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Reviews For: Taurus JN-316

Category: Antennas: HF: Verticals; Wire; Loop

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Review Summary For : Taurus JN-316
Reviews: 2MSRP: $99
Description:
Taurus JN-316 HF/6M 3.5-57MHz Fiberglass Base Antenna
Product is in production
More Info:
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0021.5
K5TED Rating: 2021-08-15
Awful. May be worth $50 with some mods Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought this Taurus JN-316 on Amazon for $99 shipped, hoping it would be similar performance to other 18' verticals like the Comet or Sigma. Was hoping to use it with a portable mast for Field Day, etc.

Mounted 15' or 25' up, it gets no better than a 2.5:1 match anywhere in the ham bands except for 6m where it is 1.5:1.

It can be made to work with a tuner, but based on reception and signal reports, it's barely making it out of the backyard.

It actually does a fair job sans tuner as a HF receive antenna, but tends to pick up a lot of noise.

Hardware is flimsy, the couplings are aluminum except for the top whip, which appears to be steel into a nickel plated brass or something coupler, screwed into the aluminum coupler on the top fiberglass section.
This will not withstand more than a few deployments in the field before the couplings are stripped.

Though the match looks acceptable, it is not as good as the Sigma on 6m, even though it is mounted 10' higher, same coax run.

Plan now is to remove the balun from the base and make it into a simple 18' vertical radiator using a SG-237 autocoupler at the base.

The hardware is probably worth $50.

First and last Harvest brand antenna I will buy.


N9APD Rating: 2021-08-03
A compromise Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
A small lot without many options to get an antenna outside means compromises are needed. I put up this antenna (Just $99 on Amazon) figuring that for the money it was worth a shot. Once I got it up, and the ground sorted - my analyzer showed decent SWR on 20 Meters & 10 meters, any other bands need my LDG Z-817 tuner (Connected to my FT-817 radio). Band conditions have not been great, but a few 1500 mile PSK 31 contacts showed me that 20 meters was working OK. Between this and the ELWL in the attic I think I'm in OK shape for the limits of my QTH. For just $99, I'm OK with what I have.