| WA4APB |
Rating:  |
2011-03-04 | |
| Best Wire Antenna |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| I acquired the WindomHSQ from A&M about 10 years ago. Since then, it has endured very rough conditions, including some years on the ground. Most recently, the HSQ has been on the ground under snow, ice and mulch for over a year. Yesterday, I dug it up, hoisted it between two trees (approximately 50 feet on each end). It tuned perfectly. Then, I worked several countries on 40, 20 and 15 with excellent reports. I have always been a guy who likes to build his own antennas, but I don't think I can duplicate the sturdy, precise construction of this miracle antenna. While I thought I would have to buy another one due to the abuse I've put it through, it works like new, even after ten years. GET ONE!! |
|
| W5WRJ |
Rating: |
2010-10-16 | |
| Got my DXCC |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I have an early review back in May 2008 when I had just got the antenna. Its been a little over 2 years and in that time I have gotten my WAS, WAC and DXCC. Enough said!
----------------------
Earlier 5-star review posted by W5WRJ on 2008-05-08
Had mine for a couple of weeks now. I live in a planned community, with antenna restrictions, but plenty of trees. I have mine up 45' between 2 oaks in the back yard. No one even knows it is there. Now for the results. 80 meters--chat most every night with a group with ranges of 300 to 400 miles. 40 and 20 meters--contacts coast to coast. 17 meters- just worked the Virgin Islands this afternoon. 10 meters- work at local net. My 746Pro tunes them all very well. As a new General, I am having a ball and just beginning to discover how good this antenna is...I will probably order another as a spare. Service and ordering was swift and painless....Thanks, Randy |
|
| KQ7W |
Rating: |
2010-02-07 | |
| great antenna |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
This is all im running on 10m through 80m, had one since 2005... with 100w, mine is at 100' or so (height helps)
I can work DX, play around contests just fine, never had a problem with it and routinely work pretty much all I can hear with it, bust pileups, etc..
Very satisfied for being just a single wire.
|
|
| KC9QKX |
Rating:  |
2009-10-09 | |
| Problem even before it came... |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
Let's start at the beginning. I decided from the website and some reviews here, that the WIndomHSQ would be for me. I emailed with a couple questions, no response. I went ahead and ordered, to which I recieved an automatic reply saying it may take up to THREE WEEKS before they fill the order. I emailed them again, stating if would be taking that long before they ship, just cancel the order...again, no reply. They did have it to me within a week :) ~ I immediately installed, although they send no instruection, hints, nothing at all. Antenna was AWSOME, for 5 days (mostly recieve). On day 6, I was in a talking mood. Transmitting at a PEP of 1200 watts, talking some, antenna's balun shorted to ground within 30 minutes of normal use on 80 meter phone.
Numerouls emaisl asking for help, return instruction on their "GUARENTEED" item - yielded no response. Finally I called, and asked what type of balun they used, so I could get a replacement, and he did tell me, but never offered to replace or stand behind his product.
Summery - WINDOMHSQ is fine, keep it under 800 watts (maybe even less to be safe) even though they "claim" a 2KW PEP. Also, be prepared for no customer support, no instruction, nothing...and they will not respond to emails, will not stand behind product. Oh, I forgot, SWR's are LOW, but aren't on teh right frequencies, example, a great SWR is at 7500mhz, but nearly a 3 where it matters. At leats the wire seems to be high quality! |
|
| K6XR |
Rating: |
2009-08-09 | |
| not so good for me |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
| I am not sure what my problem was with the antenna and belive it should have worked no matter what, similiar antennas work as well. I installed it and the swr was very high and I had terrible rf probably from common mode currents on the 70 ft of coax. It was installed at 40 feet high. I called the company and had a talk and they told me I could send it back and it was guranteed but I continued to use it. It was during a qrp fox hunt that I could not hear stations that my friend could hear 5-5. He said something is wrong as you used to always hear them before me! I also call roll on a 75 meter net and could not hear stations that I could hear before. I thought it was just band conditions. Yesterday I decided I needed to change it out and re-installed my 102 ft ladder line fed dipole at 40 feet. on 75 meters last evening the signals where a whopping 10 db stronger. I received reports from National city CA that" hey Reg, you sound like you used to a year ago. what did you do? another station in Escondido stated that he had not heard me that loud in some time and sounded like I had bought a linear amplifier. another report from northern Ca also stated that you now sound like you used to before the antenna experiment. So I am not sure what could have possibly been my problem other than perhaps the balun at the feedpoint? It should have worked better no matter what, its just a wire antenna. My experience I believe is local and not representive of the product as a whole. |
|
| VU2OB |
Rating: |
2008-12-28 | |
| Its great |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
This antenna was gifted by my friend VU2CAC when he shifted from Uganda to London. I was using this antenna for the last two years with my JRC 100 watt trx. It is giving me wonderful result especially on 7 and 14 MHz. I can work all stations which I heard.
73 de vu2ob, Sreekumar, New Delhi. |
|
| AB3DK |
Rating: |
2006-09-25 | |
| poor service, poor construction, good reception |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
| But for the lack of responsiveness, the failure to weather seal, and to adequately tie off wire ends, this review would have been a five. I have owned the antenna more than 6 months-reception/transmission is mainly off the sides of the wire-I have it 60 feet in the air. When it arrived it was NOT weather sealed-holes had not been sealed. Some of the wire had to be refastened since they would have come loose with any bit of stress. Overall construction indicated that it had beem made in a hurry and shipped with little inspection. They were late in shipping and when I inquired where the rest of my order was I received "You are not going to believe this but....." Shipping was overpriced and they did not return calls or emails after they received the payment. Once I finsihed the things I would have expected them to do, the antenna worked well. |
|
| N4ECW |
Rating: |
2006-06-16 | |
| Great Wire Antenna |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I bought the 80 Meter Windom Half Square and I haven't been disappointed. It has an SWR of 1.1:1 to 1.8:1 across the various bands except 15 meters where I have to use a tuner to bring it down from 3.0:1 Mine even has an untuned 1.3:1 SWR on 6 meters! I worked 31 states in the past two weeks on 6 meters using it and 100 watts.
If I had to use only one antenna it would be this one. It is relatively quiet for a wire antenna and holds its own with my verticals and mini-beam.
It is a great DX antenna and you don't need to crank up the amplifier either!
Best antenna value for the price -- buy one now. |
|
| AI4DK |
Rating: |
2005-01-05 | |
| Big Improvement |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
| Wow when they said no tuner required that is what they mean! I have my HSQ up in an inverted Vee with the apex at 50' and each end at about 15'. I removed the secondary insulators and and have the antenna streatched to full length. It'll run everything from 10-80 meters no tuner required.The only exception is 30 and 12 meters that still requires the tuner. The highest SWR is 1.7 on 15meters, and the AL80B loads right up no problem. The antenna is much quieter than the G5RV and seems to favor DX but it works just fine for the local 80 Meter traffic net. I would highly recommend this for a single antenna station. |
|
| AD4BG1944 |
Rating: |
2004-04-22 | |
| Bad Antenna |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| I have had this antenna now for several months it does nt recevie as well as my G5RV and it a shortie antenna it could not take winds higher than 50MPH and it snap on me 3 times |
|
