PSK 31. Does exactly what the specs say it will. It allows me to be completely frequency agile and never worry about tuning. I have used most modes and every one worked just fine. I really don't understand the people who can ding something without trying it. If you haven't used it, you don't know anything about it. Glad I don't have to buy a used car from you.
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EDAL
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Rating: 0/5
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Sep 17, 2006 11:39
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Rubbish
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Absolute rubbish. Returned to dealer one week after purchase.
Ed Almos
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HA5RXZ
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Rating: 0/5
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Sep 17, 2006 11:32
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Fraud
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I was curious about this unit so I borrowed one from a dealer. Ask yourself this, how can an 'automatic antenna tuner' function without a power supply?
Anyway, received signals were so far down that I thought the antenna had fallen off. On transmission the SWR was a constant 1:1 but an amateur 1Km away from me couldn't hear my signal.
Before sending it back I opened it up. The 'antenna tuner' is a fifty ohm resistor and a small ferrite transformer. It's junk, it's a fraud, don't buy it, it's rubbish.
HA5RXZ
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N1EA
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Rating: 0/5
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Mar 13, 2005 08:45
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Trash - over priced
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I had one on a ship. It was a terrible radiator, but the company bought one. One day we failed the FCC annual test on 2182 kHz (think 160 meters for a comparison). I took apart the Maxx-Com "tuner".
Inside was a single Dale Precision resistor 50 watt type and a small transformer made of teflon wire.
The reason we failed the inspection? We could NOT communicate with a ship that we could visually see with our eyes on 2182 kHz.
I replaced this with a marine whip - and it worked much better.
73
David Ring N1EA
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