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Reviews For: Palstar AT1KP

Category: Antenna Tuners/Matching Networks

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Review Summary For : Palstar AT1KP
Reviews: 42MSRP: 429.00
Description:
The AT1KP features differential capacitor tuning with 2 stators and 1 rotor.
For ease of use the AT1K series utilize only 2 controls to operate for tuning
with a precision ceramic body roller inductor and high power balun. NEW!
Peak and Peak Hold dual cross-needle metering ($149.95 value found in our
popular PM2000A wattmeter). As on all Palstar tuners the front panel and top
cover are powdercoated.

Specifications:
-Power rating 1200 watts pep
-160m to 20m(1200+/-j1200), 10m to 15m (1000+/-j1000)
-Output to both balanced and unbalanced lines
-Impedance matching range 20 ohms to 1200 ohms
-Easy and quick tuning with only two controls
-6 position mode switch for multiple antennas
-Crossneedle metering with backlighting (wall transformer supplied)
-Meter power range 0-300 watts / 0-3000 watts
-Differential capacitor tuning with 2 stators and 1 rotor (430pf - 19pf -
430pf@3.5kv)
-Palstar designed ceramic body roller inductor
-High power ferrite 4:1 balun
-Crossneedle metering with backlighting (wall transformer supplied)
-Powdercoated front panel and top cover
-Dimensions: 10 1/2" wide x 4 1/2" high x 11"deep
Weight: 8 lbs
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.palstar.com/at1kp.php
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00424.8
KE0NK Rating: 2008-10-05
Terrific ATU. Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have used this tuner with center fed, off-center fed dipoles, ground mounted vertical antenna and it tunes them all the way I expect it to do. I have used the Drake MN-2700 tuners for over 15 years and I didn't expect to find a tuner that I would like more, but I find no faults with the Palstar. I had a problem with the tuner and called Palstar and have never experienced such good service and info. I will buy the bigger tuner i want from Palstar. Palstar owners can be proud of their company.
W3NRL Rating: 2008-09-04
Build like tank Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I had mine AT1KP now for about 1 1/2 yrs and this baby still performes day after day with out fail.
It's with out a doubt the best on the market today.
G8JNF Rating: 2008-09-04
This is an EXCELLENT Tuner Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I decided to buy this tuner after reading the previous eHam reviews, and I'm really happy that I did.
The antenna its connected to is an 1/2 size G5RV with inductors to allow me to use a limited portion of 80m. The internal tuners in both my TS2000 and 756PROIII would only match small parts of each band (80 - 10m). With the AT1KP in line I'm able to go ANYWHERE on the bands with an swr of no higher than 1.3 to 1. It even tunes up on 160 and 6 metres!

The build quality is 1st class, and I am really impressed with this tuner.

Well done Palstar.
AD9Z Rating: 2008-09-01
I will never buy another brand! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
The best tuner I have ever owned! If your looking for a tuner, this is it! Palstar is great quality and great service!
KT4RH Rating: 2008-08-29
Best tuner I've ever used Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
If you need a good easy to use tuner then buy it.
You won't be disappointed. This is coming from someone who is notoriously hard to please when it comes to amateur equipment.
AB2YS Rating: 2008-08-20
Great Tuner Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
There is not much more praise I can add about this tuner than what has already been written here. Well packed, well built, performs superbly - this tuner is worth every penny of its reasonable price.
OE1MWW Rating: 2008-08-07
high quality, little flaws Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
The tuner is built of quality parts and has a good mechanical design. Nevertheless, quality control at PALSTAR seems to be asleep sometimes.

I have sent this mail twice to info@palstar.com and got no response.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
From: Wolfgang OE1MWW To: info@palstar.com
Date: Friday, August 1, 2008, 4:39:32 PM
Subject: quality problem - AT1KP
Files:
--====----====----====----====----====----====----====----====----====----===--
Hello,

today my AT1KP Ser.No. 8664 arrived from Willy, gagacom shop in Germany.

Willy is giving an excellent support, direct contact with him is a pleasure.
Willy advised me to how to maintain the unit in the future and to immediately check out the unit for transport damages after arrival.

Everything looked fine, but I was nosy and looked into details!

a.) The antenna switch was misaligned!

The disc with the one tooth did barely touch the contacts in all positions. I had to open the shaft screws and to rotate the shaft a few degrees to align the tooth. Now the two clamping contacts grab the tooth exactly in the middle. This happens now in all positions of the switch. It was easy done, nevertheless, please have an eye on this in the future.

b.) the rolling coil made a 'tock-tock' feeling at the far end.

A very very thin wire, apparently a braid of a stranded wire, 1 mm long and bent, because the rolling wheel went over several times, sticked across the coil wire. I took a piece of plastic and scratched this off. Looks like this happened during soldering and cutting a cable at an other position.

73
Wolfgang, OE1MWW

P.S. I hope I could describe the facts with my humble english ;-)
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AD4C2006 Rating: 2008-07-10
GREAT TUNER Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I only have this one for 1 day and I noticed inmediately I have purchased a professional piece of equipment,first of all the packaging was done professionally and it arrived in good shape even knowing how much of abuse UPS carriers put on all boxes they carry on their trucks.Opened the box and wow! what a nice good looking tuner,opened it up to see inside and wow! its very well built,they used good quality components,like its been said here,you get what you pay for.My only antenna at home is a G5RV Jr at just 20 feet up because tough owners association,and with the last tuner that I owned till last week,a great tuner as well,the ATR-30 from Ameritron,I could tune it on 40,20 and 10M only because the impedance spam was to wide,but now with this AT1KP I can tune my G5RV flat anywhere from 7 to 52 Mhz easily.
The feel of the variable capacitor as well as the roller inductor is nice and smooth,the meter is very accurate acording my BIRD wattmeter,the light for the meter even is not too bright is well enough for my room ilumination and the best feature I like from it,its the "peak hold" switch,it stays about 2 seconds at the last reading allowing you to see exactly your SSB peak.And also what a nice idea to include not only the wall transformer to feed the PEP board and the meter lamp but also some spare parts like the meter bulb with its cable and plug,some extra black screws,plastic washers,extra power plug and also cleaning sticks to clean the roller inductor wire turns,that's very nice indeed.So,no doubt PalStar has gain its own reputation.I used it last night on 40M CW,20M SSB,17M SSB and 15M CW and with 600W from my ALS-600 had no problem at all.Quite a good performance and it match the exact color of my 756Pro3.This is a keeper for anyone.
Rating: 5/5
AA8AX Rating: 2008-04-19
Supper Product Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Thanks Paul: I'm impressed with the quality of
SERVICE from you and your company.
The service and turn-around time was far above
my expectations.
All that I had heard and read about Palstar
was confirmed, when I talked to you...
Thanks again
WM2P Rating: 2008-03-01
It just works everytime Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I use this tuner with a long wire that has aried in length through the year. It has tuned all amateur bands with whatever I throw at it. It is built like a tank and does not move at all while adjusting the knobs. For me the best part is that it is dead quiet. My auto tuner, aside from settling for a higher than wanted SWR, made such noise that it woke my wife up if I used it at night. Now I can tune away all night long.