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Reviews For: Super Antennas MP-1 Portable Antenna

Category: Antennas: HF Portable (not mobile)

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Review Summary For : Super Antennas MP-1 Portable Antenna
Reviews: 155MSRP: 150.
Description:
Covers 40 thru 6 Meters. Will cover 80 Meters with accesory coil MP-80. Capable of QRP thru 150 Watts. Coil Size 10.5x 1.25 inches.
Product is in production
More Info: http://newsuperantenna.com/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
001554.4
KC2LSA Rating: 2008-11-20
Great for the size and cost Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have been very satisfied with what it can do. I have been very successful with this "tiny" antenna just leaning outside my balcony. I mainly work digital modes with 50w at the most and can't complain. I've been able to work a few thousand miles and considering the conditions there is really not much you can say bad about this setup. On the receiving side i've gone as far as 8k miles on PSK on the tx side around 3k at 50w so I'm very happy. Added about 50ft of speaker wire to the counterpoise so that might have helped...
NY4D Rating: 2008-11-20
It Works and Great Value Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I think this antenna is a great value. I had the chance to use one for six months and ran many comparisons between it, a Buddistick, and a moderately high (30') full size 20 meter inverted vee. The MP-1 held its own pretty well, usually about an S unit down from the inverted vee, essentially identical to the Buddistick. As you would expect, on some long DX the signals on the MP-1 and Buddistick, both low angle radiating verticals, were essentially the same as the inverted vee.

Some may think that result is not great, or even good, but considering the relative size of the antennas it is what you would expect. After all the MP-1 is the same length as most mobile sticks. In other words, the MP-1 doesn't defy the laws of physics.

On both 20 and 17 meters I worked plenty of DX and US stations on ssb with 100 watts and the MP-1.

The pros of this antenna are its price, portability, ease of deployment, and frequency agility.

The cons? My only con is the radial assembly that comes with the antenna. I tried it in several configurations with no real success. Couldn't get a reasonable match anywhere. I replaced it with a counterpoise of just one single quarter wave length of wire, as the Buddistick uses, and bingo, resonance.

Experimenting further, at my qth I used a 60 foot long section of welded wire fence as a counterpoise. Performance with that was essentially the same as with a quarter wave single wire, and I had no problem getting a match with the antenna anywhere 40 through 10 meters. Purists may gasp at this, but in A/B tests, I could tell no difference in performance between using a single counterpoise wire or my fence. Or both at the same time.

My advice for best use of this antenna is to ditch that stock radial system and get a reel of hookup or speaker wire for a counterpoise.

This antenna does lend itself to mods and add-ons. Use a longer mast and a longer whip for greater efficiency. Hustler and DX Engineering masts should work, and the MFJ and Buddistick whips telescoping whips will work with it as well. Get a larger clamp for mounting flexibilty. Get a mini cord reel to coil up your homemade counterpoise.

Random thoughts: expecting any real results on 80 meters is unrealistic. It's just way too short. It's not meant to be deployed permanently, but I had it outside for 6 months of a Georgia winter with no signs of corrosion other than on the supplied steel mounting clamp. For a more permanent situation they sell a mobile kit with a fixed mast and whip.

I was sorry to see my borrowed MP-1 go back to it's real home. I'll definitely be adding one to my portable kit. You don't get much anymore in ham radio for less than $100. This is one of the few exceptions I've found. Well worth it, IMO.
AB9GO Rating: 2008-11-16
Good antenna but not for long term mobile use. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have two of the MP-1 and a MP-2 screwdriver antenna and they work fine and construction is of a very high quality. The 2nd MP-1 I own was purchased used for $15.00. The problem was he used it as his main mobile antenna and left it on the car all the time. It was allowed to stay wet. The MP-1 (and others) antenna suffers from dissimilar metal issues. I cannot remove the antenna whip from the body if the coil. I have tried several snake oil treatments and heating and freezing the part and an impact wrench!. It is in there forever. If you do run it mobile please dry it if it gets wet and apply a coating of thread lube. It will help keep the parts from locking up.
VK8NAT Rating: 2008-11-14
Much better than expected! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Bang for bucks... excellent. I picked it up secondhand for $120AUD

Quality build (except for those with vice grip AND low IQ) is very, very good.

Easy to setup. I have the mobile mount, 80M coil, whip top as well as the telescopic... only really use the whip top. My first setup was attached to a microphone stand outside my garage door and hooked up to my FT817... got the swr down to minimal in seconds... first contact was on 15M and it was from NEW ZEALAND (I'm in alice Springs in the Northern Territory) and I was getting in 5/5. That was average for my R7 I had a few years ago. The little antenna is great... I take it interstate on business as well as holidays... I really can't fault it for what it claims to be. Sure a 300ft longwire hoised 100ft in the air will do better... but as a portable HF antenna... it's the "ducks guts"! Well done Verne... making AR fun and portible!
W0DKM Rating: 2008-11-03
Works GREAT Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Used it all summer, works perfect as expected. Well made. Easy to tune. Works DX at QRP level.
Can't believe they make money on this antenna.
TNX for a GREAT portable antenna.
W6PMR Rating: 2008-11-03
Use it mobile!! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I replaced the pull up top section with a 4 foot steel rod and bolted it to the stake bed mount on my truck and it works just fine.
Yes I have to jump out and tune it by hand but for $100 bucks this is a great mobile deal.
I also tune for max noise first then fine tune. I bought the 80 meter coil and it works in the mobile on 80 FB.
Very well made and Vern is great to deal with.
To those that have a problem with Vern and his
products, all I can say is you can't please everyone. Paul.
KG9E Rating: 2008-09-30
Good performer, very portable, easy to deploy. Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I ordered an MP-1 after reading the good reviews and understanding that for it to work better some easy modifications might be required. Overall, I am very pleased with this antenna.

I have been operating low power picnic table portable from a Chicago city park all summer, and I have managed to Work All States and Work All Continents and, so far, over 60 countries using the MP-1 and 35 watts of power on 40-10 SSB. Keep in mind, this is with few to no sunspots, so things can only get better.

In its original configuration, the MP-1 seemed to tune fine on most bands 40-6. I do admit, the supplied counterpoise is weak, and I ended up making four quarter wave counterpoises cut for 20 meters (about 16.5 feet in length) out of 16 gauge copper speaker wire. I also added 2 more base sections to raise the coil up 4 feet from the base.

I use the optional tripod and bungee cord it to the picnic table in case the wind starts to blow. I also use the MFJ 10 foot telescopic whip. With the extra length whip, base sections, and counterpoises, the antenna becomes more like a half wave dipole on 20 meters in an L configuration. I can tune 40-10 meters and have worked all states and all continents with only 35 watts of power from the picnic table. With the optional coil, I can also tune 80 and 75 just fine.

The MP-1 is extremely portable, as it breaks down into 1 foot sections and weighs very little. It is easy to set up and in about 10 minutes I am on the air.

Furthermore, Vern W6MMA has been very helpful and quick to respond.

This antenna has surpassed my expectations, and I certainly have gotten my money's worth.
N2DE Rating: 2008-05-25
Remains in the bag Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I travel a lot, and for more than about 3 years the MP-1 has been part of my luggage. For quite some time, however, it has remained in the bag because, in real life, the premise for this antenna is a bit questionable compared to other and better solutions.

The antenna is well made, and, clamped to a hotel balcony, I rarely ever had a need to use the counterpoises to let my Elecraft K1 find a proper match. Since it is a very short antenna, the adjustment of the coil is a little touchy, and the efficiency is poor. I have added a longer tip to improve efficiency, but it is still a severe compromise.

My solution these days when I'm on the road is to throw a Par Electronics end fed dipole from the balcony and tie it to my car or just let it dangle. It provides much better efficiency because it's much longer, it doesn't require adjustments or a counterpoise, and you can change bands instantly without fiddling with a coil. The MP-1 will remain my travel companion, but I have yet to find a situation where the dipole would not be the better and more convenient solution.
W8AQ Rating: 2008-05-14
Surprisingly Good Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just took delivery of my MP-1 to use QRP. Thought I'd connect it up and see how it sounded. First of all, it comes in a VERY small package. I actually thought part of it was missing. Nope. All there. Put it together in less than 2 minutes. Ran coax to a Yaesu FT-897 and turned the power down to 5 watts. Since it was raining out, I just stood it up in my second floor shack on its optional tripod. Tuned the coil for the strongest 40 meter CW sigs. Heard a QSO in progress. When it ended, I called the AR station from my QTH north of Houston, TX. Remember, 5 watts. He responded to my first call with a 589. Wrapped up, tuned down the band slightly and answered a CQ from MO. Responded to my first call with a 559.

I can't WAIT to get this outside on the trail! I never expected this much!!!
OE3SGU Rating: 2008-04-08
coming closed to QRP-DXCC witgh it - indoors! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I am using this antenna for a good year now. It is installed indoors in the living room on the optional tripod and with the original radials that were delivered with it. So far I worked 88 DXCC, all indoors with a maximum power of 5 Watts. Some of the DXCC worked were 3B7, 5T, 6W, PY, 5A, VQ9, K, D4, 3V. Does it work? Yes, it does for me and I hope to finish my QRP-DXCC indoors this year.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by OE3SGU on 2006-10-01

I received my antenna last week and it is the best portable antenna I ever had. Tuning from 30 meters up is no problem - indoors! I love the little box which I can transport in any bag. The antenna is very well made and compared to the quality very cheap. With the available options and a longer telescope you can make it a quite long stick. Highly recommended. Very flexible!