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Reviews For: Tarheel Antennas

Category: Antennas: HF Mobile & Accessories

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Review Summary For : Tarheel Antennas
Reviews: 205MSRP: 295.00
Description:
Screwdriver Antennas,Stainless Steel mounts,Mobile and Base
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.tarheelantennas.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
152054.8
VA3BJD Rating: 2005-08-28
Great HF Mobile antenna Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
It's all pretty well been said. I ordered the Little Tarheel. Works very well and looks great. Very prompt delivery and well packed.
W9PMZ Rating: 2005-08-16
Awesome Antenna, Model 200 Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Installed a Model 200 Antenna on my Explorer. Used the trailer hitch mount and things couldn't have been any easier.

I am using an ICOM 706MKIIG with the W4RT Antenna Boss II. Truly an integrated installation. I have not had any problems tuning on any bands 10M through 75M.

So far any station that I have called has responded on all bands.

The really good news is that my wife says the antenna is "embarassing" and won't get in. Now I can work HF in peace......
WA1GZY Rating: 2005-07-10
Excellent = Worth More! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased the Little Tarheel (40 - 6 meters/ 400 watt model) to mount on a Hustler ballscrew high up on the side of the car trunk. I purchased the unit in January 2005 but waited until late April to install it. It is the ideal size and weight (about 2 lbs) for this application. Robert told me he would guarantee the antenna's performance even at 500 watta! And so I put some "fire in the wire" with the SG500 Powercube (output 520 watts). The Little Tarheel indeed gets warm and with the 56 inch optional whip tunes from 4.1 mhz thru 29 mhz. (You lose 6 meters with longer whip). I worked Australia on 40 meter SSB and the UK on 60 meters 5.403.5mhz with excellent signal reports. After two weeks of mobile operation, I noticed that a piece of the 360 degree finger stock contactor came loose and the top of the coil started to unravel. :{ (Could it have been the 500 watt heat?) A quick call to Robert and he immediately sent me a new antenna (even before I returned the defective unit! That's integrity and superior customer service. The new unit seems to be holding together and performs flawlessly with the Antenna Boss II. (See my review of the Antenna Boss II under accessories).
Now I had a great antenna but could not tune below 4.1 MHZ. The solution was to substitute a 102 inch tapered whip (purchased from Hi Q antennas) This whip along with the small daisy wheel capacity hat(purchased from Hi Q) mounted right above the coil did the trick! Now I tune from 80 meters through 12 meters. (Did you really expect the laws of physics to go away!? The moving coil tops out) Since I don't use 10 meters-particularly during this low sunspot cycle period, the excellent performance on 80 thru 12 meters is well worth the tradeoff. Considering the light weight, flexible mounting options (trunk lip mount is sufficient) and high power capability, you have no more excuses to defer your Little Tarheel purchase. I am grateful to Robert for his unconditional product warranty even after the long winter. Be sure to install the supplied inductor coil. Mine is located on the inside of the trunk mounted on the Hustler ballscrew center to ground tap (No weather worries inside the trunk). Be sure to install a good ground system. I use 85 feet of 1.25" grounding strap with multiple connections terminating at a center ground point. The result, no ignition noise, No car computer problems. The car uses a second battery in parallel with the battery under the hood and connected with zero guage cable.
KI6YN Rating: 2005-07-05
UNBEATABLE SERVICE Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is a no nonsense mobile antenna that is outstanding. I've had it almost five years, one of the originals, and it performs perfectly. I just bought the simple controller, revolutions counter, and it was not designed for the original but a later replacment motor and they worked with me to make it work perfectly i.e. immediate returns to email and telephone calls. Also, when I got a new vehicle, the connector at the base was broken inside during the transfer and Tarheel insisted on sending a replacement free of charge. It is as good as dealing with Ten Tec.
RADIOBOB92121 Rating: 2005-06-14
Great Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Bought mine used from a ham up in Encinitas who lives just a few yards off the ocean. I was concerned about the ocean air causing problems with the unit but none so far. The antenna works better than I expected. Great product.

73's
RADIOBOB92121
W3KLF Rating: 2005-06-13
Super Antenna Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I needed an antenna for my 'Park Model' RV. It has a 12' x 34' steel roof and steel facia. I called Robert at Tarheel Antennas and told him that what I needed, where it was going and that "I needed everything in the box except for the sweat to install it". Robert figured that because I wouldn't be doing 70 MPH, he would build me a Special 48" diameter capacity hat to help with the low frequencies. The box(s) arrived with everything I needed: one Model 300 Antenna in Black, a MT-1 mount, 48" capacity hat and control box with extra cable. I added a 102" whip and used stainless steel lag bolts and a 50" peice of 1 1/1\2" x 1/8" aluminum angle (for lower mounting bolts in order to catch the roof rafters). The antenna is mounted at that roof peak on the back end of the Park Model. I had the antenna installed and then tested it. I got 1:1 SWR from 1.8 to 30 MHz. On air reports have been SUPER. Stations that I work on a regular basis comment on my improved signal over home QTH. Super, considering that I am in the middle of a very dense woods. The customer service that I received from Cindy and Robert at Tarheel Antennas was SUPER. Any questions were responded to rapidly. If customer service from the rest of the business world was as great as that from Tarheel, one would never have a complaint again. Overall: A SUPER ANTENNA FROM SUPER PEOPLE!
N1WS Rating: 2005-05-31
Mini Tarheel II Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I started researching screwdriver antennas many years ago. In the meantime, I used Hamsticks and the Hustler HF system. The Hamsticks worked fine, but getting out of the car to change antennas was a real pain in the neck. The Hustler system also worked well, but it needed to be guyed and was a real chore to put on and take off the car.
I finally decided last month to pull the trigger and order the Tarheel II. Cindy suggested I get the 56" whip. Robert gave me some very helpful RF grounding advice.
All I can say is that I should have gone with the Tarheel years ago. The antenna works flawlessly. I also use a Palstar WM150M (which I also highly recommend). I am able to tune any frequency I want with an SWR of 1.2 or less. I have made numerous contacts and received great signal reports in the short time I have the mini Tarheel. If you want a low-profile, high performance antenna, go with the Tarheel. You will not be disappointed.
W5JON Rating: 2005-05-27
Simply great Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
There is not much I can add to what has already been said. The Tarheel simply works great, with great reports. Robert is a real pleasure to deal with and takes as much time to answer any and every question about the Tarheel and it's installation. I also purchased the N2VZ "Turbo Tuner", and in combination with the Tarheel, operating HF mobile, with a IC-706 does not get any better then this.

73,

John W5JON
KA0YKO Rating: 2005-05-25
Great Antenna with a great radio! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
You just know that when there are more than 80 reviews and every one of them is 5/5, then the product is superb. Well, it is! I purchased the Little Tarheel II at Dayton this year (last weekend) along with my Icom IC-706MKIIG and (thanks to the expertise of WA0KGU) had them up and running in an hour, just before leaving Dayton for St. Louis. During the trip, I (KA0YKO) and the two hams with me (KB0DRS and WA0KGU) were extremely impressed with the combination's performance on 20 meters. Five contacts at 559!!! I was driving through Indiana and made these contacts to Oklahoma City, New Jersey, New York, Florida, and even checked into the Maritime Mobile NET with Net control operating in Coastal Alabama. Wow! These two units deserve 5/5 in my opinion: the Little Tarheel II and the Icom IC-706MKIIG -- a winning combination if there ever was!
KH2WV Rating: 2005-05-10
Little Tarheel Best Performance Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Just purchased the Little Tarheel.First Robert and Cindy at Tarheel Antennas is the great person.Im from the Island of Guam. After installation of the antenna on top of toyota corrola using a MFJ tri-magnet & LT-56 whip, Ft-840 100watts swr 40m to 10m is 1.3 to 1. 1st contact 40m & 15m DU station 5/9+, 20m band 5/9 in texas AD5RQ ,5/9 in Brunei V8NOW and also big signal in Korea, Japan. This is the antenna small in size but Big in Performance.

Thanks & 73's
KH2WV
JOEL