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Reviews For: Intenational Antenna Corporation Double Bazooka Antennas

Category: Antennas: HF: Verticals; Wire; Loop

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Review Summary For : Intenational Antenna Corporation Double Bazooka Antennas
Reviews: 87MSRP: 200 (160m model) others less
Description:
Double Bazooka antennas, 160m 80m 40m 20m 17m
Product is not in production
More Info: http://www.iacantennas.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00874.9
K1WK Rating: 2007-10-22
Great Antenna - Great Service Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I used to build bazooka antennas in the 70's when I became active again in ham radio. The reviews here convinced me that a well built commercial bazooka would insure that I would enjoy long service, which was not true with my home brewed beauties!

I have a Hustler vertical with which I am more than happy, but it is very narow on 80 meters. I wanted something that would cover all of the 80 meter CW band without having to use a tuner. I plan to add an amp soon and so I also wanted one that could handle high power. Since an auto tuner that can handle legal limit power costs around $1200, I am on a quest to use antennas that do not require a tuner.

This antenna meets all my requirements. Although I do not have it inslalled under the most ideal conditions, (It is mounted as an inverted vee but at only 28 feet), it performs very well indeed. I was stunned when a station in northern Maine gave me a 599 plus 30db while using only 100 watts.

SWR is 1.5 at 3500, 1:1 at 3580 and 1.5 again at 3640. That is a lot better than the 50kc width I get with the vertical.

I used the full length and put it up. No trimming, no fuss. Service is the best. Only wish I could get service like this on everything I buy.
K6HT Rating: 2007-10-21
Excellent Antenna Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
The 80 meter shorty antenna that I ordered from Dave and Jeana was one of the best decisions I made. When the antenna arrived, there was a problem on one of the antenna wires and I emailed Dave about it. Half an hour later Dave called me and assured me that a new antenna was on it's way to me. I never even asked for a replacement and Dave already had one for me. How about that for customer service!! When the replacement antenna came in I was impressed with it's construction and installing it took less than 30 minutes. And SWR adjustments is very easy. Just fold it 6 to 12 inches at a time to resonate on your operating frequency. In the short time I have used and owned it I'm one happy camper. And after the sale Dave followed up and made sure I was happy with my purchased of the antenna and if I have any questions at all. Thank you Dave and Jeana for a wonderful antenna.
K8ME Rating: 2007-07-14
K8ME Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have the 80 meter bazooka, worked great,didn't have to worry about swr being high across the 80meter band, then IAC came out with the 160-meter shorty, I got hooked on 160 meters, worked 49 states and 20 countrys running yaesu mark-5 with AL-1500 Amplifier, dynomite.Looking forward to the new 160 meter season coming up, if you play with the ends you can get the antenna tuned right in middle of the band, then twik it with a tuner in the shack if needed.
W4FHI Rating: 2007-06-12
Excellent performance, completely sealed, near Gulf Mexico Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have read the wonderful reports my fellow hams have written about the Double
Bazooka antennas that IAC Antenna Company ( Dave & Jeanna) manufacturer. I
would like to bring out some other credits that this antenna design provides.
You already have learned about the antenna being sealed, strong, wide bandwidth,
noise quiet and easy tuning by folding the twin lead ends back and taping. I
have one of the first antennas that Dave built in Orlando, FL then recently from
California. That first antenna was delivered and put up seventeen years ago!
It's a spare now as I have a newer one and a Shorty currently phased on a flat
condo rooftop only 100 yards from the Gulf of Mexico! I had to use a very short
phasing line (1/8 wavelength) and the ends stretch over palm trees on either
side. The one addition that I have that others seem not to have is an impedance
balun from Array Solutions that matches the 50 ohm feed line to the 35 ohm
parallel antennas.

My MFJ-249 went crazy when the two were phased together and showed the resonance at 3.655 HZ. I operated the antenna this way for six
months then I phoned Dave at IAC and he spotted the trouble right away and
suggested one antenna be shortened and the other lengthened. I would never have
thought of that but the very close spacing of 45 feet plays havoc. Now my SWR
looks like this and I never use the built-in tuners in the transceiver or
linear:
Freq. HZ SWR
4.0 1.45/1


3.9 1.3/1
3.8
1.2/1
3.7
1.25/1
3.6
1.7/1
Yes, radiation efficiency went UP and the gain is near 4 DB. Exceptional signal
reports - you bet! W4FHI
NM4K Rating: 2007-06-10
Fantastic Antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
IAC double bazooka antennas are without question the best I have ever used in my 27 years of ham radio. I personally have built several dipoles, purchase many of the commercial models, but until I tried the IAC antenna, I was not satisfied with any of their performances. My introduction to IAC was purely by accident. I was searching QTH.COM one day to see what was for sale and noticed an ad where a ham wanted to buy a IAC antenna and he was specific that he wanted no other antenna but IAC. My curiosity got the best of me and I emailed him to find out why only IAC's double bazooka, and he gave me his testimonial of his experience. I was so impressed with his commitment to the product I ordered the 80 Meter double bazooka the next day. After only about two weeks I was just as committed. Everyone was telling me how strong my signal was and I was hearing everyone much stronger than before. During raining weather I did not have the static noise that I was used to on a bare wire antenna, the performance was fantastic. I immediately ordered the 40 meter model and have been equally impressed. Since the introduction of the 160 Meter Shorty, I ordered one of those as well. I did have a problem with the shorty antenna breaking at the center insulator because of the weight of the loading coils, but let me say this, Dave was right on top of the problem and shipped me a new antenna right away. IAC's devotion to customer service and a quality product is a breath of fresh air in a day where not many manufactures care about customer service and only concentrate on sales. I highly recommend their product and encourage anyone who wishes to contact me personally if they want further details regarding the IAC Double Bazooka.

Bill Scott, NM4K
KD4LIR Rating: 2007-03-18
Fantastic Results!!!! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I keep getting asked on the air what kind of antenna I am using. Most contacts marvel at my signal strength. I then explain that I use an International Antenna Co. Double Bazooka antenna in a phased array. There always seems to be curiosity. But I smile and go on my way down the band and find another person asking the same question.
It has taken me many years to find the “right” combination. I discovered the IAC Double Bazooka a few years ago. I have built many of them over the years with “good” results but not EXCELLENT results. Mainly because my materials and assembly technique was not as professional. Because of the nature of the beast the weak link is making a feed point strong and reliable. IAC however perfected this weak link. Couple that with all mil. Spec. materials and excellent construction and you have one superb antenna. One of my latest results was working KC4AAA on 40 meters. It’s not really big feat to work the south Pole on 20M but when it comes to 40M it starts to make you think. Especially the way the sunspot cycle has been and we are at the bottom. The interesting part is that the operator was hearing me at 5/9 and I was hearing him at S7 to S8. He was using an Alpha and I was running only 800 Watts on my Ameritron. Not only did I make the contact on a Monday night but I worked him with the same results on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday as well. Always with the same results. My signal was always the strongest with less power. Goes to prove it is all in the antenna.
When you think about it, the antenna is the weakest link in the chain. Makes sense that is where to concentrate your best efforts and the highest quality. You can buy expensive audio equipment, use the finest source of music and hook it to lousy speakers and it still sounds terrible. But you can take an inexpensive stereo and connect it to great speakers and it will sound great. It’s the same thing in Ham radio. I hear guys all the time running the best equipment and it’s connected to a lousy antenna and it still sounds lousy. Makes sense, doesn’t it. Spend it up front for a good antenna and you won’t need all that other stuff and you’ll end up with more in the bank and better signal reports. And IAC antennas deliver those kinds of results. No other antenna I have ever used has given me consistent, reliable results and in addition the antenna requires little to no maintenance. It just hangs there and works. Isn’t that what we all want?
Too bad I can’t give it a higher rating than 5/5. If I could I would certainly give it a 100/100 based on a 5/5 scale.
That, gentlemen, is why I have IAC antennas on 75M and 40M Bands. I have also used them on 20M with amazing results as well.
Bob
KD4LIR

WD4MBE Rating: 2006-10-30
I'm Pleased! Time Owned: N.A.
I was looking for an antenna that would give me coverage of the southeastern part of the US with an acceptable swr for 75m ssb. This antenna more than meets my needs!

Here are the stats as measured from my FT-920:
The apex is 42' above ground. The antenna is pointed in a N/S direction. The southern end of the antenna is 18' above ground and the northern end, at least at this time, is 12' above ground. The SWR numbers are as follows:

4.000- 1.7
3.900- 1.1
3.800- 1.5
3.750- 2.0

I folded the antenna 7 inches x 8 times to get the swr acceptable for phone.

I can recommend this antenna for others!!








W4SK Rating: 2006-03-18
Superior Time Owned: more than 12 months.
My 40m double bazooka has been up for 4 years, without a hitch. I run 2w QRP, up to 1500w, and get great performance both ways. Tuner not needed anywhere on the band. Highly recommended.
W8ATT Rating: 2005-02-14
Very good monoband antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have both the 80 meter and 40 meter Double Bazookas and love them. Their performance on those bands are great along with a great bandwidth. Very quiet especially in the summer on 75 meters. The only complaint one might get from this antenna is that it does not work well on the other bands it wasn't made for. It will work but with mediocre performance. If I had room I would put one up for all the bands I work.
KW4CQ Rating: 2004-10-11
40m and 80m models are great performers. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have both the 40m and 80m models hung in an inverted V fashion at 50 feet with the ends at 20 feet. I operate mainly in the phone portions of these two bands and get excellent reports, day or night, short or long skip. No end insulators are needed since you have only to wrap the ends in a short loop, tape them securely and pass heavy cord or dacron rope through the loops to hang the ends to a nearby tree. The antennas are reasonably broadbanded and you will need to use an antenna tuner with these antennas to manage the SWR. With my Palsar AT1500CV tuner I able to get a 1:1 SWR anywhere within these two bands. Don't try to use an Antenna Analyzer (e.g., MFJ-259B)with this type of antenna because that won't work and you will get false readings. The quality of contruction is very good and I would expect these antennas to provide years of reliable use. Keep in mind that these antennas are single band antennas and don't expect to get them to operate efficiently, if at all, on their harmonic bands.