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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
N1KSN Rating: 2002-07-19
Works on 17m Bicycle Mobile! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I already wrote a review my Hamsticks in a dipole setup, but I just had to write another covering my first HF bicycle mobile experience.

I recently bought a bicycle and decided to try mobile operation with it. My rig is a Yaesu FT-817 and I was able to find a Mountain Ops mount for it so I could attach it to the handlebars using RAM components. A handlebar bag holds a gel cell battery (5 or 7 Ah). After looking at pictures on the internet, I decided my antenna mount would be attached to a 3' aluminum tube U-bolted to the rear luggage rack.

Earlier this week I tried 2m mobile with a Lakeview HW-1 half-wave vertical and it worked great. I had severe doubts, however, about doing HF on a bicycle, since the only "ground system" would be the aluminum tube. But I said "what the heck" and put on a 17m Hamstick I had been using in a Hamstick dipole configuration.

After a mechanical checkout ride (the slim Hamstick profile is really beneficial in this application), I hooked up the radio and heard signals! Not only that, but while peddling around my NE Wisconsin neighborhood (getting strange looks from the neighbors) I had three SSB QSOs with CA, MO, and Southern OH, and an "almost" from AZ. I just couldn't believe it. I don't know what the general band conditions were, but I got S5 to S8 reports. The SWR was quite low, too, with no special matching required.

Needless to say, I am now a Hamstick believer, and am ordering a 20m version so I can try DXing on my bike. ;->

Andy N1KSN/M (bicycle)

WB8CAC Rating: 2002-07-13
THE mobile antenna!! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
WOW! Decided to take my K1 QRP rig mobile and needed an antenna. Bought the 40 meter version. Put it on the VW Rabbit with the 3 magnet mount and started making contacts. Never thought I'd get that kind of good reports mobile with 5 watts or LESS!

Added Hamsticks for 30, 20 and 15, all work great! THEN I bought a second set for all the bands and made an adapter so I can put up Hamstick dipoles for portable operation. They'll never out-perform a full size dipole, but work much better than you'd think for 15 Ft overall length.

Just added a FT-100D mobile rig for those times that QRP just isn't enough ( I hate to admit it, but that does happen once in a while ). With 100 watts into the hamsticks I often get accused of not actually being mobile.

Performance, construction, appearance, value... it's all there. Buy several today!!!

Bob WB8CAC
http://www.runswithscissors.us
N2XE Rating: 2002-05-15
They work well! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've been using hamsticks for years. They blow the doors off the Outbacker and out perform screwdrivers. It's pretty clear why; more metal in the air and the coil is greater than 50% up the stick. The OUtbacker and screwdrivers are essentially base loaded which means single digit efficiency.

In addition, you can buy 6 bands worth of sticks and still spend less than $180.

Can't beat that!
KD4FUN Rating: 2002-05-14
Inexpensive, Good Quality Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have owned the 20, 40 and 75 meter Hamsticks for a couple of years now. For the price I think they can't be beat. Easy way to go mobile. I use the Hamsticks with the Kenwood TS-430S in my conversion van with very good results. Super quality and durability. I am keeping my Hamsticks!
WA7NDD Rating: 2002-05-14
A good antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I read the reviews, and I agree the Ham Stick on 40m and up are a good value. The difference I noted between my homebrew bug catcher, and the Ham Stick, was that I had QRM on my Ten Tec Scout when the bug catcher was on. I live in South Eastern Idaho, away from all major towns and cities. So almost all the signals I hear are not anywere close to my QTH. No big city QRM. I made the identical matching Unan described in Don Johnson book from World Radio that he used with his screw driver antenna, right down to the tap point. It worked very will on the Ham Sticks, giving me another 10kc before 2:1 on the 40 meter Ham Stick. I used the same device at the base of my bug catcher. I can change to the Ham Stick or my bug catcher becasue I built the Unan in a PVC base mount on my truck bumper. I pop off the bug catcher coil and put a Ham Stick in it's place. Hope this helps. Ham Sticks are a very easy way to go mobile.
Jim Griffith, WA7NDD
WB1BPV Rating: 2002-04-29
Incredible For the price Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I was looking for an antenna that would work nicely on my Jeep Cherokee and would be easy to disconnect and also give great performance.Well, I purchased a 20 meter hamstick and a 10meter hanstick(I haven't even opened the 10meter yet!!!).I then purchased the tri-mag mount for the roof.It worked great until I went through an over pass in NY and the antenna and mag mount was a bit too high and went flying.O well, I thought the antenna was history.Much to my surprise it still worked.Recently,I decided to get a trunk lip mount.Well that wouldn't work on the rear of my SUV, so I have it on the drivers side(Looks like an emergency vehicle almost).and it works great.I use an MFJ940D mobile tuner and this little 20 meter hamstick actually tunes all the way from 6 meters thru 80 with a 1:1 SWR and 57 to 59 reports from all over the world(ast night during a violent thunder and lightining storm I spoke to Kuwait city mobile and was given a 54 report!!!).I run between 50 and 100 watts withe an Alinco DX-70T and will probably get an amp in the future for a bit more kick if needed, but with this hamstick, the amp will probably not get much use(lol).Definitely worth the $23 from Lakeview.I also live in an apartment and will be making a hamstick dipole in the future.Will let you know how that performs.
N9SLR Rating: 2002-02-10
Great antenna Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Several months ago I purchased a Yaesu FT817 precisely because it is so portable. Then I decided to try mobile - the cheapest way I could. Bought a Hamstick, tuned according to the distance on the chart and off I went. From my driveway, with only 5 watts, I immediately made SSB contacts to the coast of South Carolina and the Gulf Coast of Florida. Then, amazingly (to him and me), I succeeded in jumping the Atlantic and made a confirmed contact with an Irish station! Since then I have made contacts from coast to coast - the antenna is rugged, well made and does far better than I expected. Bravo! Gordon West, at an AES Fest told us you do not have to make a big investment to try mobile - he was right. By the way, I am using a Diamond K400C mount which is low profile and will be quite portable for travel, just like the 817.
KB8UUZ Rating: 2001-09-29
Wonderful Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have a Radio Shack HTX-10 and a Hamstick on a Ranger pickup running 10 meters for about 15 months. On 10 they work just fantastic! I've gotten good reports and working DX. Sure is fun workin Guam or Germany from a mobile in Northeastern Ohio! I use a 1/4 turn mount to remove the antenna before backing in to the garage (it will not clear if left on).
KS9Y Rating: 2001-09-28
Simple, efficient, and cheap! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I've been using the hamstick antennas for 10, 15, and 20 mobile, and they are bumper mounted as they stuck up too far on my pick-up using the magnet mount. I receive excellent reports using the antennas and the Icom IC-706 MKII G. I' ve worked several DX stations and even have broken some small pile-ups. When cutting the hamsticks to the correct length get yourself a good swr bridge and cut only a small amount at a time. These antennas really work.
WB9GKZ Rating: 2001-09-28
Great First Impression ! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just installed a 17-Meter Hamstick with the triple mag-mount on the roof of my '95 Caravan. First impression: Terrific! I phoned in my order to Lakeview Company on Tuesday morning and had the boxes sitting on my doorstep Thursday afternoon....the antenna was on the air an hour later. Using an old trusty Icom 735, I have worked many US stations with S-8 to S-9 reports...
decent for a barefoot mobile. Craftsmanship of the sticks looks better than I expected: coated
brass fittings and solid feel to the whips. I had
fun daring my 11-year-old son to remove the triple mag-mount from the roof...he couldn't budge it -ha-ha...keep eating your Wheaties, boy!
Anyway, I did have one snafu with my 20-Meter stick: I made the fatal error of cutting the stinger whip too short...be careful and only cut
an few inches at a time, not like me...I went for
about 7 inches at one whack - - WRONG. I ordered
a new stinger along with a 10-Meter stick. Learned my lesson...won't be so eager next time on the trimming! So, looking forward to many hours enoying HF mobiling. Hamsticks: Fast service, fast installation, fast fun.