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| Reviews Summary for B&W BWD 1.8 - 30 Broadband Folded Dipole |
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Reviews: 73
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Average rating: 3.5/5
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MSRP: $200
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Description: Folded dipole antenna for 10 to 160 meters - 90 feet in length, #14 copper clad steel wire.
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More info: http://www.bwantennas.com
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write your own review of the B&W BWD 1.8 - 30 Broadband Folded Dipole.
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N3WRH
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Rating: 4/5
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Apr 28, 2009 08:17
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Great Anteena
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I just got this antenna used at a local hamfest this past weekend, i have limited space, was using a OCF 40meter dipole, put this up about 15 ft from a tree to the side of my house, with thick coax, w/o a tuner it works on 160,40,30,20,17,12.10, with a limited tuning 15 and 6 meters, the VSWR on the bands that dont tune its 1.0-1.5 arcoss the bands and 15 its about 1.9-2.5 pretuning, and 6 its about a 3, but with tuning its all good great antenna
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KD7II
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 31, 2008 21:14
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Good all around antenna
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have had this antenna for 15 plus years. it has served me well.The swr has been well with-in the limit, 2/1 160m, 1.5 80m-10m. Handles 1wk. Remember the antenna makes the radio and this is a good complement to any station. Good Dxing 73's
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RADIO_RANDY
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Rating: 3/5
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Dec 27, 2008 20:03
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Good in a pinch
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I'm not going to argue with what has already been written. I would like to know, however, if anyone has analyzed the antenna in software to see how it really should act???
My agency purchased one of these antennas, several years ago, to use with a surplus Rockwell Collins kilowatt station. The antenna vastly outperformed our initial tuned vertical although I'm sure our lack of a suitable counterpoise had much to do with that. I'm assuming NVIS operation is the mode we're using as the antenna is only about 25 feet above the ground.
We have run a kilowatt, weekly, on a 5 MHz statewide net and are the loudest station in the state. We have not yet experienced any problems with burning up the resistor.
The SWR is horrible at this low elevation...thank goodness for military spec amps. We get about 200 watts reflected with a kilowatt out. Even the RG-214 hasn't melted, yet.
This is NOT a high performance antenna. However, it does get your RF out there, on all bands, with a minimum of effort on your part. Since ham radio is an exercise in compromise for many of us, this antenna is useable in a pinch.
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W3LK
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Rating: 4/5
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Nov 13, 2008 11:07
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Power Handling
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I routinely run a full KW on mine and have never had a problem.
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K3HVG
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Rating: 3/5
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Nov 13, 2008 04:37
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OK but they burn out easily!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I've been using one on CAP and FEMA frequencies for about one year. My terminating resistor burned out a few days ago, apparently during tune-up of a 200w rig. One must NEVER exceed about 200 watts with this antenna if you want to ensure no destroyed terminating resistors. Also, tune up in as low a power as your system will allow. As I said in another post, these things sort of work and can be justified IF you must have frequency agility capability.
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HI8HCJ
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Rating: 5/5
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Mar 29, 2008 11:26
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Outstanding!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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First of all remember that THIS IS NOT A YAGUI!
I have had this antenna for ten years and she has given me outstanding performance. I have worked with her more than 200 countries confirmed, with 100w as well with around 1 KW. My antenna look like the first day. I have it in a tower in inverted V with a pretty open angle, to a height of 20mts the center and the ends at 10mts. Particularly I use it from 14MHz ahead. Also receiving is SUPERB!
Sure I recommend it!
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N2DTS
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Rating: 2/5
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Feb 25, 2008 11:03
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poor and heavy
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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I put this up over my house, up about 40 feet.
Its very heavy, the swr was poor everywhere, and you can only run about 100 watts of AM on it.
It did not seem to get out well, all in all a poor antenna in my book.
Brett
N2DTS
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W1NAV
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 21, 2008 03:57
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Great on 80-10
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have been in NAVMARCORMARS for 37 years and this antenna outperforms my 2XG5RV(208') and a 160 loop(580') on 80-10, but not impressed with it on 160 so put up a 160 Double Bazooka. All was well when I was using an Ameritron 811H amp, then I got a Kenwood TL-922A and promptly burned a hole through the Balun case. Because it outperforms all my other wire antennas, I ordered another Balun and will use only the lower power amps on it. Will use the big amp on 160 Double Bazooka and Lightning Bolt 5 Band Quad
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WA4JR
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Rating: 2/5
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Jan 15, 2008 09:55
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Too much of a compromise!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have had my BWD1.8-30 up for almost three years for Army MARS work and am not happy with the performance. Mine is in a flat top configuration at 35'. For MARS work within 300 miles from 3 to 4Mhz the antenna is just "OK". Beyond 300 miles performance drops rapidly. Performance on 7.2Mhz is consistantly poor to the point that no scheduled operations can take place. Operations on higher bands are marginally better, although the only hope to work DX is to get'em before the pileup starts. I know the military and government agencies use many of these antennas, so this convinces me that these agencies do not demand much in the way of efficiency and performance. Remember the Maxxcom aerial dummy load antenna that FEMA bought by the hundreds? Have you ever heard a FEMA station with a strong signal? I read a study (post purchase) indicating the B&W was only 10% efficient. Let's see here, if I start with a 100 watt output...shell out over $200 to waste 90 watts in heat, I'll have only 10 watts radiated power assuming my coax run is 100% efficient. So I likely end up radiating only 7 to 9 watts from this $200 antenna. As hams, we should be smart enough to avoid this type of gimmick. A simple doublet fed with 450/600 ohm line, transition balun and tuner is much more efficient.
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N0YG
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Rating: 1/5
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Oct 8, 2007 14:57
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Total Waste of Money
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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I installed the BWD 90 on the roof of the school this summer. The SWR are at best 2.0-1 and on 40 meters they are 3.9 across the band. I bought this antenna because of the "NO NEED FOR A TUNER" advertisement, what a joke. I would not advise anyone to buy such a worthless piece of ****. Enough said.
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