[AMRadio] Ameritron ATR-30

[peter markavage]

The Palstar AT4K or 5K is what you need.Built like a battleship.
Their web site is here: http://www.palstar.com/

Pete, wa2cwa

On Sat, 24 Sep 2005 14:23:36 -0300 "Deric Affleck" <daffleck at auracom.com>
writes:
> HI Patrick,
> 
> Unfortunately you got taken like lots of by MFJ's slick marketing. 
> MFJ
> stands for: "More F_ _kin' Junk." Ameritron used to be decent but 
> since MFJ
> bought them out the quality has declined to MFJ quality. I have 
> heard good
> things about the PAL Star tuners - pricy but well built.
> 
> Sorry to hear about your bad experience. Hope you can return it back 
> to
> them.
> 
> Good luck & 73,
> 
> Deric, VY2DA
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Patrick Jankowiak" <recycler at swbell.net>
> To: <amradio at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Friday, September 23, 2005 10:52 PM
> Subject: [AMRadio] Ameritron ATR-30
> 
> 
> > Ok, so I went and bought one because I need one for some TXSG HF 
> stuff and
> > decided to go ahead and get the biggest and best one I could find 
> locally.
> >
> > What a P.O.S the thing is!
> >
> > It came in what I assume was a factory box, but inside the box:
> >
> > The thing was rolling around loose inside the box with apparently 
> only
> some
> > of the packing material inside.
> >
> > The AC adapter was loose; apparently it had been removed from its 
> sealed
> > box by some little elves or something, apparently more than once. 
> Its box
> > was loose, and ripped up. Also said MFJ on it.
> >
> > The front of the tuner has little scratches and marks on it, and 
> the
> > chassis looks warped, either that or the top cover does not fit 
> correctly.
> > Beat up in shipping?
> >
> > The inductor seemed OK at first, but now binds up at a spot in 
> each turn.
> > after about 15 tuning cycles. I found that the cheaply made thing 
> has a
> > shaft down the middle, on which a support at each end holds 
> another shaft,
> > upon which rides what is basically a pair of spring-loaded washers 
> which
> > grip the edge-wound inductor between them as they spiral up and 
> down the
> > inductor, and that one or both ends of this shaft were askew 
> because the
> > screws in the supports that hold them to the main shaft (and 
> secure them
> > radially, like a knob is secured to a shaft) were loose. 
> tightening them
> > was no good because they apparently have been tightened before, 
> and it's
> > all screwed up and seeks this skewed position after several 
> traverses.
> What
> > ever happened to keys and pins? what a cheap piece! Additionally, 
> the feel
> > of the inductor is rough, not smooth, and the knob is very cheap 
> plastic.
> >
> > Also, plastic gears for the turns counter do not impress me, 
> especially
> > when the shaft of the turns counter is not aligned properly at 
> manufacture
> > with the gear on the inductor shaft and is obviously under some 
> stress.
> > -sloppy work!
> >
> > Speaking of the workmanship, while I am at it, the front panel of 
> the
> > inductor assembly is not mounted parallel to the front panel of 
> the unit.
> I
> > am not talking a thousandth here, I am saying it looks like some 
> drunk
> with
> > a grudge against radiomen put this thing together! Strangely, the 
> rear of
> > the inductor is straight.
> >
> > The cermaic insulators on the rear have metal-to-ceramic contact 
> between
> > the nuts and the ceramic. I didn't notice this until I tried the 
> balanced
> > line tuning function. then of course I heard the 'grinding' sound 
> I am
> sure
> > we all know. Where's the fiber washers?!?!
> >
> > The antenna selector switch also has a rough spot in it, but only 
> when
> > turning it one way between this position and that position. I 
> could not
> > find the cause. And while I am on about the switch, I cannot 
> believe
> anyone
> > would want to run 1500W 100% carrier through that little switch 
> -that's
> 5.4
> > amps of RF at 50 ohms, through what looks like a 3A switch with a 
> ceramic
> > wafer! It is what is claimed. (3KW PEP, 1500W FSK/carrier)
> >
> > OK, I called the merchant I bought this from (I walked into their 
> store
> > today and plunked down $500+ for this thing) and they have no idea 
> about
> > the packing or otherwise. I asked them if it was a refurb, they 
> said no,
> it
> > was new from Ameritron.
> >
> > So, Monday, I am going to contact Ameritron, and let them explain 
> to me
> why
> > I should not return this thing.
> >
> > Come to find out, from the merchant, it's same as MFJ! darn it, I 
> am
> trying
> > to buy something that's rugged and well made. But wait - I am 
> stuck with
> > this now for a couple weeks to use it for TXSG commo. I'm still 
> going to
> > call them on Monday and have a word with them about it. Seeing all 
> the
> > corners cut like that, I don't want this thing. It's not what I 
> paid for.
> >
> > This is the biggest example of POS workmanship and poor mechanical 
> design
> I
> > have ever seen and that includes most CB shops I have frequented 
> in the
> past!
> >
> > Maybe MFJ knows how to build little 300W tuners, but they are out 
> of the
> > loop on ones this size. It has the mechanical robustness of an AM 
> clock
> > radio - which is fine for a 300W PEP tuner.
> >
> > I'll keep it only if they want to give me a lifetime warranty 
> including
> > overnight drop-ship replacement and return label in perpetuity.
> >
> >
> > disgusted,
> > PJ