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Reviews For: Ham Stick by Lakeview Co.

Category: Antennas: HF Mobile & Accessories

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Review Summary For : Ham Stick by Lakeview Co.
Reviews: 108MSRP: 24.95
Description:
Big performance, small package
Product is not in production
More Info: http://www.hamstick.com/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
34.31084.5
W6PMR3 Rating: 2004-06-13
Love 'em Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Owned the puppy's for years. I have mine mounted on a rack on top of my Jeep Cherokee. With all the off-road pounding and abuse they hang in there. With the built in auto tuner in my FT900 I can cover most of the phone band on 40 and much of the phone band on 75. On most other higher bands I can cover the entire band. I was not able to do that with the Hustler or the Outback.
I carry a bunch of different bands in a PVC tube bolted to the rack and all have a quick disconnect mount for band changes.
I guess the bottom line is that although not perfect, they work! AND they are much less $$$ than the Outback and seem to outperform it and the Hustler.
W0ZPE Rating: 2004-06-13
Excellent results Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
My Lakeview Hamstick is for 20-meters mobile and is installed on the bed rail my Ford F-150. Along with the antenna, I purchased an angle mount and their 'quick connect/disconnect' device. Follow the instructions! Do not cut the antenna whip until you've installed and tested the installation. The position of the antenna relative to other objects may influence it's operation. The Hamstick is coupled VIA an antenna selector switch (I have other antennas on the pickup) to a Yaesu FT 897. The operating results and performance of this Hamstick are both amazing and rewarding. I'm on HF as-soon-as I'm on the road, thank you Lakeview for a product that does exactly what it's engineered to do. Bob WØZPE
AD7DB Rating: 2004-06-02
Good performance for the price Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I will lead off this review by mentioning that I have 3 Lakeview Hamsticks so far. I rate the 40m and 75m ones as "good" and the 6m as "poor."

On 40m and 75m I think they are good. Not great, but just good. My wire antenna at home is better. But for a mobile installation, considering these cost only $25 each, I think they are a good value for their performance. My brother and I used the 40m Hamstick on a trip from California to Illinois and were satisfied with the results. But he has since installed a screwdriver antenna and has far better results. The tradeoff is that he's now got this Big Ugly Antenna on his vehicle. (Hey, the biggest and ugliest usually outperform the prettier and low-profile antennas.)

I have used my 75m Hamstick and it compares to using my AH-4 tuner with a whip and some extra wire. I also rate that as Good.

Now for 6m. I guess it's my particular installation. I could not get a dip on it at all with the stinger in place. I finally used some wire instead and snipped it shorter and shorter... eventually took OUT the stinger and found it starting to get low at 50.000 MHz. I can only assume that it's because of how I did my installation using the AH-4 tuner, there's something close to an extra foot of wire at the base. I would probably be better off using a whip that's trimmed to resonance on MY installation. Your installation may vary, so for 6m I think you should be aware that it may be very sensitive to how and where it is mounted.
N7RFG Rating: 2004-04-06
2 meter 5/8 colinear ham stick Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Wow! Excellent.
W1AJT Rating: 2004-01-27
Perfect Apt. Solution Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I would like to relate my experience with my “ham stick” antennas. I am unable to easily get to my normal “radio shack” in the winter so had to either give up operating or try a portable small antenna from my apartment railing in downtown Toronto where I am working right now. I needed to be able to easily mount and dismount it when not in use.

I bought a Ham Stick from Lakefield Co. and tried it out with their u-bolt mount. Well, I ended up buying a couple more from both Lakefield and Iron Horse. The following are the results from November 28th to January 17th operating only limitedly on weekends for a total of 10 days and not counting the CQWW – CW contest. I work barefoot with 100 watts and a combination of 40, 20, 15, & 10 meter hamsticks on 10m thru 40m inclusive:

66 DXCC Countries – 42 on CW and 47 on SSB
42 States – 36 on CW and 34 on SSB

I am only open from about 25 degrees to 75 degrees and from 345 degrees to 0 degrees otherwise, blocked by buildings. The only positive thing is that I am up about 100 meters. I have tried counterpoises to no benefit and the antennas are only tuned through my built in rig antenna tuner. I have worked some exotic locations on 40m (Asiatic Russia, Galapagos Is. etc.) as well as on the normal DX bands. I have gotten unsolicited exceptional signal reports from Africa and Europe without them knowing my rig and antenna. To say I am really pleased with the quality and the results of these fine products is an understatement and all for less than $100 including mount and cable.
KG4WKR Rating: 2003-05-20
Buy One! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I got a 20m Hamstick and mag mountlast Feb. and couldn't get it to work on my Saturn coupe (all plastic!). SWR was high, and with my tuner I still couldn't work anything with it. However, I just got a new Saturn VUE, which still has plastic side panels, but much more metal overall. Just for kicks I tried again, and got my SWR flat over the phone band with no extra matching device, and immediately worked Italy and Russia, both 59, with 25 watts. Conclusion: If your Hamstick doesn't work, your car's too small! I was really surprised and pleased with the fantastic performance once I mounted the 'stick on a bigger vehicle. Go buy one (or more) today!
WB4CGA Rating: 2003-02-01
Terrific on 40 meters Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have the 40, 20 and 6 meter versions. One thing I really like is the slim sleek profile. Does not attract attention and very simple looking. I leave them in the trunk of my car with the stinger really bent around but does not harm or permanently bend anything. When I want to operate I just pull one from the trunk and screw it in the Diamond trunk lip mount. Most of the time on 40 meters. Lowest SWR on that band, 1:8 to 1 but results never cease to amaze me. During the daylight hours can always work stations within a 500 mile radius. When I visit a friend in Colorado about 120 miles distant, we have communication on 40 meters with S9 signals from my driveway to his door step. I assumed performance would be lacking at best on 40 meters but that is not the case. Radio is Yaesu FT-897 set at 70 watts. They perform very well on 20 and 6 also. I have no desire now to even try another HF mobile antenna. For $20.00 bucks each you cannot go wrong.

73's all
Pete WB4CGA
Kimball, Nebraska
VE3INB Rating: 2002-10-31
Great Economical Antenna Time Owned: N.A.
During the Polar Bear DXpediton 98 in August 1998, we used several Hamsticks while operating from the Ontario Northland Railway's' Northlander train. The Hamsticks were mounted above the coaches and were continuously whipped by 50 to 60 MPH winds from the train movement. We worked 80, 40, and 20 meters simultaneously and all the antennas worked flawlessly.
KC2GOW Rating: 2002-10-27
Great for any band!! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
The HAMSTICK is the best money to spend!!!!!
I use the antenna as a base vertical on 75/80meter's and it is a charm. Mounted on PVC pipe with a ground cable attached, i get 5/9 after 5/9 reports. Wonderful antenna for the size.
73's
Andy kc2gow
W0XXX Rating: 2002-09-08
Not bad! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I considered an Outbacker, but went with the Hamsticks to see how they performed. Its easier to take a $25 hit then a $300 hit if I didnt like how the Hamsticks worked for me.

I operate from a KU band tv satellite truck when I'm locked down on location. So I throw up a Hamstick on a magnet mount on the cab, and I'm on HF.

I tried the 20 meter Hamstick first, it tuned really well. My first contact was a PA3 on the first call (phone). Yea, I was surprised too, and its a card I'll be sure to collect.

In the 4 days I have had the station on HF, I have worked TX FL CT all on phone, with a new TS-50.

It seems to be very well made, easy to deal with, and it can handle 600 watts. I'll be looking for a small amp now.