| KN0V |
Rating:  |
2024-06-19 | |
| Top notch construction - good performance |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| I've had mine up around 75 feet for 3 years or so. I went with the Navassa-5 for several reasons. Not going to go into that here. It is a well built antenna. My only nit with the antennas is that the swr fluctuates on 17M when there is some wind. Want a smaller 5 band yagi - go for it |
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| N4SV |
Rating: |
2024-06-19 | |
| A Really well built antenna |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I can only echo nearly every other review here, the JK Antennas Navassa 5 is hands down the best built antenna I have ever owned. The attention to detail, quality of components, right down to the addition of extra screws and nuts...you lose one and you are not running around for a replacement. As others have stated, it is not a trivial build, it takes time and patients so be prepared. I have to thank Randy, K7AGE for his excellent video on the assembly of this antenna. I followed his assembly model, right down to the same small plastic bins for parts and 5 gallon plastic buckets for element pieces. His attention to detail was superb, see his video #8 and #9 if you plan on getting one of these antennas.
As for on air operation, while I have only had it up for a few days, my first contact was not really intended; I called CQ on 17 meter FT8 really as just an initial test...with only 12 watts out I got calls back from 3 or 4 EU stations and worked them all first try. In the first hour of operation I used the amp only once, to work a station in Vietnam, and also managed to work about 20 stations in 6 continents in another hour of operation, and those were on 100 watts or less! Wow, was all I could say, and I said it many times.
The Navassa 5 replaced a "conventional" tri-band yagi for me, and so far it far exceeds that antenna, most notably in build quality, but it seems obvious it will also exceed it in on-air operations. I chose this antenna because I wanted to get away from having traps on a multi band yagi, as these have always been a failure point for me. While I sacrifice 3 elements for 2 on each band I don't have to worry about traps cracking or getting water in them, and so far having only 2 elements per band doesn't seem to have reduced on air performance. And with the excellent build quality of the Navassa 5 I expect to get years of trouble-free performance. I don't think you could ever be disappointed in anything about this antenna!
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| AB3ZK |
Rating: |
2023-05-18 | |
| fantastic interlaced Yagi |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
Can work all bands 10 through 20 meters, relatively short boom length making it much more manageable than some of the other multi band Yagis' Excellent build quality, takes a bit of time to assemble but worth it. Back when I only had wire antennas I used to see the comments from other yagi owners "if I can hear them, I can work them" that has so far been my experience with this antenna. Highly recommend. |
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| NJ8M |
Rating: |
2020-07-01 | |
| Great beam at 38 feet |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
I live in Kansas, the middle of the US. For domestic contests, having an antenna with 25db front to back makes your rotator into a helicopter motor. I point this baby East and the West coast guys work me off the back easily. Granted I follow the sun but for the most part, I dont turn the beam much. The front to side is maybe 30 db, which is fine. At 38 feet on my tower it works great. The band width is excellent. Tune it on the ground first. It will be close. I changed the elements on the tips of the yagi on 20 meters because I work CW and the swr was a bit high, 1.5 to 1 at the bottom of the band edge. I wanted it lower because I use Band Pass filters and a triplexer for SO2R. The Yagi has performed in a word GREAT. This is not my first beam. I have had mono banders, 3, 5 and 7 element tribanders and I much perfer this beam for central US. I have tested it on RBN and at 38 feet, compared to a rotatable dipole, it has a solid 6db advantage. I added the 2 element 6 meter add on kit and it works GREAT. What more can you ask for, 20,17,15,12,10 and 6 meters all on one feed line. To work the WARC and 6 meter bands, because I have bandpass filters/triplexer in line for 20,15 and 10, I have installed a bypass switch to the filter stack and it works great. When contesting, the stack is in line with a 2 by 8 Hamation switch and controller.
Build Quality:
Be prepared to take some time putting the yagi together. Get a large bottle of permatex for the stainless steel hardware. Coat all inside elements with the permatex, yes it is messy but, one and done. I tuned this on the ground and was happy with every thing but the 20 meter sweetspot. I increased the elements of the driven by about 2 inches. I first used some copper wire to get the length right then I cut the aluminum tubing, which I supplied, to length. Had I installed this beam at 60 feet, I don't think this would have been necessary. All the tubing is standard inch dimension tubing. There are no Metric tubes to deal with unlike some of the German/Spanish/Italian/Australian/Japaneese/English beam companies. If you ever needed to repair it, it would be easy access from any American supplier of aluminum tubing. All the other bands with complete coverage are under 1.4 to one SWR, easily. All the parts are well machined and fitment is excellent. No burs. No off center holes. No redrilling necessary. Take your time. I took about 20 hours in the garage over 3 days to put this together. Read the directions and do not over tighten the element clamps. It is a mechanical construct capable of withstanding WWZ. It has been through 90 mph winds---NO damage---NO element bending---NO deformity or change in SWR curves. Yes the antenna is expensive but in this case, you get what your paid for. It is built like a tank. Unlike the original Force12 stuff, this is over built and each element is directly fed. All driven elements are connected by parallel 1 inch angle aluminum strips. These are bolted strongly to the elements. When you assemble, keep the fitment loose till you get the feed line strips mounted to the driven elements. Then, tighten the elements down once the feedline angle aluminum is attached to the driven elements. The C3 uses an 18 ft boom where the Navassa 5 uses a 12 foot boom. Having used both, I see no noticable difference. Possibly because of the Navassa's feed system, the boom is able to be made shorter. One thing for sure, the original Force12 are not even remotely close to the build quality of the JK line antennas. The driven elements are joined at the center with solid fiberglass rods. These are white. Once the elements were assembled, I coated the fiberglass rods with liquid electrical tape and then while it was still wet put 2 coats of Scotch 88 tape over it. This provides a UV protection that can not be beaten. It does not change the frequency of the antenna. It just adds protection from Kansas UV damage. There are no rivits any where that loosen in the wind and oval hole with element movement. Solid Capscrew stainless hardware is supplied and extras are included. Nylock nuts on all hardware is standard here. Use the right tools to put it together. Buy a set of Nut Drivers and allen wrenches and a few deep well sockets and ratchet driver and you will have an easy time. After all, don't skimp on tools putting together a $1600 beam (shipping included in price). Do it right the first time. $40 for tools is a small investment for correct hastle free assembly.
Putting it up:
It is heavy for a small antenna. It goes up easily with a walk up and Jin Pole. There is space enough to slide it up Rohn 55g easily. It balances well. My son and I were able to mount it easily. I turn it with a Yaesu 1000 rotator with Green Heron controler in the shack. 6 feet above the antenna is a 13 element horizontal 2 meter beam. No interaction noted, either by VNA analysis or by RBN testing. One thing really nice about the beam is that the feed point is easily reached at the boom to mast plate. It is right there. My antenna was supplied with a BalunDesigns balun. This makes replacing feedline coax a breeze. No tower acrobatics. But, make sure that the boom to mast clamp is tight and stopped because, if the yagi slips down, it will grind the balun and feed point off when you rotate it. Because the BalunDesigns balun is under rated (it will take abuse) this system laughs at 1500 watts from my KPA1500 amp. No heating with key down modes and no change in feed impedance. The KPA 1500 reads impedance all the time. I dont have to use a tuner anywhere on the bands with this antenna. It is resonant.
Conclusions:
Would I buy one again? For sure. Would I want to assemble another one? Hell No. On the other hand, this beats the hell out of putting together the M2KT34 or KT36XA and there are no trapped caps to fill with water and crack and come apart or short out. Both of which, I have done and experienced. Nothing really good is easy. Be patient and if you are tired, stop, take a break and come back. Read the directions again and then start back. Overall, after having built, owned and operated the Navassa5/6, from JK antennas, I would not hesitate buying any product from JK. They answer the phone. They speak great english, easily understandable. They are patient and answer questions. They are prompt in delivery with REAL time lines. JK is just a great company. They will make anything that you want. No one in the US has a product line as inclusive as theirs. Check them out. 73, Morgan NJ8M. |
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| K3NQ |
Rating: |
2020-05-07 | |
| Can I leave 6 stars? |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
It took me three years to buy this antenna. i was convinced that for its size and weight, nothing could rival my trusty 25 year old Force 12 C-4. The siren allure of the WARC bands finally got to me, and a conversation with Ken Garg convinced me that with the passion he demonstrated for his product, i had made a good choice.
I was bowled over by the quality of the parts. The materials are superb. My F12 had used split PVC tubing as element insulators... Ken has lifetime polyamide, purpose built insulators. My F12 had galvanized U-bolts- Ken has gorgeous stainless units. The JK elements are assembled with SS bolts with Nyloc nuts that are UV resistant. Everywhere you look, the quality is self-evident.
The assembly was straightforward, but not trivial. Allow a few days of spare time, and plan to definitely take your time! Don't try to rush by not going through and checking off each part. I used Home Depot 5 gallon tubs for each band, and labeled each element tubing part. Each element uses a unique center and tip, with the meat of the element assembled from tubing segments that are shared.
Labeled each element with an easy to remove piece of white painter's tape- I did the same and it worked beautifully. Although there is a ton of hardware, it arrives clearly labeled. Use a bunch of plastic cups to sort it so you aren't fumbling during assembly. Also, be sure to use quality tools. As an amateur motorcycle mechanic (and surgeon) my Snap On 1/4" service set was invaluable.
I used Ken's idea of a small 5' mast to support the antenna during assembly. I was able to level the mast, and then level the mast clamp, so that each element clamp could be tightened with a level resting on it to avoid the dreaded cattywumpus element syndrome.
Measure your element positions on the mast carefully (as per K7AGE)... this antenna will not suffer fools gladly. Check and double check element lengths and mast position of each element while the antenna is on the ground. In addition, I spent a few hours after assembly aligning the elements so they were perfectly parallel... this could not be done if you added the elements after the boom and element center sections were on the mast.
Happily, the antenna worked great first try! The very best part was Ken's aftermarket support. I spoke with him several times, and he was always happy to cheerfully dispense advice and wisdom.
It's a real bargain at the price, and I'd advise you buy one before Ken realizes he's giving them away!
6 stars and three thumbs up! |
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| VE7AX |
Rating: |
2020-03-25 | |
| Excellent quality and works great! |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I especially like that the JK-Navassa 5 (with the JK-401 40M rotatable dipole) on a 56 foot Trylon tower is small enough and light enough to be easily managed, to conform with the local by-laws and not to overpower the neighborhood sight lines. These antennas are expertly designed - broad banded and very well constructed. The telescoping aluminum elements with stainless fittings and hardware were easy to put together. The manual was well written and clear. JK Antennas is expanding on the reputation for quality earned by Force 12, the company they took over a few years ago.
I have also been amazed by the fantastic customer service from JK Antennas. Ken has been a pleasure to work with; he has been very prompt in returning my several phone calls and e-mails and always offers useful advice. For example, one of the parts from the JK-401 shipment was missing and it was air expressed arriving in two days - not bad from the US East Coast to a small town on Vancouver Island. Thanks, Ken!
Now to performance. All I can say is, WOW! At the depths of the sunspot cycle with the solar index below 70 I am able to work stations from all over the world - on low power (100W) without turning on the amp. This set-up is perfect for my amateur radio lifestyle - some DXing, light contesting, emergency prep and general radio fun. Not a "big gun" and not much space to work with but I appreciate quality. I highly recommend JK Antennas. Don, VE7AX |
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| N4DJT |
Rating: |
2020-03-23 | |
| Navassa 5 - Great decission |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
After fooling around with "toy" Hex Beams and being less than pleased with them. I decided to go with a traditional yagi style design.
I am very impressed with the Navassa 5 construction!
All the parts were labeled and and extra hardware was provided.
The short boom makes it easy to handle solo and if you have a fold over tower it allows you work on it from the ground without the need for a mast tilting bracket..etc
It took me about 2 weekends to assemble, I really wanted everything to be exactly right. Assembly is pretty straight forward, just make sure you read the instruction manual carefully.
The performance is typical of a 2 element yagi and I've been extremely happy having 10 thru 20 with some nice gain. F/B is also typical for a 2 element yagi, but enough to null out stations to the rear. side rejection is really good also. SWR across all band is excellent mine was under 1.7:1 on the ground and is less than 1.5:1 every where once I got up at 45ft
I elected not to get the 6 meter kit since I already had a 5 element yagi for that band.
One last factor for my situation is the YL likes the "look" of this much better than "that ugly floppy upside down umbrella" which is what she called the Hex Beam.lol
Can't say I blame her there.
So if you're looking for a 2 element yagi with full sized elements, no traps, no floppy fiberglass arms, droopy wires and built like a tank.. I recommend the Navassa 5 and JK Antennas great customer service. |
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| K4DGJ |
Rating: |
2019-05-25 | |
| Navassa 5 is a outstanding antenna |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
My introduction to the Navassa 5 came when my rotator failed. I hired K4ZA to do a swap-out, and he suggested replacing my old Mosley TA-33, that I enjoyed for 20 plus years, with something a little bit newer in design. I read the specs on the JK and agreed to that work as well. Don and Gary, K4MQG, built the antenna in my front yard and used a manlift to take down the old beam and replace it with the Navassa. Don also supplied a short run of Heliax into my shack. I was not prepared for the performance difference! While I am always suspicious of claims like this, I was immediately hearing stations I'd been unable to copy previously. And I work everyone I hear, usually with a call or two. There simply is no comparison to my old beam. For the casual operator or DXer, you cannot beat the performance and price-point of the JK Navassa 5 in my humble opinion. My new Navassa 5 with 6 meter capability is "KILLER"
Sam Hawes, MD K4DGJ |
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| K5AV |
Rating: |
2017-07-31 | |
| Working Great! |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
This antenna continues to amaze me. More on performance later.
While the antenna was in-transit, I read the instructions which are available in PDF on the JK antenna page. That was a huge help as it prep’d me for the assembly which went smoothly. Had it done by my self in a few days. Aka 6-8 hours. I did get the balun with it (optional) and only 5 feet off the ground, all bands were below 2:1. At 50’, everything came down even more. At less than 50 lbs, it was very manageable as I did the entire install solo.
Now for the good part; let me disclaim I was using wire antennas prior to the Navassa 5. I am hearing/working stations during the same time/same band that I could not even hear with the 20 meter inverted vee. If I can hear them, I can work them. At first I was skeptical regarding the 12’ boom but not anymore. I can hear an EU station at 57 to 58 and go 90 degrees and he is barley a whisper or noting at all. With F/B, it will go from 57 – 58 down to little movement on the meter.
So I now have 5 bands on one feedline at less than 1:5 across. Or another way to say it is a 2 element monobander but for 5 bands that share the same boom. The element config is Driven/Reflector for all but 10 and it is a Drive/Director.
I have no amp and so far with this antenna, I have not needed one. If I don’t get them on the first call, always the second.
Also Ken at JK antennas was very personable and customer service driven. He did not give me the hard sell which I dislike. Only gave me the facts and answered all my questions. Kudos to Ken!
Anyway, I love this antenna!!!
de John K5AV |
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| W1LGU |
Rating: |
2017-07-19 | |
| My Dream Antenna! |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| I had spent many hours researching antennas when a friend, who had purchased a Navassa 5, introduced me to JK Antennas and this amazing yagi. After a thorough investigation, a lot more searching, and a lengthy conversation with Ken of JK, I decided that this antenna was the one for me. And I have not in the least been disappointed! I had help putting it together, but my team commented throughout the assembly how clear the instructions were, how well the parts were machined to fit, and the excellent quality of the materials. When some bolts that were not the correct size were encountered, a quick call to JK and we had the replacement bolts the very next day! Can't get better service than that! My Navassa 5 is now situated on an 8 foot tower on my roof, and I have had outstanding results. I opted to get the 6 meter element added, and have also enjoyed my first experiences on that band, as well as having a great time working many new DX stations. For quality construction, U.S. made, and incomparable personalized service, this is the antenna for which I had been searching so long. |
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