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Reviews For: LDG Z-100 Low Cost Autotuner

Category: Antenna Tuners/Matching Networks

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Review Summary For : LDG Z-100 Low Cost Autotuner
Reviews: 116MSRP: 149
Description:
Low cost 0.1 to 125 watt autotuner. 200 memories, zero power consumption when not tuning, latching relays, interfaces for all popular radios and 160 thru 6 meter coverage.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.ldgelectronics.com/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
151164.5
AE5X Rating: 2007-04-14
Lots of bang for the $ Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Since receiving this tuner a few days ago I've tested it on a combination of 4 antennas at two locations: a 40m dipole fed with ladder line, an 80m G5RV, and 80m vertical dipole and a 160m inverted L.

As expected, I'm able to tune the both the 40m dipole and the G5RV on all bands 10-80. The 160m inverted L can be tuned on 40, 80 and 160 easily. In fact I was able to work South Africa on 40m with the 160m inverted L.

After tuning each antenna on a variety of bands I disconnected the rig and attached an antenna analyzer in order to see what the SWR actually was. In every case but 2, it was 1.5:1 or thereabouts (the G5RV doesn't tune well on 30m and the 40m dipole doesn't tune 12m well).

N7JEC Rating: 2007-03-24
Works For Me Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have a 6BTV that would rarely match with my Kenwood AT 200 manual tuner. I found that I spent so much time trying to get my swr down to a manageable level that I would miss the qso I was trying to make. Since I installed the Z 100, I get a perfect match every time on every band. My TS-820s chugs a long at 100 watts PEP and all of it is getting out the antenna. For the price, $149 this little black box cannot be beat in my book. N7JEC
KG4WNL Rating: 2007-01-07
Great Tuner Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
This tuner is well worth the money. I run with with my ICOM706MKIIG with matching cable and it works great. I would recommend this buy to anyone. KG4WNL
IW5EIJ Rating: 2006-12-06
Great "bang for bucks" Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I got it since few weeks but i found it very useful. I have it workin' together my FT897, tunes in a while my wire dipoles and with a "homebrew" 4/1 (6/1) balun it tunes a longwire on lower bands.
The new package w/ all cables included is great, operative in few minutes.... just push button... zzz-trrr-zzz and u r on air!
For something more than 130€ i couldn't ask more...
M5TAW Rating: 2006-10-26
Not good Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I did not have success with my Z-100. It failed to tune my windom and vertical antennas on several bands, the tuning was intermittant with the tuner locking up and not responding more often than not. I have owned many radios with internal ATUs and all these (IC7400, 746, 1000MP, TS870, TS570) had no problems at all on the same antennas. I can also confirm that my current Z-11 PRO is a completely different animal - provides a perfect match every time.
I have not yet had to call upon support for any radio related products in the last 20 years - I was in for a surprise with LDG. Very offhand response 'how do you expect me to solve your problems' and refering me to an ARRL publication on how to ground a shack - could this really be the problem with 100% success on half a dozen other auto tuners? I have since been informed that firmware updates are available that may cure this - at a cost. I was looking for an out of the box solution - not what i got.
My suspicions are that my unit (can't comment on others) has poor RF immunity being housed in a plastic case. Would not recommend based upon my poor product / support experiences. Having said that it does an OK job most of the time with my FT 817 at 5 watts.
SE6M Rating: 2006-10-14
Very good tuner Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I bought mine for some months ago, still very happy with it. I work QRP mostly with a old FT-817 and different dipoles, sometimes also verticals for 40/30/20 meters.
It tunes perfectly if the antenna is nearly in resonance.

Think it will be a keeper in my shack.

SE6M Mats
OE3SGU Rating: 2006-10-01
Great little tuner Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I use mine together with my FT-817 and I am very happy with this combo. The Z-100 is a worthwile addition and I really like it, its fast and will tune almost anything.
KC2NOD Rating: 2006-09-02
Better then expected! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I passed my element 3 test for general and am learning code, I listen in on the hi-fi bands to practice writing it down. My problem is my antenna is only a 60 foot wire out my garage window. The neighbors would turn me in if they knew what it was for! I could barely hear anything using this setup so I figured I'd try putting a tuner in to see if it would help. I bought the Z100 from W4RT and as soon as I put it online I was hearing everything! 75,40,20 meters, no problem. Now if some of you could slow down on the code so us rookies could copy..............73 KC2NOD
KT4WO Rating: 2006-06-10
Would Buy Again!!! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I bought this little tuner for my FT-857D and my HamStick on the Truck .. On 80 meters it will tune all the way up to 6 meters!! I now have it in the house, and will load my 80/40 Multi-Band dipole on 160 as well as ALL the other bands. I take it camping with a random wire, does it with no problem! .. I normaly don't "cut" on other Ham's Reviews... BUT.. W4CDF ...
HAS OTHER ANTENNA ISSUES!!..IT'S NOT THE TUNER!!!
AND MOST MANUAL TUNERS WILL LOAD A BEER CAN!!
G7PAF Rating: 2006-05-20
WORKS WELL Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought the z-100 for my holiday trip due to the size and weight.
using it with an Icom-ic-7000 and a 40mt delta loop.
I made up my own lead to run from the 4 pin molex plug on the back of the radio so i can take full advantage of the tune button on the front of the 7000.

paliminary tests are very good.
the tuner is tuning a full size g5rv with a 4:1 balun on all bands (inc 160) down to a 1.5:1 swr or better although there is a bit of a struggle on 12mts were it seems struggle a bit longer it even tuned the wire on 6mts.

all in all i think it is value for the price i paid for it from ebay and the molex plug i bought from maplin for £0.89p and wired up my own plug.

the tuning is quite compaired to my MFJ 993 intella tuner.

so if your back packing or were weight and size are an issue the z-100 is to be added to your list of tuners to be tried and installation is far better than the 993b or the icom at-180