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Reviews For: SGC SG-235

Category: Antenna Tuners/Matching Networks

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Review Summary For : SGC SG-235
Reviews: 13MSRP: 1595.00
Description:
Model SG-235 Smartuner automatic microprocessor antenna coupler
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.sgcworld.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00134.4
TEASHEA Rating: 2001-08-26
Exellent Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This is the absolute finest antenna tuner (coupler) made. Putting the tuner at the antenna instead of at the transceiver is the only logical thing to do. Moreover, this particular piece of equipment is beautifully desinged and built. The performance is superlative. I am using it to couple two crossed pattern, shortened multi band dipoles (two Alpha Delta DX EE's), located in my attic. Estonia and Sweden the first night with 50 watts.
WW3KP Rating: 2001-05-08
Great tuner, great Company. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had the SG-235 tuner, the SG-303 antenna, and the SG-500 amp for about 15 months. It is a super mobile setup. It is used with the Icom IC706MkII. Many stations can't believe that they are talking to a mobile station.

I had a problem (probably self induced) with the tuner after a month, and it was repaired ASAP. At 13 months (just out of warrenty), the microprocesser in the tuner developed a problem, and when I talked to SGC, they said send it back
and that they would take a look at it. It was repaired ASAP, at no charge.

There have been no problems with the amp or the antenna. SGC has been a pleasure to deal with. Their Customer Service is great. I have always recieved a reply to my email questions the next day.

If you enjoy mobile operation, and want to move up to 500w, this is the way to go.

Ken,
W3KMP (ex WW3KP)
K6GL Rating: 2000-04-07
A great tuner, it differs from the SG-230 Time Owned: unknown months.
I recently purchased an SG-235 to replace an SG-230 that I used for over a year. The SG-
235 is a unit with beefier components than the SG-230. It has a 500 watt rating. I used the SG-230 with an Icom IC-775, which can transmit 200 watts, the present rating for the SG-230. I had problems, which I described in a separate review of the SG-230 here on eHAM. The SG-235 has lower valued, but higher rated, components, so it needs a longer antenna (or the same length of antenna with an external loading coil), than does the SG-230. This has been no problem for me, even for 160 meter operation. The SGC engineers are concerned about the tuner tuning under a 500 watt load, which could cause arcing of relays. They recommend tuning under the lowest power possible. I use 3 to 5 watts. The SG-235 tunes instantly when first tuned, but, to minimize inadvertent tuning, subsequent tuning occurs after four seconds of carrier. This can be accomlished by reducing power and using RTTY and TRANSMIT and waiting until the SWR drops. This is an excellent tuner, and it is supplied with a control box (It's optional for the SG-230). It's ideal for solving my problems with antenna restrictions, does not require a control cable, and it has plenty of margin when used with my 200 watt radio.