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Reviews For: Fritzel FD 4 Multiband Antenna

Category: Antennas: HF: Verticals; Wire; Loop

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Review Summary For : Fritzel FD 4 Multiband Antenna
Reviews: 24MSRP: 139.00
Description:
Fritzel 3.5 to 30 MHZ 2kw Dipole (FD4)
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.hofi.de
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00244.9
KD5UVV Rating: 2005-04-13
Great Multiband Antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Great multi-band antenna, I have the FD-4 Fritzel this is the only antenna that I have and it allows me to work 80/40/20/17/12/10 and I use it on 15 and 60 meters with the internal tuner in my 940. I have it mounted flattop up about 45 feet. This antenna talks! The logs don’t lie. This antenna is built to last forever! Very heavy-duty antenna, you have to see this antenna to see how well built it is. I only wish that the Fritzel company was still building them, and that they had a 160 meter model. I would buy it in a heartbeat.

73 Dale KD5UVV
bayou50@hotmail.com
W4BTZ Rating: 2004-11-09
Good multiband antenna with no tuner required Time Owned: more than 12 months.
In my 51 years in ham radio, I've used many so-called "multiband" antennas, primarily commercial verticals, all of which worked without any tuners.
[My definition of a true multiband antenna is one
which is resonant and doesn't require tuners...]
My experience with the Fritzel FD-4 (and homebrews
I've made using Amidon 6/1 baluns) has been quite
satisfactory. I believe it performs as well or
better than a dipole on each band for which it is
designed (i. e. resonant) and highly recommend it.
N1BIC Rating: 2004-07-24
6-Band OCF dipole much like the Fritzel FD-4 Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I used a Fritzel FD-4 for many years with excellent results and finally decided to improve on the design and construction with our own version. Over a year ago we begin manufacturing our 6 Band OCF in limited quantities and selling them on the Internet at http://hamcall.net/6bandmegpole.html

They have proved successful and we have received many positive comments from users around the world. The basic design using a modified 6:1 balun lives on!

73, Jack, N1BIC
VK3KCG Rating: 2004-05-02
Great Antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Somebody down the page wanted to know if these antennas are still being made. I manufacture a 8 band version of this type of antenna.

The FD4 was a very popular antenna and I will soon be marketing an exact copy of the original version.

Peter VK3KCG

http://dxantennas.com
IC8OZM Rating: 2004-04-21
BEST WIRE ANTENNA Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have used this since 1996, i believe is the better wire antenna. During the last rsgb contest, my hf9 dont work, two friends of mine where very surprised!
73 de ic8ozm
LA1TNA Rating: 2003-12-25
Works fine.. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I recently installed the antenna.
It is mounted from the top of the house (about 17 m above ground) over to a hill, and fixed on the other side to a tree.

It's installed horizontally, slightly V-shape.
It is working good without tuner on 6 bands with following SWR;
80 m, 1,7:1
40 m, 1,3:1
20 m, 1,5:1
17 m, 1,3:1
12 m, 1,5:1
10 m, 1,3:1

On the three remaining HF bands, I have measured following SWR:
160 m, about 6-7:1
30 m, about 4-5:1
15 m, about 3,5:1

It's working according to specs, and even better! It's good value for the money paid.
DF1AS Rating: 2003-04-18
Not Only for the Beginner ... Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The first antenna I ever used.
The last antenna I'm using.

I also extended my FD-4 to an "FD-5". Means, replacing the 13m end by a 54m, so total length about 80m. Works great on 160, 80, and 40!

A bit expensive (170 € for the 5kW type) for what you get - but very reliable.
K4JRB Rating: 2002-07-08
Great Construction Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Electronic Switch (ESCO) sold hundreds of the FD family of OCF Dipoles. The FD-4 (80 to 10) was the most popular and the antenna of choice on many Dxpeditions. There were four versions a 700 watt, a 2KW, and a 5KW module with the only difference being the size of matching balun. Its a real performer and was used on many Dxpeditions.

What happened is Kurt Fritzel passed away and his son had no interest in continuing the FD series of OCF Dipoles. He sold out to HOFI who makes a great coax switch (we sold hundreds of these too)
but we had difficulties in dealing with HOFI so we dropped both. If there is interest in a similar antenna to the FD-4 please let me know as the principal of ESCO told me he would be interested in building one here (he says he will call it the FRitz Antenna). Probably only one model he FRITZ FD4 with 1.5KW out balun.

73 Dave K4JRB
k4jrb@juno.com
SM0RWO Rating: 2002-05-31
Amazing ! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I got this antenna from a military installation where it had been in use for years. I had it up at my old qth for a number of years but when moving I forgot about this antenna and used a random wire instead. I wasn't satisfied with the random wire so I remembered the FD4 and put that between some trees behind the house. On the second qso I busted the Afghanistan (YA5T) pileup ! I get greater RST reports than many local hams and it's really working well on several bands. 18 MHz is a killer with this antenna.
ON4LG Rating: 2002-05-30
Not so bad! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Have mine for 2 years and it doesn't work so bad. Been working some great DX on high bands. Unfortunatly the apex is only at 10 meter high: too low for low bands. Local QSO (Europe) are ok on 40 and possible if the noise is not so strong on 80.
I need to use a tuner on 80 only. The antenna doesn't work on 15 (you don't need to try!) even if I worked D68C on that band!
A good antenna for new comers like me: cheap, good results, light weight but need room anyway (40 meters : 120 feet!)