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Reviews Categories | Antennas: HF Verticals and Wire | Solarcon A-99 Help


Reviews Summary for Solarcon A-99
Solarcon A-99 Reviews: 198 Average rating: 3.6/5 MSRP: $57.99
Description: 10-20M Vertical Antenna
More info: http://
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Page 1 of 20 —>

WB4JHS Rating: 4/5 Oct 27, 2009 04:37 Send this review to a friend
A99 at CQ WW Contest  Time owned: more than 12 months
I have one of these mounted up 15 feet strapped flush against to a palm tree to hide it and painted green adn brown and grounded. During the CQ WW I heard them all for the most part and worked EU, west Africa, Gallapagos to SA andd the Carib area on 100 watts. Not bad for the current solar cycle. IF you don't like yours...email me and maybe I'll buy it when this one fails. It has been up there for about 4 years. All the best WB4JHS jmahagan@bellsouth.net
 
KA0AGC Rating: 5/5 Oct 20, 2009 20:00 Send this review to a friend
I give the 99 a 100%  Time owned: more than 12 months
I just had to step in here on the 99. I have had three of them and they work well. Yes there mostly used for 11 meters BUT they do work well on other bands. I use them on 28, (29,FM), 17, 24, 21, MHz with no problem. Tune the two black rings both of them to just one twist from the very top. There you can work the about freq with no problem. Sunday I was trying to work KL5O on 21.274 I moved thu all the antenna and got a 5x9 on the 99. Yes it's just wire in the sky but it's a proven work horse when the bands open on 28 Mhz you will enjoy the 99. I have work many a DX station on 17 meters with the 99 also. I don't used the radial kit but I can see it helping. It's a cheap way for a new ham to get on the air. The only problem that I have had is in the Florida sun after there up for a couple of years you will need to be careful when taking them down or you will have a hand full of fiberglass in your hands. Just mix up some rosin and re coat the 99. When you put the radial kit on don't tighten down the radial arms too tight use blue lock tight and snug them. I have seen many of the radial arms busted of because of over tight them and a year late when you take it down snap they go.
 
K9FON Rating: 4/5 Oct 20, 2009 16:17 Send this review to a friend
Of course hams will down it!  Time owned: more than 12 months
Its because it is marketed as a CB antenna thats why and we all know what seasoned hams think of ANYTHINg related to CB! My opinion is it is a decent enough atenna to get me on some local 10 meter nets. It works on 12 and 15 as well but it is mediore at best on any other bands.
 
KC2UJG Rating: 2/5 Aug 30, 2009 11:54 Send this review to a friend
very picky  Time owned: more than 12 months
works great on 11 meters, okay, these antennas are only made for 11 meters, even though it says its made for 10,11,12,15,17 meters, i think thats a lie. I have a mfj 945e tuner in line with this antenna and i use my president hr2510 and hr2600 alot. This antenna will work great and tune to a flat swr on 29MHz and 27MHz, but the swr on 28MHz is 1:7, and i tried 12 meters, that don't work good at all either. So next spring or summer, this antenna is coming down and i am throwing it in the garbage.
 
KC6RHE Rating: 3/5 Jul 30, 2009 13:00 Send this review to a friend
well, it was only $50  Time owned: more than 12 months
This antenna works good, not great but it was only $50, it doesn't take up much space and with an antenna tuner I work 20 meters too although mostly only local contacts. I made my own ground radials for it and it improved the performance. I live close to the beach and have had it on my roof for over 10 years, still working as good as it did when I bought it.

Your results WILL very for sure.
 
KC2QVQ Rating: 5/5 Jul 5, 2009 06:57 Send this review to a friend
Good For 10 meters  Time owned: more than 12 months
I have had my A-99 for 8 years it has worked like a trooper on 10/11 meters.Yes I have tuned it for 6,10,11,15 and 17 but it works best for what is desined for 10/11 meters.I have seen it bent over ( the tip was touching the ground plane radials) many times in wind storms and still working.20/40 WHY?
 
KB6HRT Rating: 5/5 May 29, 2009 20:49 Send this review to a friend
I'M HAPPY  Time owned: more than 12 months
Been a Ham an a CBer for a long time and have done lots of comparative testing with 10 & 11 meter antennas. The A99 does a Great job when compared with my Cushcraft R8 on 10 meters always out performing it 9 out of ten times. I get the same results on 12m. The A99 stays up in the high winds and just keep working and working an working....KB6HRT
 
KK9H Rating: 4/5 May 29, 2009 06:36 Send this review to a friend
Repeat after me.......  Time owned: more than 12 months
Repeat after me: It is a CB antenna. It is a CB antenna. It is a CB antenna. It is a CB antenna.

That being said, our club has one that has been trimmed to resonate in the 10M band for a beacon on 28.297 (NS9RC). It has been on top of a five story building for almost ten years and has survived some very severe storms, one with winds around 100 MPH or more. Other than having a slight curve to it, it is still mechanically sound and working just fine.
 
N0FPE Rating: 3/5 May 29, 2009 05:25 Send this review to a friend
ok  Time owned: more than 12 months
ok for 10 and maybe 12. Havent tried it on any other bands and wont
 
G0UIH Rating: 0/5 May 29, 2009 00:45 Send this review to a friend
The Victim of Marketeers  Time owned: more than 12 months
The A99 is the victim of marketing hype. I tested one against a $2 homebrew vertical dipole, which duly outperformed the A99 without any problems. The 'A99 Exposed' page about says it all.
http://www.dxzone.com/cgi-bin/dir/jump2.cgi?ID=7582
Save your $$ - avoid
 
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