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Reviews For: Miracle Whip

Category: Antennas: HF Portable (not mobile)

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Review Summary For : Miracle Whip
Reviews: 68MSRP: 129.95
Description:
The all-band rig-mounted whip for the FT-817 (and lots of other radios too...)
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.miracleantenna.com/miracleWhip.htm
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00683.9
KV4AN Rating: 2010-01-04
PORTABLE HF LOG PERIODIC Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
No, it's not a portable HF log periodic...but it is a portable HF antenna you can and will actually use with your FT-817. You can't change the laws of physics, but it is better than nothing, which is what you normally are able to have when you travel. I have an FT-817 and a full-size 20 meter dipole and a Buddi-Stick. They both work better than my Miracle Ducker TL, but they both need time and space to set up (often, just too much trouble).

The Miracle Ducker TL (Miracle Whip with a detachable whip), will allow you to use your FT-817 more than you use it now. Don't expect miracles, but you can make contacts. I checked in to an 80 meter CW net in Virginia from Ohio. Sure, only one station could hear me, but I could hear the net and it was better than not participating at all.

The tunable box will definitely allow you to hear signals you couldn't hear without it and get a good enough SWR to transmit without a counterpoise or ground. A little SWR on 80 meters and flat 40 through 10. Somewhat high SWR on 6. It worked very well for listening to shortwave broadcasts.

The tuning box fits perfectly on the back of the FT-817 and is mechanically secure since the bottom of the tuning box rests on the table top. Be careful with the whip because it is very lightly constructed. I haven't tried a longer wire.
K5TED Rating: 2009-06-29
Works as advertised Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I didn't buy the MW with hopes of replacing anything, so there was no preconceived notion of how it should work. I got the IL model, because I figured I would possibly use it with an HT or the 817nd.

The first real test was tuning a 35' random wire for 20m PSK. The MW worked flawlessly, achieving a no-bar match without a counterpoise. I worked several stations from East to West coast on 20m that afternoon. Then I switched to phone and worked several stations.

The next good test was an outing to the Caribbean, with the 817ND, Miracle IL and the rollup wire antenna from my Coding Technologies DWT receiver. It's about 20' long and has a 1/8" plug on the end. I used a 1/8" to phono stacked on a phono to BNC adaptor into the MW IL and had surprisingly good results on 20M PSK to Central America from the Caymans.

The IL model tuner does have a couple of warts, though. I've had to resolder the input connector to the main tuning deck once due to flexing. The assembly is not really durable enough to stack up on top of a HT BNC with any sort of serious antenna whip. That's just this model though. Other models may vary. The one specifically for the 817nd would probably be more durable in that application.

The MW IL doesn't like to tune with a longer than 5" jumper to the radio, and seems to prefer wire antennas over coax fed. In other words, it's not as versatile with a coax fed magmount or other.

Actually, I was sort of glad I had the excuse to open the thing up to see what was in there... Very impressive. It doesn't look cheap and it's definitely NOT a speaker fader pot. I installed a few velcro tabs to the 817nd leather case where I can stick the MW IL to just to keep it steady and immobile.

It costs almost the same as the Z-817 auto tuner or the Elecraft T1. Don't buy it if you like smart gadgets. Do buy it if you crave simplicity and compact size.

It's an amazing addition to a handheld wideband receiver, but, again, don't expect to attach it to the top of your VR-120, add a rubber duck and stick it in your back pocket. It won't last long.

W8AQ Rating: 2009-02-21
Works Well Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I've had my Miracle Whip for about a year now. That's been plenty of time to try it in pretty much all possible operating conditions. And though I certainly can't argue it's not a tri-bander, it DOES do the job I ask it to do.

First, as an SWL receive antenna it's excellent. I'm frankly amazed at the difference it makes when I attach it to my FT-817 or FT-897 just for some casual listening. Huge improvement. I've even clipped it to my VX-7R for a big difference.

As far as transmit, it does the job it was designed to do. For outdoors with no counterpoise and attached to the back of my FT-817, I have CW QSOs of over 2,000 miles using just over 2 watts on 15 and 20 meters on several occasions. Not a great transmit signal but readable. And very solid receive. Forty meters is tougher, as you would guess. But I do make contacts.

Indoors on the second floor in my QTH, rough to make QSOs....but it HAS been done.

That said, this is not an antenna you use at your home QTH. It's for those times when you literally want to grab your go-bag and be on the air in under 2 minutes. I can do that easily with the Miracle Whip and my FT-817. If I have time (or trees handy), sure I'll consider a wire dipole. But I can't get a wire up in two minutes either!

In short...as much as I've read about the MW being a waste of money, I have to disagree based on my personal experiences. The MW lets me use my radio far more than I would if I was using another portable antenna. I'm quite happy with it. Frankly, happier than I thought I would be given some of the reviews I've seen. I'd buy another one without reservation.
EA5BLP Rating: 2009-02-17
The best portable antenna Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I´m an only cw operator and have worked 53 countries with the whip in less than a year using low power. The antenna works very well from 10 to 28 Mhz and even is usable on 40m (of course not with the same performance). I have uploaded two videos in youtube showing how the antenna works if you choose a good place for your qrp portable operation. Definetly, this antenna always surprises me. Here are the links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hliu_p3j6zg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GV6GdYx7AsQ

73,dx.
G4IRD Rating: 2009-01-06
A great /p antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I generally agree with the positive comments however I also feel the whip should be long enough for 6m - hence the 4 rating rather than 5.

The main reason for my input - has anyone else used the mw on 80m? I have with my FT817 and MFJ-931 Artificial Ground which enables a no-bars reading for SWR! OK, so a 59 report from 2 miles is expected but I have managed 559 over 130 miles on a late winter evening from the (UK) second floor of a hotel with the counterpoise wire hanging from the window to just above the ground.

Furthermore, at home, shorting the feeder to my HF dipole and attaching by crocodile clip etc to the MW again using my FT817 and MFJ-931, I can work locals on top band!! Again a no-bars reading for SWR.

I also have an ATX but find adjustment more time consuming for no obvious gain.
MM30 Rating: 2008-12-08
Cool Little Antenna Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
An early Christmas present from the XYL. So far so good, it matches up very well with my FT-817ND. The tuning range is great and it works well on 20,17 and 10 meters. Can't wait to use it more. Great antenna.
Mike KC2PLJ
K3WJL Rating: 2008-11-04
It works great!! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought a used Miracle Whip at a hamfest on December 2, 2008 and tried it on December 3, 2008 with my QRP Yaesu 817ND to check in to our local Western Pennsylvania net (Breezeshooters, 28.480, 9 pm EST). I used the Miracle Whip off the back of the 817, with the rig sitting on my kitchen table (a poor reception location). Wow. Got into the net on the first try and many of the net members could hear me perfectly. Later that evening I checked into a daily evening ragchew group at 28.430 and they could all hear me well.

On receive the Miracle Whip worked extremely well. It was as if a pre-amp kicked in when the Miracle Whip was tuned to the frequency. My transmission did not trigger the HIGH SWR warning on the 817.

I can't wait to try other bands, but this antenna is a winner, and will be with me on my next vacation. It is not a large outdoor antenna, but I made contacts the first time. I have a Buddistick, the MFJ multiband antenna made for the 817 and an Optek 40 meter whip antenna, and the results with the Miracle Whip outdid them all. How? I have no clue. But it works.

I did use a 1/4 wave counterpoise (approx. 8-1/4 feet of wire attached to the 817's ground lug).
N3DF Rating: 2008-09-06
Great FT-817 Outdoor Companion Time Owned: more than 12 months.
A great--repeat, great--little companion antenna for the Yaesu FT-817, PROVIDED that you improve your odds by observing the common-sense rules for using two watts on HF into a tiny, low-efficiency antenna: (1) outdoors and in the clear; (2) CW rather than SSB; (3) bands higher than 20 meters, whenever possible; and (4) tackle strong signals that are not being pursued by others. Lots of fun (and challenge) on picnic tables, hotel balconies, poolside chairs, etc. I neither bother with, nor feel the need for, any external wires. Wouldn't be without my FT-817 and Miracle Whip (or Buddipole, depending) on any trip.
N1KSN Rating: 2008-08-14
Use it for receiving Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've had a Miracle Whip for several years now. I bought it at the top of the last sunspot cycle after getting an FT-817. Ever notice how various short antennas (some theoretically sound but inefficient, some pure BS **cough** EH **cough**) seem to come to market when there are lots of spots?

I pretty quickly gave up trying to have contacts with this antenna, even when using a counterpoise. It's possible, at least on the higher bands, but hardly worth the money.

Eventually I mounted the unit to a cast aluminum case that allows me to use it for shortwave listening. It works pretty well for this application. The case would be a good place to put a choke to avoid stray RF (as per a previous review), but I don't plan on using this for transmitting again unless I get really bored at the top of the next sunspot cycle.

Perhaps it is called the Miracle Whip because it's a miracle if you manage to have a contact with it. ;->

KE7FEH Rating: 2008-08-13
OK for SWL Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Had to return it due to very poor performance