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Reviews For: BetterRF 7000 Screwdriver Control

Category: Antennas: HF Mobile & Accessories

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Review Summary For : BetterRF 7000 Screwdriver Control
Reviews: 43MSRP: 84.95 + 8.00 shipping
Description:
Companion piece for the BetterRF 7000 Tune Control. It allow automatic tuning of a motorized antenna with the tune button on the IC-7000
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.qth.com/betterrf/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00434.5
8877 Rating: 2011-01-13
Excellent Product Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
This is one great product. Well engineered addition to the 7000. Easy installation and operation. Very helpful support. Happy to recommend.
K5HAB Rating: 2011-01-07
Pleasure to have Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have two of the BetterRF Tune/Screwdriver controls combinations, one in an RV and the other in a van. I have used these for two plus years. The installation was easy with great support from their service manager, K0BG. They are flawless – works every time. They stand up to rugged use in search & rescue missions. Great product.

WA1GZY Rating: 2010-08-15
Not for IC-7000 Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
The BetterRF 7000 indeed moves the Hi Q 6/160.... randomly! The N2VZ TurboTuner works straight out of the box. Set dipswitch to 500MA and use alternate SWR setting. Tracking is accurate for 80 to 15 meters but misses 160, 12 and 10 meter settings. These bands can be accessed if the antenna is moved with double pole switch however.
It also may be possible to adjust the shunt coil for better/broader band coverage.
N3MX Rating: 2010-07-27
Fantastic Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
OK I purchased this about two years ago through HRO along with the prerequisite tune control and finally got around to replacing a Turbo Tuner this May. I use this with a HiQ 4-160 MC-1 antenna. The Turbo Tuner worked OK but did not always tune properly. It would regularly miss the mark and force the antenna to tune longer then necessary. The Better RF controller, once setup properly works every time with minimal movement of the antenna motor as it remembers which frequency you were on move the motor in the correct direction. It may be worth noting that some reviews are mentioning it not working with a IC-706. Well it is designed for the IC-7000 only! This may seem silly to mention this but some folks seem to be trying this on the 706 and then writing a poor review when it does not work properly. I had one question during installation which was immediately answered correctly by tech support. K0BG provided the support. His website is quite useful and full of information to help you avoid problems. One cannot emphasize enough to take your time and read up on the proper installation of HF mobile antennas. There are many things to consider and to look out for. That being said, my experience for the last three months with Better RF IC-7000 Screwdriver Controller and the HiQ 4-160 MC-1 is simply the best experience I have had to date with my mobile HF operations.
W7WX Rating: 2010-05-19
Great Controller! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
See my review on the IC-7000/BetterRF. Mine worked great with the Hi-Q and now my Scorpion. Although difficult to get through the instructions as mentioned, once it's understood what is suppose to happen it's cake and fairly simple...or rather was for me.

I listed a few "land mines" that I ran in to on my other review that hopefully others can avoid.

But overall this product has been a joy for me to use. 5/5 in my book!
W2RI Rating: 2010-03-28
Maybe it works, but not for me Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
While this product might work for some antennas, it just doesn't get the job done on my Hi-Q 6/160 EX. The problem is that if it can't find what it thinks is a good match, it will often send the plunger all the way down to the bottom, while continuing to key down. Meanwhile, you just have to sit there as it goes off to limbo...

For me, a much better solution is a turns counter with a manual rocker (DPDT) switch, with an antenna analyzer. In fact, a much better - and simpler - product for my use would be a box with (say) 8 buttons, which engages any of 8 configurations by adjusting the plunger setting based on a turn counter.

For some of you, this box may work well. I concede that. But for my use, it just doesn't get the job done. Hence the 2/5 rating.

Incidentally I'm a fan of disclosure, which not everyone in the mobile world is. I have no financial interest in BetterRF products.
W5YDW Rating: 2010-03-23
great Device Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have to eat a little crow. I completed reworked my mobil installation according to K0bg recommendations and my controller works flawlessly. Although I was a little annoyed by the lecture it was well meaning and well deserved. This is a super companion for the IC7000
W6HIQ Rating: 2010-01-03
If it works... Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Have to go back a while to recite my experience with the better rf antenna controller.It was mr. Know it All, k0bg who insisted that I evaluate one in my SUV with the Hi-Q antenna and the Icom 706 MkIIG.
I received the unit on a Wednesday, had difficulty to understand the scampy directions so I called on Thursday mr. Know it All who has spent over 3 hrs on the phone with me to try to make it tune as designed. He gave up! Suggested to call the designer, whom I called the next day, he too has spent an other 3 hrs to try to make it work, (mr. Know it All has forgat to tell me that the other guy was out of the country and some $270.00 worth of phone call later, he also gave up).
Sent it back.
Found one on eBay for $75.00 gave it an other try, it was way to sensetive to RF had to drop power to 10 watts to make it work . The cheap connectors where the most problem, mechanicaly to loose, bump on the road would allow it to loose connection.
Fianlly I ripped it out and went back the the DPDT switch. ( I did stump on it), but did not have the heart to mail it back to them in that condition!
Mr. Kow it All has asked me to ENDORSE it for the Hi-Q antenna users, I DID NOT as it has happened many times before, I get the first call that my antenna does not work, well remove the contraption and see it it works without it!
This yielded a nasty mail from Mr. Know It All, that they are loosing sales do to the fact the Hi-Q DOES NOT endorse it on the Hi-Q website.

Having said all of this, I have heard from Hi-Q antenna users that it works for them.......

Yes, IF IT WORKS............

73, Charlie W6HIQ
W9LP Rating: 2009-11-04
Great Mobile HF Solution Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I've been using this BetterRF controller with my IC-7000 and Little Tarheel 75. After following all the instructions to the letter, this controller has worked flawlessly for over 9 months.

There are very few auto-tuning antenna configurations that work seamlessly in the mobile... this one does and has been completely reliable.

You can't go wrong with this product.
W3RXO Rating: 2009-07-24
Is great for most, just not me. Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
In the interest of total disclosure, I am friends with N6VQL, and I know that both of his Better RF 7000 Tune Controllers work absolutely flawlessly. My experience with the one I have has been nothing but headaches. We thought we had it set up pretty close, and it worked well for me on 20 and 40, but that was it. It would not find tune on my Hi-Q 5/160 on 10, 12, 15, 17, 75/80 or 160. So I contacted Alan, to get his input. Upon making the changes Alan recommended, it no longer was able to tune ANY band. Then I got word that my truck was to be sold, and I was getting a new truck (I am a cross country truck driver), so I un-installed it from the truck it was in, in anticipation of the move. I then installed it in my new truck, using the advice Alan gave, and Felix's experience. After 3 months of messing with it, on two trucks, with 3 different mounting configurations, and countless differing combinations of snap on ferrite beads, in all of the usual locations, and then some, I have taken the Better RF 7000 Tune Controller and the Better RF Screwdriver Controller out of my setup, and gone to Charlie's (W6HIQ) manual controller with turns counter.
Now, I do not want to bash the Better RF products, as I know they generally work VERY WELL, but I have had a very negative experience, with them, and wanted to be sure to post here, that in order to use them, you must be a patient person, and one who enjoys a challenge, to tinker with. If you lack the patience, to tinker, endlessly, and would rather have something that is plug and play, consider something other than these products. If you do not mind tinkering, you can probably install it, tinker with it for a short while, and be extremely happy with it's operation, for a long time. I just don't have the time or patience. I need something that requires very little adjustment, and works right away.