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Reviews For: AG6IF Talented Balun and Loop antenna

Category: Antennas: HF: Verticals; Wire; Loop

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Review Summary For : AG6IF Talented Balun and Loop antenna
Reviews: 16MSRP: $81
Description:
18g 126 foot, 8 inches of insulated wire with split ring
terminals on the ends.
Custom designed and built 2.5 to 1 Balun with SO239
connector.

The setup has been tweeked and tuned to work on 40 meters,
20 meters, 15 meters, and 10 meters (no tuner should be
needed, depending on your rig), and 80m, 12m, 17m, and 6
meters using a tuner.

I have included a picture showing the SWR and Theta sweep
for this antenna from 6mhz to 30mhz, which was made with an
AIM4170C analyzer.

This antenna has been hung and tuned, and tested, and is
ready for you to suspend from 3 trees, or 3 PVC pipes even,
and add your own coax.

If you are looking at this, you are probably a ham,
therefore, check my QRZ page for some diagrams and other
info. I have worked most of the
world on this little setup, with the longest being Kenya at
about 9,700 miles, using 40 watts.
I am running a triangle horizontal delta loop configuration
but you can hang a square if you like, My antenna height is
only 6 feet at the corners and 14 feet at the Balun.

I have been asked 'why dont I sell these?' So, here it is.

These are easily made using $25 or $30 dollars worth of
parts, but I spend about 2 hours constructing the Balun,
then I tune and test the antenna.
The balun works excellent with alternate loops wires also..
2m = 7 feet
10m = 32 feet
20m = 64 feet
40m = 127 feet
80m = 254 feet
160m = 508 feet

This listing includes the loop wire for a 40m installation.

$81 and free shipping in the USA.
73 from AG6IF
Product is in production
More Info: http://e-bay
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00164.9
BURGERLOVER65 Rating: 2019-03-14
Try it you'll like it Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have a full wave loop with a 2.5 balun laying on my roof @ 130 feet long. It is my best antenna and I also have a end fed, and a vertical. The secret to this antenna is the balun since a full wave loop has an impedance of 150 ohms. Try this antenna even if you can't raise it clear of other objects. Just keep it away from metal. It is quiet, has no problems with overload and is easy to tune. You will hear/work more dx than any antenna except maybe a yagi or a beam.
KK4NBR Rating: 2018-02-26
Great antenna, but Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
So far I have enjoyed using the 160 Meter antenna and can hear far more than I ever have been able to. My issue is that I have never been able to get it tuned well. I contacted the dealer and just as I have read in the reviews, the seller got back to me quickly with keep cutting until you get to the sweet spot. I trimmed a little at a time until I gave up. 160 meters never got below SWR 4.5. Even though I tried contacting the seller again with pictures of my Antenna Analyzer, I never heard back from him. That's why I didn't give a higher rating. I am using a Palstar Antenna tuner, and I can tune it to use the antenna at all frequencies.... sometimes it is more difficult than others, but I always get good reception if someone is on the air.
CH62 Rating: 2017-12-02
Big ears Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Spending time listening while I study....planning on taking both technician and general at the same time. I put up a 40m end fed about two weeks ago. I could hear the big guns on 40m but the white noise was too much. Figured I had the room for a 80m Delta and after 4 hours today got it up. Th difference is amazing. Noise dropped through the floor...4 S levels. 40m still S3-s4 in the middle of the day, but I could already hear much more than with the end fed. Looking forward to tonight. 20m and 17m have no noise...S1...so I’m sure it going to be a new experience. By this time next week I hope to be on the air testing the other side of this amazing piece of kit.
KE4PLT Rating: 2017-02-28
SWEET Antenna - Made a believer out of me!!!! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Purchased the in January, put it up the day I got it to test it out... in a less than ideal configuration. The SWR was all over the place. So I took it down through it in a corner, figuring I got taken... well I was way wrong. I Pulled it out two weeks ago and hung it properly and the damn thing is amazing. SWR was no higher than 1.5 on 40, 20, 15 and 10. It is very quiet and has good reception. I have the feed point at one corner about 18 ft up, the other corners are at 25 and about 30 ft. The antenna performs great. I run about 300-400 watts, it is a pile up buster for me. changed radio for me completely. the only issue I have is the balun does seem to saturate and the SWR climbs on long rag chews. I am so happy with the antenna, I am ordering an 80 meter version of the sky loop with the high power balun and will use the 40 meter for portable ops. I am trilled with the antenna, in 2 weeks I have added 12 new DCXX entities to my log. I made contacts in eastern Europe, Central Africa, and the South Pacific... also picked up good west coast propagation, getting 5/9+ from the west coast and 5/8 from Hawaii and Alaska. Made the Pitcain Islands DX team on two calls on 12 meters just this weekend.
KJ4CIZ Rating: 2017-02-25
Best wire antenna ever made!!! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
What a great antenna! Was able to get the antenna unto a tree branch aprox 30 feet high. The bottom of the triangle is at 7 feet. Feedline is in the lower right hand corner. I was never able to go on 15 or 17 meters with my vertical do to noise. This antenna had NO noise at all. I made a contact on 15 meters to Belgium 5/9 plus. First contact on 15 meters in 8 years. Antenna tunes great on both 15 and 17 meters. Yes reception was better too. Great antenna for a great price. Emails from Jim are answered within minutes. Best regards and buy this antenna !!! Dave

KC1GIR Rating: 2016-12-23
NOT IDIOT PROOF!! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
If you're able to put out a kilowatt be sure to order the HIGH POWER balun.
After barefoot contacts with South Africa, the Middle East, all over Europe, and South America I decided to get an AL80A 1Kw amp. After a short while my SWR got juuuuuust a little high at >25.
I just ordered one of the high power Talented Baluns. Hopefully even I can't blow this one up.
N5ID Rating: 2016-08-29
Excellent Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Best Balun I have used for a loop. I put up 132 feet of wire, SWR is excellent on 40, 20, and 15.
My LDG tuner easily tunes 30 and 17. I have used many wire antennas through the years and this is my favorite.
K3SFK Rating: 2016-06-19
Superb, easy, effective loop antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
June 19, 2016

I received and installed this interesting loop and balun (40-20-10 meter version) about two years ago. In brief, it is a wonderful performer even at only 30 feet high. It receives very well with a much quieter signal than my other five HF antennas (dipoles and end-feds) especially when noise floor is high. Some days I will switch from transmitting on one of the other HF antennas so that I can receive more clearly with the AG6IF balun-loop. Transmitting results on 40 meters are excellent and 20 meters is 'good'. I wish that I had more yard room to install the 80 meter version. That would be ideal. You won't go wrong with this wire loop antenna. One tip: The balun box is heavy so I put up a strong black antenna rope across the yard to 'hang' the balun so that no pressure exists on the antenna loop wires and there is minimal 'pulling' on the wires during storms or winter ice. Almost all of the weight is held by the single horizontal rope and it does not interfere with the actual wire loop portion.
N1MLO Rating: 2016-06-18
Talented antenna for an untalented ham Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I hate work, both mental and physical. So I'm a big fan of simple end-fed antennas. I have some trees around the qth which allows me to put one up in 30 minutes or so.

I was uncharacteristically full of energy one day and ordered an antenna from AG6IF. Whilst it took me and my son a grueling 2 hours to hoist the loop up between some pine trees the the payoff was worth the withering labor.

I use it on 20 and 40 meters, switching between them often. No need for a tuner. I use an ALS 600 amp at 500 +\- watts, no issues. Compared to my end-feds this antenna is significantly quieter.

The balun is well made and the provided wire is high quality. AG6IF offers this antenna at a more than fair price, for around a hundred bucks you can't go wrong.
KA8W Rating: 2015-06-24
It Works Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I purchased this antenna 6 months ago.
Came well packaged and protected. I live in the middle of 5 acres with trees, so with my trusty slingshot it was up 30 feet or better in an hour.
I use a MFJ 962d and an 811h, so I did not cut to any specific length. I run 600 to 700 W every night. It WORKS, I have tried the GAP, AD no trap,antenna. Nothing beats this for a good solid antenna. I do have a OCFD for backup. Yes you could make one, but for what you get for the price why waste your time. I have wasted enough time and money, THIS ONE WORKS.....