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Reviews For: Drake MN-2000

Category: Antenna Tuners/Matching Networks

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Review Summary For : Drake MN-2000
Reviews: 30MSRP: 250.00
Description:
HF Antenna Tuner
Product is not in production
More Info: http://www.dproducts.be/drake_museum/mn-2000.htm
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00304.8
GM1FLQ Rating: 2009-04-07
Well engineered Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Why can't manufacturers make amateur gear to this standard any longer - all you get is a plethora of equipment that is made by accountant led companies. No cheap plastics on this unit, no wobbly knobs and everything with a solid positive feel to it - built to last, and they do. Nice big wide spaced caps, heavy duty inductor and double screening. Nice big analogue meter. Only slight downside is meter can be a bit slow to react on power output setting, due probably to the mechanical mass of the meter components.
My Kenwood AT230 is pretty good (albeit lower power rated) but the MN2000 has it on build.
K1YPB Rating: 2009-01-28
25 Years and still like new Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is a great tuner. It will tune almost anything and you can pour the power through it with no worries. The components are super heavy duty, and I have never had any arcing at any tuner setting. I even have used it for Air Force MARS (and they have some real odd frequencies of of the normal ham bands. I have had this tuner for more than 25 years and it is still pristine. If I have any complaint, I would say it is the band selector knob. It looses up after use and requires to be retightened periodically. Once it broke, but thanks to a generous ham on eham.net I was able to obtain a replacement knob. But this small issue does not detract from its performance or great looks. If you need a tuner, and can find one, get it. You will not be disappointed.
KD6HUC Rating: 2008-06-01
I love it! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased this tuner for only twenty dollars from a local ham who was cleaning out his garage. Yes, it was my lucky day! Even the little rubber pieces on front feet are pristine! All I had to do was rub some tape residue off the top and it was like I had just opened a fresh shipment from Ohio! Anyway, I do miss the built in balun and lack of 160, but let's not split hairs! My so called "amplifier ready" MFJ put out a very wild light show when I tried to load up 600 watts on 160 which was a band it was suppoed to cover... I suspect this tuner will never fail me at any power level I can feed it. Not to mention it sure looks pretty with my boatanchors. I wish it matched my Hallicrafters station. To sum it all up. Drake is the epitome of when Made in America meant something special.
WB4JSB Rating: 2008-05-02
Great Classic Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Bought mine from a friend over a year ago for less than $100. It is immaculate, without a scratch on it anywhere. I use it daily, up to legal limit & have never had any problems. It has tuned every antenna that I have so far connected to it, 10m-80m even on 12m&17m with a little coaxing. It will not tune 160m, but that is not a problem for me.

Great testament to Drake quality!
N7WR Rating: 2007-12-30
Good tuner Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Picked one up to use on just 80 meters in those parts of the band where my antenna is not resonant. Use it with a TS 830S (Gold) and Collins 30L 1 into an elevated 1/4 wave vertical. Does the job nicely though it won't tune below 1.5-1.0 in some parts of the band. Mine is in clean condition in and out and sold for what seems to be a fair ($195) price for a tuner of this quality. I'll hold onto it until I can find a Yaesu FC 102 which is my preferred tuner for this station.
KC4CP Rating: 2007-05-13
Great Value Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought my Drake MN-2000 from a Drake "Collector." It was (and is) in nearly mint condition, so I paid a little more for it ($200). At this price, it is a great value. It is built like a tank, tunes any antenna with ease, & is actually pretty good looking. I have had 3 different models of the Palstar Tuners (which are the best currently made), but the MN-2000 is a far better tuner and a much better value.

If you can find one in excellent condition, for between $150 - $225, buy it! Other than lacking 160 meters, it has no faults.

WR4N (ex KC4CP)
VE7RC Rating: 2007-02-27
Best investment...... Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I paid about US$140 for an MN-2000 back in the early 1990s. I thought it was a lot for a tuner. But you can never go wrong by buying quality. I still have the tuner and will never consider selling it. You always need a good tuner. Always buy quality even if you have to pay a lot for it. It will be cheaper in the long run.

VE7HA / 7J1AQH
K6YE Rating: 2007-01-26
GREAT TUNER Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I used one in conjunction with an ICOM IC-761 transceiver and a Henry 2KD-5 amp. It gave me zero SWR on 80-10. The ONLY reason I sold it was because I needed 160 meters capability (along with dual metering) and chose a Heathkit SA-2060.

Beyond that, the Drake is a really awesome tuner. If you can find one at a great price (and do not need 160 meters) grab it. You will never be sorry and should not lose a cent IF you should ever desire to sell it.

Semper Fi,

Tommy - K6YE
DX IS
K8ICB Rating: 2006-06-08
Great unit Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I purchased it used off the internet , it is very Well built , in my opinion a little hard to use with just one meter.
I have a Yaesu FT897D and would tune for minimum SWR on the Yaesu meter , then fine tune in the reflected mode on the Drake meter.I made a little chart of the settings for all bands.
I recently sold it and purchased a MFJ 989C which takes a little longer to tune but you can go to zero SWR on all bands , something I could not do with the Drake .
73 Dan
LU5DDX Rating: 2004-06-21
BESTIAL+++ Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
que se pude decir realmente el mejor at para trabajar con power de verdad y un lujo la suavidad de los controles . mi mas profundo respeto a la gente de DRAKE .y este instumento si anda .....
saludos desde Bs. As . jorge