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Reviews For: Turbo Tuner

Category: Antennas: HF Mobile & Accessories

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Review Summary For : Turbo Tuner
Reviews: 156MSRP: 269. USD
Description:
Automatic Screwdriver Antenna Controller for Icom, Kenwood, and Yaesu. Handles antenna motor currents up to 2 amps. Firmware is user upgradeable using a computer. Controller is powered by the radio. Plug and play with no calibration required. Works with all models of screwdriver antennas. Tarheel, High Sierra and others. RF bullet proof with extensive RFI filtering. Full 30 day money back satisfaction guarantee and 2 year no questions asked parts and labor warranty. We stand behind our products.
Product is not in production
More Info: http://WWW.N2VZ.COM
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
001564.5
AB9UU Rating: 2015-10-11
Works Well Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have a newer version from Tenntronix. At first I thought it was not working as I tried it in my Jeep Wrangler with my Tarheel II. I tried it outside with a portable set up and it worked well. Then I got serious with the bonding on my Jeep and tried it again. Worked like a charm. So do not blame the unit. Tunes relatively fast. Makes driving safe.
K2MIT Rating: 2014-08-08
Anyone use a TT 7000 on a IC-7100 Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Mine has worked great for 2 years. Am thinking about moving up to a IC-7100. TT has been bought by Tennatronix. Has anyone tried the 7000 on a 7100?
AF1RE Rating: 2013-10-26
I Like It, But Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The FT-857 Turbo Tuner worked great in my F-350 attached to a Little Tarheel II on an aluminum topper. Initially had problems until topper, bed, and body were grounded together at several points. Two and a half years later, now, I have a continuos tone coming from the Turbo Tuner and it is not working. I am unable to find any schematics or help on the web. They are out of business AND incommunicado. No help pages on the old website. I met the owner at Orlando Hamcation. Seemed like a good decision at the time. Oh well.
W6NFL Rating: 2013-06-12
Still Works Great Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Ive had mine since Jan 2010 and still tunes my 480HX and Tarheel II antenna perfectly. Im so sorry to hear he has went out of business. I hear Tarheel is just about to release a similar product though.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by W6NFL on 2010-01-08

I'm sorry to hear about the last reviewer's experience. All i can do is comment about mine. Not much more to say other than it works perfect with my Tarheel II antenna and my TS-480HX. I just plugged in and it tunes the bands perfectly.
W4KVW Rating: 2013-04-29
OUT OF BUSINESS {:>( Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
The units are GREAT as long as they are working but the company is out of business from what every dealer I spoke with tells me.No service for the products is not a good thing in any product.They were wiped out by Super Storm Sandy & I understand Bill's health is NOT good as well.Shame because it's a GREAT product that somebody needs to continue to produce them.
WC4R Rating: 2013-04-29
Great at first... then :( Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Sweet tuner when new. Worked great on my Tarheel screwdriver antenna for 3 years. Upon a new installation it would no longer tune -- it always went into its 'park' position. Emails are not answered. Phone calls rang but no answer then today came back with 'no longer in service'.
Has Bill gone out of business?

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Earlier 5-star review posted by WC4R on 2008-12-22

I bought this at Dayton 2+ years ago along with a Little Tarheel II. The rig is a Yaseu FT-897D. Went together perfectly from the start. Has never missed a beat. Makes operating mobile SAFE and so easy. Operating only 100 watts with a resonant antenna yields consistently greats reports for me. RX is wonderful as well. The tuner was worth every penny.
AD5RQ Rating: 2013-03-30
Amazing Product Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have a Kenwood TS-480 and a Scorpion SA-680S connected to the TurboTuner. Installation is very easy.
I just press a button on my radio and the TurboTuner tunes the antenna in less then 10 seconds. It always amazes me how easy it is to switch bands and the TurboTuner always finds the best SWR in a breeze. After the tuning I have a SWR from 1:1 on all bands.
Great product and absolutely glad I decided to install it.
K6DWG Rating: 2013-03-25
Has worked great almost 4 year now Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have been using this now since I did the install in 2009. Kenwood TS-480HX and a Scorpion SA-680 Black Widow in a 2007 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins. Works exactly as described. On RARE occasion, it will default to park and not move again, until i turn the radio off and back on. This happens maybe once every 100+ tunes. Not enough to be a concern.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by KI6RJW on 2010-01-09

I bought this unit a couple of months ago after making sure it would be compatible with the Kenwood TS480HX and the Scorpion SA680. I got it in, set the switches and what a breeze to operate, push one button on the radio and the Turbo Tuner tells me when it is ready to rock and roll, tunes to a near perfect match every time.
N5UD Rating: 2013-03-14
TT maybe Owner no Time Owned: more than 12 months.
My TT would tune the antenna MOST times. Then just go right by the minimum SWR to the end of coil. Mine failed after 1 year. Would not control the antenna motor. I had it down to the motor IC. Was going to change myself. I contacted Bill for any input.
He said to re-load firmware just to make sure. I did. No change. Said I would just repair it myself. He insisted I send it to him. BIG MISTAKE.
He has had my TT since November 7, 2011. Likely one of you fellas out there have my recycled unit.
Phone calls, emails, and delivered letters go unanswered.

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Earlier 4-star review posted by N5UD on 2011-02-06

I have a turbo tuner and Kenwood ts-480. Assuming the RF bonding is good in your vehicle and antenna setup, this device should work.

First measure the current of your antenna motor when running up/down and park. The up/down current should be nearly equal. The park or stall current should be more. If you have one of the known models to work, maybe you can skip this step.

Next make sure antenna can be manually tuned to a low SWR on each operating band. No way the controller can tune if the SWR is not low.

Set the turbo tuner dip switches for at least your motor's stall current, maybe slightly higher. As for the tune direction, I had to use the reverse.

Awfully nice to hit the PF button on my Kenwood and the antenna gets tuned to the operating frequency. One annoyance is sometimes the controller runs past the minimum SWR. Then it goes on to PARK. I have do a tune operation again. The SWR on my antenna, reported by the TS-480 is nearly flat 10-40. Well less than 1.5:1.
NR1D Rating: 2013-02-26
Worked great, for a while...BUT!!!. Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
The tuner worked great for a couple of months and then it failed. And that's when your trouble will start. After several emails and phone calls, I have received not response to get this thing repaired. Don't waste your money on this product because once it fails its garbage if not repairable through the manufacturer. Time to give his resellers a call to Blacklist.