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Reviews For: LDG Z-11 ProII

Category: Antenna Tuners/Matching Networks

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Review Summary For : LDG Z-11 ProII
Reviews: 4MSRP: $179.99
Description:
The LDG Z-11 Pro2 follows the successful Z-11 and Z-11Pro. This series of tuners has as accompanied adventurous hams to their backyards, and to the ends of the earth. The Z11Pro2 is portable tuner designed from the ground up for battery operation. And it operates on a lower voltage than its predecessor for longer operation in the field. Only 5" x 7.7" x 1.5", and weighing only 1.5 pounds, it handles 0.1 to 125 watts, making it ideal for both QRP and standard 100 watt transceivers from 160 - 6 meters.

The Z-11Pro2 uses LDG’s state-of-the-art processor-controlled Switched-L tuning network. It will match dipoles, verticals, inverted-Vs or virtually any coax-fed antenna. With an optional LDG balun, it will also match long wires or antennas fed with ladder-line.

The Z-11Pro2 has 2,000 memories in LDG's exclusive "3-D Memory" array, automatically storing tuning configurations for each frequency and band as you use them, for each of four antennas on the single RF port. Frequency sensing circuitry lets the Z-11Pro “know” your operating band and frequency. Whenever you transmit on or near a frequency you have used before, the Z-11Pro retunes from memory almost instantly (even in SSB!). Memories are retained indefinitely. Rugged and easy-to-read LEDs indicate SWR and status. The Z-11Pro uses latching relays which retain the tuned configuration even when powered down; current draw when not tuning is effectively zero.
Product is in production
More Info: https://ldgelectronics.com/index.php/products/zero-power/z-11pro/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0044.3
KT4WO Rating: 2022-09-05
Worth the money Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had a few of these tuners for years and they work
great. I have never needed support and it sounds like that is
a good thing. I have never heard anything good about LDG support. But unlike MFJ, you don't have to FIX IT when you
get it !!! They just work as they should and are quality.
Seems like ALOT of folks don't understand how a L-network
tuner works! They WILL NOT "tuna a can" like a T-network
tuner will. But as long as you are not trying to "tune" a 8 foot
whip on 160 meters, they will work fine.
5B4AMD Rating: 2021-02-20
Nice but LDG support no no Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
It is not my first LDG tuner. I know that after sales support is awfull ,but i was not expecting the following. But before let me tell you about the tuner.
Pros
Affordable(and not cheap), nice build, small, light, does the job,amazing for portable but great at home as well

Cons
Takes time for full cycle(but it's ok), after sales is awfull,you have to open it to install the battery pack which is not included(why?is it so expensive to add a battery holder and an on/off switch?)

Lets cut to the chace now. I had a minor issue with this tuner. I was not able to save manual settings. So after a full tuning cycle ,i made some "corrections" by hand to have a perfect 1:1 ,and after that i tried to save my new settings. I was not able to do it.
I contacted tech support, and to make long story short a guy from LDG actually told me "do not expect much from this tuner because it is cheap, if need more go buy another brand"
So either this guy has major issues or he works for a competitor and he is a spy in LDG! Ahaha!
Anyway ,he was not able to understand that the problem was to not able to save the manual settings, and he kept telling me how not to expect much from the tuner and that my antenna is "out of range".
So conclusion. If you are lucky and you have an LDG product which works it will work for ever. If you experience any issues then go buy an MFJ tuner, after LDGs tech support suggestion!ahaha!

Tuner 10/10
After sales -100/10

73s
W2TXB Rating: 2021-01-25
I like this tuner! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
As a current user of a Kessler AT-Auto that is an excellent antenna tuner, I was somewhat concerned that the Z-11 Pro II would not measure up to what I am used to. While a ~$170 tuner will not perform like a >$1000 tuner, the LDG is a heck of a nice unit that does its job admirably.

I bought the LDG to use with my new (last week) IC-705, and it has been flawless so far. Maybe, as I put more time on it, I will update this review.
KD1JT Rating: 2021-01-21
Works as it should! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
My second LDG tuner, the first being the one I bought maybe 20 years ago, the original Z11. This one works well with my FT-891, with a wide variety of portable antennas ...verticals, dipoles, slopers, Vee's, L's, random wires ... whatever I plug into it. Admittedly, I try to tune the antennas to resonance when I can. The blinky light interface is rather lame, but easy to get used to.

It'll run on internal AA battery power or a 12V DC source, uses no current when not actually tuning, so great for battery powered portable ops.

I'm not one of those guys who looks for 1.1:1 SWR ... if the radio doesn't fold back (ie; the SWR is well below 3:1) and puts out full power, that's as good as it gets. Tuners don't change the antenna's resonance, they only change what the radio "sees" as system impedance.

And it has 2000 memories, not 8000. And ONE antenna port. And the supplied link is for the previous model. Someone really botched the description above!