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Reviews For: Palstar AT2K

Category: Antenna Tuners/Matching Networks

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Review Summary For : Palstar AT2K
Reviews: 130MSRP: 595.95
Description:
A newly-designed, smaller roller inductor allows the AT2K to tune 6 Meters, while a relay-switched toroid adds the extra inductance needed for 160 Meter coverage. Newly designed capacitors feature lower minimum capacitance for improved high band performance, while maximum capacitance has been increased to 400pF for better low band performance. In addition, the Peak/Peak Hold metering from the PM2000 has been incorporated into the AT2K.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.palstar.com/en/at2k.php
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
231304.6
KY3W Rating: 2013-07-28
One of the better tuners Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
The only initial problem I experienced was realigning the inductor. The set screw was loose. Easy fix.

After a few months I got tired of looking at the misaligned power meter. Palstar meters always read low for whatever reason. Calibration was simple. Just remember to test with the cover on. It reads different without it. For best accuracy, calibrate in the mid to upper range on both the low and high scales. 100-200W for low, 500-1500W for high.

My maximum power is 1.2KW and I only use high power on 160 & 75M. I never experienced arcing with my AT2K on these bands. Antenna is a 180ft center fed with 400 ohm feed line.

I use the Palstar 1:1 current balun with my AT2K and about 10ft of RG-213 from balun to tuner.

W7KKK Rating: 2013-05-21
Nice Tuner Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have had many tuners over the years and there is no doubt that this is a nice one.
However I am going to give it a 4 due to quality control in the manufacturing process.
The unit arrived from the shipper and the box was in very nice condition so there was no shipping damage.
I noted when turning the inductor that there was a slight bind and a noise that went along with it in the mid range.
Rather than ship a brand-new tuner in for warranty repair and be without I removed the cover to fix the problem myself. I found by using a straight edge on the shaft that supports the contact wheel for the inductor that it had a slight inward bend right in the middle of the coil.
After carefully correcting that bend in the shaft the inductor tunes much more smoothly throughout its range and is not a problem.
I did contact Palstar to let them know that I thought that this was a manufacturing fault and should have been caught after final assembly by simply running the controls through their full range as it would have been felt and heard.
WH7DX Rating: 2013-05-15
Very Happy Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I'm very happy with the tuner. Well built, no problems. Created a cheat sheet for bands 10-160M with setting for AMP and Tuner and I'm in the low 1s with good Amp output with about 70% radio output.
K5REZ Rating: 2013-04-30
Great Quality - I'm Happy Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I was impressed by the reviews of this tuner and needed something that would handle 1.5kw.

This AT2K I've owned for a couple of years and it's solid and does a great job for me. Sure, the tuner was more expensive than some others BUT the quality is there and I don't do automatic tuners. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
W0BBI Rating: 2013-04-15
Great performer but, Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had my AT2K for several years now and it works great but I have 2 issues. The first was early after my purchase I would get some buzzing (not arching) on 160 when the additional 160 inductor was switched in via the frount panel button. Palstar's customer service was very helpful. They sent a new "shunt inductor control" board. When that did not solve the issue we replaced the "button switch" thinking that teh relay may have been the problem but it still buzzed. I just disconnected the lead to the switch the problem was solved. I can tune my 160 inverted vee fine without it. Latest problem is the decal or silk screen is flaking off the front panel for no appearent reason. I try not to touch the panel when making changes but it is still flaking off around the coax switch in particular. For these reasons I have to down grade it to a 4.
N3HYB Rating: 2013-03-25
Fantastic Company Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The United States Postal Service tried their best to smash my well packaged AT2K enroute to Michigan. They succeeded in crushing the upper right corner. I called Palstar and Eva answered the phone. She is selling me parts at cost! Find another company that does this? Their product is excellent but their service and customer support is beyond great. Thank you Eva and Paul.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by N3HYB on 2013-03-10

I have owned two AT2k's. Not only have they both served me well but so does the company. The meter on one of my tuners became slightly off not wanting to return to zero forward watts. I sent it in and they fixed it for free serviced it and sent it back in just a few days. I have always been able to tune whatever antenna I needed to from 6 Meters to 160. These amps are dependable and backed by a caring company. If you get the chance buy one.
W1QP Rating: 2013-03-09
Quality Tuner Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased this tuner to replace a 300W tuner from a different company due to plans to add an amplifier. When I unpacked it from the box, the high quality of the tuner was evident. This tuner blows away the previous one. I can tune more of the 80M band now where the other tuner just gave up. This tuner is more expensive than the one from the other company but it is by far of much higher quality. I can now operate on more of the bands then I was able to before. I highly recomend this tuner. Pay the price. You buy it once and you have it for life. You won't be disappointed.
N0DQS Rating: 2013-02-14
solid tuner Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Have used the tuner for about 4 years now and very smooth and solid, I think construction is good, tunes anything I wish to tune rather easy. Much smoother more predictible than the tuner that it replaced in the shack. Handles my amp just fine.
KE4CQ Rating: 2013-02-05
Nice tuner and great service Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have owned this tuner for about 1 1/2 years. I made a mistake and damaged my selector switch which required repair. Palstar replaced the switch, upgraded my knobs and performed a complete service. My tuner was promptly shipped the same day they received it! Great job Palstar!
N4NS Rating: 2013-01-16
Down grading my rating Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I am down grading my rating because the voltage of the input and the output of the tuner appear on the front and rear wafers of the antenna switch. Some of the recommended tunings, especially on the 160 meter band, can cause arcing at the rated power. This was verified by disconnecting the bypass off of the front wafer (isolating the input/output), arcing stopped. Palstar should have recalled this tuner to fix this. I have order a higher rated switch for it.