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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
WX1CT Rating: 2008-02-07
Good Device Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have owned the Turbo Tuner for about 3 months now, and it works quite well with my High Sierra Sidekick antenna. I did run into two problems shortly after installation, which is why I rate it a 4 and not 5. First off after a few weeks of use, it quit working. I traced this back to not getting power from the AT port on the 706 MK IIG. I modified the TT to receive power direct from my Rigrunner and I was back in business.

The 2nd problem happened last week when suddenly the unit would not tune. I emailed Bill N2VZ, and within a day, he sent me the software to reflash the chip. That did the trick. Thanks to Bill for getting back to me so quickly!

Even with the few problems, I recommend this unit to anyone using a motorized antenna as it makes operation a breeze!

K2ZB Rating: 2008-01-16
Love this TurboTuner. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have used this Turbo Tuner for over 2 years using it first on the 706 MK II G and now the IC-7000. The new updated firmware, works my IC-7000 perfectly now and you don’t see the temperature change as you tune.

I replaced my Toyota Cienna Mini Van , with a Toyota Corolla last month, and while doing this broke two wires on my Turbo Tuner pc board. Never try to catch the TT in mid air! I tried to repair the wires to the board, and only Bill N2VZ knows, what was damaged. I thought the unit was going in to the junk box. No Bill told me to send it to him and he could fix. In no time it was repaired and back in my new car. I asked what I owed him and he told me no problem, no charge. Try getting that with any thing you can think of.

This was not my first TT. I used one for a while, but some one relieved me of it and some other goodies in my driveway. This TT and N2VZ’s help is worth every penny. Thanks Bill

R R Galbraith k2zb
K6DXX Rating: 2007-12-06
WORKS GREAT! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Have been using the TurboTuner since Aug. 2005 with my Icom 706MKIIG and Tarheel M200 screwdriver antenna. The TurboTuner has NEVER FAILED to do it's intended job. It's a pleasure to use while mobile ! With the above combination I've worked 70 countries mobile from the West Coast...not to shabby!!....K6DXX
LEER66 Rating: 2007-12-03
Great product, outstanding customer support!! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
TS-480H, Turbo Tuner, Little Tarheel II, three point mag mount by Lakeview Co., mounted on top of my GMC pickup. Previously used a turns counter with my MFJ-259 to tune and then switched 259 out of circuit. Not real safe while driving. After installing the Turbo Tuner was very impressed with ease of installation and instructions specific to my TS-480. Encountered some tuning problems when the Tarheel would not stop on freq. Called Bill and he spent 20 minutes working through the problem while I made the directed changes on the installation. He was mistified with results and finally asked me if I had a ground wire from the mag mount to the vehicle and if so how long was it. I had a ground wire connected to the roof mounted cargo area light that, according to Bill was setting up a ground loop, and not allowing the SWR to go down to the point the Tuner saw a proper match; hence, the antenna would continue to hunt for a match. After removing the wire, all was perfect. A quick test gave good contacts into Indiana and Flordia from South Texas. Thanks Bill for the Tubo Tuner and outstanding customer support!!
Bob KE5KDT
W2YZ Rating: 2007-11-27
Great Product Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Thanks Bill for a Great Product. Easy install with excellent results. I am using the FT857D with the Sidekick Antenna.

When I placed my order there was a slight backup in production, Gentleman Bill shipped the TT to me by two day air when it was completed. Great Customer Service.

The Turbo Tuner is worth every penny.

Thanks again Bill
Barry W2YZ
VE3YF Rating: 2007-11-18
Outstanding Tuner Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have been looking for something to replace the Hustler System with the AT-180 Tuner in my vehicle and decided it was time to try a Screwdriver with the Turbo Tuner.

I received it and it worked right out of the box with no muss no fuss. This is a great little device with excellent quality and is easy to setup. I can get almost a flat match anywhere on the bands and have not had problems.

I use the tuner with the Little Tarheel II.
KA4OTB Rating: 2007-10-28
Excellent Custome Service! Thanks Bill Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have been using the TT with a Tarheel Model 100 antenna and, initally, with a 706 MkIIG. At Dayton this year I purchased a IC-7000 and the TT did not like the 7000. I had several conversations with Bill and exchanged several e-mails. I thought I finally had the problem fixed.

My wife and I took a trip up to New England earlier this month and several days into the trip the TT quit working. We were visiting some frieds in NJ and I happened to remember that Bill's QTH is in NJ. I looked him up on my mapping program and found out I was only about 50 miles away from Bill's house. I called him on the phone and explained my problem and asked him if I could stop by to let him look at the problem. Bill was very agreeable to me coming by his place. An hour or so later I arrived at Bill's and he quickly determined that RF feedback had "scrambled" the processor's brain. He reprogrammed the processor, updated it to the latest firmware and then, more importantly, he looked over my antenna installation and decided that I needed some extra RF protection. He took a torroid out of his stock (at no charge by the way) and re-configured the control cable installation. Voila, the TT and the 7000 have become best friends and the HF mobile system is working great.

I don't think you can find customer support any better than that. I'm really glad the TT decided to quit while I was on the trip. Because of my past experience with Bill, there is no doubt that he would have repaired/replaced my TT but by going by his place I was able to benefit from his knowledge of mobile installation and fix a problem that I had been unable to correct myself.

Thanks again Bill.
W4JCB Rating: 2007-10-23
Worked right out of the box. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought the Turbo Tuner, received it and it worked right out of the box. This is a hand assembled device but the quality is great. I use the tuner with the Little Tarheel II screwdriver antenna.
W6GQ Rating: 2007-09-13
Quality Control? Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought an ICOM IC-7000 and a new Tarheel 2 antenna. I ordered the Turbo Tuner for the ICOM and received it on August 28, 2007.

I had the radio and antenna installed just waiting for the Turbo Tuner. When it arrived the jumper coax included with the the tuner was JUNK! The barrel of the PL-259 was to long to allow it to snug tight on the SO-239. Well I used a different jumper and connected it up, hit the tune button on the radio and no tuning but had the fault code W P sent from the tuner, you would think the directions would show what the fault codes meant but no. So I check all the radio settings making sure it was set correctly per directions. All were correct so I pull the cover off the tuner to be sure the "dip switches" were set per the directions. All were set correctly. I double check the power connections of the radio, check the antenna ground and check the coax feeding the antenna. All checked good. I try to tune again and get fault code W P once again. OK well MAYBE just MAYBE my jumper coax I replaced the junk one I got from turbo tuner with was also bad? So I went to radio shack, yeah I know, and bought a new jumper. Same results. So I finally call Turbo Tuner and speak with Bill. He looks up fault code W P. That code means the turbo tuner is not detecting RF and he said my jumper or coax is bad. I told him about his junk he sent with the turbo tuner and I said I replaced the jumper already but I will now replace the coax going to the antenna because, well you never know. I replaced and still no luck. I then AGAIN double checked my dip switches just to be sure. But then this time I thought why dont I look at the SO-239 connectors on the board of the turbo tuner. GUESS WHAT! NO SOLDER on the center pins of the SO-239 connectors! I called Bill again at turbo tuner and told him. He said send the tuner back and he will replace it. I also mentioned his junk jumper and he said they got a bad batch and would take care of that also. I sent it back USPS Priority on Wednesday the 29th ( 03060320000536799685 ) and he received it on the 31st of August 2007. I called him when it arrived and he said he will send a new one out to me ASAP. Well when I did not receive it by September 7th I called Bill and asked where it was, he said he did not get a chance to REPAIR the one I had. WHAT? REPAIR? This thing was new and he couldnt send me a new replacement to speed things up? He said he will not be able to start on the repairs until this week.

I finally got it today September 13 with a new jumper coax and it works like it is suppose to. Should I be happy he repaired a new item that was never used? Should I be happy I had to pay shipping twice? Should I be happy it took so long to get it back? Sorry I just cannot make myself happy about this experience

Quality Control? hmmmmmmmm?
K8RBW Rating: 2007-09-06
Wonderful unit and a true gentleman Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have been long remiss in writing this review. For that, I owe him an apology. Aside from functioning perfectly, Bill's support has been unparalleled.

I purchased a Turbo Tuner from him perhaps more than a year ago. I tried an experiment by running 13 volts to it by using a bias tee to route the power through the coax. Like a Neanderthal, I accidently fried the tuner. I returned it to Bill offering to pay him to repair it. Bill, an outstanding example of amateur radio at its best, called me to ask what I had done. Much embarrassed, I explained. Unflappable, he told me the unit wasn't repairable and he was sending me a new one gratis. I insisted that I was no freeloader and would pay him for it, but he flatly refused. Kudos to Bill. I am proud to have met him!

I liked it so much I purchased a second and I am embarrassed to ask him how to download and istall the IC-7000 upgrade.

de Dick, K8RBW