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Reviews For: Opek HVT-600 Antenna

Category: Antennas: HF Mobile & Accessories

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Review Summary For : Opek HVT-600 Antenna
Reviews: 12MSRP: 79.95
Description:
HVT-600 HIGH PERFORMANCE HF/VHF 10-BAND(1/4λ) MOBILE
COMMUNICATION ANTENNA
FREQ. BANDS 1/4λ DESIGN: 80M(3.7 MHz)/40M(7.05 MHz)/30M(10.1
MHz)
20M(14.15 MHz)/17M(18.2 MHz)/15M(21.1 MHz)/12M(24.95 MHz)/
10M(28.5 MHz)/6M(50.5 MHz)/2M(146 MHz)
200W MAX. POWER HANDLING
USE JUMPER WIRE TO CHANGE FREQ. BAND
LOW VSWR
PL-259 CONNECTION
RETRACTABLE TELESCOPIC WHIP FOR BEST TX/RX TUNING
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.opek.com.tw/HVT-600.htm
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00123.8
KC0UIJ Rating: 2013-02-21
Not Plug and Play for Portable Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I am only using this antenna for portable not mobile use. The price makes it worth trying. I am using four 13.5' ground radials made from insulated #14awg stranded wire. I used a kids bicycle horn mount which fit perfectly around my 3" long pl259 bulkhead connector to attach the radials with a single copper eye to the antenna. Tuning the antenna is very finicky even with a antenna analyzer. Even the slightest movement in the radials can cause a huge change in SWR. I found that a longer whip from a Wilson 1000 made for better and broader tuning on 17,20 and 40,(When whip lengths are changed; manufacturer listed jumper settings no longer apply). I use the HVT-600 successfully attached to a back pack while walking but the best method is with a tripod set up several feet away from the radio and operator( spreading out the radials and leaving them once lowest swr is found) It is also important to keep the jumper lead away from the antenna body (changes in the relationship with the jumper to the antenna body will cause SWR fluctuations). Once I have a band set up and tuned I make notes about jumper positions, whip length settings etc. I use this antenna with a Yaesu 857D and always keep my meter set to SWR for constant monitoring. If a squirrel walks too close the SWR will change:)If this antenna was $200 I would give it a rating of (2) however with some experimentation and patience you can make it work. It would be much more difficult to set up initally without the analyzer. Not all bands advertised will work for portable use depending on terrain, radial lengths etc. good luck! Note: my call sign has not been updated here. Current call w0msn
VK2CKK Rating: 2013-02-01
Compact travel antenna with WARC bands Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Thought I'd try this antenna out for the added benefit of having the WARC bands. My review and application is based on using this antenna on rental cars while away on business. I have had very good results with HVT400B. Antenna mount used is a MFJ 5" Mag mount.

Results: Works fine on all bands, Narrow BW on low bands is no surprise and to be expected.

Downside: You will have to adjust the whip length for just about every band change (not on HVT400), which does become a chore in the dark or rain! Oh! Do remember to have handy a tape measure and your pre-determined band whip length listing :)

The up-side: you have a compact travel "stick" antenna that covers all the HF bands (excl 160m).

Recommendation: Improve your 40m band BW and performance by adding (a few extra ounces to you travel pack) the "HotRodz" cap hat by DX Engineering(definite 5/5) and use 30m tap point.

My rating of 4 (I'd give it 3.5 if I could)is based on the more than double cost of the HVT-400B and the added whip setup hassle factor.