Manager


Manager - NA4M
Manager Notes

Reviews For: Alinco EDX-2

Category: Antenna Tuners/Matching Networks

eMail Subscription

Registered users are allowed to subscribe to specific review topics and receive eMail notifications when new reviews are posted.
Review Summary For : Alinco EDX-2
Reviews: 18MSRP: 230
Description:
Automatic wire antenna tuner 3.5-30MHz with 8 ft whip 1.6-30 MHz with 40' wire
Product is not in production
More Info: http://www.alinco.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00184.6
K3ICH Rating: 2005-04-07
Perfect Portable Antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have used most all of the current remote auto-tuners, the Alinco EDX-2, Kenwood AT-300, a couple different Icom & SGC versions, all with about the same results. I find that with a typical 2 foot piece of copper water pipe as a ground, and 45 feet of wire to one of those German 30 foot fiberglass zip-up masts, it will outperform any antenna short of a full size, resonant dipole or 1/4 wave vertical. Just clamp the light weight mast to anything handy, a fence post, short tree etc. and run a piece of #24 magnet wire up at an angle to near the top of the mast. Pound in the ground rod and you're all set. In one installation, I had a Cush-Craft R-5 at about 15 feet and was able to switch between it and the auto-tuned wire. Only on ten meters were signals the same. On all other bands, the wire was better. I have used this wire/tuner combo on all bands from 160 to 10 with very good results. The only item of concern is to make sure the length of wire you choose is NOT a half wave *, or muliple of it, on any frequency you plan to use. It turns out that 45 feet meets that requirement and makes for a convenient length for a sloping wire to the 30 foot mast.

* An end fed half wave presents a very high impedance and therefore a very high Voltage at the feed point which could be damaging to the tuner as well as making it near impossible to obtain a match.
KC7TEN Rating: 2004-03-25
Works great Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought my EDX-2 used about three years ago, and it has been working flawlessly in my pickup truck with a DX-70TH ever since. I tune a 102" whip with it, and am quite pleased with the result. This doesn't work like the tri-bander at home, but it beats the heck out of changing resonators for band changes.
G0CJM Rating: 2004-02-19
Unreliable, poor... Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I became the owner of a DX-77. As a disabled person the residence is 'sheltered' with a very tiny garden about four feet by four feet and i realised that unless i utilised fibre glass 'marine type' aerials i was not going to have much joy on the bands. I read about the seemingly 'magic' properties of the edx-2 and decided that it may just work for me and somehow i was able to string 100ft of galvanised wire so i bought the edx-2 new and put it to work. The noise when its working is to be understood, but i was alarmed to find that as it tuned it was drawing 20A. Sometimes in the 40mtr band it would over-run on and on forcing me to switch it off. Though it would give the impression it is tuned to 160 or 80mtrs my meters record a power out of nil. The only frequency i have ever had a qso was on 10.124 and i sought advice from a fellow engineer G0AVP who advised me to cut the wire to 40ft as that was the maximum required. I followed this advice and whilst i am able to receive perfect Top band copy my out put meter again shows only 2 to 3 watts tx. I had hoped i could at least work qrp on all bands. Please advise. Reb g0cjm
W9SWL Rating: 2002-07-03
Very Fine Product Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Works great with Alinco DX70 and IC746. I am running it with a 160' loop @ 7'. Great cloud burner. Super tuner.

Have used it mobile with 102" whip on 40-10M and also used it with OutBacker Perth Plus. Super with both. (Pictures on web site)

My previous review was as WA7UVX using Long Wire.
NE0P Rating: 2002-06-30
Great tuner Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I agree with earlier reviewers. This tuner is a bit noisy, but matched my dipole/long wire no problem, even on 160 meters (it is only an 80 meter dipole). This was the first autotuner I had, and it made band changing a breeze. If you have an Alinco DX70TH I would recommend one of these tuners, especially if you find one for what I paid-$125. Got rid of the DX70TH, and also the tuner, but I think you can wire it for other rigs.

VR2NG Rating: 2001-12-06
Good SWR Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Good ATU, good PCB.
Tune in 5 seconds, but a bit noisy.
WA7UVX Rating: 2000-10-11
Fast and Effective Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've used it with antenna wire from 7-130' and it works great. My antenna is 130' of #14 stranded. Great tuner for the money. The rig is a DX-70T.
WA7UVX - John
VE3OYJ Rating: 2000-08-29
Tunes very well, very fast Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Have had great results when using this tuner with my DX70th.
Has anybody figured out how to wire it for use on other than Alinco rigs?