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Palstar HF Autotuner

Santiago Mejia HI8O
Santiago Mejia HI8O Member ✭✭
Good afternoon....exploring for a good buy opportunity on a Palstar HF Autotuner to go with my Flex 6300. If anyone has one and is interested, let me know.

73, Santiago
HI8SMX

Answers

  • Duane_AC5AA
    Duane_AC5AA Member ✭✭✭
    edited January 2020
    Same here - I have one but will not part with it.  Excellent tuner.
  • Santiago Mejia HI8O
    Santiago Mejia HI8O Member ✭✭
    edited March 2020
    Yes, so I heard. Seems I´l be able to form a harem before getting the tuner!!! 

    Thanks.
  • Bob Perkins
    Bob Perkins Member ✭✭
    edited January 2020
    Had mine for a year now, and love it.  
  • KF4HR
    KF4HR Member ✭✭
    edited March 2020
    I have two HF-Auto's connected to the A and B output of the PG-XL.  Makes a great arrangement with the PG-XL dual pass-thru connections, then feeding the A and B RF connections on my Flex-6700.  I wouldn't consider parting with either one.

    Santiago - HF-Auto's pop up for sale every so often on the qth.com, eham.com, etc. 
  • Santiago Mejia HI8O
    Santiago Mejia HI8O Member ✭✭
    edited March 2020
    Something tells me that I'm looking at the right tuner then. Will need to put alerts on those sites.

    Thanks

    Santiago 
  • Santiago Mejia HI8O
    Santiago Mejia HI8O Member ✭✭
    edited January 2020
    Are those site trustworthy? I know every site has scammers and all. But how have been your experience?

    santiago
  • Delbert McCord
    Delbert McCord Member ✭✭
    edited March 2020
    I have 2, one for home and one for the cabin. I love them if this helps the second one I purchased a few years ago on eBay and I think if I remember right I paid around 750$ The one at the cabin I think is a newer model and it has a RCA plugs for the amp key to go through and if it scenes any high SWR it unkeys the amp. 

    I I needed an Tuner I would buy one again.

  • Sergey KN7K
    Sergey KN7K Member ✭✭✭
    edited January 2020
    Those sites are good, but just be careful and make sure you are communicate to a real ham.

    Over last year I received emails that asking if "my item" still for sale and signed by ham call sign. Then they would ask for my personal information because they want to send me money. 
    I would ask them to use my name and address from qrz dot com and here where is communication stopped.
    I also contacted the ham with this call sign and he replied that it was not him, it was a scam.
    So, just be careful and good luck.
    Sergey, KN7K
  • Doug
    Doug Member ✭✭
    edited March 2020
    How much for the wife ? Please post pictures and details
  • Santiago Mejia HI8O
    Santiago Mejia HI8O Member ✭✭
    edited March 2020
    Thanks all for the comments. I am happy to confirm that apparently I have found a like new Palstar HF Auto tuner from a local ham in HI8, so the quest was a success. Now, ready to sell the wife first if someone ask me for it.

    On the other hand, sad news. I was approached by someone alleging was N2AP (Jose Ferreira) selling me his tuner. He sent a photo of the tuner with a blank paper with his call on it. But, I googled and found the same photo from another ham with the real call sign. Just to see how far he was willing to go, I then asked him for more photos of the tuner (sides and back) as well as the manual and box he said he had and a photo with his actual qsl card next to it with my call, the date and his phone number so I can call sign and discuss the buy. And....never heard from him ever since that las email.

    Obviously a scam. He was using N2AP, Jose A. Ferreira, with the email jose.n2ap@gmail.com

    Please be aware.

    73,
    Santiago


  • KF4HR
    KF4HR Member ✭✭
    edited January 2020
    As Sergey mentions above, the virtual ham fest sites are good. I've used these sites many times with great results. Just follow their buying safety precautions and you should be ok.  If during your communications with the seller you feel anything is amiss (with the product or transaction), move on to another seller.  Some of these virtual ham fest sites allow you to look up the history of the sellers to get feedback from their online transactions, so it's always a good idea to check that too.

    Also make sure the HF-Auto you purchase either has the latest firmware, or can be upgraded. (If I remember correctly there were some upgrade issues with the very early HF-Auto units.) Palstar currently shows the latest firmware is v2.36.

    GL
  • Santiago Mejia HI8O
    Santiago Mejia HI8O Member ✭✭
    edited January 2020
    Thanks. I´ve forgotten about the firmware aspect. Thanks for the heads up. Will check it before the purchase.
  • Santiago Mejia HI8O
    Santiago Mejia HI8O Member ✭✭
    edited March 2020
    I soon will be incorporating the HF Autotuner to the shack, to go with the Acom 600s and the Flex 6300. Is anyone using the same that could give me some pointers on how to go about it? i.e. what are you using to control the tuner with computer, if using DDutil, FRStack or something of the like to simplify things, etc.

    73,
  • Alan
    Alan Member ✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2020
    Santiago

    I use my HF Autotuner remotely.  First, set up the tuner to power up in Auto and on the antenna of choice.  The tuner automatically senses the frequency, so normal at this stage, you send it a low amount of power, about 10 watts or less, and it automatically tunes the antenna.

    For added control, using an FTDI serial, straight-through cable (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006AA04K0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1)  to your computer and the use of HF-Auto software (  http://www.glagowski.org/Radio/Software.htm  ), you can access all of the controls, and more, including all of the meter settings using your windows computer.   I use a MOXA serial to IP converter ( https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079G91Z34/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) to access the tuner application remotely.  If you use a serial converter for remote access, be sure it can create a virtual COM port, not an IP port.

    Lastly, you can use FRStack and its UDP broadcasts option, set up on port 12020, to send the Flex TX frequency, via HF-Auto to pre-tune the HF-Autotuner.

    Alan
    WA9WUD
  • Santiago Mejia HI8O
    Santiago Mejia HI8O Member ✭✭
    edited January 2020
    Thanks Alan. This gives me an excellent view of what to do and how to do it. 

    73, Santiago
  • Santiago Mejia HI8O
    Santiago Mejia HI8O Member ✭✭
    edited March 2020
    As a follow on this matter, my tuner is working flawlessly after a bumpy beginning. And one question came to mind: is anyone using something (relay or else) to remotely turn on/off the tuner?
     
    santiago
  • LA9AKA
    LA9AKA Member
    edited March 2020
  • Santiago Mejia HI8O
    Santiago Mejia HI8O Member ✭✭
    edited February 2020
    Thanks. Will look into it.
  • KF4HR
    KF4HR Member ✭✭
    edited February 2020
    For those that weren't aware, K1TR has a HFAUTO App that auto-adjusts the HF-AUTO ATU, as you tune your receiver.   http://www.glagowski.org/Radio/Software.htm

  • Mike, N1CC
    Mike, N1CC Member
    edited March 2020
    KF4HR, were you able to get two instances of W1TR Software running? I’m also planning two HF-Autos. Thank you!

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