|
New to Ham Radio?
My Profile
Community
Articles
Forums
News
Reviews
Friends Remembered
Speak Out
Strays
Survey Question
Operating
Contesting
DX Cluster Spots
Propagation
Resources
Calendar
Classifieds
Ham Exams
Ham Links
List Archives
News Articles
Product Reviews
QSL Managers
Site Info
eHam Help (FAQ)
Support the site
The eHam Team
Advertising Info
Vision Statement
About eHam.net
|
| Reviews Summary for Palstar BT1500A Balanced L Antenna Tuner |
|
Reviews: 20
|
Average rating: 4.8/5
|
MSRP: $695
|
|
Description: Dual inline roller balanced L network antenna tuner with Hi/Lo Z and Hi/Lo C relay operated push buttons. Incorporates illuminated cross needle power/SWR/reflected meter with active peak, peak hold, average readings, 300/3000 watt selection. Covers 1.8 - 29.5MHz. 1000 watt single tone, 1500 watts PEP.
|
|
More info: http://www.palstar.com
|
|
Email Subscription
You are not subscribed to this review.
Subscribe!
My Subscriptions
Subscriptions Help
|
You can
write your own review of the Palstar BT1500A Balanced L Antenna Tuner.
|
K7PEH
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Sep 9, 2005 19:55
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
First Impression: Excellent!!
|
Time owned: 3 to 6 months
|
My first impressions are that this is probably the best dang antenna tuner ever made for a balanced feed.
I am using this antenna tuner (or, coupler or match box for purists) with an 80-meter center fed dipole fed with 450-ohm window-style ladder line. My antenna is about 60 feet above ground on average strung between two very tall fir trees (technically, one is a cedar and the other is a hemlock).
This is a big unit that is designed to handle full legal limit and knowing Palstar, it can probably do better than that if the SWR is not too bad on the antenna feed side of things. This is the second largest box in my shack -- only the linear is larger. The inductor hand crank is quiet and smooth and the tune capacitor is also very smooth.
I operate this configuration mostly on 80 and 40 but I have tuned up this antenna on all HF bands up to 10. I have another antenna that I usually use for 20 (or, 15 and 10 when they are in season), a Traffie Hex Beam, though this balanced dipole will do fine on those bands.
I did open the box only to view with awe and appreciation the fine engineering of this tuner. Everything is big and heavy duty and all connections are made with high-quality connectors.
Cost? Yes, it is expensive but then paying $695 for this fine tuner feels a lot better than paying half for a lesser tuner that I would not be as satisfied with. I highly recommend this tuner for anyone with a balanced antenna configuration.
Caveat: I am indeed a Palstar fan and I also own the AT1KM antenna tuner as well as two WM150 SWR meters as well as the DL2K dummy load.
|
|
DG1FHA
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Aug 14, 2005 05:35
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Excellent Tuner
|
Time owned: more than 12 months
|
Very happy with this tuner. Use the tuner for 12 month. My station antenna is a wire antenna with 2x 27.5 meters and 24.8 meters ladder line. Can work 160 to 10 meters with this tuner without any problem. Well designed and made with perfection. Well chosen parts for 1500 Watt output. You can see more photo's of this tuner on my website (http://www.franz-hegener.de/9227.html) I would do this deal again. Excellent customer service.
|
|
PA1HR
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Aug 7, 2005 02:10
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Excellent Tuner with Excellent Service!
|
Time owned: more than 12 months
|
More than a year ago I bought the Palstar BT1500A at Willy from Communication Systems Rosenberg (CSR) www.gagacom.de or www.palstar.de. Actually I bought seven tuners. For others too.
I use this tuner for two antennas: Inverted Vee of 2 x 10 meters and Sloping Dipole of 2 x 5 meters. Both with homemade open feederline.
After a year of extensive usage I still am very satisfied about the BT1500A.
This tuner does a perfect job on all bands; 160 till 10 meters. No problems at all. Even with a quater wave dipole on 160 meters.
The BT1500A has been built extremely solid! Well chosen parts for 1500 Watt output. A huge variable C and easily turning rolling inductors.
All parts and details of this tuner are well designed and made with perfection.
For me this is a very reliable antenna tuner. I am very happy with it and I am kind of very critical...
The service of such tuners is very important too. Last week I sent a few e-mails to Paul and called him by telephone. He is very helpful and kind. I ordered some spare parts and (almost faster than lightning) received it within the same week at very reasonable costs. Excellent service!
I can recommend this antenna tuner to everyone who likes to use balanced antenna systems.
Palstar IMHO is a high-quality manufacturer of high-quality products for Ham Radio.
The price is very reasonable for such high-quality products.
Are there any cons? I cannot find one.
I feel very happy with this tuner! Not only me, but the other six too say they have made the right choice. No doubts at all.
|
|
N6LN
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Jul 30, 2005 22:59
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Absolutely Top Quality
|
Time owned: 6 to 12 months
|
I like this tuner more than any piece of ham equipment I've ever bought. I have a 75 meter dipole fed with about 200 feet of 450 Ohm ladder line and I can tune it to any HF band, including WARC bands and 60 meters, to nearly 1.0:1 -- including 160 meters, using the feedline/antenna as a longwire. Ten meters loads up well. The key is the huge air variable (you really have to see it to appreciate the workmanship) which has a subsection that splits off as a low capacity unit for the higher bands. Furthermore, I can switch bands and load up almost instantly because the dual roller inductors are driven simultaneously on the same crank. With two degrees of freedom instead of three, I don't have to hunt for the sweet spot. The ease of use is a big plus.
The quality of workmanship is unsurpassed. These units are literally handmade, and built like tanks. In Ohio.
As others have said, the company has excellent customer service. Thanks, Paul.
Worth every penny.
|
|
AK2A
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Jul 13, 2005 05:26
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
The Best
|
Time owned: months
|
|
Very happy with this tuner. I had a problem with the early (discontinued) version and Paul REPLACED my old one with this one. Show me another manufacturer of ham gear that will do that. Thanks Paul!
|
|
PA3HGT
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Jul 13, 2005 03:48
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Recommended !
|
Time owned: 6 to 12 months
|
I have this tuner for more then 6 month's with a great of joy.
The inductorroller is smoother then the inductorroller of my AT1500CV.
Tuning is great and easy only 160 mtrs is a problem with 2 times 20 mtr and 32 mtr openwire.
For the rest: exceptional good tuner and a good powerhandling with 1 Kw+ CW.(Acom 1000 amp)
This tuner is very well build for QRO and you will not regret it when you buy one.
That's why this tuner get my rating of 5.
I had a week ago troubles with my two Palstars because the diodes on the both SWR-printboards were burned out (lighting in the near of my antenna's).I emailed Paul, i got quick response and i received the diodes for free.
That is a very good service i think.
This antennatuner is also a keeper in my shack.
You can see more photo's of this tuner and the AT1500CV on my website.
73,Hans,PA3HGT
www.pa3hgt.nl
|
|
KB6GZ
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Mar 31, 2005 08:25
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Feeds Loop on all bands
|
Time owned: 3 to 6 months
|
I have a 196 foot horizontal loop that varies from 25Ft. high to 10Ft. high. It is feed with 450 ladder line.
The Palstar tuner loads all bands for 80 to 10 with 1:1.1 swr after tuning. The tuner weighs a ton, feels like quality.
I'm happy I spent the extra money.
I also had no trouble running the ladder line thru a gable vent. I am running 700watts.
KB6GZ
|
|
WD9GMG
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Mar 9, 2005 10:55
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Tops
|
Time owned: 0 to 3 months
|
This tuner will do exactly what it says it will do. It will null SWR even on difficult antennas such as a loop. Shortening/lengthening feedline length will not always help even on the more expensive tuners.
Note: Palstar is now producing a BT1500a European version with even greater range (at the same price).
Expensive - yes; Worth it - No question!
|
|
W1RF
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Nov 28, 2004 13:12
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Excellent tuner!
|
Time owned: 0 to 3 months
|
Although I have been an open wire feedline advocate for 40 years, I became introduced to the double balanced "L" designs via the Rick Measures (AG6K) QST article of several years ago. Previous to owning the BT1500A my feedline tuning chores were handled by a home built AG6K unit and a Nye Viking MB-V-A. These are both great tuners, however the MB-V-A is occasionally challenged by 160 and 80 meter balanced loads; likewise my home made balanced tuner does not have suitable component values to be totally effective on 160 and 80. The Palstar BT1500A fits the prescription perfectly. My station antenna portfolio consists of one antenna; a 260 foot flat top fed with 50 feet of home built (550 Ohm) open wire line. I use the Palstar on all bands 160 thru 10 meters inclusive. I have not had to add or subtract any line since making
the equipment transition and, indeed, the previous tuners have set high standards for performance. I am able to null all reflected power on all bands and I have not experienced any flash-overs while using my Ten-Tec Titan l amplifier. I am particularly delighted with the 160 meter performance; I never expected that this tuner would perform on 10 meters given its ability to cover the band edges on 160.
An essential feature of the BT1500A is the
Lo-Hi Z output variable capacitor switching. This has solved a nasty operational problem that I had with the other couplers on 80 meters. Also, the variable capacitor value switching works great and all but eliminates tuning "peakiness" typical on the upper bands with other couplers. The capacitor switching is accomplished by two rugged open frame DC relays. Power for the relays and tuning meter illumination is provided by Palstar via an external 120 vac power cube.
Tuning nulls are easily achieved with the built-in directional coupler/watt meter which returns readings consistent with both my Bird and Nye Viking meters. I do wish that the Palstar meter had greater granularity (deflection) at very low power levels, however. The unit tunes very smoothly and the counter dials make returning to old L/C settings accurate and quick. Intrestingly, the sample "ball park" dial settings provided by the supplier were quite good and formed a base for quick final dial tweaking.
Construction of the BT1500A is impressive. The cabinet and metal work is of excellent quality and won't compromise the appearance of most any station.
The bottom line is that this equipment my technical requirements at a reasonle price, and I am excited about the operational flexibility. Clearly, I would do this deal again!
|
|
K1VZ
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Sep 12, 2004 14:21
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Excellent
|
Time owned: 0 to 3 months
|
I am delighted with this tuner. I looked very carefully at Palstar products at Dayton and was impressed by the quality and construction.
Over the years I've tried plenty of tuners. Previously as well as the ususal MFJ's I've had a TenTec 238A which was okay and then recently tried a T design in the Ameritron ATR-30, but was not impressed. I have come to like the L designs. As I only use either a doublet with 450 ohm ladder line or resonant antennas, this time a balanced approach seemed to be the right way to go.
With this tuner, I was able to almost instantly find 1:1 tuning positions for 1.870MHz, 3.8MHz, 7.155MHz, 14.200MHz, 18.150MHz, 21.300MHz, 24.900MHz, 28.400MHz. All confirmed with a Kuranishi BR200 analyzer. Reports on air were good and with those I often QSo with. Tuning is fast. Sometimes only a quick change of switch and a small turn of the inductor and I'm there! I'm using 240ft. end to end fed at 65ft with about 150ft of 450 ohm ladder line. The radio confirms my settings.
Tuning is smooth, the best I've used for a LONG time. Meter is excellent. Minor point, but personal choice, I would have preferred a slightly brighter meter background but it does look like the old tube radios.
Externally it looks good and is VERY well constructed. The posts for connecting the ladder line are excellent and much better than my ATR-30 which kept coming loose! The external paint is the best I've seen in any product that I've seen for a few years.
I Keep a cheat sheet of my settings for each band and when I go back to those settings the antenna is spot on.
Well done Palstar. A very good and well made product reminiscent of the best tuners of the past. Well worth the money. Delivered to my door in less than one week.
|
|
If you have any questions, problems, or suggestions about Reviews,
please email your Reviews Manager.
|
|
|
|
|
