|
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
|
You can
write your own review of the Antenex Y1365 5 Element VHF Yagi.
|
N8EKT
|
Rating: 0/5
|
Mar 12, 2005 11:16
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
NOT FOR HAMS!
|
Time owned: months
|
A FRIEND OF MINE PURCHASED ONE OF THE Y1363 YAGI'S.
I DID THE BEST I COULD TO TRY AND DECYPHER THE INSTRUCTIONS SUPPLIED BY ANTENNEX, BUT THE INFO WAS VERY POOR!
DIMENSIONS ARE ONLY GIVEN FOR 136MHZ FOR THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE ANTENNA THE GAMMA MATCH!
I PRECISELY TRIMMED THE ELEMENTS TO LENGTH BUT IT TOOK 2 HOURS OF PLAYING WITH THE GAMMA MATCH TO GET THE SWR SET!!
I NEVER DID LIKE A GAMMA MATCH FOR THIS REASON AND THIS ANTENNA WAS THE WORST I HAVE DEALT WITH IN 24 YEARS OF HAM RADIO!
UNTIL ANTENNEX SELLS AN ANTENNA PRECUT FOR HAM BANDS OR PROVIDES GAMMA MATCH DIMENSIONS FOR THE HAM BANDS WITH THE ANTENNA, THE HAMS SHOULD CONSIDER ANOTHER MANUFACTURER.
MAXRAD SELLS THE SAME TYPE OF ANTENNA FOR ONLY $59.95.
SO IF YOU FEEL YOU WANT A COMMERCIAL ANTENNA, BUY THE MAXRAD AND SAVE YOURSELF 50% OFF THE ANTENNEX!
|
|
W0BKR
|
Rating: 4/5
|
Apr 28, 2004 13:35
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Solid as a rock
|
Time owned: 0 to 3 months
|
I recently bought one of these antennas as advertized by AES. I have a Glen Martin tower, and due to its configuration, the standard 10 element Cushcraft cannot be mounted as teh guy wire mounts catch on the antenna elements when raised/lowered, which bends the middle elements to the antenna.
I bought the Antenex 5 element as it butt mounts to the mast and clears the tower.
About the antenna.
Each element is 3/8 solid aluminum, secured to the boom via threaded slots in the element with SS hardware. Great design!
The Gamma Match is a solid block with two set screws that you secure to adjust the sliding element and the gamma block to the element. Good design and very solid also. Would be nice if they supplied extra set screws. Yes, I dropped one and had to run to the hardware store to replace it!
Antenna mount is a cast aluminum block that U-Bolts to the mast and two SS hex bolts clamp into the antenna boom. Again, a solid design.
Paperwork: Here is the weak area.
Antenna, if not ordered cut for your frequency, requires pruning. The instructions as to element lengths is a graphical illustration. You have to determine the closest measurement from the chart, which by the way, is an eye chart! Extremely small print.
Antenna is designed to operate from 136 to 150 mhz. Therefore, pruning is a must if not pre-cut.
Gamma match. Only the dimension for 136 mhz is supplied. I dinked around with this thing for hours with an antenna analyzer trying to get close to teh resonant frequency. When you tighten the set screws to secure everything, the SWR changes drastically. Once again, loosen the hardware and back to dinking around. I finally got my SWR where it needed to be and left it alone.
All in all, the mechanical design is something worth looking at. The documentation is lax, as they don't provide bandwidth, radiation angles, etc. Would be nice for the paperwork to be actual paperwork and not a microscopic eye chart.
After the learning curve, I would buy one again.
|
|
If you have any questions, problems, or suggestions about Reviews,
please email your Reviews Manager.
|
|
|
