Manager


Manager - NA4M
Manager Notes

Reviews For: Tokyo Hy-Power HC-1.5Kat

Category: Antenna Tuners/Matching Networks

eMail Subscription

Registered users are allowed to subscribe to specific review topics and receive eMail notifications when new reviews are posted.
Review Summary For : Tokyo Hy-Power HC-1.5Kat
Reviews: 12MSRP: 1150
Description:
HF Band 1.5KW Auto Antenna Tuner
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.tokyohypower.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
23.5124.3
K6PTS Rating: 2007-10-12
Great Tuner - Works as promised Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Bought the HC-1.5KAT & the HL-1.5KFX 1KW amplifier together from HRO-Sunnyvale (although the tuner was backed ordered from Japan for about 8 weeks).

When it was finally delivered I couldn’t wait to get it on the air. I was immediately pleased with the fit and finish, it was the perfectly matched companion to the amplifier. Along with the auto-tuning / auto band changing features, I can seamlessly switch bands without a care. You never even have to touch the tuner when making band changes … it’s great!

I'm driving the amp with an Icom-756ProIII and a simple 20/40m wire dipole antenna. The tuner effortlessly extends from my 20 & 40m into 40-10m. Hopefully I will be able to get a solution soon for 80 & 160. The HC-1.5 gives you three antenna inputs so you have plenty of room for all your antennas. I’ll add to my review after a couple more months but right now I am extremely pleased. The Tokyo Hy-power combo is definitely a capable and worthy alternative to folks looking for a solid state 1KW solution at a very attractive price point.
W6OP Rating: 2007-08-17
Very nice tuner Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Even though I have only had the auto tuner a couple of weeks I thought I should add a review since it is a new product.

The auto tuner works great with my TS-480 and HL-1.5K amplifier. As I change bands on the TS-480, the amp switches bands and the auto tuner switches bands to follow. This is probably the feature I like the most. It tunes via rf sensing so as soon as I start to transmit (CW or SSB) it immediately retunes. If the amp is not in standby, the tuner switches it to standby while tuning so you are not hurting your amp transmitting into a high swr. The great thing about this is you can just switch to a frequency with a DX station and make a call without tuning. It will tune while you are making your first call. If you move up or down the band it will retune if necessary

THP says you need 50 to 85 watts to tune but I find I can tune at 10 watts (CW). If I am not ready to make a call, I'll just move to an unused frequency, hit the tune button on my TS-480 (10 watts) and be ready to go. I run my TS-480 at 70 watts anyway so I don't over drive the amp so I really don't have to tune ahead of time anyway.

I tried manually tuning the amp also. It initially was confusing. There is only a Function button and a single knob that also can be pushed in to set parameters. I am used to two knobs for the capacitors and a knob or switch for the inductor (T match circuit). Once you get used to it, however it is quite easy and fast to tune manually. The inductor is fixed and there are two motor driven 3000 volt variable caps. Using the one knob, both caps are adjusted at the same time.
On some bands additional fixed caps are also switched in.

So far the tuner has worked great for me. It tunes all my antennas on all bands. Well almost, I had my cables crossed and it wouldn't tune my 6 meter antenna on any HF bands :) Once I connected it correctly it worked on all my HF antennas. All of my antennas that are not resonant do not present too high swr. The matching range is closer to the built in auto tuners in transceivers than some other manual tuners. There are three antenna outputs and the band tracking remembers which antenna to use. It is not designed to work on 6 meters so it bypasses the tuner when you switch to that band.

It does have a small internal cooling fan. While it is pretty quiet it has a higher pitch to it and is noticeable over the sound of my amp when I don't have my headphones on. I always operate with headphones, though, and then don't hear it at all.

Overall, great! I really like the fact I don't have to switch bands, and I can just transmit without tuning and it puts the amp in standby until tuning is finished.

Pete W6OP