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Reviews For: The Screwdriver.com Digital Memory Controller

Category: Antennas: HF Mobile & Accessories

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Review Summary For : The Screwdriver.com Digital Memory Controller
Reviews: 4MSRP: 129.00
Description:
The digital memory controll has 99 user reprogramable memory locations. and a 4 digit display to let you know the exact location of the antenna coil, it is the most user friendly memory controller on the market.
4 digit display to let you know exactly what the antenna position is.
99 user programable memory positions
In memory mode the display shows P-01 to P-99.
In manual mode the display shows 100 counts for every inch the coil moves up or down.
Manual Calibration select mode CAL the antenna runs to its lower limit then to its upper limit and stores the counts in memory for auto reset, and then runs to its previous position.
Auto reset at its upper or lower limit
Manual reset select mode P0 it runs to its lower limit resets then goes back up to its previous position.
Dynamic braking to stop motor coast.
Four button user interface.
Will work with all screwdriver type antennas.
Product is not in production
More Info:
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0043.8
N6JSX Rating: 2010-05-24
No contact Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Looks like "TheScrewdriver.com" is out of business. Telephones are disconnected and no response to emails, but the web site is still online.

I bought my controller summer 2007, has been in my SUV until May 2010, when it died. All I get now is flashing gobbly-gook on some display characters when pushing UP/DWN and the display junk changes when pushing MODE. Which tells me the CPU/PIC is alive at some level and sees buttons, pwr supply is OK, and display is reacting.

The controller no longer drives the screwdriver motor. It appears the PIC program has gone bad at some level. Since Screwdriver.com does not send a schematics with the controller troubleshooting is limited or reverse engineering will be needed.

Big issue, when examining this now out-of-warranty device there is no ESD/RFI protection to any of the CPU/PIC I/O lines. The controller acts like it may have been damaged by a near (ESD) lightening event.
KB9UBZ Rating: 2005-07-22
Extremely Happy with Performance Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I found the screwdriver antenna not only very easy to use, but am also extrememly suprised at how broadbanded it is. I think it is extremely well designed and it can handle full legal limit as well. One of my first contacts was with a station in Russia on 20m. I have also worked Australia, seems if you can hear them, you can work them. I find tuning up easier than with my manual tuner I use at home, and the 99 memories make it so easy to safely change bands while driving. The only other HF mobile antenna I have to compare to is a 20 hamstick with which there is just no comparision. Since it covers 10m-80m, it also works great for MARS operations. The counter on the controller is very accurate and I haven't had to recalibrate it once yet. I believe it counts about 100 counts per inch that it is moved, so it can be very fine tuned. Since I am limited in what I can put up for HF at home, this is the best investment I have made in an antenna to date. I am very pleased and can't think of a single thing I would change. As far as the buttons not being labeled, that was solved with a label maker very quickly. Thanks for a great product!
N0EW Rating: 2005-01-30
Easy to Use Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
It took me about a week to get used to this controller. There are only 4 buttons but without labels. The right side controls up/down (top button goes up, naturally). Top left button will cycle through various modes, and you hold the bottom left button to select from these modes.

It is easy to program memory settings and easy to send the antenna off to one of these saved settings. This makes changing bands very simple. Of course, since it is used on a mobile platform the surroundings do influence exact SWR, so I sometimes need to fine tune once I get to the general area I've programmed. Very simple and fast.

Works great and easy to use! What more can one ask?!
KG4UHJ Rating: 2004-10-01
good product Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I have used this controller for about six months.It has been a good product. The little problems I have had have been my fault in trying to use it before fully reading the instructions and having a modification made.