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Reviews For: Palstar AT1KM

Category: Antenna Tuners/Matching Networks

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Review Summary For : Palstar AT1KM
Reviews: 56MSRP: $359.00
Description:
The AT1K comes in two models: the AT1KM meter display (pictured) and the AT1KD digital display.
Featuring differential capacitor tuning with 2 stators and 1 rotor. For ease of use the AT1K series utilize only 2 controls to operate for tuning with a precision ceramic body roller inductor and high power balun. As on all Palstar tuners the front panel and top cover are powdercoated.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.palstar.com/palmain.htm
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00564.9
WA2JSG Rating: 2012-12-31
Quality Equipment Time Owned: more than 12 months.
A great tuner. Bought mine used, however this past weekend I had a problem. The shaft on the coax selector came loose as I was turning it, and two wires were ripped from the meter. So I went inside and immediately found the problem. Had to remove the meter & housing, carefully re-aligned the shaft and re-tightened the nut that came loose. Soldered the wires back then re-installed all, cleaned the rotary inductor with alcohol, and now I have a new tuner!
Although I never tried it, I swear I think it could tune a rubber-duckie on 160m (hi hi).
Well worth the price.
N4NDX Rating: 2012-01-28
Amazingly Great Tuner Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Just purchased a used AT1KM tuner like in new condition to replace my LDG 600pro auto tuner that had trouble tuning 80 meters and could never tune 160 meter. Well lets just say that the AT1KM tune my ZeroFive 43 ft vertical antenna without blinking at an amazing 1.00 swr on 80 and 1.2 swr on 160 from 1.800-1.999, how about that.

Simply the best tuner I've ever owned. 5 stars

David/n4ndx
W0HSN Rating: 2011-12-29
Best thing since sliced bread! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I recently acquired the AT1km to replace the old swan and heathkit 2060a That I had been using!Don't get me wrong both of the old tuners worked fine and would match about anything,but the palstar!All I can say is WOW! Rock solid,easy to tune and the setting are right on! You simply can't do any better than a Palstar tuner.
WB5MHA Rating: 2011-04-11
best! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Typical Palstar product; attention to detail, works perfectly, smooth operation. After 5 years in my shack I would say it is one of the best pieces of equipment we regularly use.

Why anyone would save a few bucks and buy an MFJ junk tuner is a mystery. Palstar is old school Hallicrafters-Johnson Viking-Collins quality equipment. Reminder of the time when manufacturers took pride in their product. Even came with a QTip as a reminder to clean the rotary coil periodically. Nice touch.

May now be out of production. I will never part with mine. I'll be a repeat customer though.
KB3RMX Rating: 2010-08-29
BEST TUNER I'VE EVER HAD Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Have had a number of tuners and this one is the best of all. Have had this for 3 years and has tuned everything I put on it including a 96 ft long-wire. No problems whatsoever tuning. Easy to tune and has capabilities of handling 4 different antennas. This is the last tuner I'll ever need.
W6UXB Rating: 2010-03-01
Very good Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Well after my review of the MFJ 962D and giving it a 4 I should have given it a 3+. I would give this tuner a 4+ as I stated in my 962 review I wished I could afford a Palstar, well I got an AT1KM 'as-new' on eBay very nice condition but if new a little out of calibration, easily fixed as well as the roller wheel jumping off track (presumably in transit). It does appear to tune everything you can throw at it, but all the build up I expected that roller wheel to feel like a Bentley - Oh well still deserves a 5
W2DWL Rating: 2010-01-02
One awesome tuner Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This tuner tunes everything I throw at it, from 160 to 10 meters. All my antennas are home brewed, which include a 4 element beam, a 43 foot ground mounted vertical and varies number of off centered dipoles. Its is worth the money.
W4JAH Rating: 2009-08-29
I give Palstar a A+ in all areas. Service and quality Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I now own three of the palstar tuners. They are very easy to use and built well. Palstar very good on answering any questions you have. Because of the excellent reports and company support I rate them the best. W8CFS
K9FON Rating: 2008-11-13
Absolutely GREAT! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had mine since 2005 and it still works and looks new! It tunes my 260' 160 meter doublet like a dream but it acts funny on 10 meters for some oddball reason but thats no big deal asi have a 4 element trapped tribander for that band. I know the AT4KM is supposed to handle 1200 watts pep but i run my Swan MK II into it at legal limit with no issues. Even with 1500 watts in CW tune mode it doesnt mind. If the day comes when my tuner bites the dust i know darn well i will buy another Palstar tuner.
N5MZL Rating: 2008-05-31
Built like a tank Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This model of tuner has been discontinued, but I'm sure there are still plenty of them out there. I purchased my AT1KM some years ago (it's the 1Kw version; they later came out with a model of the same name and appearance, but that could handle in excess of 1Kw) after I put up a Carolina Windom OCF dipole that the tuner in my old FT-890 could not handle. Since that time I've used this tuner on several multi-band dipoles, and it never gave any problems. I also used it between those antennas and an Ameritron AL-80B, and it performed flawlessly in that mode as well. The setup and tuning is very easy, the meter is accurate and easy to read (probably why everybody's brother and their dog Rex is using this same meter in all sorts of equipment), and it's just plain built like a tank. I'm currently running an Icom 746Pro into a Buckmaster OCF dipole, and it's internal tuner handles it with no problem, so I will be selling my AT1KM soon. However, I will be buying more of Palstar's gear; their antenna analyzer is on my "to get" list now. I say this because not only do they make good equipment; but their customer support is second to none.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by N5MZL on 2006-09-19

I bought my AT1KM a couple of years ago, after putting up a Carolina Windom and discovering the internal tuner on my old FT-890 could not handle the Windom. The AT1KM, on the other hand (which is indeed "built like a tank"), tuned the Windom just fine. I believe mine is an older version, as per the manual it is only rated to 1Kw, and did not come with the wall wart to power the internal lights. However, 1Kw was plenty for me. I've run both a Yaesu FL-7000 and an Ameritron AL-80B through it with no problems at all. Currently I'm running a Yaesu FT-897D barefoot through the AT1KM into a DX Engineering 4:1 current balun and multiband dipole and the tuner continues to work great. I've also experienced none of the problems mentioned before with the tuning or inductor controls feeling sticky or grinding, after two years of use. I recently discovered that Palstar has a wall wart to power the internal lights, something my earlier model did not have. So I called Palstar the other day, and asked if I could purchase one of their wall warts. Next thing I know, I'm transferred to a very nice lady who takes down my address, and then tells me the wart will go out in that day's mail, no charge, which I thought was mighty nice of them. Sure, a wall wart only costs a few bucks, but I know of a lot of equipment manufacturers out there, many of whom have made a heck of a lot more money from me over the years than Palstar has, and the notion of them sending me anything "free of charge" would be laughable. It's little things like that which keep customers coming back, and while my AT1KM is doing everything I need it to and then some now, if the time ever comes that I decide to trade up to a new antenna tuner, you can bet I'll be talking to Palstar first.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by N5MZL on 2005-03-07

About a year ago, when first getting back into the hobby after a long absence, I put up as a "compromise" antenna, a Carolina Windom. My rig at the time was a Yaesu FT-890 with internal auto tuner. Given the nature of the Windom, that tuner just hosed every time I tried to match up. After several conversations with the antenna maker, the consensus was get an external, heavy duty manual tuner. So after doing a fair bit of research, I settled on the Palstar AT1KM. I'm glad I did. This tuner is built like a tank, with well-written instructions, easy to use after initial set up (where you determine the best tune and inductance setting per band). It's rated to 1KW on SSB (800W on CW), which should do me just fine for the new amp I'm getting soon. It has the usual cross-needle SWR and wattmeter (300 or 3000 watt range), which is lighted (12vdc), and can handle balance or unbalanced feedline. This may be my first Palstar tuner, but it won't be my last.