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Reviews For: Yaesu FC-30

Category: Antenna Tuners/Matching Networks

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Review Summary For : Yaesu FC-30
Reviews: 41MSRP: 200.00
Description:
Matching Tuner for FT897 - mounts on the side of the FT897
Product is in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00413.2
CR7000 Rating: 2012-04-10
Works as it should ! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Works exactly as it should and will handle swr up to 3:1

If you want to tune a wire then go for the fc-40, yaesu clearly state this tuner is not really for a longwire
However if the swr of the longwire is below 3:1 then it will tune it, no problem

I also used the LDG AT-897 and prefer the fc-30 hands down

The LDG model is very hit and miss, you can tune up on a frequency and it will give you 1:1, tune up again and it will be 2:1, dont know why this is - But the yaesu gives me 1:1 everytime and works exactly as it should.
CJ5 Rating: 2011-04-17
Great investment Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Against my better judgement (after reading some of the negative reviews here) I went ahead and purchased this tuner, and I have to say that I was more than impressed with ease of operation, and how great the tuner worked out of the box. After using my new FT-897D for the first time yesterday, I jumped on the 17M band, fine tuned my antenna within a reasonable SWR range, and hit the autotune button on the transceiver, and it gave me 1:1 SWR in a snap. No more adjusting my radial with frustration. I think some Hams need to understand how SWR works, and how an autotuner like this one is not meant to perform SWR miracles on antennas that are not reasonably tuned for the respective bands you want to operate on. I've yet to be let down by Yaesu products. A great company!
DL6SRD Rating: 2010-05-10
Great addon - works perfect Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
This is a great (and fast) FT-897 addon tuner. It works perfect! My HF allband antenna is a Sloper and gives a VSWR of 4 at 40 meters, other bands all below or up to 3. So increased FT-897D hidden menu # 70 (VSWR3 10W) to 50. Originally it was at 33. Works flawlessly. Highly recommend this tuner. Additionally you are able to switch internally as described in the manual to have it in line for receive & transmit. Construction is solid also.
M3VXJ Rating: 2009-09-08
Does what it says on the box Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
This bolts on the side of the FT-897D and will only tune an Antenna with SWR of 3:1 or less. It looks the part and is good and solid.

I sold my first FC-30 and replaced it with an LDG AT-897 but this burnt out a coil on 100 watts output and also felt quite cheap and nasty.

I have now bought another FC-30 and am very pleased with it.
NC2F Rating: 2009-08-22
It does what it was built to do. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I had both the FC-30 and the LDG-897 tuners to compare and in the end I stuck with the Yaesu FC-30 despite it's tuning range being less than the LDG specifications. Suffice to say, I put more effort into getting my antenna's SWR down and relied less on any tuner solution. The FC-30 worked every time, the LDG didn't (and I didn't want to spend the time to work with with LDG to figure out what was wrong with their tuner (a problem reported by others too), so I returned it and was happy to pay the 15% restocking fee to be rid of the LDG tuner.

In the end, the FC-30 works every time as advertised within the specification it was designed to perform.

Oh yeah, on last thing. THe FC-30 looks like it is part of the 897, the LDG, well, just looked horribly out of place.

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Earlier 4-star review posted by NC2F on 2006-09-24

In my review below I failed to mention the lack of the available CAT port while the FC-30 is connected to the FT-897. Others reviewing the FC-30 who mentioned this are correct about Yaesu not incorporating a design like LDG did so a CAT cable can be used in conjuction with the tuner. This is an advantage for the LDG AT-897, and for those who use the CAT port for logging or PSK, etc, this is a key reason to go with the LDG instead. Therefore I add a "less than 5" for this oversight by Yaesu.
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So far so good. Has met every expectation I have had for it. I have used it with a few different antennas such as dipoles cut for designated bands, an OCF Windom 80m thru 10m, and a CBP (Commercial Buddipole) all with excellent results. 1.1 - 1.3:1 in all cases. Not for nothing, if your antenna's SWR exceeds 3:1 for the portion of a band you are trying to use, I would suggest you look at the antenna set-up and try to make it more resonant to the band your are trying to work. Remember, tuners, for the most part, are not improving your antenna's design, it's covering for the antennas's shortcomings. No antenna is perfect on all bands and all portions of a band, but you should be able to keep the portion you use at or under a 3:1 SWR. If you can't and you are not in a position to redesign your antenna, maybe a trans match at the antenna end could serve as a compromise to help lower the SWR before it gets to your tuner.

Despite being a fan of some other products made by LDG (such as some of their accessories I own for my FT-817, and the FT Meter for the 897), I didn't like the LDG's fit and finish of LDG's AT-897 tuner. So I opted to try the FC-30 first with the idea it was as bad as some here said it was, it would go back. Well, I'm keeping it. This set-up all goes into a pelican case and stays with our Airstream Travel Trailer when we go camping, but becuase I like the 897 so much, it is always fighting for air time between my FT-920 and FT-101ZD, my two other favorite rigs.

Summation: If you already have or are pondering to buy the FT-897, don't think twice about adding the FC-30 to the mix. It keeps everything working just fine.
LU5DDX Rating: 2009-08-07
mas de lo esperado Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
yo muchas veces dudo de comprar algun elemento de radio por algunos review y este es el caso mas grande para mi..
si usted lee el puntaje de este at piensa que es dinero tirado .. bueno yo pensaba lo mismo pero lo campre igual y que sorpresa !!!
el at anda de maravilla ajusta igual que cualquier at de los que vienen incluido en los equipos .. ni mas ni menos .. este at les recuerdo que no es para una long-wire no !! es para dipolos , yaguis , antenas balanceadas y cuya resonancia este al menos cerca de la frecuencia de trabajo .. par ser mas graficos mi V invertida de 20mts es sintonizada en 10 -15-6 sin problemas no lo hace en 80mts .. ahora puedo trabajar en en 80 mts con esa antena ??? no !!! ni en 15 mts tampoco pero la ajusta !!!
es rapido y ajusta una yagui con 3.5.a 1 sin problema .. son puntos de vista aca mismo le dan 5/5 a un ten-tec omniVI plus y les aseguro que un ts-440 es una nave espacial comparado ..
para gusto pintan colores !!!! saludos jorge
EI3GRB Rating: 2009-05-31
does what it says on the box. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
after testing this little baby for the last months,

tucked away under the dash of my 4X4 (out of sight out of mind)

the tuner does what yaesu claims .... no more no less

i use mono band whips on my mobile & the FC 30 allows me to jump from 1 end of the band to the other with no fuss.

people who bought this for tuning wire aerials etc.,obviously did not bother to check the specs. before hand, & bought blindly.

would have no hesitation buying another 1 if needed.
M0ARM Rating: 2008-09-08
Does what it says on the tin! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
For me this tuner works fine (HF/6M dipoles, halos, verticals etc.) and as per specification and caveats from the manual - a bit pricey, a bit noisy but I'm more than happy with it to-date!

73,
Les, M0ARM
W6GQ Rating: 2008-08-02
NON TUNER Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Well I bought mine thinking these reviews were not accurate because I did see some good ratings.

NOPE I WAS WRONG.

Go ahead and believe these guys that give more than one review on the same item to pump up the feedback rating, you too will be selling your FC-30 on Ebay.

Sure it will tune a slight mismatch on a CP-6, try taking that CP-6 back packing with you!

I sold mine because I go backpack with my 897D and I need a PORTABLE antenna, like a wire. This tuner WILL NOT tune a wire.

LDG IS FOR ME
PE1RLN Rating: 2008-04-02
Works great with decent antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This tuner was made for antennas with a VSWR of 1:3 maximum. If your antenna is worse, you should consider another antenna...
I use a Diamond CP-6 which has to be pre-tuned by hand by changing the length of the radials. When properly set-up, this tuner does the rest.

The CAT-port on the back is occupied by this tuner, correct. But there is a second on the front! People, read the f. manual! The microphoneconnector is also configurable as a CAT-port so you can still use your tuner when hooking it up to HamradioDeluxe or any other program. So no problem to me.

In my tuner, the fan is running constantly but I consider the simple modification of a temperature-sensor to activate the fan only on higher temperatures. That solves most of the problems. I agree, Yaesu could have done it for us.

The LDG alternative has some mayor complaints: it is dead-ugly and it doesn't tune automatically but it has to be activated by the operator. Now that sounds like a real issue to me.

I have used this tuner for over a year and I am very pleased with it.

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Earlier 4-star review posted by PE1RLN on 2006-12-10

It won't get a 5 because of some points:

- normal relays instead of power-saving bi-stable relays (why?)
- connection with TRX is awkward, why long cables instead of short that fit well?
- tuning range is very limited

However, the tuner does what is was meant for: antennas with a VSWR less than 1:3 can be tuned into a 50 Ohms impedance. On every band up to 6m it tunes on several intervals in each band. You can also choose to use the tuner when in RX (uses more power ofcourse).

The complaints of other hams that it tunes only nearly-perfect antennas are half true. If your antenna has a VSWR of over 1:3, you should think about using another antenna as the effect of the antenna will never be good enough. Yes, it will work, but a dummyload works even better.
For example: a Diamond CP-6 all-band antenna can be matched for every band using the radials. Then, when tuning over the band, the tuner equals the VSWR on every frequency since the antenne will never have a 1:1 VSWR all over the band. THAT is what the tuner is meant for.

If you want to use the farmer's fence as an antenna, you will have to use a good balun and a different tuner with a wider range. They cost the same, but do not fit aside of the FT-897.

The LDG tuner is no option: it only tunes when giving a separate signal. It is not being controlled by the transceiver which should be possible. The looks are also terrible.

If you are planning to buy a tuner for the FT-897, the FC-30 is a good option when you decide what you are going to use it for. Each option has it's own remarks so take care.