| VA3PCJ |
Rating:  |
2013-06-21 | |
| Great portable HF multiband antenna w/o counterpoise |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| Used with a portable radio and with a good tuner, I've found the DK9SQ vertical 20m loop to be a great portable HF multiband antenna without the need for any counterpoise. The strength of the design is in the ingenious ways in which the poles interconnect with the balun box to make a strong yet light supporting cross, how the wire is held by the telescopic poles, and how it connects to complete the loop. The use of parallel electric cable to feed one of its horizontal angles from the balun, permits the latter to be at the centre of the loop, thus permitting its box to act as its structural cornerstone and still have the feeding point at one of the side angles for good elevation and directionality. I did find the actual balun to be very flimsy and not in accordance with the qualty of the rest of the antenna, but this was easy to solve by replacing it with a 4:1 home-brew toroidal chore balun. With the Elecraft KX3, and using its internal ATU, the loop is readily tuned to 1:1 SWR in all HF bands from 80m to 10m. When deployed portable in the outdoors it also makes for a great curious-attractor and conversation piece... 73, de Jose VA3PCJ. |
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| OE5CSP |
Rating: |
2008-10-30 | |
| I like this loop |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
This great portable antenna compares very well to other portabel antennas such as verticals, G5RVs, long wire antennas or windoms.During fielddays I had the chance to switch among these antennas and I was quite impressed with the results.I especially like this loop, because I can put it up alone in about 5-10 minutes and I don´t need to climb trees.The performance from 10 to 40m is good, on 80m only a compromise. I wouldn´t use it as a permanent antenna and in windy areas I always fix it with a few thin ropes.
Mr Spieth, DK9SQ, does not produce these fine antennas any more, but as far as I know Wimo, a German dealer, is selling them now.
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| DB1ULI |
Rating: |
2005-06-16 | |
| Great concept |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
Best antenna i know for portable use. Multiband 10-40m, 80m possible. Using the antenna is easy, DX ist fun due to the low radiation angle and disassembled everything fits in a small sport bag. It is light an cheap also, but it is a must to use the antenna together with the DK9SQ fiberglass mast. This combination is unbeatable.
I do highly recommend this great piece of ham radio gear! |
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| PA3GFW |
Rating: |
2004-08-01 | |
| Just what I was looping for. |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
My DK9SQ plus the Fiberglass mast arrived by the end of May this year. It came directly from DK9SQ (Walther Spieth). A try out at that time was not possible because I myself was not waterproof nor my rig and smartuner. This gave me the time to read the manual more than once and the remark, lengthening the wire by 1m40 to work on 20m plus the fact that a better performance can be obtained by opening the wireloop just opposite the feedpoint for 40m gave me some ideas for some personal ease to be added to this antenna.
Two small switches and a length of rope plus 1m10 antenna-wire (a left over from other projects) was what I needed to make a device to make the Quad work on 20m SSB without tuner and when the switches are opened also 40m is available as we all expect it to be.
For more details on this homebrew switching device please write to pa3gfw@zeelandnet.nl.
Having an SGC smartuner I also leave the balun unused and feed the antenna direct with 450 ohm flat cable. This cable goes to the crosspiece and from there away under an angle to keep it some distance from the radiating wire. Underneath the crosspiece a made a wooden clamp that is rubberlined on the inside to secure the crosspiece to the mast.
Finally, this is mentionned before in another review I made from some ieces of wood a frame to roll up the wire, one side to the left and the other to the right, this makes setting up a lot easier.
I keep the mast up by guywiring and to reach the toppiece I pushed some foamrubber in the second section so the toppiece protrudes on top side. I did this also with he two spreaders.
I have used many fishing rods for my antennas dipoles G5RV's, Carolina windoms but this DK9SQ mast is absolutaly the best I ever had.
This vertical loop works great, is very quite and gives me the idea that this antenna is a perfect match for my SG-2020 even on 80m (YES)
73'Rolf PA3GFW |
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| N7DKK |
Rating: |
2003-10-07 | |
| I think I'll like it |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
Just installed one of these last weekend. As you will read in many of the reviews, the installation instructions are minimal. Thankfully, I bought the antenna from Bill Kelsey at Kanga US ( http://www.qsl.net/dk9sq/ ) and he was very helpful with my questions. Called me long distance late in the evening to get me ironed-out. Thanks, Bill!
I installed the vertical loop as sort of a semi-permanent installation until I get my tower and quad back up in the spring. The joints are taped and I installed a flat-back saddle and U-bolt at the eve to secure it. It sits in a cinderblock filled with gravel. Although hardy and well built, I'll be surprised if it survives our winter.
Now, unless I missed something, the horizontal crossarm simply rests on the balun box with the vertical mast going through it. It will move and try and windmill especially if the extreme bottom half of the loop isn't taped to the vertical mast. I taped the horizontal mast to the vertical mast at the balun box.
A hint about the installation: The red painted lug goes on the top of the vertical mast. On the right side of the horizontal mast slip on the white connector block, run the part of the loop with the butt-connector splice (not the ones on the white ring!)near this. Seperate the connector and plug into the two butt recepticles coming out of the white connector block. This is your support for the right side.
Run the left part of the loop with the 1" white plastic ring and the small lug near the end of the arm. Slide the small connector over the tip of the left sidearm. The butt-connector that sits a couple of feet above this attached to the white O-ring is where you seperate the loop for 40M operation or keep it connected for 20-10M operation. Tape the bottom of the loop to the bottom of the vertical mast (if it's going to be up awhile), and your done.
I left the loop full and not seperated. With the internal tuner of the ICOM 746 had a little difficulty getting a low SWR on the WARC bands. All others were flat using the tuner. It even took a load on 40 and 6 meters...performance yet to be verified.
Just hooked it up and worked a station in S. Korea and one in the Philippines and was given a 59 with 100 watts. Not too bad for a temporary, portable antenna, yes?
If the instructions were better, I would have given it a "5". It's a great antenna for US$200. |
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| K8DXX |
Rating: |
2003-08-11 | |
| Really Cool |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
Like the others, I found that set-up was easy (after a few false starts). The instructions could be clearer in terms of how the loop wire and "eyelets" fit over the ends of the mast and cross arms. Same can be said for attaching the plug carrying the twin lead from the matching network (box) to the feed point on the loop.
Once erected (5 minutes if you know what you're doing), the whole thing seems pretty sturdy. The joints lock and release with appropriate effort. I had no problem matching the loop to my FT817 using a small MFJ manual tuner.
On recieve, the loop is very quiet, as one might expect. It doesn't seem very directional. I had no problems making contacts on SSB running 2.5 watts on a mid summer Saturday at high noon.
This would have been a "5" were it not for the scant instructions. Instructions aside, the product and it's performance certainly are a "5".
73 de Bill / K8DXX |
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| NY2LJ |
Rating: |
2002-12-04 | |
| Superb! |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
| Ok, I thought I might get some contacts with this simple wire loop, but honestly, I was very pleasantly surprised by the QSOs (mostly SSB) and decent reports I had with this antenna and an FT-817. Set it up in a park in about 5 minutes. I don't get the first call, but I've worked well into the Carribean, Europe and the US West Coast from New York City area parks with this simple design. Cut a masonite or plywood winding plate to keep the loop neat when it's packed away and you've solved the only minor complaint I had. If you're afraid that the "tower" might collapse, you can use a small amount of tape on the joints, but a slight twist always made them tight enough to stay up for me. This isn't designed for hurricanes, but it is sturdier than it looks and I think you'll like your results as much as I did. |
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| M5TAW |
Rating: |
2002-02-07 | |
| Very good! |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
I purchased this antenna for portable use. I was looking for an antenna that could be used on all the higher HF bands, i.e 20m and up. It had to be ground independant, easy to erect and compact. This antenna fits the bill, it's basically a 40m 1/2 wave of insulated flexweave type wire in the shape of a diamond. For 40m operation the loop should be open circuit, but for all other bands the loop is closed. It acts as a full wave on 20m, approx 2 full waves on 10m etc - it does require a tuner.In my testing I have found that it does not show any noticeable directivity, hence no need to rotate the antenna.
I had my antenna temporarily mounted at ground level in a built up area, so it could not see sky at low angles of radiation. The results were outstanding, I was able to make comparisons with my permanent Carolina windom 80 special mounted at approx 20 feet. The loop provided stronger signals on 10m 75% of the time, both European and DX, on 12m the loop was better 60% of the time, on 15m 50%, 17m 25% and 20m equal. These are not scientific calculations, but based upon a week of operating.
This antenna is equally at home in a permanent station, or portable. It has minimal visual impact, but could be further disguised if necessary with spray paints. |
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| AB7R |
Rating: |
2002-02-07 | |
| AWESOME! |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| Using the DK9SQ and loop kit with my Elecraft K2. Absolutely great. Radio really came alive compared to the shortened vertical I was using. Working lots of DX using 5W and the loop antenna. About 5 minutes to put up and take down. Made a portable mount out of PVC and 60 lbs of cement in a 5 gal bucket, but does need to by guyed if it gets windy. Much better on both RX and TX compared to a ST Louis Vertical set up. |
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| N8REE |
Rating: |
2002-01-01 | |
| Great antenna value |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
| I have purchased two of these antennas. They work as advertised - great barefoot DX and easy up/down. If you hear them you can work them - that simple! They are also simple in construction which helps reliability - easy to fix yourself too! I have modeled this antenna with EZNEC and confirmed the claimed performance. Walter DK9SQ has done his homework with these. The material quality is first rate - however - they are not meant to be left up exposed to the elements for long periods of time - I found out the hardway after a windstorm. This is an excellent antenna for portable QRP use. This is an efficient antenna. You need a tuner to get best matches however. I recommend an LDG auto tuner (RT-11 etc) if your rig does not have an internal tuner. This antenna is meant for 10-40M. I have got it to load on 80M but have not confirmed any real performance yet. Walter and friends are helpful. I highly recommend it. Contact me via e-mail if you have any further questions. |
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