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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
PD9W Rating: 2008-07-15
PD9W Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Read first all the reviews. Bought my Miracle Whip second hand (June 2008). Plugged into my Elecraft K1-4 and I was surprised about the final indoor results.Used no counterpoise at all. With QRP )5-7 Watts) over 25 QSO's (in Europe)during recent CW Contest 12th-13th July 2008.
DG2IAQ Rating: 2008-05-02
Fidget SWR without counterpoise Time Owned: more than 12 months.
After owning my MiracleWhip for around 3 years now I used it only a very few times with my Yaesu FT-817 yet, due to the poor performance. I only had 3 QSO's on 20m SSB yet.

Today I "remembered" that I own a MFJ-259B Antenna-Analyzer as well, ..hi. Just hooked it up and wanted to write down the measured SWR above the shortwave bands.

But I recognized a dithering SWR by putting my fingers on the alignment knob. What's that !? I thought I can be used without a counterpoise !? With a counterpoise the RF efficiency is better, ..okay.., but by trusting on the manufacturer it can be and should be usable WITHOUT any counterpoise !! And the MFJ-259B has a metal case, so a "minimum" on ground/counterpoise would have exist during my tests. A TRX instead would not provide MUCH difference on case/ground/counterpoise instead, I guess.

So I enhanced my tests and found out...

1) alignment knob
..that the aluminium alignment knob must be replaced by a plastic one to decrease or stop the hand capacity effect while tuning

2) SWR
..that the SWR was awfully and jumped in between 2:1 and >6:1 by touching or unhand either the MFJ-259B case or the MiracleWhip PL-259 socket. This I never expected !! But finally this situation was absolutely useless and especially for the (old) FT-817 quite dangerous for its (old) FET PA stage.

3) counterpoise
..a counterpoise is mandatory (!!) when you like to get a proper (and stable !!) SWR. I had prepared a kind of wire-array also 3 years ago and mounted a mini-banana-socket on the left side of the MiracleWhip case to be able to connect a ground-/counterpoise-system even when the TRX does not provide any counterpoise connection (luckily the FT-817 has one). By using this counterpoise-array the SWR jumped down to a more or less stable 1.7:1 in the best case. Sometimes even higher, but below 3:1

4) RF choke
..that by adding a RF choke in between the MiracleWhip and the MFJ-259B the hand-effect has gone totally ! That's the key !!! Unfortunately I had a SWR not lower than 3:1 by using the MiracleWhip, but it went down to a stable 1.5:1 by using my counterpoise-array.


So what to do !?

I will add a mini-plastic-box in between the MiracleWhip and my FT-817 in future. This box will contain a RF choke, made out of a FT114-77 and as much windings of RG-174 on it as possible. Maybe I will use 2x FT114 instead to increase the RF blocking effect by raising the AL value (= 2 chokes in series). On one side the MiracleWhip will be mounted, on the other side the FT-817 by using a PL-(male-male)-plug.

And I will use my counterpoise-array for sure.

And I will replace the tuning knob by a plastic one.

Then let's see if I can change my rating of actually "1/5" to a higher value in future. Today I'm very sorry no to give a higher rating.


vy 73,
Jochen Heilemann (DG2IAQ)

W6GQ Rating: 2008-02-27
WORKS Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Directions say you "may" need a counterpoise, there is no "may" about it,,, you do need one for best results.
Make a quarter wave counterpoise for each band and your good to go. I attached the counterpoise using an aligator clip to the ground screw of the 817ND. Made several contacts. Remember how to make the conterpoise? 234/freq=lenght in feet for the counterpoise. It works!
IZ0FYS Rating: 2007-12-15
YOU CAN Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
today I went on the beach near ROME, I had FT817 with his internal battery, MIRACLE ANTENNA WHIP and one counterpoise 5 meters long...
I tryed to call the bigger signal, first two heard me but not enogh to complete the qso, the third was RX3DTN which I thank..He heard me and this was my first dx on Portable QRP activity...
That's to tell you all that you can make radio with this little whip but you can't expect the same work you can manage from home. Remember you are in qrp in critical condition, so you have to try and try, but it's real you can work with it!
It's really exciting reaching another OM so far from you consider your radio condition! I do like my portable qrp shack. Enjoy you miracle whip !
G0MJW Rating: 2007-07-12
RX Only Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought one second hand for about a quarter of the new price. I wanted it to use as a receive antenna for HF using an FT817. It works very well in that mode.

For transmitting, clearly it is not going to be efficient and while it might radiate a bit you can't really expect much on HF from any small whip antenna.

So - think of it as a receiving antenna that matched the high impedance of a short whip to the 50 ohms expected by the FT817. In that mode I would give it a 5. For transmit, it is poor. Unfortunately, the advertising claims it works well, that is not my experience and hence the 3/5.

OE7HPI Rating: 2007-07-12
only for receiving Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The Antenna for the Yaesu 817 should be the miracle whip. For Receiving it is good, but I have no one QSO with the miracle. My home made 20 m Dipol, very poor, only 1 meter over ground and I make QSO's. 100 Euro the miracle, 2 Euro my 20m Dipol! Excuse my bad english. Holger OE7HPI
W6GA Rating: 2007-07-07
Quick and Simple! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I used the MW with an Elecraft K-1 at 5 watts from a 2nd floor condo on Kauai with a 16 foot ground wire counterpoise. Was pleased with many mainland QSO's on mostly 20 m., but also on 40 m. Have yet to make a QSO indoors, so I recommend outdoor op only, and of course, CW is the best mode for QRP/simple antennas!

K3GK Rating: 2007-01-27
Whatever Works! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have read many controversial reviews of this antenna over the years. I have known several hams who have bought it and are disappointed, but I am not one of them. I use it with my FT-817 and it has given me countless hours of pleasure and excitement. With the FT-857D or Argonaut V at 20 watts, I work all over with ultimate convenience. It is terrific for the SWLer and the contacts I make are memorable. With 5 watts on the high bands, even on 30 meters with like minded QRPers, walking into a campsite, setting up on a picnic table you experience a sense of satisfaction with this quality product, when bands are open. Add a solar cell, 12 V battery, and some time you have a lot of fun. Highly recommended for 'sanguine' amateurs!
KC2QIH Rating: 2006-11-08
Lucky to get a refund Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Since I live in a development that restricts outside antennas I decided to give the MW a try after reading so much about it. It was no miracle for me. I am not an antenna expert but I know what works for me. I tried it on 6 Meters, 2 Meters and 70 cm. On six meters I was not heard. Switched to a 1/4 wave ground plane, same calling station, and I was doing an S3 on his meter. With MW, not heard, with ground plane, heard.

On the UHF/VHF, I was told that my signal and audio was weak. Switch to my normal Diamond SHR320a and people were asking me what I did to my antenna to improve the signal so much.

For me, in actual use testing with my rigs, it did poorly on the transmitting end when compared to my other (much cheaper) indoor and portable antennas. I was lucky enough to get a refund. Its ease of use and ability to fit in my pocket was not enough to offset its performance. Certainly not worth over a $100. Now I just carry a small 6 meter dipole and string it across a room and get great results. For my HT I use a 3 inch stubby with no gain and I am constantly amazed how well a three incher that costs $25 can do. I usually can hit all the local repeaters in whatever town I am in.
KC2QBK Rating: 2006-10-30
Just not for me..... Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Purchased this antenna for use with my
Yaesu FT-897 in portable-QRP mode.

Yes, it sounds like it receives fairly well but
i've had very poor transmitting experience with it. I'll give it a few more tries since it cost me >$100.00.

Not impressed. For me, this was a mistake.