|
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 Heathkit SA-2060A |
|
Reviews: 35
|
Average rating: 4.9/5
|
MSRP: $(1991 Kit) 279.95
|
|
Description: HeathKit SA-2060A Antenna tuner
|
|
(Web site missing—add URL)
|
|
Email Subscription
You are not subscribed to this review.
Subscribe!
My Subscriptions
Subscriptions Help
|
You can
write your own review of the Heathkit SA-2060A.
|
N9GT
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Mar 5, 2006 13:42
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Great Tuner!
|
Time owned: 0 to 3 months
|
|
Since recently buying a SB-200 Amp, I knew right away that my 300 watt tuner wasn't going to do the job any longer. A few years back, I helped a ham buddy of mine assemble his 2060 and I remembered the quality of the components, so I ended up getting one on eBay that was like new. I am using it with a shorty dipole and it works fine. Prior to that, I used it with a random wire and it was able to tune it with zero problems as well. If you can find one in good shape and don't want to pop for a new Palstar, then I would definitely recomend this tuner to anyone. Looks as of this posting they are going for around $300 on eBay, but I have seen them for less on some of the buy/sell boards.
|
|
WA8EBM
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Jan 3, 2006 06:49
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
The Best
|
Time owned: more than 12 months
|
|
Been upgrading the station with a new ProIII transceiver, QRO HF2500DX amp and a SteppIR for the higher bands and was going to replace the 2060A also but just cannot justify it. I use a 100 foot doublet and run full limit on 80 and 40 with smooth tuning and absolutely no problems. I have used the tuner on 160 and it loads fine with 100 watts but have learned in the past to be very careful on 160 with high power and a compromise antenna with previous tuners. A big new Palstar tuner would be nice but Heath had a winner with this design and I love it.
|
|
CE3CDV
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Apr 7, 2005 00:54
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Great
|
Time owned: 0 to 3 months
|
I was using a MFJ 989C with my TS 950SD and COLLINS 30 L1,but the SA-2060A is just super and very happy with it.The only thing that I missed is a direct position as MFJ nothing else.I highly recommend it.When I open both of them to compare it was incredible the difference MFJ looks so cheap in comparison.
73 and Dx CE3CDV
|
|
N7AXW
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Mar 27, 2005 21:41
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
SA 2060A review
|
Time owned: more than 12 months
|
I have owned my SA 2060A for 20 years. It is a top quality piece of gear, but I cannot compare it with anything else, since it is the only tuner I have ever owned. It operates smoothly, tuning anything from a coat hanger to a longwire, although it can take some patience finding the right settings. I occasionally take it apart to tighten up the hardware. That extension between the center knob to the roller inducter likes to come loose. My only complaint is with that inductor control knob. Going from 0-380 on the readout can take a long time. I eventually replaced it with a different knob that allows you to twirl it with the end of your index finger. It works much better.
Wonderful gear... A definite buy.
Don
N7AXW
|
|
W2RS
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Mar 22, 2005 05:56
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Can't be beat!
|
Time owned: more than 12 months
|
I've had one for more than 20 years, and have used it to tune all sorts of antennnas -- random wires, multiband dipoles, G5RVs, even beams -- on 160 through 6 meters, at power levels from 5 W to 1 kW. It never complains, just works. IMHO, its roller-coil design is far superior to tuners using switched taps, such as the Johnson Matchbox it replaced in my shack. The power meters are reasonably accurate as well.
As other reviewers have said, if you can find one at a fair price, buy it!
|
|
K6YE
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Mar 21, 2005 21:36
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
AWESOME
|
Time owned: more than 12 months
|
I HAVE OWNED ONE FOR SEVERAL YEARS. IT WILL TUNE 1.8 THROUGH 29.7, CONTINOUSLY, AT 2KW WITH NO PROBLEM. THE ONLY ISSUE I HAD WAS WITH THE BYPASS POSITION AS IT IS A BIT MISLEADING. IN FACT, IT IS CONNECTED TO A SEPARATE JACK BUT AS LONG AS ONE UNDERSTANDS, IT IS A MINOR AFFAIR. IT ALSO WILL INDICATE FWD/REF POWER ON FAIRLY ACCURATE DUAL METERS. IF YOU CAN FIND ONE AT A REASONABLE PRICE, GRAB IT. YOU WILL NEVER BE SORRY.
TOMMY - K6YE
|
|
NE3A
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Nov 11, 2004 22:21
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
First Class Tuner
|
Time owned: 0 to 3 months
|
I've used a few different antenna tuners in the past and never found one I liked much. Usually I
just make sure my antennas are tuned pretty well to start with. A friend had described how well
the Heathkit SA-2060a was built and when I saw one come up on eBay for a fairly reasonable price, I bought it; thought I wasn't sure that I really needed it.
Well, I have a whole new respect for what a quality antenna tuner can do. The SA-2060a handles full legal power without any fuss at all. The controls are very smooth and it's turned out to be a delight to use. No more clunky tapped coil switches. The darn thing will tune up anything anywhere and the metering turned out to be quite accurate. It lives up to its reputation and is a keeper in this shack.
|
|
W1HEN
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Apr 23, 2004 18:35
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Very pleased
|
Time owned: more than 12 months
|
When I picked up a linear, I looked at all kinds of high power tuners both new and used. Then I read the reviews on eHam.
After reading the glowing reports of the SA-2060A, all I had to do was find one, which I did on a swap net on 40 meters.
So for less than $200 (shipping included) I had one. I had to tighten the bevel gear and the coax connectors on the back and voila! Good as new.
I've been using it to tune my 80 meter loop for over a year now, all bands, all power levels.
Very well built, very durable and can easily handle anything my SB-220 can give it.
Hope you can find one of your own!
-Rick W1HEN
|
|
W9WIS
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Dec 23, 2003 19:07
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Fantastic...
|
Time owned: 3 to 6 months
|
|
I've owned quite a few tuners before including one of the new high power autotuners. I wasn't satisfied with the autotuner and started asking around. I read the reviews here while researching and was convinced I'd like to try the SA-2060A. I found one in as new condition about 4 months ago. What a fantastic tuner ! It's the nicest tuner I've owned. As repeatable as any tuner I've ever used. Better then the Nye I once owned and it takes 1500 watts without complaint. This is a heavy tuner, well designed and built like a tank. I highly recommend this tuner if you can find one. There aren't many around.... if you find one buy it !
|
|
KY6R
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Oct 9, 2003 21:29
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Update
|
Time owned: 3 to 6 months
|
My roller inductor went south recently and I am very happy to say that I was able to very easily repair the problem. The SA-20__ series roller inductors are of a quality rarely seen these days. BUT, over time, they can slip due to the fact that the shaft connectors at each end do not have lock washers or nuts that are otherwise "locked" in place. A better design would have added some kind of stop - so that even if the nut becomes loose, the braid inside the inductor wouldn't break as mine did.
I took a rubber mallet and screwdriver and lightly tapped the end that was loose. I then added a lockwasher and replaced the braid that connected the inductor to the shaft nut (brass and solder-able).
I added new epoxy and now it works like new. Try fixing a new era tuner when its roller inductor goes bad!
There are few other components that can wear like this in these tuners - maybe the ceramic wafer switches, but each and every part in these old tuners can either be repaired or replaced easily.
|
|
If you have any questions, problems, or suggestions about Reviews,
please email your Reviews Manager.
|
|
|
|
|
