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Reviews For: Solarcon A-99

Category: Antennas: HF: Verticals; Wire; Loop

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Review Summary For : Solarcon A-99
Reviews: 204MSRP: 57.99
Description:
10-20M Vertical Antenna
Product is in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
152043.6
AF5FJ Rating: 2013-07-23
Works for DX...what's not to like? Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Originally purchased mine in 1997 for use with CB base station (original Antron A-99, no ground-plane kit). Put in storage in 2001 and not touched until revived in 2013 and trimmed for 10m.

Set on a temporary mount approx. 7 feet off the ground (still with no radials) and fed by a 25W Radio Shack HTX-10 mobile, I have had QSOs with Brazil (multiple), Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, U.S. Virgin Is., and Puerto Rico. Even with half the antenna masked to the west by my house, I have received Australia with strong 55 signal and had a solid QSO with California. [My QTH is Texas.]

I don't have any other antennas to compare it to, but I am extremely happy with the results I'm achieving. I can't wait to get it up on a mast with a counterpoise! Who knows what it will do then!
AC5RM Rating: 2013-06-22
Good, cheap antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've owned this antenna since the late 90's, when I purchased it for 11 meter use. After it being used for years,I got out of cb and the A99 was thrown up in the attic of the shop.
After getting my ham license, I remembered the old antenna and decided I would see how it performed on ten meters. I bolted it on a 15 foot section of pipe and was suprised by how much better it performed than my G5RV...when I tried it, I was also surprised to find that with the assistance of the internal tuner on my Icom 746,it worked great on 10,12,15, and 17 meters.
I've worked stations all over the world with it. I'm sure there are better antennas,but for the money and longevity, it can't be beat!
KC2GYN Rating: 2013-05-10
Follow up on my April 2012 post Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Anyway, very low wind area in Hudson County NJ. The antenna finally snapped in half and came down. The fiberglass was all splintered like it was in a hurricane or severe storm.

I have a new one up now. If something happens to this one, I'll post a follow up.
K7PGP Rating: 2013-04-16
Great Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have owned one of these Solarcon A-99 antennas years ago when I was living in Las Vegas. I was able to make a contact to South America back in 1999 when I was on cb running 50 watts on the back bumper of my motorhome on a 10 foot mast. I just bought another just a week ago to get on the air on 10 meters. Looking foward to make some contacts from my home in Long Island, N.Y.
K2TTM Rating: 2012-11-26
Update to last month Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just used my A-99 over the weekend for the CQ WW CW contest and this antenna ROCKED!! I used it almost exclusively on 10 & 15 meters. I worked 57 countries on 15 meters and 41 countries on 10 meters in one weekend. Not too shabby for a $100 antenna. It's only mounted about 20 feet high and recently survived Hurricane Sandy.

I have used this antenna on 10,15,17 and even 20 meters (although I wouldn't recommend it for 20 meters unless you have no other choice). The internal tuner on my TS-590S has no trouble with it.

I couldn't be happier with this antenna and if it ever gives up the ghost, for around $135 with the radial kit, I won't hesitate to buy another one.

This antenna is nicely made but comes in white. Since I don't like to advertise to the neighbors that I'm a ham, I spray painted the antenna a flat brown color and now it's almost invisible out it the yard at the top of a dark green fiberglass pole.
WP4OEK Rating: 2012-08-27
Good Starter !!! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
A good starter vertical antenna. You can make local contacts easy. If you have no money then this is your antenna.
VE3TYA Rating: 2012-07-31
good antenna Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased a antron 99 today, and after mounting it on a ten foot tilt over mast, i proceeded to check the swr, it was only resonant at 143mhz????.
after some thinking i thought i should check my pl-259 connector and i had a short between the shell and center pin, once i fixed that well!!!!
i have a 1.5:1 swr from 28.000 to 28.450 mhz
just need to ground mast tommorrow.
I am hearing a lot more beacons than i did with my dipole ten feet off the ground.
and my antenna is just touching the foliage of a 40 foot maple.. antenna seems to be doing the trick..
its a good ten meter antenna for a novice to get on the air, but if you can afford it, mount it on a 40 foot tower and buy the radial kit...
im happy with my purchase.i would reccomend this antenna for new hams.
73s DE VE3TYA
VE7REN Rating: 2012-04-07
great Time Owned: more than 12 months.
this antenna works for me on 17/15/15/11/10 meter no problems. it works super on 15 and 17 over my dipoles. its a keeper at this price. 11 meter antenna my a##... this antenna is well worth the money.
WK8M Rating: 2012-04-06
nice n easy Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
took abt 1 hour total to install . good instructions but not really needed. so simple and seems well made. mounted 20 feet on conduit mast. slovakia on 15 meters first contact. used tuner in 940 knwd.got this for 10 meters but havent cut top yet , gonna get another top section to cut. nice compromise antenna and affordable. 10 meters not open here today..mounted on 1.5 inch emt clamps provided wont work on emt so i got some bigger ones s.s. so no rust
SWMAN Rating: 2012-02-13
Good for me ! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have owned and used the A-99 for 12 years now. It still works great for me on 10, 12 and 15 meters. It works much better that my 10 meter dipole does. It also makes a pretty good all band receive antenna. I have the ground plane kit on it also. Some people ask me if the ground plane kit really makes much difference with operating, I don't know as it has always been installed from day one. The radials are only 6 feet long and there are 4 of them which are actually to short for tuned radials. But they do seem to work well. 73 Jim. W5JJG