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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
DU1UTD Rating: 2003-05-07
Keeper Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Bought the palstar because of the review. A little bit pricey but well worth the money.Quality build and reasonably accurate swr and power meter. And queries to Paul are answered to my satisfaction.
W6OJ Rating: 2003-03-17
Great High Quality Tuner Time Owned: more than 12 months.
My experience with the Palstar AT1500C has been excellent. I knew that it was going to be a good product when I saw how it was so carefully packed for shipping. It uses high quality components throughout and is very heavy duty with the feel of a military spec piece of gear.

Now, how does it work? I first used it with a 20 meter dipole slung under my roof eve about 9 feet off the ground running 100 watts SSB, and have gotten 5X9 signal reports from several continents. Then I put a DXEE up in the same location and it tunes flawlessly on 10-12-15-17-20 with 5X9s worldwide...I haven't used it on 40-80 but have no reason to think that it wouldn't work equally well there. It is easy to use, has a nice big lighted view meter that is a dream. It has ample output connections for all types of antennas... coax fed (2), balanced line (ladder), end-fed wire, etc. so it is multi-talented. The antenna switches and tuning dials (input and output) on the front are smooth turning, top quality and well calibrated. The large inductor has a very readable dial on the front that is easy to use. Finally, it has a very good manual with photos of all front and back panel hardware as well as typical settings for all the bands. After using it for a while, I created a desk top "cheat sheet" with setings unique to my antenna characteristics which allows me to switch fom 10 to 20 meters or any other band in under 10 seconds... simple!

I've had absolutely no problems with this tuner and therefore no reason to contact Palstar in the past year. It is not the cheapest tuner on the market, but well worth the quality. And, I felt that I'd buy one quality tuner that would handle full power on all bands and never have to worry about matching again. It's a lifetime investment and I'm happy and proud to own and recommend the Palstar AT1500C
AG5Y Rating: 2003-01-06
Good tuner - backed by good company Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I needed some work done on my tuner and sent the tuner to Paul. They fixed the tuner and returned it to me within two weeks - and that was over the holidays!! Paul understands customer service and makes a very solid tuner.
W2RJL Rating: 2003-01-05
Worth every dollar Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
There are only 2 companies out there making "REAL" antenna tuners, 1 is PALSTAR and the other is Nye Viking. You will have to do your own homework on these 2 tuners. Only problem with Nye is that it has a very long waiting list for purchasing unless you can find a dealer who keeps a well stocked store room. Nye is busy with goverment contracts for now. Anyway, both those tuners are running neck and neck with each other, workmanship and performance!!! I had one of those "Mighty Fine Junk" tuners (962D) and that is the best way to describe MFJ - MIGHT FINE JUNK!!! Problems from day one: I heard metal jingling around inside, that's what made me take off the cover of the can of worms! Problems with meter, lamps, caps, inductor, loose screws, pieces of solder and what looks like CRUMBS from someones sandwich and a dried coffee stain - that someone was eating when building this piece of SHI?

The Palstar AT1500cv is one QUALITY built tuner and worth every penny of the $430.00 I spent. Paul and his staff at Palstar were very helpful, courteous and very professional! This is the last tuner I'll ever OR you'll ever have to buy. Only tuner better than the Palstar AT1500cv is the Palstar AT4K. I have a friend who is using that one(AT4K) and he sends a DITTO to everything I just mentioned above.

73's for now as I have to go write a "Super Duper" review for the MFJ tuners - hihi!!!

Rich W2RJL
N4QT Rating: 2002-12-12
Great Tuner!! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I did a comprehensive review of all high power tuners now on the market. I run an Alpha 87A full tilt at 1500 watts. The PalStar has no problem handling the high power Alpha. Reset is right on the money each time I change bands. Light years ahead of any MFJ tuner on the market. Brings back memories of my old Drake gear. Well done PalStar you have my future business.
K4HX Rating: 2002-11-17
Very nice! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased one of these units based upon the comments I read here in eHam.net's reviews. I am glad I did! The tuner works quite well, and looks great.

When my AT1500cv arrived, the calibrated dial plate behind one of the capacitor tuning knobs was loose and wobbly. When I tried to remove the knob to tighten the plate, the set screw in the knob broke, making it impossible to get to the loose plate. I had to destroy the knob to get it off its shaft. Fortunately, Paul at Palstar's customer service cheerfully shipped me a replacement knob and vernier assy. via next-day-air at no charge! You can't ask for better service than that.

Turned out that the loose plate problem was caused by a stripped out mounting screw that was too long, and had bottomed out against the vernier housing. Adding a small washer cured the problem.

The initial aggrivation with the knob problem has been forgotten, and I am tickled with the operation and appearance of this product. It handles the full output of my Drake L-7 amp (pair of 3-500z's) with no complaints.
AB0SI Rating: 2002-10-02
works well, but 1Kw max Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
The 1500 seems to be able to tune just about anything. Two coax connections plus a balanced/single wire connection is very nice. Seems to be built rather soundly.

Palstar seems to have cleaned up its ad copy. They now clearly state 1Kw max single tone and 1.5Kw PEP. The meter, however, is still the two range 300/3000w one.

You can easily bypass the tuning curcuit on the front panel.

Would I recommend it? Well, the options in this power range are limited. It is certainly better than the MFJ companies' offerings.
GW3NCT Rating: 2002-07-20
Careful with the power! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought mine secondhand with the centre inductor. Running it into a 5RV using the balanced outputs with the internal 3:1 balun and the balun burnt out within seconds at around 600 Watts key down. The SWR was about 1.5:1 at the time of the burn. May have been abused by previous owner. Re-wound with superior quality wiring and now seems ok.

Tunes most anything. Changed from the 5RV to the G2DYM trap dipole and works even better.

Would I buy another? No. I would wait for a Hamfest and look for a homebrew job.
G3CWI Rating: 2002-07-03
OK I guess Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
"AT1500cv Antenna Tuner 1500 Watts" it says on the carton - but just check out the manual. The specification section says 1200 W single tone, 1.5kW PEP but later in heavy type twice it says DO NOT USE MORE THAN 1000W AVERAGE (SINGLE TONE). The Watt meter is calibrated to 3000W. Here in the UK such "specmanship" would probably be illegal.

So what's it like? The outside looks fine. The slow motion drives on the capacitors work ok. The turns counter on the L is OK too. The rear connectors for wires are pretty poor. They are nylon with small diamater and rather short threaded rods for the wires connections. Inside is pretty much OK. The inductor looks quite good but the end stops (bent bolts) betray a cheap and cheerful approach. The capacitor plate spacing is pretty narrow (4.5kV) but they seem to work on most (but not all) loads.

Overall, this is a pretty typical "ham" product. It may well be one of the best on the market but it is made to a price.
K4WYS Rating: 2002-06-19
Great Product Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased the last one on hand at Dayton, 5 people in line behind me were sad. But, I understand they shipped others the next week. All you had to do was look at the quality of craftsmanship of the unit. This unit replaced an AT1500. The complaint that the inductor is not smooth, is because the roller graps the coil edge and does not allow any skips. They make all of the major parts now and you can count on their warranty. (They paint the connections, so if you mess with the works they will know it.) I use it on a 160 meter Carolina Windom and a mini-beam, I have not found a frequency that the unit will not match the load to the transmitter which is a IC-756Pro2. Oh yes, the old AT1500 is on my backup rig and it has no problem with my G5RV-Super (18 watts 40 m AM better than S-9, 200+ miles). These new on board tuners have limits and multi-band antennas can fool the auto's; the hi-Q of a good tuner (Trans-match) will improve the system and save that expensive rig. BEST BUY. Sonny, K4WYS