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write your own review of the ICOM AT-180.
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N8FXH
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Rating: 1/5
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May 8, 2009 07:53
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good mobile tuner
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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The capacity to tune on this over priced mobile tuner is poor. It definitely won't handle anything higher than 3 to 1 ,which most rigs will handle without a tuner. It's only redeeming feature is that it's quiet but maybe that's because it's not doing much. For use with a mobile whip which is close to resonance this piece of Icom Failure would be OK, but don't expect it to handle a multiband wire antenna. The real price for this thing should be $150 not what Icom wants.
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N0YXE
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 15, 2009 21:38
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Re-ordered the At-180
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I just purchased (again) another new 706 to use with my 756 Pro III, as a back-up and for Ten meter FM repeaters. I went "cheap" by buying the new LDG IT-100 tuner. After I discovered that it doesn't tune 10 meter FM much below 2:1, I decided to call it quits. I re-ordered the AT-180. As I recall, it was fast, quiet, and an excellent unit. The vertical that I'm using has an SWR of around 2.7:1 on 29.600. There is no excuse for the LDG. I've had other problems with LDG autotuners in the past and ended up sending them back, too! Save yourself grief and spend the extra bucks for the very best, the AT-180. If your using the G5RV and the SWR is high (over the 3:1 limit) you might want a multi-band inverted-vee with overall lower SWR (mostly below 2:1). Try an Off Center Fed Dipole. Most all your SWR with be lower and if you plan to use an amp that is fussy with an antenna that has high SWR, it should be content with the OCF. I have an excellent article on OCF's if you would like to read it.
E-mail me at: tbgspaceship@yahoo.com
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N8FXH
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Rating: 2/5
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Jan 24, 2009 13:19
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expensive joke
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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The more I used this tuner the less I like it. Any LDG Tuner has more capacity to tune an unbalanced antenna than this thing. It is only good for use with a beam where the SWR is less than 2 to 1. It looks nice and is relatively quiet but is very limited
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KX5F
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 28, 2008 09:17
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Worked fine for me.
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Had one for several years with a 706 and a 706mrk2, never had one problem used it mobile and in the shack. Also Had a LDG tuner, it seemed the hype was better than the actual tuner. 73 Patrick kx5f
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N8FXH
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Rating: 4/5
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Oct 28, 2008 04:51
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Good not perfect
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have owned this tuner for about 14 months now and most of the time it delivers but when I replaced my old fan dipole cut for 80-40-17 with a WA2NAN G5RV, I noticed the dreaded retuning while talking syndrome on 17 meters only. Well I switched radios to my old FT 890 and guess what and 17 laid down to 1.1 to 1 and it also tuned 30 Meters down to 1.2. I guess I had have to use the old rig for 17. That is sad. but the AT 180 quietly tunes everything else just fine.
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G0VTI
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 25, 2008 01:55
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Simply the best
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I bought an Icom AT-180 quite a few years ago and have had excellent service from it. It has tuned my various half size G5RV antennas over the years perfectly on all bands 40, 30, 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10Mtrs. It does not tune on 80Mtrs but the half G5RV is not for this band.It also tunes my vertical for 6Mtrs very well
I mistakenly decided to sell my old AT-180 and purchase a new LDG-7000 to go with my new IC-7000 rig. The LDG write up convinced me this was a great tuner and the one for me.
The tuner was easily installed and worked well when demand from IC-7000 was received but that where the good new ended. In my opinion the tuner was a pile of junk. It would not tune my half G5RV antenna anywhere near as good as my old AT-180. It was veruy noisy as well.
I was unable to tune my antenna on 30 mtrs my favourite CW band or on 17 mtrs. On the other bands it would tune them but not to the standard of the AT-180
After a few months of struggling I sold the LDG-7000 and I am now the proud owner of a brand new Icom AT-180 and straight away all bands tuned perfectly on my half G5RV.
Not cheap here in the UK, not as many memories but solid, reliable, tunes in seconds with no noise.
Well done again Icom and thanks.
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N8FXH
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 6, 2007 19:32
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So far so good
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I Bought one of these tuners about six weeks ago to use with an Icom 718 and it works very well and is very quiet. I have no complaints so far.
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N7KOM
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Rating: 4/5
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Sep 12, 2007 08:39
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available hook-ups were a surprise
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I just bought an at180 for my ic-718 and as you know there were no instructions with it but the surprise was the available hook-ups on the at180. It came with 2,13 pin and 1,8 pin (labeled ACC2)female plugs ready to be plugged into. This was great because I plan to hook up my radio for psk31, etc and I was worried about not having the plugs available to use. The at180 works great with my ic-718 by the way
The 4 rating was because of the lack of paper-work with this unit. It had none,which has been mentioned before. 73's
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KE7GUE
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Rating: 3/5
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Jul 27, 2007 16:42
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AT-180
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I bought a ICOM 7000 and it is a great radio. I also bought the AT-180 that on some frequencies seems to automatically tune good. However, on some bands, it tunes up good 1:1.2 and as I am talking, VSWR drops out after a several seconds and I can watch it go out. I do a manual retune and it happens again after a few seconds. On other bands, it seems to hold VSWR for longer time. a G5RV-M (160-10 meter) antenna is used in an inverted V with ladder line to coax feed as recommended. I finally bought a manual tuner and it is possible now for me to talk for some time with 1:1.5. I am not sure why AT180 does not hold.
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KG7UY
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Rating: 0/5
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Feb 8, 2007 16:42
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ICOMS MOST USELESS PRODUCT
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Icom makes some great products, but the AT-180 is not one of them. The cheapest LDG tuner blows it away. I will admit that it looked good next to the 706 MII G but would not reduce a 3:1 down to 2:1. I sent it back to Icom , they sent it back with a note that it was ok. That is it. I gave it away to sweeten the deal on a used 706 that I sold. I am using the LDG tuners now and have had zero problems so far(maybe lucky?) I still have the 706 and it has been a great radio the last 4 years. Buy a 706, forget the tuner.
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