|
New to Ham Radio?
My Profile
Community
Articles
Forums
News
Reviews
Friends Remembered
Speak Out
Strays
Survey Question
Operating
Contesting
DX Cluster Spots
Propagation
Resources
Calendar
Classifieds
Ham Exams
Ham Links
List Archives
News Articles
Product Reviews
QSL Managers
Site Info
eHam Help (FAQ)
Support the site
The eHam Team
Advertising Info
Vision Statement
About eHam.net
|
| Reviews Summary for PAR Electronics EF-SWL Antenna |
|
Reviews: 30
|
Average rating: 5.0/5
|
MSRP: $$59
|
|
Description: End Fed SWL antenna. 45' genuine #14 Poly coated Flex Weave, wideband binocular transformer. Includes field selectable grounding options. See Monitoring Times 9/03 issue for full review.
|
|
More info: http://www.parelectronics.com
|
|
Email Subscription
You are not subscribed to this review.
Subscribe!
My Subscriptions
Subscriptions Help
|
You can
write your own review of the PAR Electronics EF-SWL Antenna.
|
KB4BJM
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Mar 18, 2008 18:21
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
A best Buy!!
|
Time owned: 0 to 3 months
|
|
I use this antenna with my Icom R75 and the two together make SWL a pleasure. A quality product and service too.
|
|
VK5ABQ
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Mar 18, 2008 15:51
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Outstanding! Well made, easy to erect and performs superbly!
|
Time owned: 0 to 3 months
|
I bought a Kenwood R2000 HF Receiver (100 KHz to 30 MHz - see http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Kenwood_R-2000/) and started using a 20 metre (60 foot) length of 16 gauge wire thrown over a tree branch 7 metres (21 feet) off the ground. I then ordered PAR Electronics's EF-SWL. While waiting for this to arrive, I bought a Kenbotong folded dipole (http://www.kenbotong.com/english/product_detail.asp?id=1453&sid=760&parentid=657&childid=760). These were being sold locally so I erected this antenna and tried it out. It was a chore to erect (25 metres long (75 feet), 10 metres (30 feet) off the ground) and performed well only above 2MHz.
I then erected the EF-SWL (End Fed Shortwave Listening antenna). Not only was the EF-SWL easy to erect, not only was it well made, not only was it well priced BUT the increase in reception performance relative to the folded dipole was amazing! The EF-SWL performed BETTER than the Kenbotong for half the price and also performed much better than the piece of wire I originally used.
I'm feeding the EF-SWL with 30 metres (90 feet) of RG-213 coax cable. The EF-SWL is configured as a sloper with the top of the EF-SWL at about 9 metres (27 feet) off of the ground, up near the crotch of a tree. There I have strung up a pulley. 5mm (1/5 inch) nylon rope from the EF-SWL then passes through the pulley and down to a very light counterweight about a foot off the ground. I've hammered in a 6 foot copper clad ground stake and grounded the antenna side of the transformer near the EF-SWL's feed point which is also only a foot off the ground. I've left the ground of the two sides of the transformer connected which produces the best results for me. I've also installed a 6 foot ground rod at the receiver though and grounded the radio to this.
I'm a very happy customer and Dale provided excellent service!
Most importantly the EF-SWL is very reasonably priced, very well made, very easy to erect and performs exceptionally well - this antenna ticks every box for a shortwave antenna. It's as simple as that and you can't go wrong if you're looking for a high quality shortwave antenna. The EF-SWL proves that a large dipole is completely unnecessary!
|
|
KD0CAO
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Mar 10, 2008 19:26
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
WOW What a great antenna
|
Time owned: 0 to 3 months
|
|
I have a Kenwood TS 830A.I installed EF20 meter antenna.I was thrilled with the contacts i made all over the USA.Swr.1.1 at 80 watts.I live in an apt,3rd floor,small balcony,I just run the wire around the balcony.I am north/south.I was a radio operator on a transport plane in the 50s/60s.I wish i had 1 of this antenna,GREAT ANTENNA. I ordered the 10 15 17 antennas today.
|
|
NEILBELL
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Feb 19, 2008 07:55
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Excellent performer across the bands
|
Time owned: 0 to 3 months
|
Very high quality components and very easy to install and set up. Dale is very helpful with quick personal responses to questions. The multiple grounding options with the supplied balun is a very nice feature.
I am getting pretty even reception across the bands, including AM broadcast frequencies. The RFI noise problem is vastly better than my long-wire. My installation runs 16 feet horizontally at a height of about 8 feet then turns 90 degree left at slopes upward to about 20 feet. All under the eaves of my wooden roof!
Best antenna money I have ever spent and I happily took down my old long-wire "noise magnet".
Neil Bell
|
|
KU2US
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Jan 12, 2008 21:27
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
SUPER SIGNALS
|
Time owned: 0 to 3 months
|
|
I would like to think I am an old pro at SWL, (29 years) but I still have a lot to learn! One thing I did learn and FAST, was how good this EF-SWL antenna is! I have a Kaito KA-2100 portable. I was using this radio with a 102' G5RV antenna. The "RV" was quite noisey. I came to this review and read all, so I decided to give the EF-SWL a try. This antenna made my KA-2100 come alive, and it recieves like a more $$$$ reciever! I emailed Dale, and he was very helpfull and answered in a matter of hours! The guy knows his customer service. EXAMPLE: I logged RADIO VERDAD in Guatemala. They use only a 1000 watt transmitter. A great catch. All on a $99 portable reciever, at the low end of the sunspot cycle and a EF-SWL sloped up to 50'.. A great antenna, A great price and SUPER customer service. I AM HAPPY..
|
|
PHILNIC99
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Nov 8, 2007 14:11
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Great Antenna
|
Time owned: more than 12 months
|
Use the antenna with a ground rod in sloper configuration in my back garden; the advice and response from Dale has been first class (even in the face of jury-duty!).
Connected to my ETON E1 and regularly listening to civil aircraft over Canada, North Russia and the Caribbean; sensitivity is superb and have cast aside both my fixed long wire and its ATU.
Thanks again Dale...
|
|
VE6NU
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Sep 14, 2007 13:01
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
EF-SWL
|
Time owned: 0 to 3 months
|
I am using the Buternut HF-2V 40/80 antenna. However, that baby is very noisy on receive,
I needed something for receive; went ahead ordered the EF-SWL from Par Electronics and wow, now I can receive on the low bands.
BTW, I emailed Dale a few times, his response was received within a hour. Darn good service!
Go and get one.
Frank VE6NU
|
|
K6HJM
|
Rating: 5/5
|
May 1, 2007 19:21
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Great antenna and service
|
Time owned: 0 to 3 months
|
Using the EF-SWL with a Yaesu FGR-7...bought the radio on a whim and needed a broad range receiving antenna. Put up the EF-SWL (easy to do and almost invisible), but at first was not sure I liked it. So I emailed Dale and asked a few questions..he replied promptly with some good ideas.
Later I decided to make some resistance measurements and found a dead short between the wire antenna connection and the coax ground connection. Email back to Dale...and he was nice enough to kindly say that there was a matching transformer inside the connector box at the end of the antenna. In other words...it is working correctly since the DC resistance should be zero. I pretended that I knew this all the time...just being sure (he did not laugh at me).
Buy one and enjoy...and feel good that there is a real person (Dale) to help.
|
|
N6NKN
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Apr 23, 2007 20:31
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Superior SWL Antenna
|
Time owned: 0 to 3 months
|
I already use other Par Electronics antennas in my ham radio activities. This antenna exhibits the same high quality of workmanship as Dale's other antennas. I installed it as a sloper with the apex at 40' and the feed end a few feet off the ground and connected the electrical ground to a cold water pipe with a short piece of copper foil. It is a quieter antenna then my trap diplole SW antenna and also seems to have about two S-units improvement in signal strength. End-fed antennas have the distinct advantage of ease of installation as compared to a center fed antenna. I'm sure I'll get many years of trouble free service from this antenna, the parts used are of top quality.
If you want a trouble free, high quality, excellent performing SWL antenna for a very reasonable price, I do not believe you can do better then a Par Electronics EF-SWL.
Tell Dale N6NKN sent you.
|
|
AA2KC
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Apr 19, 2007 17:34
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Worth every penny !
|
Time owned: 0 to 3 months
|
After reading many online reviews, I promptly ordered this antenna. I set it up as an inverted L with five feet vertical and the remaining forty feet horizontal at eight feet above ground. The antenna was then grounded to the outside faucet.
I guess all I can say is "WOW". Like other users, I was surprised at the countless signals received. Noise was greatly reduced and it really compliments the RX320D. Size, low visibility, and performance make this a winner.
|
|
If you have any questions, problems, or suggestions about Reviews,
please email your Reviews Manager.
|
|
|
