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Reviews For: Mizuho KX-2 Sky Coupler

Category: Antenna Tuners/Matching Networks

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Review Summary For : Mizuho KX-2 Sky Coupler
Reviews: 2MSRP:
Description:
SWL/BCL antenna tuner with optional AM broadcast receiving loop. Also great for QRP HF operation. (160-10m, 10W maximum through power.)
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.qsl.net/ku4qd/mizuho/kx.html
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0025
TSW282 Rating: 2003-11-21
Excellent 10 watt tuner Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased the tuner two weeks ago for 40 GBP (a bargain).

I wanted a tuner that could be used mobile or home based, it's perfect for both.

I have given it a lot of use, several hours a day! and it has not let me down yet!

The radio that I use is the Yeasu FT 817 (boosted to 10 Watts)- fantastic combination, lots of DX on several 'home brew' antennas.

Forget the expensive stuff, this is the one - IF YOU CAN GET HOLD OF ONE!!!!!
KU4QD Rating: 2002-09-23
Excellent BCL/SWL tuner, OK for QRP too Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
The Mizuho KX-2 Sky Coupler is a manual antenna tuner designed for shortwave and AM broadcast band listening. It also can handle 10W of through power for HF QRP operation. While I mainly use mine as intended (for shortwave listening) I have tried it with several QRP rigs (Mizuho and Tokyo Hy-Power HF handhelds, Kenwood TS-660 on HF) and found that it can tune just about anything and get a decent match. As with most Mizuho tuners, this one is built like a tank. The controls are large enough and clearly labelled. An optional loop antenna was available for AM broadcast listening.

There appear to be several configurations of KX-2 out there, with or without rack mount handles (mine is with), and, perhaps more importantly, with or without SO-239 connectors. (They all have terminals for wire antennas.) Mine lacks the SO-239 connectors, and based on what I see in my manual the empty holes in the back are perfectly normal. As such, the later KX-3 Sky Coupler (all of which have both sets of connectors) are much easier to use.

For SWLing I have nothing but nice things to say about this tuner. It works, period. I wish it had an SO-239 output for my transceiver is all. It isn't hard to add one, though, and I likely will. For a QRP ham tuner it's a bit big compared to Mizuho's own KX-QRP or the new SX-9S.

All in all it's a good tuner, but the newer models are better.