| F4GPJ |
Rating:  |
2023-04-20 | |
| DX Commander classic |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
A very good antenna kit , not complicate to build .
I use since long time Windom , center feed (Lévy) , but du to the common problems on electronique heather in my house , i must displace antenna far away from the roof , so how surprise with this vertical !! the noise very low as the swr , i can hear very low signals from dx and contact them ( i use only 80w) .
Many thanks Call to have this idea of building .
Sure i recommand this antenna with a great 5 plus ...
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| WT3B |
Rating: |
2023-03-28 | |
| Brand new Ham, and this was my first antenna |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I have nothing to compare this to as it is my first antenna. I am a brand new ham. After finding and then binge-watching Callum's chats and demos about antennas and antenna modeling on YouTube, I decided to go with his DX Commander Classic (plus 80m).
Putting together and getting the antenna up is a breeze, with easy to follow instructions. It's very well made. Tuning took a bit as the interaction of the antennas means trimming one affects the others. But, after just three take downs, I finally dialed everything in. Callum has a free spreadsheet download to help with this. One other thing I did was double the radials, so now have 56x10ft.
Oh, and I also am using a 20m LoG for receive on 20 and 40m, which often times is a bit more quiet than a vertical (any vertical, really). Not always, but often.
So, do I like this antenna? No, I LOVE it. This antenna is a beast. The QSOs I am making are blowing me away. I am in North Carolina, up in the mountains, running just 100W with an IC-7610. Again, I am new Ham, licensed last month.
However, just this week I made contacts in Namibia on 15m (7500 miles), and New Zealand on 12m (8200 miles), both late afternoon east coast time. Last week it was Bulgaria and Ukraine on 20m. Wow! Just wow! And I have no problem getting through pileups, either! It's all very exciting for me being new to the hobby.
Definitely would recommend this antenna. |
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| ZS1NN |
Rating: |
2023-03-23 | |
| DX Commander Signature 9 |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I spent a lot of time researching s good, all round HF antenna. After deciding DX Commander seemed to fit the bill I then had to decide on which model. Callum at DX Commander replied to my email promptly and with great enthusiasm. Nothing was too trivial for him to answer and he helped me decide on a Signature 9.
Service was efficient and fast. The new antenna landed in South Africa within two days (it then took another two weeks to clear Customs - (third World misery!)
On receiving the antenna it was well packed and easy to see all the pieces but maybe a bit overwhelming. Step in the Unified User Guide. After reading the guide it was all too easy. Also, with the "How to" guides on YouTube every problem was pre-empted.
I chose not to bury a pole deep in the ground because I live in a mountainous, rocky area but instead, built a hinged base with guys. In hindsight this was a master stroke! Because both ground and driven plates are lifted off the ground a little I discovered I did not need to keep disconnecting radials etc. when lowering the antenna and tweaking it.
The cutting guide provided is extremely accurate and my antenna needed very little tuning. I have achieved VSWR of 1.5:1 or less on all bands from 40m to 6m.
When I connect it to the rig and switched on my first reaction was "wow!". Noise floor lower, signals stronger.
I mainly operate CW on HF and my very first QSO was Germany on 10m at 12:00 UTC, a distance of nearly 9500KM. This antenna is brilliant, it makes my G5RV look like a pice of wood!
If you are considering buying an antenna from DX Commander I would say Yes, do it. You cannot go wrong. Pre sales and after sales service is fantastic. I wish I had done it sooner. |
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| N5SKT |
Rating: |
2023-03-04 | |
| Great Antenna. Great Guy. Excellent Customer service. |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
Update: 2023 Well, the DX Commander still stands. I have had this in continuous service during the entire time. I have never taken it down. I did do a refresh of the plates and hose clamps in Feb 2023 for which I made a short video. I ordered these parts from DX Commander and got the newer plates and clamps. This was easy to do and the amazing improvements in just those areas is fantastic. In Texas, Dallas area, we had a storm that brought in 80Mph straight winds that were sustained for over an hour. I had no idea this was coming and did not take the antenna down. The DX Commander weathered this like a champ. I lost power during this time and had no way of seeing what was going on outside but the antenna stood tall and proud the next morning. I have no end of praise for this antenna. 1500W, check. Texas summers, check. Ice storm, check. Rain, wind, check. Snow, check. I have had it all in the last 4 years and the antenna performs as amazingly as it did when I first put it up. Hope to review this in another 4 years. Will keep you posted.
I thought I would just add to the excellent reviews already posted here. I have had my ABV in constant use and up for more than 1 year. I live in Texas and there has been no ice here but the heat, rain and wind have not put any stress on the pole nor the elements. All the issues I have had have been self inflicted (Placing a doublet too close and detuning it) but via discord and e-mail, Callum has worked beyond the call of duty to help me out. I can not recommend this antenna enough. I now own the Lite and the Expedition. Also, wonderful kits and shipping times have improved. I got my expedition kit from Callum overnight. From UK to Texas in 1 day. I am not sure why Fed Ex was so fast but they were. No promises that you will experience the same shipping speed but Callum recently changed shippers and this was my experience.
73 and GL, Don - N5SKT |
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| AA7MO |
Rating: |
2023-01-07 | |
| An excellent vertical, fun to put together and ii is soo quiet! |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
My lot space will only allow a vertical, no tower or Yagi's etc. Then there is a power line issue that PSE say's they'll fix "real soon", and a neighbors grow lights and his homemade solar panel setup that makes noise an issue. It was suggested that switching from a trapped vertical to a vertical "fan dipole" may help with the noise.
Ordering was easy, shipment from the UK took about five business days.
The kit assembly instructions were easy to follow; working at an easy pace I had the antenna up and running in three days.
40M,30M, 20M and 15M all came in with a low of 1.1 to ,1 and a high of 1.5 to 1. No help needed by my AT. 17M, 12M,and 10M all required some tweaking, just cutting a silly millimeter or two off to drop into the same range of SWR.
My first reaction on listening was shock. The noise floor was dramatically lower from that with the Hustler. Within ten minutes there were QSO's with two JA's on 20M, their signals clear and strong. They had me at 5-9 and I was using 100 watts. Usually for me cross Pacific traffic is a battle.
On the whole the performance of the DX Commander has lived up to its reputation. Each day, I'm able to reach out a little farther and hear (usually) much better. While I own an amplifier, I've seen so much improvement using the DX-Commander there hasn't been the urge to turn the amp on.
Conclusions:
The antenna kit is very complete and of very good quality. There are extra bits and pieces of almost everything included in case you flub something up. I was very impressed with the wire supplied in the kit. It is beautiful stuff, much like marine grade wire, and has almost no memory. Total assembly of the kit was fun. It almost felt like I was putting together something from Heathkit back in the day.
If you have a question about assembly or antenna whatever-simply refer to the DX-Commander website. Among the many answers you'll also find an easy to follow Excel spreadsheet (downloadable) that will guide you to trim or extend a wire to the drop the SWR.
I am very pleased with my new DX-Commander Classic. So far it has far outperformed any vertical antenna I've used before (3). As a additional the design and color of the mast allow it to blend well into my lot making it difficult to see.
73,
AA7MO
01/08/23- New State and New QTH ! So I moved from Washington State to NE Florida, just south of Jacksonville. The DX Commander was brought down, disassembled and shipped to the new QTH. Negotiations on the new place had a hurdle, until the board looked at several pictures of the DX Commanders in several backyards and realized it was not obtrusive; in fact almost a stealth unit in the back yard! The antenna erected with out issue and once the radials were laid down I was on the air. Now I have the first Ham radio antenna ever erected outside one of the homes in village of Fireside, thanks to DX Commander.
AA7MO
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| MI0MCZ |
Rating: |
2023-01-06 | |
| DX Commander Signature 12.4 |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I have owned the classic all bands + 80 for a little over a year, and a short while ago decided to upgrade to the 12.4. I was particularly interested in having 80 on the vertical, as I run a long piece of wire currently for 160/80 and would like to move to a dipole for top band.
One aspect of the new antenna that I feel deserves special mention is the pole. The pole on this new model is a real step up from the previous pole found in the classic kit. I currently support one end of my EFHW with a 12m spiderbeam spider pole, and the new DX commander pole is easily the better of the two. The classic pole I couldn't have said this about but this 12.4 unit is a real upgrade.
On the actual antenna itself, the main attraction for me is all the bands and no tuner. I spent a little time getting the lengths of the elements just so, and spent some time this time with the radials (I pegged them down with bio degradable pegs rather than just flinging them asunder like I did on my last one in the rush to get it up) and I now have a semi-permanent install that I feel confident leaving out in all sorts of weather.
I will still use the 'wire' for 80m and 40m intra-UK as the nature of the DXC lends itself more towards longer distance contacts - but even at that it is more than suitable. |
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| KC8BYJ |
Rating: |
2023-01-06 | |
| Excellent performer value priced great service |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| I will start at the beginning I suppose. When I ordered this antenna quick service was my first surprise. Despite the fact that dx commander had just finished up a black Friday sale which left some of their stock depleted they managed to get this antenna from England to Michigan in six days. The next surprise was the dx 10 wire. I had previously seen claims about how nice it was to work with but upon receiving the kit I was pleasantly surprised as it truly is easy to work with. You have to really try to tangle this wire. The overall quality of all components appeared to be great. Finally one of my favorite aspects of dx commander is that not only does Callum and crew continue to tirelessly develop new products but he never really stops developing the existing product line either. A great product brought to market by great people. |
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| KC9GGV |
Rating: |
2022-11-30 | |
| DX Commander Classic plus 80 Meters |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| I have been QRT since 2013 when my dad (K1SCM) became an SK. There has been a lot going on in the family and I just have not had any real time for amateur radio. When I was on the air my antenna situation was pretty limited. I had a G5RV Jr. literally stuck on the back side of the house. Even so I earned my DXCC with that antenna. I live in a HOA neighborhood and when I first got on HF in 2005, I had to petition my neighborhood association to get on the air with my semi-concealed antenna. Our neighborhood association did not allow flagpoles, basketball goals or satellite dishes in the early 2000's. That has all changed for the better. About a month ago after several weeks of research I decided to try the DX Commander antenna after watching several YouTube videos of Callum (M0MCX) and other hams with their experience with this vertical. I spent about a week of my spare time in my basement measuring and building the elements and radials for the antenna. There are lots of videos you can watch from various hams around the world that have built this antenna. The Classic is about 9+ meters fully extended. The pole with all of the elements and parts probably weighs about 3+ pounds and can easily be erected by one person and guyed properly without a lot of effort. I put down 28 radials each 10 feet long with four on each of the seven attachment points on the incorporated radial plate. I have checked an adjusted the SWR with my Rig Expert AA-55 Zoom which is a fantastic tool when you use it with their AntScope 2 software. The SWR is low on all the bands. On average about 1.4 : 1 and nearly flat 1.0 : 1 on some. I have not put the 80-meter element on the antenna yet. That element replaces the 30 meter one, but you can still operate on 30 as a 1/2 wavelength. I will probably take the antenna down in the Spring when my lawn service starts back up mowing the grass. The antenna is easy enough to assemble and put into action that it can easy be used for portable operations and Field Day. The quality of the materials in the kit are excellent. The instructions are easy to understand. Unlike a trapped vertical each of the elements will resonate on their own frequency as a 1/4 wave. If you have a small backyard and NO trees as in my situation at my location this is a good choice as an antenna. I realize there are other vertical antennas with traps that probably work well. But in most instances, you need to cement a pipe into the ground to mount them on. You can take this antenna anywhere and be on the air in probably an hour or less. One ham here in Indiana (WR9R) made his DX Commander a free-standing installation by put a 40mm fence post cemented in the ground and slips the DX Commander over that post and does not need guy wires. Putting this antenna together and getting it on the air was definitely an enjoyable experience. If you are new to HF and are looking for your first antenna the DX Commander is a great choice. If you are wanting to get an antenna that you take on vacation camping this is also a good choice. |
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| AE4TG |
Rating: |
2022-10-28 | |
| Easy build, works well. |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I have had it up for a couple of months, Cal and his company are great to work with, Had an issue with the fiberglass mast and they replaced it right away. Great customer service!! Print out the instructions and watch the build videos and it should go together easily.
Watch his other videos on you tube. He has a lot of info on how to build other antennas.
Highly recommend, price and performance are both excellent.
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| KN4RBS |
Rating: |
2022-09-07 | |
| Great antenna at an awesome value! |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I recently built my DX Commander Classic and it has officially replaced my EFHW as my antenna of choice! I’m now hearing and connecting with DX stations that were beyond the capabilities of my prior antenna’s.
The Classic gave me lots of configuration options to meet my operating preferences. I set mine up to cover 40, 20, 17, 15, 12, and 10 meters and got 6 meters as a bonus. I mainly focus on SSB operations and every band is tuned with an SWR below 1.5 with most hovering around 1.1 to 1.2 across the band. More time trimming wire could have given me even tighter SWRs but the initial tune was good enough for my needs. The kit came with enough wire and hardware to configure it for 80 meters but the upper bands are my area of focus and I’m keeping that element in reserve in case I want to experiment on 80 in the future.
The pole, plates, wire, and related hardware were all high quality and should stand up to years of use. The machining and manufacturing of the plates was particularly impressive. Building and tuning the kit was straightforward even for a “newish” ham like me and it would make a great weekend project if you’re looking for a new antenna.
The instructions were very detailed/complete and reference an online calculator that’s a handy tool to use when trimming your elements. Online videos from DX Commander are also helpful in understanding the theory behind the antenna and are packed with lots of tips and tricks for building the kit.
Since my installation is intended to be a permanent install I also anchored the mast by driving a four foot piece of fence top rail into the ground and sliding the mast over it. That plus the included guy lines should insure it holds up well to the weather.
Given the quality of the components this kit is a great value and a well thought out design that would be difficult to replicate this inexpensively.
I bought the antenna two years ago and recently dedicated a couple of days for the build. The antenna has been up for a few months now and I’m looking forward to a multi year evaluation and a lot of great QSO's. |
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