Manager


Manager - NA4M
Manager Notes

Reviews For: Palstar AT2KD Differential Tuner

Category: Antenna Tuners/Matching Networks

eMail Subscription

Registered users are allowed to subscribe to specific review topics and receive eMail notifications when new reviews are posted.
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
W6AAJ Rating: 2013-03-22
Excellent Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
The key word with this tuner is QUALITY. As others have said in earlier reviews, this device is built like a tank

The digital readout on the inductor is precise and the settings are repeatable. The crank turns smoothly and it gets you where you need to go quickly.

I have used this tuner on all bands from 160 to 6 and have always been able to get a perfect match.

I am REALLY pleased with this unit - it's worth the extra money. You will be proud to have one of these in your shack.

Highly Recommended!
WN4E Rating: 2013-03-16
Smooth Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Just got mine in this week as a replacement for a MFJ989D. Let me tell you, there is NO comparison, this tuner is smooth and dials right in.With the other mentioned tuner I was afraid to put my HF2500 on the air. Now, no worries, Carolina 10-80 Windom only requires a minor touch up and wheather running 100w or 1500w tuner is rock solid. I don't ever see not having one....Love It...Recommend it 100%
W5RDW Rating: 2013-02-08
Easy to use tuner and well built! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Finally got a new tuner for my shack. For many years, I have had 2nd and 3rd. hand tuners so it is nice to have a new one. The Palstar is very well built and easy to use. Only two knobs to adjust and it matches everything I have. I can finally work the low end of 80 meters on CW with a 80/40M fan dipole. The metering reads very close to the rest of the power meter measuring equipment in the shack (Bird and Elecraft). I am anxious to use it on a long wire inverted L I will be putting up later this year.

I am happy!
AD4C2006 Rating: 2012-11-02
Best quality in the market Time Owned: N.A.
I have been user of PalStar tuners for several years because they have the best quality of build in the market without a doubt, little pricy but quality has its price.
I owned before the AT1KD for 3 years without any single problem running between 1 and 1.2KW trough it but because I purchased recently a new Ameritron AL-82 amp for maximum legal power of 1500W so did not want to burn my former tuner, sold it and purchased recently this AT2KD and as expected, qulity is excellent, tuning is as before smooth and easy on any of my dipoles, wattmeter is very acurate, PEP circuit work as it should be and so far I have been using the amp at its maximum and the tuner has not arc a bit, is very stable and swr don't change while I trasmit.
I will recomend anyone who wants a 2KW tuner to be reliable for many years to purchase one of these.
The companion for this tuner that I already bought as well is the 2KW dummy load with watmeter that PalStar sell as well.If you want to see how it look like on top of my tuner, go to qrz.com and type AD4C and take a look on my shack picture.

Hector
AD4C
KB3IUL Rating: 2012-08-21
No surprise from Palstar Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
A piece of art and electronic awesomeness(gr) It is built like a tank and I don't think you can go wrong. Palstar to me has been great in Customer Satisfaction. Called them with a problem with the coupler after I tried to remedy what I thought were 3 bad Shottky Diodes. I wrote in a letter that I voided the warranty by attempting to repair it myself. They fixed it free and most amazingly from Delaware round trip was exceptional time. Shipped Monday to Piqua returned Friday repaired. I love their stuff...no worries. Thanks Palstar for being friendly and making me feel like I was talking to a friend when I called for return for repair info. If you read the manual, it does was it says it can do. Great looking stuff, thrilled with it into my FL 7000
N4NUI Rating: 2012-07-20
Great Tuner Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Two and a half years ago I moved from manual tuners to automatic and bought an LDG 1000PRO and a LDG AT-100Pro. The 100Pro has worked very well. The LDGs "tuned" my antennas okay but the 1000Pro went into a fit and died a week ago. LDG quotes up to a 6 week repair cycle. I ordered the AT2KD from HRO and it arrived in only three days. I have been giving it a work-out on a big horizontal loop (4:1 balun), a full length 80m Carolina Windom, a 40m folded dipole, and a 20m vertical. I won't go as far as to say that it will match a wet noodle, but it is close. The case is heavy gauge aluminum. The verniers on the cap and inductor have a precise feel. The repeatability of the tuning is very good once you run your charts. The forward and reflected meters agreed closely with my Byrd. The hardware is high quality. Compared to My Favorite Junk it is leagues ahead - therefore the price. The automatic tuner once repaired will be relegated to the reserve station.
KA5TCF Rating: 2012-05-01
A great tuner Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
After running an around 600W with an Ameritron 811H through an MFJ 962D for 3 years I decided I wanted a nicer tuner. The MFJ was ok, but wow what a difference. The quality difference in terms of feel is huge. The roller inductor is smooth as silk while the MFJ would bind at each rotation. The 6 to 1 reduction drive on the differential capacitor is also a joy and really allows you to zero out your reflected power with ease. The MFJ could be really tricky, especially on 10M.

I also note the Palstar is broader banded allowing me a much wider opperating range than the MFJ. I tune up in the middle of any band except 10M and I have less that 1.6 to 1 SWR accross the entire extra class phone band even with my fan dipole hung in my attic.

Again, the MFJ was ok and did the job, but the Palstar is clearly a superior product. Of course, it does cost twice as much. If you can spare the change and you like to move around the bands, I would recommend going with the Palstar, you will be glad you did.
AD4GB Rating: 2012-04-09
Works Great! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought the Palstar AT2KD to replace a MFJ 986 Differential-T tuner that I was displeased with (it was always lossing contact on the roller ind.) and I love it. The quality is great and I love the peak-hold meter! I've only had it a couple of months and will give another review later but I'm sure it will be a thumbs up!
N6TEA Rating: 2012-04-01
Buy it! Tune it! Love it! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
The Palstar AT2KD is my first tuner and probably my last, it is so well made and functions so very well. I run an Ameritron AL-80B amp through the venerable AT2KD and out to a Butternut HF9V 80-6 meter vertical with 60 radials, 65' long. The Palstar gives me the entire bandwidth at 1:1 on every band despite the native resonance on 80 and 40 meters being quite narrow. The meters are spot on and offer a flexible array of info. A differential tuner has but one solution for any given frequency so there's no guessing once you have the inductor in range, you sharpen it up with the variable capacitor et voila! It's ready to run. I tune without the amp at first, then tune the amp for best match. If you wish to buy a Palstar AT2KD, I hope that you will enjoy it as much as I do.

73 de - - M
N6TEA
Mike Slate
KI6CDI Rating: 2012-03-06
Update Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Ok I have to update my review I got my new tuner and it had the same tight spots while tuning. I called Palstar and was explained how the oil sets in the parts sometime for a while before it is put in and shipped. I worked out the tightness and now its smooth as can be. I stand by my 4 out of 5 because this is a known issue and should be taken care of before shipping or at least include a disclaimer stating why the caps tuner might be tight other wise excellent tuner