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| Reviews Summary for Hexbeam: by K4KIO |
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Reviews: 47
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Average rating: 5.0/5
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MSRP: $669
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Description: A six band, broadband, G3TXQ- designed, hexagonal beam with performance on par with a two element Yagi but a much smaller physical footprint is fully tuned and ready to go. This is a plug and play antenna, not a kit. It can be assembled in an evening with no measurements or tuning needed. No traps or coils are required and a single coax feeds all bands. Available for Bands 20 – 6 meters in various combinations.
All steel components are stainless and non metallic components are UV resistant. Mount on a push up mast or rooftop. The sturdy aircraft aluminum base plate has never been reported to fail by hundreds of users.
A “no questions asked” 30 day refund offer comes with each beam plus lifetime free replacement of any components that fail due to storms.
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Product is in production.
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More info: http://www.hex-beam.com/
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KB4ZGO
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 6, 2012 14:19
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Great little antenna , but not a three element beam
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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This is a great little antenna. I've had mine for a little over three months and have enjoyed every contact with it.
It is not a three element beam but it is directive and quiter than a normal three element yagi.
Yes it is a compromise antenna but for my money and time spent I'm happy.,I love the fact of having one coax and multi bands on the same fram.. Mine is a BBHEX6B so 6 meters-20 meters with out a trap or coil to fail and can run 1500 watts on this antenna with out any problems.
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KA1CDE
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 6, 2012 13:56
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Proud to do Business with KIO
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I purchased a hex beam from KIO, it was 5 band hex beam. Putting it together was very easy, my grandson and I assembed it under 2 hours:
The hex beam being 22 feet in diameter or so made it more difficult to put it on top of the tower than conventional yagi, as it needed to sit on the top of the mast. I installed in on a 25G tower, 35 ft high; The hex beam showed decent gain, at least 6 db by my SDR meter compared to a dipole at equal height. I actually have a you tube video of the signal difference between the two
http://youtu.be/UznzNCoC1kY
All I can say is wow, it works great:
Now:October 28 2011 I experienced a heavy snow and ice storm. Trees were down in my yard, there were cars stuck in the road from trees falling on the cars, the Hex beam suffred damage, it looked bad.. We were with out power for 7 days, after restoration of power and phones (2weeks) I called K4KIO, I told him what happen, he told me he would send replacement parts NO CHARGE ! As long as I would pay for shipping ! A could of new fiber glass elements and new wire for 15 meters, plus a few extra parts just incase I need them when the hex beam was taken down.....
Yeak all for free just p[ay shipping, he told me since it was about 1 year of ownership he would cover cost. He said he had others experience this problem during heavy icing and snow (this snow storm here they call it a one in 100 years)
oN k4kIO web site I notice a new section, there is where was offered extra support attachments for those who live where ice and heavy snow can cause problems. I bought these support ropes and installed these before putting the hex beam back up.
Well its up, you can watch the video and compare between the Hex beam and 1/2 wave dipole at same height.
Service from K4KIO is second from none, easy to deal with, very supportive, a business man with empathy........Thanks A very happy KIO Hex Beam owner...........
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W4WEA
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 5, 2012 15:50
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Outstanding
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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I have owned the hexbeam for 7 months now and given it a good wringing through .. even to the point of the center post failing (an arc over on the 6M post running 1500W while on 10M) I have made far more dx contacts than I ever did with a wire dipole, and at only 20 feet in the air on a push up pole that is impressive. It is directional and doesnt take a heavy duty rotor to turn it. Leo, the owner of the company, has been prompt in answering emails, even when my problem developed. The new post has better and wider insulators than the old one and his only request was to send the old one back at his expense to study to make a better product. Why cant I get this kind of service out of other companies I have dealt with in the past!
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WH7DX
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 17, 2011 09:48
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Great Product
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I'll give this a 5 because it's all there. Quality product, easy to install, good reception, and great customer service. My emails were responded to in one day.
I enjoyed putting the hex-beam together. Be prepared for the size but it's very light. I added an extra step and insurance by using antenna rope and going around the circumference of the antenna at the ends of the support arms to keep them from moving left or right and putting any stress on that - not the wires.
I also did a CRASH TEST by dropping it 20-25ft while installing the antenna. It came crashing down against a property wall. Glad I added that extra rope. I ended up breaking only 3" of one of the support arms near the base. I can easily fix that. Gust of wind came from a different direction and it was either fall off the roof or let go, Time to bring in some friends.
I don't have it all the way up yet but I can already see a nice difference. A was able to hear a friend 5-7 now where before he was 5-1 or so. He needed to turn the amp on before to really here him clearly. Having the Hygain rotor and being able to rotate the antenna is a plus. Calls are clearer with less noise.
73
WH7DX
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VK2LKW
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 15, 2011 22:24
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Very Portable
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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I am taking my KIO hexbeam with me whenever going bush...and getting much attention not only from HAMS. Have already put it up at least 10 times on 8m aluminum mast. Hexbeam assembly is fast and easy. Always getting better reports compared to using my various wire antennas. And thank you, Leo, for your great communication. Love this beam!
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K8CXM
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 13, 2011 09:49
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Love this antenna!
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I've had 3 rotatable directional HF antennas in 50 years of hamming: A REALLY big 3 element 20 Telrex, a 6 element tribander (Mosley, I think) and the K4KIO Hex Beam. It's unfair to compare the Hex Beam to the other two, they were atop a 60' tower. My Hex Beam is atop a 25' 1 7/8 heavy duty pipe and turned with a lightweight U105/TB105 rotor/bearing combination. The antenna was assembled AND mounted on the pipe while on the ground, and then pulled/pushed upright by a crew of 4. Easily done. Native SWR on 20,17 and 15 was near flat and 12 and 10 about 1.5:1. Not bad!
Performance has been well beyond my expectations. I haven't had this much fun chasing DX in a long time. The Hex Beam sure beats all my old wire antennas, by a LOT.
As far as assembly, all parts were there and fit correctly. I had the antenna put together in roughly 2 hours, mounted on a small tripod on a 6' pipe in my backyard and was working into Europe on 10 in minutes. Best experience I've had with a purchased antenna.
If you are going to get one, download the PDF assembly pages and read them over before you get the parts. I did and put it together like I had already done several assemblies.
Leo, K4KIO, has done it exactly right. Great antenna and value!
73
Jim K8CXM
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KB3Z
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 8, 2011 07:55
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Experience With Wet Snow!
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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I have had my hexbeam up on my 50ft tower for 4 months now and have never had a problem. Last weekend when we had wet snow in Pennsylvania the Hexbeam was giving me extremely high SWR's. I looked up to see if there was any snow on the antenna and there was not. But evidently there may have been some ice on the antenna which caused the malfunction. I did not realize that snow and ice on an antenna detunes the antenna. Now that I know that I will know what to expect the next time we have a wet snow. I love the antenna, but trust me I was worried that I had a feedline problem versus a snow/detuned hexbeam problem!
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KI6WIK
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 7, 2011 23:11
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I love this antenna
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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The antenna has been up for more than 2 months now, and it is the best antenna I have bought to date, it flat out works! Just assemble, & put it up and start enjoying! I have mine at 20 ft, and plan on raising it next spring, I have worked Europe for the first time on this antenna, and I haven't used the amp more than twice with the antenna. I can talk to Maine & the Northeast with 100w from Washington state. I decided to go with K4KIO's antenna over DX Engineering as I thought I was a much better design, I have the mount plate that is 2" not the standard 1 1/2", as that was the system I had at the time, could have gone with the 1 1/2" mount looking back, but no regrets! You can turn the antenna with a light duty TV rotor.
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W4PIG
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 13, 2011 12:40
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GREAT ANTENNA PLUS GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I HAVE HAD THE HEXBEAM ASSEMBLED FOR ABOUT A WEEK NOW IT IS 8 FT OFF THE GROUND IN A TRIPOD. I HAVE WORKED SEVERAL EUROPE STATION PLUS JAPAN THE NETHERLANDS WITH IT AT THAT HEIGHT GETTING 5-9 SIGNAL REPORTS ON 100 WATTS. I WILL NEVER GO BACK TO A WIRE ANTENNA I AM HEARING STATIONS I HAVE NEVER HEARD BEFORE A GREAT ANTENNA EASY TO ASSEMBLE AND LEO IS THE BEST AT CUSTOMER SERVICE. IF YOU HAVE QUESTION LEO WILL GET BACK WITH YOU THAT DAY NOT THE NEXT DAY. BEST OF ALL IT IS AMERICAM MADE!!! BUY ONE YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT. 73S DEW4PIG
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