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Reviews For: SGC SG-239 Smartuner

Category: Antenna Tuners/Matching Networks

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Review Summary For : SGC SG-239 Smartuner
Reviews: 44MSRP: 199.95
Description:
Very small SG-239 Smartuner automatic microprocessor antenna coupler with 68HC711 microprocessor. Coupler can be used within its' power rating with any SSB in range of 1.8-30 MHz. Designed for base station, marine, mobile and ladder feed antenna applications. For antenna types 100ft or longer base or marine whip for full frequency range operation. Housed in an aluminum case.
• Number of channels: unlimited
• Frequency range: Minimum length of 9 feet (7-30 MHz @ 100W), 40 feet (3-30 MHz @ 200W) or 100 feet (1.8-30 MHz @ 100W).
• Power rating: 200 watts* PEP maximum: 12VDC. operation
• SWR: Less than 2:1
• Minimum tune power: 1.5 watts typical
• Supplied with manual.
• Over all dimensions 7.5 x 6 x 1.85 inches
• Under 2 pounds
* For antennas 100 feet or longer.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.sgcworld.com/products/239/239.html
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00444.4
VA7CRH Rating: 2004-05-28
Not happy with the one I had Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
A new ham starting March 2004, got an SCG-239 to go between an Icom 718 and 80 feet of long-wire antenna. It never really worked. The retailer was very helpful in trying to get it going, including how to get it to hold a tune in SSB (whistling into the mike, etc.).

Had it about a month. Spent the better part of an afternoon on the telephone to the Bellevue, Washington, manufacturer. The tech was very helpful, and they get full marks for service.

But in the end, it just didn't work so I cannot comment on those that do. The retailer was very good at taking it back and I traded up to an Icom AH-4 automatic tuner which has run flawlessly ever since. It has the added bonus of being tunable from the Icom rig.

I did manage about 100 QSOs with the SCG-239 when it decided to work. But it was not a "plug in and forget" tuner, it required constant tuning and retuning.

Perhaps you've had better luck with yours. Mine was a headache. The best part was the service people - the retailer and the SCG tech in Bellevue were great. But in the end, mine was a lemon. A "Friday" tuner?
K0ZXU Rating: 2004-03-24
Excellent performance; Great value Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
For my stealth antenna, I chose an end-fed random wire sloper 110' long coupled by the SG-239 at the feed-point. It's been up just a week and I'm very pleased with the results. I wanted it for 80 and 160 meters, but it works great on the other HF bands. It typically tunes to 1.1 or 1.0:1; the worst I've seen on a couple of frequencies is 1.3:1. Tuning time is very fast, just a few seconds for a new frequency. For US$180, this is a great value. Borrowing ideas on the web, I mounted it in a Rubbermaid waterproof container. While it's part of my permanent home antenna system, I won't hesitate to take it on vacation since it will tune most any wire. I haven't needed service from SGC, but they were very responsive to my email questions when I was deciding what to purchase. Thumbs up to SGC for this great product.
VE3TMT Rating: 2004-02-05
Fantastic product & customer support Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Living in a no-antenna apartment, I thought I would be forced to give up my HF operating. I had a Butternut HF6V laying in the basement, which I couldn't install, so I traded it for the SCG239 tuner. In the beginning the tuner worked great. Then I found it wouldn't tune properly. Taking the cover off I discovered why. I had smoked one of the output caps (200 pf @ 12kv). The inside of the tuner was completely black and the board under the cap was burnt through to the other side. Talking with Terry at SGC he determined my antenna was too short for operation on 40m and that is why the cap smoked. He told me to send it in for repair which I did. I then got an e-mail from him saying they would just replace it with a new one, since it was still under warranty, even though I was not the original owner. Talk about excellent customer service. About a week later the tuner arrived and has been working perfectly ever since. I built my own smartlock controller and once tuned it never moves. My TS850 is set to transmit 25W in tune mode and this is more than enough to get the 239 to do its thing. I am now using a stealth 25' wire vertical antenna and the tuner works great on all bands 40-10m.

Hard to decide which is better, SGC's products or their customer service.

Thank you SGC.
KI7YY Rating: 2004-01-09
Great Tuner! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This little tuner is a keeper. Tunes every antenna hooked to it. Switched from large manual transmatch for speed of band hopping. Works Great.
AH6ZZ Rating: 2003-12-21
Outstanding customer support Time Owned: more than 12 months.
High praise for a great coupler at a truly great price -- and what you also get is outstanding support from the technical staff when you run into problems.

Installed a 239 in the trunk of my Toyota Echo for use primarily with Hamsticks. Worked great for about six months, then began to hunt a lot and wouldn't stay tuned. Sent it to SGC. They returned it with no trouble found. Installed it -- constant hunting. Replaced the tuner with two other models -- both worked. Emailed SGC.

We (SGC tech and I) swapped email for several weeks as I tried to figure out the problem. Finally, they asked me to return it again. Sent in and returned within a week -- in fact they sent it Express Mail to Honolulu.

New motherboard. Works like a champ.

Thanks to all of the technical staff and a culture at SGC than offers solutions.

Tom ah6zz
Honolulu

KF9Z Rating: 2003-11-26
Nice economical remote tuner that works very well Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I purchased this unit to tune a remote 80-meter loop antenna. It does a fine job with the exception of sometimes loosing the tuned memory. That requires a quick re-tune and then you are back in business. It is only a minor issue and nothing to be worked up over. There are ways around this (build or buy a smart-lock add-on and that will fix the problem...if you call that a problem). This tuner works very well and will do a great job on just about any piece of copper/aluminum you throw in the air. With a good water-tight enclosure (like a TupperWare 3QT container) you are good for years of outdoor use. Just seal the lid and any hole you put through the plastic and you are set for some time. It is very much worth the asking price of $179.
K0RGI Rating: 2003-09-30
High Quality Coupler Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I run two of these fine couplers. One is in my attic at the feedpoint of an 88' doublet. I haven't found a frequency it won't match, including MARS frequencies. The second sits at the feedpoint of a Force 12 flagpole antenna. I had to mount this coupler in a waterproof box as it isn't weatherproof. Again, no problems matching every frequency I've used. I highly recommend these if you're looking for an inexpensive yet versatile automatic coupler. The only caveat is to make sure you protect it from the elements if you use it outdoors.
N5LB Rating: 2003-09-20
Very effective, priced right Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I use it mobile in my F250 diesel mounted behind the rear seat. Driven by a DX70T it quickly tunes a standard 108" SST CB whip on 80 thru 10. The memories allow incredibly fast recall of previous tuned frequencies. I'm planning on buying 1 or 2 more of them for the home station. It is reliable and its easy to forget that it even exists in the mobile setup. It makes mobile nearly effortless. Great product!

N5LB
MM0ANT Rating: 2003-06-11
Excellent but... Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Works well but really caused problems at a recent NFD event as the unit kept tuning randomly nearly every Dit! We ended up dragging in an old Racal unit which appeared bombproof.

SGC have a mod to fix this but I hope this mod is added to all units in the future. Be ready for some soldering on an SMD capacitor!

Please refer to the document at http://www.sgcworld.com/products/Couplers/appnote.htm
N4HRA Rating: 2003-06-07
Great tuner Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
My SG-239 is only 2 months old and I love it. I have it in a tupperware container with a SO-259 for the feed and 2 binding posts for the antenna connections. It sits in the atic and feeds a G5RV Jr. up 35 feet with 17ft of 450 ladder line. It will tune 80 - 10 meters with almost a 1:1 swr.
I did a lot of reading on antenna tuners and desided the best was a remote autotuner.
when I compaired the LDG and this tuner it ws no contest.
its the best $179.00 I have spent in a while....
Lew
N4HRA