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Reviews For: Palstar AT4K

Category: Antenna Tuners/Matching Networks

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Review Summary For : Palstar AT4K
Reviews: 62MSRP: 895.00
Description:
The AT4K is a premium quality American-made matching network
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.palstar.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
11624.6
K5YY Rating: 2005-04-04
great, early model Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Agree with NT4I! Earlier units were a bit pricey BUT better than later models. Perhaps early costs scared too many people off and the price had to be lowered (with less expensive components?)in order to sell more units and be competitive with lower priced tuners. There is a happy medium somewhere where quality will not suffer and pricing can make a profit.
No mistake, the AT4K I have with the LED, an early unit, is the BEST tuner I have ever had. Maybe the newer AT5K will be about the same in quality as the old AT4K..
San K5YY
NT4I Rating: 2005-04-04
The first one's were good but not anymore! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased 2 new AT4K tuners over the years. The first unit was great with the roller inductor manufactured by Henry Radio and the LED bar graph. I should of never sold it! The later AT4K had a roller inductor that looked like a middle school science project. It had nylon tie wrap’s around the brackets to help hold it together and it arched like crazy. Needless to say, I dumped that piece @&%#@ quick. If Palstar ever goes back to when they first made them, I’d buy another, until than I’ll save my money!
KB4QLZ Rating: 2004-08-25
Fantastic Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This thing is BIG. Great looking construction, easy to follow manual. Has tuned everything I’ve thrown at it so far. Repeatability is a snap! Not like the cheaper ones from that company in Mississippi. Buy this one, and be done with it.

73
Mark - KB4QLZ
www.kb4qlz.com
AA2AT Rating: 2004-08-03
Very Good Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Been using this tuner for a couple of weeks now. Tuning is smooth, the Peak reading wattmeter is one of the best in the business, runs right along side a bird 43 for accurate readings. using a couple of different antennas for 160M I am able to run the legal limit in cw without any arcs or sparks, 80-10 very fine tuning no arc or sparks. I looked inside the unit nice quality componets. I am glad I forked over the few extra bucks to get this tuner instead of one of the cheaper headaches.
K3VW Rating: 2004-02-07
Best tuner I have ever had !! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have been a ham for a long time and bought a Palstar AT4K about 4 years ago and it is the best tuner I have ever had !! It will take 5 KW output, with a good SWR, and just loaf !! No arcing, spitting or anything else , like some of the other " so called " 3 KW tuners. Most are not rated for output like the AT4K !! I have been asked to sell/ trade my AT4K but I will not!! Why get rid of something that works so great? Also on Paul of Palstar, he used to own an amplifier company, years ago, and I had a meter board missing on an amp that I bought from a SK estate, and Paul volunteered to re-build that board for me so that I could use the amp !! He is a great ham and businessman in my opinion. Anyone who will bad mouth Paul, N8PH, does not know the man !! I will recommend the Palstar company and Paul, to anyone I talk to on the radio. Willy K3VW
K6IOU Rating: 2003-11-20
Ya Git Wat Ya Pay Fer Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
"Quality" from the USA!!

No loose or missing screws, no cold solder joints, no arcing, sparking or sizzling. Sits flat on the table. Built from quality components. Paul answers emails promptly. He will also take phone calls to answer questions.

Let's see . . . have I missed any of the common complaints leveled at the other 'Made in the USA' company?

Great job Palstar!!

DON K6IOU
W7YC Rating: 2003-11-08
Excellent Investment Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've had mine for over 18 months now and have been extremely pleased with its performance. Rugged construction and large, high-quality components make this tuner an excellent investment for anyone serious about wire antennas and high power.
W5YK Rating: 2003-08-15
The only serious choice Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought my AT4K about 3 years ago - it is identical to the one in the photo at the top of this review page.

The performance is flawless - I have run this on all bands with all kinds of wire antennas and never had any problem with heating or arcing.

The construction is a work of art. The capacitors and inductor are twice the size of anyone elses product. Under the hood, its a Rolls Royce. It makes my MFJ tuner look like a kids toy.

Best of all is the customer service - I recently needed to replace a few cover screws that I had stripped using a power screwdriver (duh!), and one email to Paul had a bag of screws in the mail, no charge. That's service.
AB2EZ Rating: 2003-04-07
Great products Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just purchased an AT4K, used, from another ham. I paid almost the price of a new one... but I wanted an older model with the bar graph and the fan. Built to last... and looks/works like new. This is a great product, and Paul provides great customer service. I'm adding this to may growing collection of Palstar products: DL2K, FL30, etc.
K9JP Rating: 2003-04-04
Best Tuner For Me! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Just hooked up my new AT4K this past weekend here in Traverse City, MI.

The AT4K out performs other tuners I have used here. The only thing I would improve on the At4K would be an automatic power meter switching circuit. I replaced a Nye Viking MB-V-A with this Execellent AT4K. The Nye has automatic switching for the power level meter. The AT4K is manual.

The AT4K had no problem tuning one of my antennas (ground feed trap sloper) for 80 meter phone. Neither the Nye Viking or MFJ-986 was able to produce a match on that antenna. The Nye Viking and MFJ are going to a swap this weekend.

37 new countries this past weekend on 80 phone (WPX contest) with the sloper and the AT4K. That works for me! Thanks Again, Palstar!

73, Jeff Peters, K9JP