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Reviews For: Palstar AT-500

Category: Antenna Tuners/Matching Networks

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Review Summary For : Palstar AT-500
Reviews: 22MSRP: $439.95
Description:
600 Watt PEP Antenna Tuner
Covering 160 to 6 Meters, the AT-500 features a differential tuning capacitor with 2 stators and 1 rotor, a precision ceramic body roller inductor, and a 4:1 ferrite current balun for balanced line feeds.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.palstar.com/at-500.php
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00224.5
K1TN Rating: 2009-08-06
Not impressed Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I rate this a three because of poor ergonomics and poor value for the money.

My 60-year-old eyes are pretty good for their age, but this unit still puts them to the test. The numbers on the inductor turns counter and the numbers on the front panel for the capacitor tuning are very hard for me to read. And even the light in the meter is dim and a sickly yellow.

To me, these are real issues on a unit that requires a lot of fiddling to change bands and even more to move frequency within a band.

The manual also says to clean the roller coil with isopropyl alcohol every 4-6 months. It doesn't say if this is necessary even if the tuner sits mostly unused. This will require taking the cabinet off, of course.

I am comparing the AT-500 to an MFJ-993 auto tuner, which I also own. The MFJ will do everything the Palstar does, faster and automatically. This includes ANT A/B switching, matching coax, balanced line, and end-fed wires. Both will match 160 to 6 meters. (The MFJ is not rated for 6 Meters but I know for a fact that it will, indeed, match at least some loads on that band, as will many tuners not rated for 6 Meters.)

I bought the Palstar for this winter, to get a little more matching capability and bandwidth on a short, end-fed wire on 160 Meters. I will use a counterpoise wire and an MFJ "artificial ground" box for that, too. The Palstar has the ability to switch in inductance on 160 Meters, and the bigger components may be able to add some bandwidth (over the MFJ auto tuner).

This $439 was a lot of money to spend for one application and I thought about it. But, the Palstar may be a keeper for a spare tuner and/or other applications. I do think that on some really oddball excuses for an "antenna" the Palstar should, in theory, find a match when the MFJ won't. We shall see.

I also thought about spending another $50 or so for a higher power Palstar, but the AT-500, while rated at 600 watts, probably will handle a KW key down after it's tuned up. I may never run that kind of power again.

I rate this tuner poor value for the money because I guess the price is because its components appear to be pretty sturdy. My experience with tuners, more than 40 years worth, is that you can exceed specifications all over the place if you do your adjusting carefully, at low power levels. I am not the only person who, for years, ran 600-700 watts output key-down CW into a Johnson Low Power Matchbox, "rated" at 275 watts.

The Palstar has ceramic stand-offs for various applicatons, too (balanced feed line, random wire), sturdier than the ones on my MFJ-993. These are appropriate for the Palstar's higher power rating. But, I wonder, just what is the purpose of a tuner rated at 600 watts? Seems to me that either you run a barefoot transceiver at 200 watts, max (which any 100 watt tuner will handle), or you run full KW heat.

I just bought the AT-500 on August 5, 2009, and I suppose I'll keep it, but if anybody wants one for a few bucks off the new price, look me up and drop me an e-mail.

Jim Cain, K1TN
KK7XE Rating: 2009-04-29
Quality Tuner Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
The tuner is fairly new to the market, but I wanted something smaller as I operate with 100 watts or less. It tunes my Windoms, and Doublet antennas anywhere I want to go. I also have a vertical and it does excellent with it too. As with all of their products, it works as it should and is very easy to use. My 570 tuner does just ok, but this tuner opens things up as they should be. Thank you Palstar.