| PE1NPG |
Rating:  |
2006-04-01 | |
| Sure |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
Thats why i'm using the Buddipole as a vertical or an L antenna sometimes. just try, experimenting as a strong possibility with Buddipole, and I always have terrific results.
73 de jean-Pierre
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Earlier 0-star review posted by PE1NPG on 2006-03-31
Horizontal Buddipole? Vertical MP1? Your comparing apples with banana's! I have both antenna's but comparing the Buddipole always wins. But you have to search for the right setup on each location. I'm sure then the buddipole wins most of the times. |
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| KD4AC |
Rating: |
2006-03-31 | |
| I agree |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| I agree. Under most circumstances the Buddipole will exceed the performance of the MP-1 based pretty much on the laws of physics. The MP-1 is smaller than the Buddipole and therefore, less efficient. However, I believe the reason why K2PGB had better results with the MP-1 compared to the Buddipole is pretty easy to figure out. The MP-1 is vertically polarized and has a low angle of radiation, assuming you're using radials as any vertical would need. Without knowing more information, I'm guessing he had the Buddipole set up as a horizontal dipole and probably had it less than a 1/4 above ground for the particular band he was using. If all of that is true, then more than likely the Buddipole was acting more like an NVIS antenna with a higher angle of radiation. That's not to say the MP-1 antenna isn't any good, of course. |
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| KA3NXN |
Rating: |
2006-02-08 | |
| OK setup. Very hard to tune and keep tuned |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I got rid of mine because I spent more time tuning it than actually using it. It is very hard to tune, especially on 40. I even made some tuned radials for each band which did help. The main problem is with the plastic wing nut. On mine it would not hold the slider hard enough to make a contact so sometimes the SWR would jump around. Also if I approached the antenna this would also send the SWR through the roof. I sometimes had to reach for the antenna with a stick and try to move the coil so I could get it to tune. Needs a better design.
When it did tune, it worked very very well. I worked all over Europe and Africa back in October of 2005 with the Boy Scouts Jamboree on the Air.
IF YOU GET IT TUNED JUST DON'T TOUCH AND PRAY TO GOD THE WIND DOSEN'T BLOW!
According to Vern by changing the whip from a telescoping whip to a stainless steel whip, this makes an excellent mobile antenna. I don't see how since mine couldn't handle a gentle 10 MPH breeze without detuning. 60 MPH wind would destroy it. |
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| W3FLH |
Rating: |
2005-10-09 | |
| Performs as advertised |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
I was torn between a 4 or 5 rating, and went with the 5 because of great service.
I purchased this antenna immediately prior to leaving for a July 4 camping trip, and desperately wanted to work W0FSB (Special event station) over the holiday. I called in my order that Wednesday, and Vern and his XYL made sure that my MP-1 arrived by Friday afternoon!!
Very easy installation: I used an MFJ analyzer and a Sharpee to set my band marks, and off we went. The campsite/portable operation was a hit!! Kids crowding around every time I powered her up, and I worked W0FSB (first call!), from Ottsville, PA to Independence, IA. The Special event meant a lot to me, as it celebrated the Five Sullivan Brothers of Waterloo, IA, and with my father having served on DD537 USS The Sullivans, I wanted to get the certificate for him.
But I digress... The first contact made from camp was a DL in eastern Germany, and I was off and running from there. I even used it at home until I installed my Butternut HF6V-X (another good antenna, see my review).
That's my story...
73, Tony W3FLH |
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| WA3ELQ |
Rating: |
2005-06-16 | |
| Good portable antenna |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
I bought the MP-1 a little over a year ago through Elecraft. I have used it with several QRP rigs, including the Elecraft KX1 and have been pleased with the results. It is a small antenna, so it will not perform as well as longer verticals or well-positioned dipoles, but for portable use in a variety of setups it is excellent. The MP-1 is easy to transport or carry as it breaks down into a small package. Set up is simple both with the tripod base and with the clamp for fences and railings. Tuning is no problem, although small variations in positioning the coil can result in significant changes in SWR. I have labeled mine with the measurements for each band, and carry a small ruler for accuracy.
There are some areas of concern. Some of the materials used in construction do seem a little light. The tripod base and threaded legs could be easily bent or damaged, and the telescoping top mast would be easy to bend or break even if the antenna were just blown over by wind. However, these also keep the weight and size down for easy transport – an important compromise. Also, the wires that form the counterpoise radials are adequate, but more radials would improve the performance.
I took the MP-1 with me to Aruba last year (it packs easily in luggage) and operated a few hours of Field Day 2004 from the base of the California lighthouse. Using just 10 watts (SSB) I was able to make many US contacts, as well as longer QSO’s with Senegal and England – with a number of 5-8 and 5-9 reports. I really didn’t expect an antenna that small to do very much from that distance and under contest conditions, so I was very surprised at its performance.
Overall, despite some limitations, the MP-1 is a very good portable antenna.
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|
| SM5IUF |
Rating: |
2005-05-08 | |
| Surprisingly good |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
I have owned this antenna for 7 months and used it mounted only on my balcony. During this time I noticed SWR variations due to tiny wind and my ATU started to act funny now and then. I disassembled the antenna mount and polished all metal parts in the mount and added aluminum/graphite paste everywhere, on conducting metal surfaces and all threads. After that treatment there were no more SWR variations even in strong wind.
Notice that the antenna has pure aluminum parts that will eventually oxidize and cause erratic conduction. If you have the expensive conducting paste, thats good but I used instead the kind of aluminum/graphite paste intended for treating exhaust pipes in vehicles. The graphite conducts under pressure between metal parts. Without pressure there is no conduction.
The antenna now works very well from my balcony. However I use the mobile 2 feet extension and a 3/8-24 nut together with the 1 feet standard base section. The antenna thus has a 3 feet base between the loading coil and the mount.
With the greasing and base section extension I get very good reports. On 20 meter band and PSK-31 I have recently worked from Sweden to Argentina, South Africa and Taiwan. That is distances around 8400 km. I did not really expect such good performance and when calling CQ I get answers real quick. On air people give me reports like "you are as strong as anything else in the waterfall"
Just my experiences, I believe the polishing and greasing are important for the antenna to work as intended and might also explain some of the bad reviews.
73 GL GD DX from SM5IUF
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| KF8RM |
Rating: |
2005-04-02 | |
| Great portable antenna ! |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I originally purchased the MP-1 used from a friend that no longer needed it. I like to operate mobile and from field positions and needed something that could be used for both. When I first got the MP-1, I was somewhat disapointed with the original whip that came with it, but no big deal - I just used a longer one ! The antenna worked well for portable ops as it came, but I wanted something more efficient. I already had 1 flexible 72" stainless steel stinger with a 3/8" x 24 thread stud on it, and this made the MP-1 a real "Super Antenna" for mobile operation using it with a double mag mount. For portable field ops, it worked well with the 6' stinger, but then I found one of the 12' telescopic MFJ whips at a local hamfest and decided to give it a try with the MP-1. WOW ! Was I supprised at the performance ! I made a spike mount that has a 3/8' to SO-339 adapter on it that just sticks in the ground for support, and I made a 3' base shaft from 3/8" stainless steel rod, couple that to the MP-1 coil and the 12' MFJ whip, and this thing will perform as well as some ground mounted verticals like my Hustler 4BTV that I use at home ! Of course with my additions to the MP-1, it's about 16' tall when fully assembled ! It's a great antenna as is, but can be made much better with a little imagination !
73
KC8AON |
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| PE1RLN |
Rating: |
2005-03-28 | |
| Works great, expensive, cheaply built |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
I have to admit. I own this antenna quite a while now and it works absolutely fabulous. You can not expect DX >10.000km with 59 reports but a few thousand kilometers is very well achievable. In combination with my FT-857 I can adjust the SWR to 1:1 just by sliding the upper part of the antenna while transmitting 1W FM. I can read the SWR by the colour of the display. A few seconds and you're ready.
However, I modified the antenna a bit because out of the box (if there is any) it hurts my eyes.
First, make a tripod with a SO239 connector or a 3/8 connector in it for steady mount. The tripod provided with the antenna can be thrown away.
Mount the coil as close to the tripod as possible by using a 3/8 coupler or by using the connector in the tripod (3/8 to SO239).
The 80m coil is the worst fraud there is. It is made from drain-pipe ! D.I.Y. by turning 80 - 90 turns of copper wire on a 4cm pipe.
Succes...
Anyway, the antenna works very good but you should buy it secondhand. |
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| AF8X |
Rating: |
2005-03-19 | |
| excellent compact antenna |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| Two years ago I bought my MP-1. I was dubious of the performance of such a small antenna. I took it out to a park, attached it to my FT817 and the first two stations worked were, Florida and Great Britain. Well that proved it worked. After some practice I was able to tune it quickly by locating a starting point by the volume of a received signal and then tweeking the sleeve one turn at a time and checking the SWR. This antenna is a compact package that tunes 40 to 6 meters with out the 80 mtr coil. It's adaptabl to many situations. |
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| NM6E |
Rating: |
2005-03-10 | |
| Works Great for Me! |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
Haivng purchased an Elecraft K2 QRP, I needed something that travels well.
Not really knowing much about QRP, all I knew was that in my line of work I travel a great deal overseas and I was bored in fancy hotels with nothing to do.
So I bought the K2 and decided on getting the MP-1 as my portable antenna. I used the MP-1 inside my hotel room on the 40th floor in Mexico City C-clamped onto the chair next to the window with the radials laid out on the floor.
I managed to work into Argentina, 2 stations running 1kw and I was running 5 watts on 20m SSB. RX RST was 5x7 and I gave them a 5x5. MP-1 seems to be working, the hotel height also helped.
I moved onto Monterrey, Mexico and fortunately was assigned a room with an expansive balcony. I mounted the MP-1 with the C-clamp onto the "ground cable" that was running along the planters on the balcony (my "free and really good ground plane"). I laid out the supplied computer-cable radials.
Results:
80m worked a CM (Cuba) 5x3
40m CW Worked VE3, N6, K6, K4, K2, K0, KL, N9, K5
20m All over the USA, ZF, 9Y4, HR1
With only 5-7 watts. My point is that the ground radials helped alot. People were amazed and asking what was my antenna.
The MP-1 works well. I am pleased with the results I have had and don't regert. My ohter choice would have been a Buddipole Vertical but they are almost the same, at least in my point of view.
I am going to try and elevate the coil by using a hustler mast and maybe the MFJ- telescopic whip to increase length/height on the antenna to see if it helps out more.
The construction looks a bit "homebrew" but in my case, has provided great results.
Javier NM6E |
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