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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
K4YSU Rating: 2007-03-20
Great Product Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
A number of months ago I purchased a Tarheel 100 and wanted ease of operation with my Icom 706 in the vehicle. I went ahead and purchased the Turbo Tuner and found the installation to be straight foward and it worked right out of the box. I was so impressed that I purchased a second unit to put in another vehicle to use with my Kenwood TS2000 and another Tarheel 100. That install also went with out a hitch. I found the customer service at N2VZ to be excellent. It is so nice to go down the road and not fool around with a up/down switch. The parking feature is also great.
KP4TR Rating: 2007-03-18
It's amazing Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just installed my Turbo Tuner and tested it on all bands from 80M to 10M. It worked just perfectly.

My install is a Yaesu FT857D with a High Sierra Sidekick. Prior to that I had a Workman 20M hamstick which was perfectly tuned. Bill had suggested I tune the High Sierra manually before installing the Turbo Tuner. I guess it's because many people installing their screwdriver antenna and Tuner, then running into antenna problems and believe the tuner was the problem. Knowing my hamstick install was fine, I went ahead and installed the High Sierra on the same mount and just crossed my fingers. The tuner did its job and tuned the antenna perfectly on all bands.

Highly recommended!
W3FJ Rating: 2007-02-28
Nothing Better!! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I've been and on again off again mobile operator for many years and have used all types of mobile antennas. For the last several years I've used a Tarheel screwdriver and have tried several "so called automatic" screwdriver antenna controllers with little or no success. I recently purchased a Turbo Tuner from Bill, N2VZ and found his promptness in shipping to be unbelievable and I guess this shouldn't have been a surprize after speaking to Bill on the phone with a couple of questions I had about his device. He answered those and even followed up to make sure he'd answered everything to my satisfaction.

I received my unit when Bill said I would and found the installation to be very easy. It was a true "plug and play" situation with my Icom IC-706MKIIG and my Tarheel screwdriver.

I would highly recommend the Turbo Tuner to anyone who utilizes a screwdriver antenna and if price is a concern please take my word for it, it's the best investment you can make if you're serious about mobile operation. If for no other reason the safety factor alone of having this unit do the precision tuning while you concentrate on your driving is well worth the small investment.

Thanks again Bill for providing this outstanding product to those of us who enjoy this great hobby.

73, Mick
W3ILG
WA5TEF Rating: 2007-02-16
Fantastic product! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
This is the most useful piece of equipment for a mobile rig that I have ever seen. If you have a screwdriver antenna, this product is a MUST HAVE! It takes on a push of the "tune" button on my Icom-706IIG to get a perfect match. I work 10 through 75 meters. It about 110 seconds to run from one end of the range to the other but when it finds the tuned frequency, it prompts with a CW "K". When I received the tuner, it took about 5 minutes to remove the 4 screws and flip the DIP switches to match my setup and I was on the air and going. I had a question about the tuner and I called Bill and he answered the phone himself and immediately answered my question. Thus, his service is as good as his product.
KD4DUW Rating: 2007-01-15
Turbo tuners are Fanastic Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just bought two of the turbo tuners it took longer to take the screws out of the case than it did to set them up. On each one within less than five minutes I was up and running no more hand control wires in the way no more stopping to adjust my tarheel the match is perfect.
Thanks Bill..
From Jr. Kd4duw
KE6TE Rating: 2007-01-02
Excellent Product Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought the Turbo Tuner 3 days after I installed ny High Sierra 1800PRO to my 4x4 truck. I had too many troubles using the High Sierra EZ-tune that came with the antenna. When I received the Turbo Tuner, I installed it in 30 minutes and I was tuning up and down the bands 80-6 meters with a very good SWR. This is a mast for HF mobile operations to avoid accidents.Thumbs up on this one.
George KE6TE - IC7000 and High Sierra 1800PRO ant.
WB4U Rating: 2006-12-16
Superb Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I've owned several automatic screwdriver controllers over the years and even the ATAS antenna.
The Turbo Tuner is by far the best of all and the easiest to setup and use. Really there is no setup,
as it is truly plug and play. You connect the antenna to the antenna port on the Turbo tuner, radio to
the radio port on the Turbo Tuner (even a coax jumper is included), the CAT cable to the radio and the
ACC to the radio (my radio is the Yaesu FT-857D) and you are finished. I installed the Turbo Tuner
box under the seat along with the radio. The antenna is a Little Tarheel II. Now all I do it hit the
tuner button on the radio, wait for the radio to come back to the receive mode and I am ready to talk.
The only down side is the low volume of the CW notes from the Turbo Tuner, but that is no big issue,
since it is just as easy to watch the power increase or the SWR decrease as it tunes. If you see that
action on the radio then the radio pops back to receive, you are good to go. This box is as easy to
use as the ATAS antenna, but it lets you tune 60 meters, 75/80 meters even 160 meters if you have an
antenna that will go that low (such as the Tarheel model 300/400) Well worth the piece of mind when
operating mobile.

WB4U
KD4UXM Rating: 2006-12-07
This is the one YOU would build! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
If you were an RF engineer, amd wanted to control your screwdriver antenna; you would most likely design and build this same unit! Honestly, this is the FIRST controller that totally works as advertised... And believe me, I've bought quite a few and most were so-so, they worked somewhat but I really didn't trust them.. Not so with the Turbo Tuner!! Buy with peace of mind..."Learn from others mistakes"...
My mobile station: IC-7000 into the Turbo Tuner into a Tar Heel model 200. A super combination!
Thanks Bill and Turbo Tuner for a durn good product! KD4UXM Buddy.
KB1GHH Rating: 2006-12-04
fantastic Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I used the hustler coils in the past.I have a 706mk2g in a NISSAN MAXIMA/trailer-hitch mounting. I got a used Tarheel 200,conected it strongly to the hitch,added a DXE.CapHat AND the "TURBO-TUNER"!! It took a little bit to adjust the whole set-up. BUT NOW......WoW. Amazing. I don't know why ICOM didn't buy this as an accy.?!! IT was "WAY" better than I expected it to be. Best part...there is room to grow. I can add an amplifier later when ready!!
READ ALL'BOUT IT!! It's true. RayN
KB3GUN Rating: 2006-09-29
Couldn't be easier Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
My system consists of an IC-706MKIIG, Little Tarheel II and the TurboTuner. Plug and play all the way. I tried it with my IC7000 and it works great with that rig too. I've tuned all bands from 6 to 80 and I'm very happy with the results. Reports have all been good. You won't regret your decision if you go with the TurboTuner.
Bill N2VZ is also great to work with. He answered all my pre-purchase questions which really helped me make my up my mind.