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Reviews For: W4RT BOSS 2 Automatic Screwdriver Antenna Controller

Category: Antennas: HF Mobile & Accessories

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Review Summary For : W4RT BOSS 2 Automatic Screwdriver Antenna Controller
Reviews: 18MSRP: 149
Description:
W4RT Electronics is pleased to announce the new Antenna BOSS II that interfaces directly with ICOM IC-706 series of radios for automatic tuning of motorized antennas from Hi-Q Antennas (with Blackhawk motors), High Sierra Antennas, and Tarheel Antennas, and others that draw less than 700 mA while running. The tuning is activated by pressing the IC-706 Tune button
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.w4rt.com/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00183.1
VE7LGF Rating: 2009-07-22
Antenna boss, Little Tarheel II,FT-100d Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I am enjoying the W4RT Boss with the Little Tarheel II antenna and FT-100d. Works well 40m-6m and with manual switch to tune 75m. Sure wish I could find W4RT OTT (One touch tune) module or the LDG Y-OTT One-touch tune discontinued to complete the party package for one touch tune all bands...If you see a One touch tune module W4RT or LDG please ve7lgf@rac.ca 73 Glen
K6TTE Rating: 2008-10-08
Never did work Time Owned: N.A.
I hever could get this thing to work. Customer support was poor, as well. Don't walk away from this thing, run!

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Earlier 1-star review posted by K6TTE on 2005-10-09

I'm unhappy that I didn't share in the other reviewer's positive customer service experiences. My emails went unanswered and there seems to be no phone number listed on their website.

The Antenna Boss II unit seems to not sense when the antenna is in tune and just passes the low SWR point by and keeps searching until it times out. I have tried all of the recommendations in their literature and have looked on the website for updates to this information.

I choose to vote with my feet (and wallet) and will not be doing business again with companies that ignore their customers after sale. Sadly, W4RT falls into this category.

I would buy a Turbo Tuner next time...

-- Dale, K6TTE
AI4JD Rating: 2008-10-08
a big pain Time Owned: more than 12 months.
i have owned this thing now for just over three years. The back cover has never stayed in place since it was new. Its a great idea but it does not tune for lowest swr so on voice peaks the swr could spike upward. The unit is also very touchy any little thing and it will bypass what you are wanting to tune. There is no rf in my veichial as everything is bonded and grounded all cabling sheilded. Went back to the old reliable toggle switch antenna tunes every time.
KK8ZZ Rating: 2007-07-26
Largely unacceptable Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Everyone's experience and situation varies, and for that reason, readers should take that into account whenever they read a review of ANYTHING on eHam... however.... as a long time HF mobile operator, with experience with both the BOSS II and the Turbo Tuner with both a High Sierra 1800 PRO and a Tarheel Lil' Tarheel and a model 100, I will say that the BOSS II required a lot of fussing, and I never could get it to work right for lowest SWR, and the Turbo Tuner has been absolutely trouble free for over 18 months with my IC-7000 installation in a Toyota Highlander with two rigs and two different antennas (Both Tarheels). The advantage of being able to update the TT firmware easily from your computer as new rigs come on the market REALLY adds to the TT value. The TT was absolutely plug-and-play.
KE7GIM Rating: 2006-03-16
Plug/Play/Simple Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
After installing my IC-706MkIIG with a High Sierra 1800/Pro, and verifying 1.5:1 or better across all bands, and verifying that the vehicle is well strapped, that is bed/cab/frame, I was ready for a plug and play install. It was.

The only caution is from 80M to 10M it will find a false null but adjacent band to band always works and tunes to 1.5:1 everytime.

John K7FLG
WA6RF Rating: 2006-03-02
Great people! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I waited months for this unit as I run Icom radios. Their customer service was excellent! They called me with help. My installation was very tough, a small hatchback, to get the best results so my issues may have doomed the result and I had to move on to another popular controller. Thanks anyway for the help Mike.
Dick WA6RF
WA1GZY Rating: 2006-01-29
Not For IC7000! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Having just upgraded to an ICOM 7000 from the Icom 706MKIIG, I did not anticipate needing a new antenna controller. My W4RT Antenna Boss II should have worked with at least one of my favorite mobile antennas (HI-Q 3XTL screwdriver and/or my Tarheel collection LITTLE TARHEEL and Tarheel "Stubby" Model 75).. right? WRONG! The Antenna Boss II does indeed move all of the aforementioned antennas....RANDOMLY! Oh for a manual up/down switch (W4RT are you listening?). After several unanswered emails to W4RT and being told the IC7000 was too expensive to work on, a friend clued me in to the N2VZ TURBO-TUNER.

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Earlier 4-star review posted by WA1GZY on 2005-07-10

Sent unit back three times as it did not work with the Icom 706MKIIG and the Little Tarheel (40 - 6 meter model). The third time was a success with a new EPROM installed and dipswitch settings as follows: 1on 2off 3on 4off 5on 6off 7off 8off
These are different settings from the instruction manual. By the way, the instruction manual default settings work fine with a Hi Q 3 XTL (my alternate mobile antenna). Only other observation is that sometimes the unit hits top or bottom and doesn't automatically reverse direction. The solution is to stop the tuning (by pushing the Icom tune control button) and re-starting the tune control. As to customer service, I received prompt attention from WB0W and W4RT. Kudos to you and I can attest that they stand by their product.
KD4UXM Rating: 2006-01-20
I'm Satisfied! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Well Fellows, it seems too many of "us" live in a plug and play world. I personally just can't see this with ham radio, especially with an H.F. mobile set-up... Gee all different kinds of combos here.IE: different antennas, radios, mounts, etc... But my opinion of the Antenna Boss is..#1 READ THE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST... yea, I know it's hard to do.. But you'll probably save Barry and Ralph a lot of headaches..This is a great product, but some experimentation may be in order.. Just like anything else in an H.F. mobile enviroment..'cause nobody's got it plug and play yet! Super customer service.. Thanks Barry and Ralph and 73..Buddy KD4UXM.
N9IJ Rating: 2005-12-26
Disappointed Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Bought my Boss II months ago for use with the Hi-Q 4/160 and IC-706Mk2g. Had immediate issues including the chincy plastic enclosure, loose panel, SO-239's that turn with the PL-259, and inability to reliably discern a good match.

I did find Barry and crew pleasant to work woith though email was the necessary means of communications.

They replaced the firmware and that helped some, ...for a while. They whole system was moved to a new truck and worked well for several months then unit became unusable, stopping on anything BUT the selected frequency of choice.

I'm told the addition of inductors and by-pass caps in the pig-tail feeding the rig will help but I'm really tired of experimenting with it.

I'm seriously considering a turns counter type of controller instead.
VA3BJD Rating: 2005-08-30
Works great, good customer service Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I am using the Boss II with a 706 and a Little Tarheel. Didn't work when I first tried it. I was doing something wrong(leads reversed) and the antenna had an unusually low current draw.

Couple of e-mails and a phone call from Barry W4RT fixed it up. The previous reviews that complained about poor customer service kind of worried me. But I saw none of that. Barry answered all e-mails no matter how stupid I sounded. He phoned me long distance on his dime. Most of the e-mail communication was on the weekend also.

I am very happy with this product.

Mobile installations are sometimes tricky and it was nice to be able to count on prompt patient tech support.