Manager


Manager - NA4M
Manager Notes

Reviews For: Wanzer Z-Match

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 : Wanzer Z-Match
Reviews: 11MSRP: 139 / 159 metered (1980)
Description:
Legal Limit 1.8-30 MC Impedance Matcher manufactured in the 1960's by Wanzer Co. of Portland Or. No longer in production.
Product is in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
24.5114.3
K7RZF Rating: 2002-03-05
The great little tuner that time (and everyone else) forgot! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought my Z-Match from the 1980 QST ad shown and direct from the company then in Spokane. I have used it for 22 years with every type of antenna. It has performed well for me and matched whatever I hitched to it. I have run CW at 800+ watts out without a problem. If you can handle a Spartan existence, you could live blissfully with this tuner. If a monastery had a club station, they'd probably go for a Wanzer.
No antenna switching, no balun or dummy load. Mine is the unmetered version. A basic faithful workhorse. I don't give it a 5 because it lacks the modern conveniences that I, 22 years older, would go for today. The only problem I have had with it in all this time is with the roller inductor. If you tune it too hard against the low end stop, it could jump off it's track. It has happened to me a half dozen times through the years when I wasn't as attentive as I should have been. To fix it you need to remove a side panel and put it back on track. Gave the caps and the roller inductor an annual bath with tuner cleaner to clean out the cobwebs, that's it for maintenance. The Wanzer is the Volkswagen of tuners in my book. A well built, economical workhorse that gets the job done. As I get older, I must confess the thought of trading it in on a Cadillac version is becoming more appealing. Maybe next year.