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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
WB0VHW Rating: 2007-09-05
Works well but terrible quality control Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
First off I will say that the Turbo Tuner does exactly what it is supposed to every time you hit the tune button. Setup is simple, the manual is good, performance is a 5/5.

Not much to complain about except...

Quality control. When I received the unit it rattled. I took it apart and found a capacitor floating loose in the case. I figured out where it belonged and it appeared neither lead had EVER been soldered. In the process of fixing this I found several more leads on the circuit board that had no solder on them at all. Fixed them and it has worked perfectly since but this did not exactly give me the warm fuzzies.
AE5MH Rating: 2007-07-20
WOW !! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
WOW about sums it up..
Previous used W4RT w/706MKIIG w/Tarheel model 100
(review was a 4)
Now using an IC7000 w/tarheel - Lets just say that every expectation has been exceeded. I had to boost the current limits to 1000 due to the model 100 Tarheel being a bit older. switching drive motor polarities was a snap. WB0W.COM (Gaylen you were right on the mark here bud) was the dealer I purchased it. Unit went right to 80 mtrs like it knew exactly where to go.
Time for installation - 20 minutes (including setting dip switches)..

More expensive than the cheap crap that some others peddle. If you want a great unit, get off the dime and get this one!

Great job !

AE5MH
AA6A Rating: 2007-06-15
Absolutely Fantastic!! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
The Turbo Tuner is an absolutely fantastic and well engineered, state-of-the-art device!!

Bill (N2VZ) is great and knows his product throughly. Set the DIP SW configuration and get ready for pure joy!! Reliable and exacting performance is precisely what the Turbo Tuner delivers.

Mine is the Kenwood TS-480 version, controlling a dressed up High Sierra Sidekick Antenna. To see what I mean by dressed up, read my detailed review of the High Sierra Sidekick Antenna here on eham, and take a look at the photos via the link on my AA6A QRZ page.

The Turbo Tuner's elegance with the Kenwood TS-480 is that it is **NOT IN THE RF CHAIN!** Rather, the Turbo Tuner reads the data from the TS-480's RS-232 Serial Port (via the supplied cable) and Intelligently Controls the Antenna's motor to find the SWR sweet spot for any place you go on any Band. A single press of the TS-480's PF Key is all it takes. The rig goes into 5 Watt CW Tune Mode the meter displays the SWR, and several moments later the antenna's tuned. And, to Park the Antenna simply press the PF Key twice. Setting the TS-480's PF Key for CW Tune Mode is a one time process that takes about 10 seconds. And, the Turbo Tuner gets it's power to drive the Antenna's motor from the TS-480's Antenna Tuner jack, without the 480 ever seeing it so Kenwood's external ATU tuning logic isn't triggered.

I just returned from a several week road trip from California through Utah, the Colorado Rocky Mountains, New Mexico, and Arizona. The Turbo Tuner performed flawlessly!! With the dressed up High Sierra SideKick mounted on the car's roof rails, the Turbo Tuner typically sets the SideKick to 1:1 SWR, with it occasionally finding 1.5, 1.7 or 2 at certain frequencies; that's on 6, 10, 12, 15, 17, 20, 40, 60, and 75. I've not tried 160.

Highly recommended! No need to fuss with counting turns, watching the antenna, or any other antiquated methods. Simply plug and play.

Very 73,

Rob - AA6A
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WD9DAN Rating: 2007-05-29
Great Product Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just got my Hi-Q 4/80 RT Antenna back in my new pick-up truck. I previously used just a DPDT switch, but the new antenna mounting location (in the pick-up bed) makes it impossible for me to see the coil. So, I decided that since I might not remember where I was last tuned, I would be smart to find something to help me.

I bought the Turbo Tuner, set the internal dip switches per the instructions, and did some trial runs. I noticed that when changing bands, the motor seemed to move in the wrong direction from the last setting. So, I simply set the "Reverse" (motor direction) dip switch, and then it all came together.

All I can say is WOW! NEAT!

This is one of the slickest prodcuts I have ever seen. I get a nearly perfect SWR every time, (I would say even better than if I was using the DPDT switch) on every band, and it always knows which direction to run the motor (from the last setting).

And, before I purchased, I got a quick answer to an e-mail question. So, Customer service was Excellent!

Highly recommended if you have a screwdriver type of HF mobile antenna!

This product simply WORKS! As ADVERTISED!
KD5ZAT Rating: 2007-05-14
Great Product! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased the Turbo Tuner to go with my FT-857D and Little Tarheel II. All I can say is what a great combination!. Completely plug and play. Press the tune button and that is it.

Excellent product Bill.
KF2EK Rating: 2007-05-12
Fantastic Product! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I own a Yaesu FT-857D and picked up a used N2VZ turbo tuner, knowing that I'd eventually get a screwdriver antenna for mobile HF (hamstick limitations were growing on me). I finally came across a High Sierra Sidekick that I picked up used for about 50% off. After having months pass between picking up the tuner and finally getting the sidekick antenna it was time to try it out!

The HS Sidekick has a 2 wire trailer connector for power that I was able to find at an autoparts store for $3, however the N2VZ turbo tuner had a 4 pin molex connector I could not source locally. I emailed Bill N2VZ to ask if I could purchase one from him. He sent me an email back asking if the address for my callsign was correct. I confirmed and he replied that one was on the way. A few days later I received not 1, but 2 pigtail connectors. WOW! What great customer service! (Bill never did tell me how much they were or how I could pay him for the pigtail connectors)

I soldered together the trailer wiring connector to the molex pigtail and then attached the HS Sidekick antenna to my Diamond 3/8 mount where my hamsticks once resided. I setup my FT-857D per the N2VZ turbo tuner instructions and hit Tune. It worked! It was fantastic actually. I could watch the SWR on the radio drop as the turbo tuner found the perfect spot for the HS Sidekick to stop at.

The turbo tuner provides excellent results in getting a great, automated match while engaged in mobile operations. Add to that Bill's outstanding customer service and Bill has created a combination that is totally resistant to any competition that exists today or should ever present itself in the future.

To sum it up, if you have a screwdriver antenna, you need a N2VZ Turbo Tuner!
KS7S Rating: 2007-05-07
Great Product & Service! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Ordered a TurboTuner a year ago to replace the High Sierra ICOM switch controller on my 706Mk2G/Sidekick setup (too much "eyes-off-the-road" time!). Couldn't get it to work initially, so set it aside. Lately replaced 706Mk2G with 7000 and decided to see if my firmware version would work with the 7000. Called Bill - he immediately e-mailed me the updated firmware for the 7000. I asked about my earlier problems, and he gave me some suggestions on what to check. Sure enough, I had a bad crimp on a PowerPole connector in the motor control voltage line that only seemed to "appear" after connecting the TurboTuner. I fixed that connector, flashed the new firmware, and everything works great! Much safer mobile operation now. Appreciate Bill's help and excellent service and product!
WA8DBW Rating: 2007-05-06
WOW! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Installed the tuner in my motor home and use it with the N9JMX Predator antenna.

It works great and will tune the antenna to a 1.5 SWR or better on all of the bands. I never have to take my eyes off the road. Just push the tune button on the 706 and it dose the rest.

Great product - Great investment in safe driving.
N5CW Rating: 2007-04-18
Excellent Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This product does a great job. It makes mobiling both fun and safe. All you do is press the button and wait for the receive to return and your ready.
N8COP Rating: 2007-04-09
Luv My Turbo Tuner Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I recently purchased and installed a Little Tarheel II antenna on my 2006 Dodge Ram Pickup. I wanted to have the ideal "plug n play" setup for my system, so I stumbled across an ad for the Turbo Tuner. A close friend of mine has been using a Turbo Tuner with his setup and highly recommended it. I did some research and decided it was the way to go. I personally spoke with the owner Bill, N2VZ and he was quite cordial and helpful. He answered all my questions and I placed my order.Once the Turbo Tuner arrived, I put the whole package together in the course of an afternoon. The instructions are understandable and the only changes needed were to the dip switches inside the tuner (had to do this to mate it to my Kenwood TS-480SAT). Testing showed I had 1:5:1 SWR on all bands 80m-6m respectively !! One push of the tune button on my Kenwood TS-480SAT and everything comes together while driving down the road. No need to look down and fiddle with the controls, which also means no rear ending the guy in front...hi hi. Thanks a bunch for a great product Bill.