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Reviews For: MFJ 2286 Big Stick Vertical Antenna

Category: Antennas: HF: Verticals; Wire; Loop

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Review Summary For : MFJ 2286 Big Stick Vertical Antenna
Reviews: 29MSRP: $99.95
Description:
For Top Portable Performance, Carry a "Big Stick"! Like our Big Ear, this
portable monopole features MFJ's rugged 17’ stainless-steel collapsible whip
paired with an adjustable high-Q air-wound coil. Efficiency matters, so it's not
surprising this winning combination stands head and shoulders above shorter
backpack antennas.

True Backpack Portability: Antenna is over 18 feet long fully extended, but
disassembles and collapses to 28” in seconds. Fits into most any size packs!

Light Weight: Just over 2 lbs. You'll hardly know your packing it!!!

Versatile: Includes MFJ-342T pipe mount -- quickly and easily mounts to a ¼
or ½ inch pipe or mast. SO-239 with lock washer feeds coax underneath the
⅜ - 24 connector.

General Coverage: Tapped loading coil covers 7.0-55.0 MHz without gaps.
Great for Ham Bands and outstanding for image-free shortwave broadcast!

Rugged Construction: All aluminum, stainless steel construction ensures years
of excellent performance. One Killowatt rated components guarantee
electrical safety.

Counterpoise kit included: Ensures low SWR, high efficiency, maximum site
safety.

BigStick™ is for the Ham radio operator on the move and on-the-go and
hungry for the next great QSO anywhere or anytime!
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.mfjenterprises.com/Product.php?productid=MFJ-2286
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00294.3
K4NYX Rating: 2020-04-05
Set up 2 of these with good results. One to the NE and other SW Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I ran 2 of these set up for 20 meters spaced 8 ft apart. One to the NE and the other to SW. used RG8X to each antenna independently to an antenna switch back in the shack to switch directions. Tuned both antennas to be same having a 1.08 swr on the general portion of phone. Also tested on ft8 with swr both under 1.2.

My overall experience with the antenna on 20 meters was good. Was able to work dx and state side. Is the a miracle antenna? The answer is no. Does this antenna work. Yes it does. The pro’s to this antenna: 1) it can be setup quickly ( one antenna takes about 10-15 min to setup and tune). 2) you don’t need a tuner. Set it up for the band you want and get it on the air.
3) it’s portable. 4) not that i run an amp portable but it can handle up to 1 kw. 5) it’s reasonably priced (100-120 us$) not including the 4ft ground rod that i used for install.
6)You don’t need any trees or any additional supports.
Cons.1) 20 meters it does go a bit longer when comparing to a dipole about a half wavelength up due to take off angle. 2) the foot print of the antenna (circumference is about 28 ft around antenna with the 4 radials) can create a trip hazard if using elevated radia( if Using in public place it would be good to mark your radial field so it doesn’t become a trip hazard)
3) it’s a vertical, it will bring in more man made noise... by no means is this a deal breaker. When testing i did notice the noise floor went up .5-1 s unit compared to a horizontal antenna. I didn’t find this to be an issue however in noisy areas you may find this can be an issue.
Overall i really liked this and in the future i would consider putting up something more permanent in the yard in similar configuration.
I will be experimenting more with the spacing between the 2 antennas.
One thing i did note while testing with local friend when i dropped the power down to 10 watts and changing direction for transmitting it showed a 2.5 to 3s unit difference. The the vertical transmitting in his direction i was solid s9. Away from him i dropped to about S6. With the cob web which is omni directional and horizontal i was s8. He was using ocf antenna in inverted v type configuration. May contribute to a stronger signal from the vertical as we were both vertically polarized. At 100 watts it was almost the same signal when i changed direction. Still more testing to come.

Hope this info helped based on real world experience.
Mike
K4NYX
PY2KNK Rating: 2018-09-04
ANTENNA IMPRESSED ME Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I'm really enjoying the MFJ 2286 big stick antenna, I did a portable operation experience, and I was really impressed with the performance mainly at the reception, I made good qso in SSB (VP8LP) and other regions of Brazil and in digital modes (FT8) with several countries of Europe, certainly if the propagation was better, it would do many more DXs!

Practical antenna to mount and adjust, I placed in a tripod, it occupies little space, is light and very resistant.

I am really pleased and recommend to anyone who wants to take their trip and make good DX without compromise is a great option.

73 to all,

PY2KNK Leonardo Zucon
KC4YLV Rating: 2018-09-02
Actually, a pretty good deal. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Picked one of these up to put my newly acquired IC-703 on the road. I'm still using the stock radial package (4 are included, about 16 feet), but it is tunable for < 1.5:1 SWR on 40 through 10 meters, and my 703's tuner takes care of the rest.

I hit the thrift store and found a large telescope tripod and engineered the mount on to the top of it. In less than two minutes I can pull everything out of the bag, set up the tripod, screw the coil and whip on, extend the whip, and unroll the radials. I drilled 1/4" holes through the ends of the tripod legs so I can pound 3/16" diameter metal tent stakes into the ground at an angle. With those locking it down, it's pretty wind-resistant - important for Colorado operation.

Very impressed! I'm going to build a more robust radial system with four 33 and four 17 foot radials of some more easy-to-work-with wire, maybe add one of those MFJ capacitor boxes to further tweak the SWR. Combined with the tapped coil, it should work well.
MM3IDR Rating: 2017-03-27
Not robust Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I rated this 5 previously. Which it is in performance. But the sections are not robust for regular use. The lose grip between each other and end up having to be 'taped up'to prevent slip, or nipped up with pliers.

It isn't strong enough to survive reasonably strong winds without falling apart.

Okay for occasional use, but entirely hopeless for regular use.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by MM3IDR on 2016-09-02

Tried Hamsticks and a Buddipole from my favourite hill top /P location and the signal out was getting precisely nowhere, very disappointing. First time out with this I was getting contacts first time every time on 10 watts. MFJ make some good things and some bad things, quality control can be very variable. But, this particular antenna I couldn't recommend highly enough it just works and works brilliantly. It's such a bargain I have bought a few spares to back up. ONly wish they made more products quite as good as this one.
KW4MG Rating: 2016-11-14
Pretty Good antenna Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I use this with varying results. Haven't got good results ground mounted, but i have a connection on the middle of my roof, and (while parked) I've had great results. With this configuration. Last week I worked 366 stations in 3 hours. 47 of 48 contiguous states on 20 meters. QRZ said the bands were fair on that date. The reason for 4 rating is that I have to tape every section when I put it up vertically or it will collapse. I also have a second whip and have constructed a dipole from an article in May 2016 QST. The dipole at 35 feet on a telescoping fiberglass pole works very well also.
N5TEH Rating: 2016-07-09
Antenna has served me well Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've had the MFJ-2286 for about 2 years. I use it as a portable antenna and the results have been extremely good. With it mounted on a chain-link fence at my mother-in-laws home in Kingman, AZ I have worked the world with 100 watts. At a lake in Northern Minnesota the performance has been great in a less than ideal location.

Does the antenna have its flaws? Yes! The wire and clip to change bands in poorly constructed so I replaced them and have had no problem. The mount could be a little beefier and able to accommodate a larger diameter pipe, but that problem is easily overcome by a little ham radio operator ingenuity.

I gave the antenna a 4. I would say the construction is probably about a 3 but, from my limited perspective, the performance is 5 considering that it is a portable antenna. The antenna continues to serve me well.
KG5CGN Rating: 2016-07-08
Typical MFJ Quality Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've purchased many products from MFJ... I'm not sure why I keep doing that, but I do!!! This antenna seems to be great at first sight. The stainless steel whip is fine as long as you are careful with it. (Not necessarily in a ham's nature). The coil and mount on the other hand are horrible. I tell myself that I'll never buy another MFJ product every time I get a piece of their gear, yet I keep throwing the dollars at 'em hoping they'll totally redeem themselves. It never happens... I hate having to "FIX" products before I even use them. It's a turd of an antenna system for anyone who has windy conditions and anyone who will be moving it on occasion... if you just install it and forget it, it may be ok. The whip is fine by itself... the coil and mount are paper weights!!!
K5XK Rating: 2016-06-30
Good Value, Surprising Results Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Just back from visiting harmonics in Middle TN. Using a borrowed FT-817 QRP rig, I deployed the Big Stick per recommended installation. With suggested vertical lengths & inductor taps with the 4 provided radials, achieved 1:1 to 1:5 SWR. Despite the declining propagation, worked a page full of CONUS and DX stations in a few hours of leisure operation.
K1OIK Rating: 2015-06-07
Not portable Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
How can you say this fits in a backpack when you have to have a 1/2" pipe, a hammer to knock it in, really?
SM6XUN Rating: 2014-11-15
Great portable antenna! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This antenna is very good when used as intended, add some more radials and you will have a great low weight portable vertical that wont break the bank.

When properly installed it covers 40m with low SWR, i dont need to use the radios internal ATU at all.

It does not replace a big fixed vertical but as a portable and temporary solution it is great,
for those with sensitive neighbours it is easy to collapse, remove and store in the shead daytime and bring it out when its dark again.

Dont let it get wet and then freeze during the winter, the ice will expand and most likely break the telescoping tubes.

Use the existing bunch of radials and make three copies, one for each bolt, that will give you 16 radials in total which is a good start and a minimum for really good performance.