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Reviews For: Ultimax DXtreme

Category: Antennas: HF: Verticals; Wire; Loop

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Review Summary For : Ultimax DXtreme
Reviews: 31MSRP: 85.00
Description:
The ULTIMAX DXTREME end-fed antenna covering 1.0 to 54 MHZ and is rated at 2KW (SSB). The antenna comes with the choice of a wire radiator length ranging from 33' up to 124', allowing homeowners with more space the ability of improved performance while offering those with limited space an antenna which will cover all of the amateur HF spectrum.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.ultimax-antennas.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00314.9
N3AFS Rating: 2023-12-07
Works Good Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've had mine now since 2019. It works good but there is a fabrication issue The coax SO-239 fitting is a press-fit into the matching box. Mine came loose from the box rendering it ln-operable. There is no way to repair it since the box is sealed. To make matters worse, ants entered the box & laid eggs! So, based on my operating experience with this antenna and since my old one is 4 years old & nothing lasts forever; I just ordered a new one. The old antenna was a 33 footer & the one I just ordered is the 57 or 58 long unit. I hope the new one lasts 4 years & doesn't break!
12/7/2023---I got the 53 ft version 3 months ago. It works better than the 33 footer. Made QSOs with California & Idaho during the 160 meter CW contest. Surprised me. Great product
AC8YJ Rating: 2023-06-07
ULTIMAX DXTREME ANTENNA 160-6M 124ft version Time Owned: more than 12 months.
ULTIMAX DXTREME ANTENNA 160-6M 124ft version

I had a few questions about when I purchased this antenna, and their customer service was outstanding.

It's currently mounted as an inverted L about 58 ft vertically (on my roof), then runs as a sloper to about 6 feet high and needs an external tuner. My yard is very small, and my available space for antennas is very limited.

I originally put it up about a year ago. It worked extremely well but did not put out as well as I wanted on 80m or 160M. The roof support was then damaged a few months later by a tree branch that fell on it. 80m SWR went to about 2.4, which was not viable on 80m, but the antenna was still fine for 40 and the higher bands. I finally got somebody up there a few weeks ago; they fixed the mount and then raised the original vertical height from about 52ft to its current height of about 58ft.

The additional 6ft made a huge deal on 80m. My signal is vastly improved on 80m, and I get decent reports on 160, I get compliments all the time, and I can actually tune 160 with an MFJ-929. The tuner tunes 80 and 160m, usually about 1.2-1.3, 99% of the time, and I am ecstatic.

I highly recommend this product. It works well in my tiny yard.
KA3BQE Rating: 2021-11-12
This hears so well and puts out a solid signal Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I've just had this 124' version up in our backyard the past 2 days and it is amazing. It hears so well. And trasmit has been perfect. If I can hear someone I can work them. This antenna is worth it.

I have the transformer about 60' up in the tree. The length of the inverted L is about 40' to a point about 75' up in another tree. Then the end of the antenna slopes down to about 15' AGL where it is tied down to the property line stake in back.

Updated to add. 40m contacts this morning with Fiji and Australia from Central Illinois? Did it this morning! Absolutely amazing! I've never worked DX on 40m outside of North America.

I have an inverted L / sloper on the down side. There was no way to get the inverted L straight so I went with a sloper from West to East. North South on the L part between the trees.

I get solid 20+ reports on the 80 meter nets. And the fact I can work QSOs on 160 meters rocks. I've never had an antenna that worked on 160. This is what bliss feels like.

This antenna is great. I love it. So much so I'm going to put another one in an East-West config instead of the North-South I have now.
W4FID Rating: 2021-11-03
works much better than I hoped for Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have the 33 foot version in my attic. I use an LDG tuner at the rig then 55 feet of coax snakes its way along the floor thru two rooms and up a corner thru the ceiling into the attic. The feed box is about 14 feet high. I do use the counterpoise kit. The wire runs due east/west about 6" below the ridge pole. The counterpoise wires lay on the attic floor running due north/south. My roof is conventional plywood and asphalt shingles. On FT8 I usually run about 25 watts. On CW and SSB I usually run just the IC-7300 barefoot. But at times when needed I use an amp at up to 500 watts or so -- whatever is needed. No problem with the antenna at all with that power. I'm in north central Florida half way between the Gulf and the ocean on flat ground. No water front or height advantages at my QTH. No desirable or DX call sign. But I still easily work a high percentage of the stations I call and get replies when I CQ. On 80 and 60 meters at night I easily work anyone east of the Mississippi. When 6 is open it works well there too and I have QSOs all over the eastern half of North America. On 40, 30, 20, every day or night and on 17, 15, and 10 (when they're open) on FT8 I easily work world wide including some very nice DX. Cypress, Oman, Norfolk Island, Mongolia, Kuwait, Malta, Tunis, central Africa a couple countries. On SSB I easily check into nets. On contest weekends I am one of the lower power guys out there but I still work lots of QSOs. This was to be my secondary antenna as a back up. But it works so well and is totally invisible to the HOA so it's my primary. At HamCation I brought about a dozen pages of my log to Albert to show him and let him show them off. It's not a beam at 60 feet -- but it's damn good -- lots of fun -- I can work someone any time night or day since it's so easy to change bands. I get on whatever mode I like on whatever band is open. NOTE -- you probably will need a wide range tuner at the rig and the length of the coax from the rig to the box does matter. Some lengths are not compatible with some frequencies (the end fed quarter wave thing). I did have to add a 3 foot pigtail to get the length good for all the bands. Some lengths will be fine on some bands but not all so you do have to be willing to try a little till you get a length that's OK for all bands. That's dependent on the length and velocity factor of the coax I guess. So it may require some trial and error. But once it's good to go you're good to go on all bands.
KC3SDJ Rating: 2021-11-02
Wonderful Product Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
As someone new to ham radio, and an even newer General class license holder eager to get on the HF bands, I wanted to purchase something and get on the air right away. As an apartment dweller, I had to take many things into consideration. After a couple days of research, I purchased the Ultimax DXtreme antenna in the 33 foot model. I was able to string it up in a mainly horizontal orientation from my second floor apartment's balcony, with the far end tied off to a small tree behind my parking lot. I wasn't sure what to expect and you might say I was even doubtful that it would work very well. I ran some counterpoise wires below the level of the mulch of the flower beds below my antenna, installed a 1:1 current balun in the feedline, and hoped for the best. I was now about to attempt to make my first contacts as a new General class license holder using the /AG suffix on my call. I turned on my new IC-7300 and hoped for the best. Wow! Skeptic quickly turned to believer, I was amazed when several stations calling CQ could hear me reply! The internal tuner of my radio could tune most anything from 12 meters to 80 meters, but 1.5 months later, I have added an LDG external tuner to my radio. With the 33' model, I can't tune 160 meters, but I can tune anything else on the HF spectrum. Now, 1.5 months after my first HF contact on my new setup, I have made 75 phone contacts, 20 RTTY contacts, and 110 FT8 contacts, all with this antenna and running it at only 50 Watts! I am blown away by what a piece of wire can do when tuned properly, even in an apartment building surrounded by other buildings. I recommend this product to anyone, especially those who are also living in apartments and have very limited potential for outdoor antenna installations. This thing works so well I could even do contests with it!
W1PDG Rating: 2021-05-23
Better than I hoped for! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Moving to a downsized house and property with no trees my antenna selection was poor for hf. Purchased the 124’ DXtreme and installed 6’ above ground in a u shaped configuration along my wooden stockade fence. Works way better than I thought possible with 200 watts at that height. Going to purchase another ultimate end fed for my garage attic.
W9SA Rating: 2020-08-19
Works Well Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I've had the 124' antenna for about 2 months and it works very well on 80 and 160. I had an OCF dipole but the noise was always at least S8-9. I put this up running out in the back yard as far away as possible from the electric lines across the front of the property and the highest noise I get now is around S5. I have the transformer end up about 26 feet and it slopes down to about 15 feet. It seems to work just as well as the OCF dipole and I have made several 80m contacts and even a few on 160 in the middle of the summer! Thanks for a very well made product.
NN6B Rating: 2019-03-13
This antenna works! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Great antennas! I have two versions, both custom sizes. My recent purchase is a 99' model which I have up 50' in the air. Works great 80-6 meter. Worldwide contacts on FT8 / less than 50w. I have the 99' as my primary, yes its not the best antenna to have but it is the best I can do at my qth. If you have a compromising location and really want to get on HF, this is the way to go! Its a really good product with great customer service. I highly recommend Ultimax Antennas. If you have questions on how I have my antenna mounted contact me.

73 de NN6B
BUDA1066 Rating: 2019-03-06
I agree Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Installed the 124 foot model at 15 feet. Good performance on 160 and 80 meters phone (LSB).


K3FT Rating: 2019-03-05
Fantastic Antenna Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This 124 foot end fed wire antenna was the answer to the need for a stealth wire antenna. I have it up in a tree about 100 feet from the shack. I used the recommended choke by Ultimax. I could not be happier. Up about 50 feet and fed with RG 213 cable. Primarily SSB op but will experiment with RTTY as well.

This antenna replaced two verticals that were taken down however, this antenna out performs both of them. HF2V and 5BTV .

This antenna takes all the power I can give it with an AL-1200.

Happy Ham!!