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Reviews For: PalStar AT1500CV

Category: Antenna Tuners/Matching Networks

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Review Summary For : PalStar AT1500CV
Reviews: 68MSRP: 429.95
Description:
Antenna Tuner with CERAMIC roller inductor. 1500 Watt.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.palstar.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00684.8
N4DAG Rating: 2018-03-12
best ham equipment ever Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I bought the AT1500CV almost a year ago used. I was unable to make it work due to damage to it before I purchased it. The staff at Palstar were terrific helping determine what was needed. They brought it completely up to new specs at a very reasonable price and quickly. The previous experience was was mfj mod's 941 and 989. The Palstar is in a quality world of its own. Just perfect!
KU4GW Rating: 2017-03-23
I LOVE IT! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I purchased my AT1500CV 6 years ago from a ham in Florida who had it posted on a swap.qth.com ad for $300. He said he had never owned a amplifier and that he had never ran more than 100 watts through it and it works fantastic! I haven't encountered a antenna yet that it won't match! Tunes my 260 feet doublet fed with 450 ohm ladder line on all bands 10-160 meters. A friend had told when I bought my Ameritron AL-80B amplifier for me to buy a Palstar antenna tuner and it would be the last antenna tuner I'd ever have to buy and he made a true statement there! I love the thing and got a great deal on this used one. It will remain in my shack from now on!
G4AON Rating: 2017-01-22
Does what it says on the box Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
The ARRL review in 2003 QST mentioned the capacitors as being 240 pF, the one I have shows 315 pF in the manual and tunes the lower end of 80m on a 100 foot doublet easily.

The use of a built in 4:1 Voltage balun is not something that is generally considered good practice these days, the common mode rejection is poor and the step down can make tuning difficult and also increase loss by making a low impedance antenna even lower. My doublet is fed with a home made 1:1 current balun external to the tuner, with this the tuner works fine.

Tuning is smooth and easy and the dual meter is fine for tuning with as little as 10 Watts of drive.

Overall it was a good buy on the second user market, the reason for the 4 rather than 5, is the use of that 4:1 Voltage balun.
G8ITB Rating: 2015-11-12
Grown to hate the 3 controls! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought on of these last year from an SK sale, and found the rotary multi-mode switch rotated continuously without detent or stop! Examination revealed that Palstar failed to realise that a rotary switch frequently has a washer with a lug that is intended to slip into a hole in the mount and lock the mechanism in place. Palstar just put the lug on backwards and failed to make any provision to secure the mechanism of the front wafer - there is a long shaft running back to the rear of the ATU box for other switching. When the mounting washer loosened the whole mechanical assembly and front wafer became free and the wires to the metering box were pulled off the wafer.
A simple fix - though rather fiddly in the combined space - as I actually disassembled the lot and put in a new 'L' shaped and properly drilled mount.
I have since seen this problem occur on a number of Palstar ATUs. (I also own a AT1KP and made a new 'L' bracket for that before any problems).
As for it's ATU function it works without any issues - it's main use is with a modded G5RV with 300 ohm feeder direct to the balanced terminals.
Why the hate - I use the AT1500CV at a holiday cottage - and an AT1KP at home! I've grown to hate the 3rd control on the AT1500CV - it really slows things down! But that's just me being ..... !!
As an ATU it functions perfectly - for my use!

So if you see any Palstar manual ATU going cheap with a spinning main switch - it's a simple fault - but fiddly to repair - well worth the (hopefully) cheap price on the repair shelf!
73

Richard G8ITB
VE1YY Rating: 2014-10-28
Going Strong in Year 6! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The antenna matching unit, of course, being in the shack, is more of a transmission line - plus - antenna matching unit. We purists might argue, but the fact is the AT-1500CV has served me well for over six years. I opened it today for the first time after ops of up to 1000 watts in casual, contest, and net operations, on CW, digital, and phone modes. She is pristine! The coil and capacitors unsullied. I did a little cleaning, nevertheless, and buttoned her up. I noted that the AMU is ‘BUILT’: anodized aluminum chassis of considerable thickness, high voltage variable capacitors and variable inductor, high voltage antenna switches, robust (and huge) balun for open wire lines, SWR sensor directly connected to the input side and sensed voltages remoted to the front panel, and cover case secured with multiple screws.

I endorse!

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Earlier 5-star review posted by VE1YY on 2014-10-26

The antenna matching unit, of course, being in the shack, is more of a transmission line - plus - antenna matching unit. We purists might argue, but the fact is the AT-1500CV has served me well for over six years. I opened it today for the first time after years of 25, 100, and 1000 watt ops in casual, contest, and net operations, in CW, digital, and phone modes. She was pristine! The coil and capacitors unsullied. I did a little cleaning, nevertheless, and buttoned her up. I noted that the AMU is ‘BUILT’: anodized aluminum chassis of considerable thickness, high voltage variable capacitors and variable inductor, high voltage antenna switches, robust (huge) balun for open wire lines), SWR sensor directly connected to the input side and sensed voltages remoted to the front panel, and cover case secured with multiple screws.

I endorse!
W8NIC Rating: 2014-03-10
Do yourself a favor and get one Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Got mine used, scratched up and beat up but when I hooked it up and ran 1kw thru it? WORKED LIKE A DREAM!!! still have it and still kicks a$$.
W6YDE Rating: 2013-02-10
Very nice Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I purchaesed my AT1500CV right at the time when the newer upgraded version was comming out. I use it only to tune a 80 meter rotaing dipole at the high end of 80 meters.

I have had no problem with this tuner. The inductor crank is smooth and very east to turn. The capacitor tuning knobs are geared and very easy to set with fine adjustments.

The switch for the antenna sellection is easy to turn with a positive fell for each setting.

I fell it is very nice for the money I paid.
KJ7GI Rating: 2011-11-17
A workhorse! Time Owned: more than 12 months.

Got my tuner off eBay several years ago and it's never given me a moments worth of trouble. It tunes just about everything I've thrown at it. I've never ran more than 200 watts but have no doubt it would handle high power just fine.
If I ever need another tuner I would certainly look to PalStar first. This is a well made product and everything in the shack that's HF goes through this tuner. A true workhorse!
Mike/KJ7GI

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Earlier 5-star review posted by KJ7GI on 2009-04-10


Buy one of these used before you purchase anything new from MFJ. I've had several MFJ tuners and there's no comparison. Palstar wins hands down.
The AT1500CV tunes my full wave loop (7mhz) anywhere I take it...160 thru 10 meters. It's also pretty beefy..doesn't tend to move around as you're tuning.
I would recommend this tuner without hesitation. Mike/KJ7GI
ZL4TE Rating: 2011-11-07
update Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Originally wrote my review in the UK as G0SVO.

Still got the same unit, and it is usually run with 500w from an 811 amp.

The unit has never given a moments problem, and I have to say, still looks and feels great after 4 + years of almost daily use and having travelled half way around the world.

Would I recommend Palstar? Without a doubt. This is a class product worth every penny.
G3RXO Rating: 2011-01-12
Impressive service Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought my AT1500CV some years ago. I had never bought a manufactured ATU before. I selected the AT1500CV from advertisments and reviews as potentially being the best value for money, and I was not dissappointed. It has been of sterling service.

Perhaps the drive shaft gears could offer less nonchalance at 'the point of sale' as it were, and perhaps the turns counter could be illuminated for the same reason that the meter is, but I commend it thoroughly.

Of much importance is the supplier's quality of after service. I recently determined that the roller-coaster in my AT1500CV needed cleaning. Upon revealing the roller I was unsure as to the approved cleaner and lubricant to be employed and so I so e-mailed Palstar for advice, at midday on New Year's Eve, a Friday. I presumed that I was not going to receive a reply until the following week.

Paul Hrivnak the owner of Palstar however replied that same afternoon. He provided advice as to cleaning and lubrication and posted me some spare Palstar lubricant gratis.

It is only Palstar's components that are silvered, their service is gold.