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Reviews For: Palstar AT2KD Differential Tuner

Category: Antenna Tuners/Matching Networks

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Review Summary For : Palstar AT2KD Differential Tuner
Reviews: 59MSRP: 596 usd
Description:
BEGINNING IMMEDIATELY
We have decided to discontinue the AT1500DT and the AT1KP differential tuner series. The AT1500DT and the AT1KP have been combined into a new 2kW Tuner...

AT2KD!

An optional 4:1 current balanced balun can also be purchased, which can be easily connected externally to the tuner with a short length of COAX.

This new tuner has all our features, such as: peak and peak-hold; a resonant free roller system to operate from 6m to 160m continuously; new LED lit meter system; and a new compact size.

Production available immediately!
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.palstar.com/en/at2kd/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
14594.7
NW0Q Rating: 2019-09-10
NW0Q Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Great tuner, well up to Palstar's high standards. Paul and his staff are a delight to deal with.
M0INM Rating: 2019-05-14
Great piece of kit Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought this unit recently. The build quality is superb and it works really well. For ease of use I have compiled a list of settings for frequencies across the bands. This makes flipping the 2 controls to tune the antennas very quick and simple. I would recommend this despite the price.
VA3KBC Rating: 2019-01-22
Easy to use. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have had the LDG 1000 pro and the MFJ-998 IntelliTuner and they both worked good.
But found the LDG wouldn't tune all of my 160 meter Doublet and with the MFJ it just wouldn't completely tune down flat like I wanted it too so would have to touch up constantly.
After reading a bunch of reviews on the various tuners available and had tried buying used ones on Eham, QTH, KWARC, ONTARS, QRZ, and didn't have any luck. SO my wife told me to just buy a brand new tuner and the Palstar AT2KD was my choice from reading the eham reviews. Ease of tuning was my main interest since I go from band to band and freq to freq.
I made up a chart with the Freq, Load, Plate, Capacitance, Inductance for my Drake L7 amp and the Palstar Tuner.
I can put the dials to the #s I have on my chart and pretty well be 98% in tune. Mostly just have to touch up the TUNER then the amp
My 160 meter doublet has 58' of 600 ohm ladder line to a 4:1 Balun Designs balun, then 75' of LMR400 into the shack to the tuner.
I operate 160, 75,80, 40, 20, 17. Flat match on all and everywhere.
Pleased with the workmanship and ease of operation.
73, DJ VA3KBC
WB8ROL Rating: 2019-01-21
Really fine tuner! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have been using tuners over 45 years and this ranks as the best. The differential tuning is really easy and smooth. Solid construction and super support. It works well on all my HF antennas running a Flex 6400 + SB200 amp on SSB and digital. I also use one of the Palstar baluns which works well with my 115ft doublet which is fed with 300ohm twin lead.
KC9RNK Rating: 2019-01-21
Good Tuner Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought this Tuner back in 2013, not one problem in 6 years of everyday use. I've tuned a G5RV, Alpa-Delta DX-LB Plus, 160m Inverted L Folded Counterpoise ,and my 130'Bottom Fed Inverted L. I only have the two inverted L's to tune now. I band hop every day, so I might end up tuning 20 times a night. I can switch bands and tune in seconds since I know where I need to be. Rigs and antennas have come and gone, but the AT2KD is going nowhere!
KU2US Rating: 2018-12-17
Tunes EVERYTHING! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have to give this unit a solid "5". It tunes in a light bulb right up to my 102' G5RV on 160 meters. I even tuned in my steel roof on 80m?? Didn't expect that! I have had no problems, but I had to send it back because of a stupid thing I did. I cross wired the meter and blew the board. Sent it back and in less than a week was totally repaired. I feel it is worth the $$$..

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Earlier 5-star review posted by KU2US on 2011-11-06

I always have worked 100 watts or less, for over 30 years as a ham. OK, now its time to get an amp! An AL-811 fit the bill. This time I wanted the best money could buy as far as a manual tuner would go, and it was expensive. The AT2KD was the choice of many. I went for it! This tuner is worth every penny of it's cost. Solid, easy to use, tunes just about anything, at 600 watts it doesnt even get warm, made in the USA, quality parts and construction, and will last a LONG time. If you want the same as I did, the "Best of the Best", The Palstar AT2KD is the one, no question about it. Remember, you get what you pay for!
KN4RA Rating: 2018-12-16
Works for Me! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Bought the AT2KD NIB in 2015 from DXE. I use a 135' inverted vee dipole fed with 420 ohm ladder line at 40' into a DXE 1:1 balun with a short run of 9913 into the ham shack. It tunes reasonably well as long as I utilize the recommended length of ladder line outside. Some folks don't plan their antenna system nor ground their equipment properly and blame the tuner when it doesn't perform as advertised. The AT2KD does the job just fine for me. No arcs or sparks while running a KW. The metering is easily monitored and backlit. I would recommend this tuner, although I give it a 4 due to customer service. Paul is a highly intelligent engineer, but lacks in people skills.
W4TKY Rating: 2018-03-06
Nice Tuner not Great Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Over all this tuner is very good. The ease of tuning with 2 knobs makes it fast and repeatable. I am able to tune most bands with my G5RV and Cushcraft R-7000 vertical.
The peak reading meter reads a little lower then my other meters. But the peak hold function works very well. The only down side and reason for the 4, is the Ant Switch doesn't have good strong contact points. It is mushy/soft. I decided to keep it on #1 position and use an ext. Alpha Delta switch to select antennas. I only change it to Bypass for use with a DL. I switch back and forth between antennas a lot. Overall it is a good piece of gear, but could be better for the price. IMO
W1BG Rating: 2018-02-16
Definitely Not a 5 Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This was my first-ever Palstar tuner which I bought on the recommendation of a friend. Unfortunately mine arrived DOA. How can something as simple as an antenna tuner be DOA? It would kinda-sorta start to tune, but then as you came down near the 2:1 point it suddenly jumped to 5:1 as though there was a dead spot in the roller inductor, except you couldn't rock it back & forth to find your previous spot. Once you were at 5:1 you were done. It exhibited the exact same problem trying to "tune" into a dummy load. Obviously Palstar has some quality control issues here. The 6-position switch also lacks a good positive stop like older Palstars had. This one is junk & was returned to Gigaparts.
N4DJT Rating: 2017-09-06
Over-Hyped POS Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I do not understand how this thing rates 5 star reviews. maybe I got one put together on a friday at 4:30pm?
1. Lets start with the the fact that this thing will not tune my fan dipole on 15 meters. yeah i get it..tuning a harmonic there.. but my INTERNAL tuner handles that with zero problems.

2. Next on the list. the Watt meter is off by 10-15% compared to my calibrated bird! on the 300 watt scale.

3. The roller inductor has a dead spot at around 282 on the counter - no where near the full travel.

4. The Antenna switch for coax position 2 is intermittent - I have to wiggle it to make full contact.

This thing was ordered BRAND NEW!
this POS has been nothing but a headache. Did Palstar outsource this model to MFJ? for the money this thing costs and rave reviews I expected better quality.