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write your own review of the Alpha Delta DX-CC.
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W0STU
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 3, 2009 13:21
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Good experience.
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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I've got the DX-CC in an inverted vee centered at 35' on a pvc pipe extending 1' above the top of a ponderosa pine. Ends down to about 12' and one side's wire running through some pine limb 'holes' that I selectively pruned through other smaller nearby ponderosas to avoid direct touching. Same side attaches to the garage facia and comes near the roof. So, not optimal and not a 'clear' installation as advised by A/D.
After plotting a set of SWR curves I 'trimmed' the 10m, 20m, and 80m wires by folding and twisting each back along itself and not cutting them. (Rented a one-man lift.) It took a couple of iterations, but I was able to get quite good curves on 20m and 40m, with troughs at/below 1.2:1 and most of each band below 2:1.
On 10m the 2:1 SWR bandwidth was narrower than I'd like, but the trough is down to 1.1:1 and easily tunable across the band except for the extreme low frequency end (>4.5:1).
The 15m band SWR remained high as expected per A/D information at 3:1 or greater and nearly flat.
The 80m band has a narrow 2:1 SWR bandwidth of about 65kHz, just as advertised, but troughs at 1.2:1 and is tunable across most of the general class frequencies where I chose to center its curve.
After the trims I've had terrific success with the antenna. I'm at 7600' in Colorado with downslopes all around, and I've had excellent signal reports (s=7+) with just 100W in Hawaii, Virgin Islands, Nova Scotia, and Alaska on 20m. I'm getting out all across the continental US on 40m (California to NY), and all over the western US on 80m even with the 1/8 wavelenth height for that band (Alberta to TX, CA to OH).
This antenna isn't perfect in the stealthy configuration I had to install it in, but it is doing everything I wanted it to do and more under the much less than optimal installation conditions. I am very pleased. And it's already withstood its first Colorado blizzard with no ill effects. Highly recommended for similar installations and small lot requirements.
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W6QT
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Rating: 5/5
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Aug 20, 2009 11:06
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Seems to Work Well
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Just installed this antenna near the side of my house 30' up as an inverted V. Installation is pretty simple. I can easily hear stations on 20, 40 and 80 meters. Due to band conditions, I did not hear much on other bands. I'm using an Icom 718 without a tuner and was surprised to see low SWR readings the bands I monitored(was expecting higher readings). The antenna is fairly inconspicuous. If installed as inverted V, you'll need 60-70' of real estate so the 80 Meter coils will be 7 to 8 feet off the ground. Your situation may be different, but I didn't want the ends too close to the ground.
Overall, this seems to be working just fine and it is my starter antenna.
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VO1STE
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Rating: 5/5
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Jul 28, 2009 03:33
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GREAT Antenna(new ham here)
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I'm a new ham,,so I don't have alot to compare it too.I have made some dipoles and used them,,they're good,,but when I bought this one,and got it up in an inverted "V",,about 35' to the apex,and 18' on each leg,,,up,,,my radio came alive.
I'm using a Kenwood 570D,,no amp,,and an MC 60 mic,,and pretty well any time of the day I can find someone on there.
I live in Newfoundland,,about 20 miles from Signal Hill,,and in the last month have made contacts in all of Europe,,the US,Canada,,Porta Rico,,and more.
I'm wondering how I'll do if I get it higher,,mine is oriented north/south,,so as Nfld if northernly,,I might orient it NE/SW,and see.
If you're looking for a good antenna,and on a budget,,maybe give this one a try,,I was really surprised!!
Thanks,,Steve
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N7JBH
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Rating: 5/5
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Jun 12, 2009 15:23
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Great attic antenna
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have this antenna in my attic, up only about 15 feet and bent 90 deg and sloping down about the last 15 feet on each end. At first I couldn't get it tuned right, high SWR. I frequency swept each band with my tuner in bypass mode, the resonant spots were much lower than expected, must be all the ducting and other metal in the attic. I trimmed each wire a little at a time till I got resonance near the middle of each band. A big pain, entailing getting covered in fiberglass insulation and itching like crazy. Now it works great, even had a QSO from a station in NY from my QTH in Las Vegas, NV, on 75M with the antenna running East-West!
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N2OGK
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Rating: 0/5
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Jun 1, 2009 16:30
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Very bad design
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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I started out loving this antenna and gave it a 5 in December. After less than a year of use it came down with a bang. The antenna was installed according to the manual and lucky for me was very far from trees or the house. It was while transmitting well within the ratings at 900 watts and an SWR below 1: 1.2 at the time when it blew up one of the 8" spacers and came down during my transmission. I contacted the company all they dis was to sent me 4 more 8" spacers. If you are going to use this antenna or have it up now in my opinion you should be safer by adding a 3 foot section of PVC and replacing the 8" spacer at each end. Although I can't be sure, I guess this might protect yours from suffering a similar fate and save your components from risk due to a sudden discharge.
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N7JPF
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Rating: 5/5
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Apr 23, 2009 07:31
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excellent
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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after many years with a tri-band beam at 45 feet, I wasn't sure if I would ever want anything other than a beam again at my new location. After several disappointments with vertical antennas I decided to give a G5RV a chance. I was impressed with it enough to go the expensive route and buy a DX-CC, hoping to get improved performance on 80 meters. I was thrilled to find that my normal operation on 40 and 20 is also much better. I have limited space, and it is up 33 feet on a push-up pole in an inverted-V. I am very happy with the performance, and the way it behaves in the high winds of my hill-top location as well. I am faithful reader of eham reviews, and depend on the reviews I read here all the time. Thank you
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KX8K
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Rating: 5/5
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Apr 13, 2009 18:28
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Great performance
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I first purchesed this antenna over 15 years ago as a DX Ultra. It was primarly an SW recieving antenna, to go along with the seven other antennas on two towers at my previous location. I then moved to a differnt location and it was mounted in the attic for about eight years. After relicenseing I recut it to DX-CC specifations and moved the antenna to the trees in the back yard. At first it was mounted as a vee at 35', now it is mounted at 45' as a horz. dipole broad side to Europe and the western USA. It out performs a gnd mounted quarter wave multi band vertical that has about 3000 feet of radials by two S units. Since I relicensed I have worked 114 DXCC contacts and all WAS with this antenna. As to date it has survived high winds, ice not to mention the abuse of the trees. I highly recommend this antenna.
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KK8ZZ
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Rating: 5/5
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Mar 29, 2009 18:55
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Easy antenna - Great Results
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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My SteppIR vertical was in for repairs, so I bought one of these from our local AES to stay on the air. With the bands in the dumper lately, I've been working mostly 40 and 20, and couldn't get on 75 with the vertical (unless I paid an extra $400 for the 80 meter coil and shipping from SteppIR). So... for about $160, I put this up in the air with a set of surplus fiberglass poles I got on eBay ($4 each!). Attached a pulley to the top, pulled the dipole up, ran a couple of dacron ropes to nearly trees about 15 feet off the ground, and went back down to the shack to see what it was like. Well - 40 was filled with the strongest signals I'd heard since the last sunspot peak, and with a little tweaking, 75 was magnificent. I checked the bands on 20, 15, and 10 and got good swr across each band, but signals were nil, of course. I'm REALLY pleased with the results from this all-band dipole, and with the gray-coated wire, it really DOES practically disappear once it's up in the air. Need a quick and simple antenna that really reaches out?? This one's a REALY WINNER ! de KK8ZZ
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K4CLL
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 16, 2009 18:35
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Great antenna without alot of work
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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This is a great antenna for those who cannot or don't want to make one. If put together right and installed properly, it works without much or any tuning on most bands. I used it with my FT-100 and it worked well on 10 20 and 40 meters with no tuner. A tuner is needed to operate on 80 meters.
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KB9UMI
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 24, 2008 05:28
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Great Antenna!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I Have owned this Antenna for 2+ Years Worked VP6DX in Pile up on 15 Meters, & Have Got Australia & several Other S.Pacific Stations As well on 40 meters, 0n 75/80 works Great too & this is all with 100 Watts, Europe, African Stations ,South American Need I Say More BUY 1 You won't be Disappointed & this is the FACTS & this is an Unsolicited & Unpaid Appraisal I Have No Connection With This Company Just A HARD WORK MAN!!!!!!
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