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Reviews For: Radio Works Carolina Windom Short 80

Category: Antennas: HF: Verticals; Wire; Loop

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Review Summary For : Radio Works Carolina Windom Short 80
Reviews: 6MSRP: 115
Description:
Frormally the Carolina beam 80 Antenna. Caroline Windom Short 80 is optimized for 40 and 20 meter,but do not give up efficiency on the other bands. The Carlina Windom Short 80 requires far less space than other 80 meter antennas. All you need is 90-100ft. between supports and 30ft or more
of height. Caroline Windom Short 80 covers 80-10 meter and
the WARC bands, and has a power rating 1500 Watts CW/SSB.
Product is not in production
More Info:
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0064.2
KU4XO Rating: 2013-03-23
Outstanding 80m limited space antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have found this antenna to be a great choice for chasing DX. DXCC and WAS on 80 meters in one year using the Radio Works Carolina Windom 80 Short @ 40ft with 1.5KW in a half square configuration. I have read other reviews on the antenna not being able to handle legal limit. I'm not sure what bands the others are referring to but in my experience (80m only) I have had no problems with high power operation in SSB or CW mode. I do reduce power to 1KW when working RTTY just to be safe.
N4GO Rating: 2010-05-06
GREAT FOR LOW POWER. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
RADIO WORKS STATE THAT ON 80 METERS YOU CAN NOT RUN 1500 PEP. I READ ALL THEIR INFO AND ORDERED A HIGH POWER WINDOM (PRO VERSION) ELESEWHERE.

TE RADIO WAYZ WINDOM PRO DID THE TRICK FOR ME RUNNING 1500 WATTS PEP.

RADIO WORKS BALUMS RATED AT 1500 WATTS WILL NOT HANDLE CONTEST OPERATION. I ORDERED A 5KW BALUM.

GEORGE N4GO
KK40A Rating: 2007-07-11
The short 80 windom can't handle high power Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
This antenna worked fine at 100 watts. Radio Works assured me their "Carolina windom 80 short" balun would take full legal limit. I was skeptical but I bought an AL-80b and smoked the balun in the first week! Since the AL-80b is only good for about a kilowatt PEP I can't even imagine what full legal limit would do.Every time I tuned up, the setting on the amps loading control got higher and higher. The SWR was good. I did find them to be friendly when I talked to them at Radio Works but got nothing positive from the complaint. I felt as if I was talking to a high powered lawyer. Because of other problems that I have had with them over the last two years I think I will take my business elsewhere.
NU4B Rating: 2007-02-08
After 3 years - still a great antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Its hard to believe, but I've had this antenna for 3 years now. I have reconfigured the antenna to the more traditional 100' flat top w/ 2 16' vertical ends and found this is the configuration I prefer.
The antenna did come down a couple months ago during a heavy wind storm, but it was the support rope that broke not the antenna. A slingshot and fishing weight quickly fixed that issue - along with better support rope.
The untuned SWR is still good as the following recent table shows
2.2 @ 3.5 MHZ
1.5 @ 3.7 MHZ
1.1 @ 7 MHZ
1.3 @ 7.2 MHZ
2.1 @ 10.1 MHZ
2.2 @ 10.15 MHZ
2.6 @ 14 MHZ
2.2 @ 14.2 MHZ
1.9 @ 18.068 MHZ
1.9 @ 18.168 MHZ
2.3 @ 21 MHZ
2.4 @ 21.2 MHZ
1.4 @ 24.89 MHZ
1.2 @ 24.99 MHZ
1.2 @ 28 MHZ
1.3 @ 28.2 MHZ

The antenna is still installed at 40'.
As far as performance, I still operate a QRP levels (5 watts out and below). I have worked 174 countries and 33 zones with this antenna over the last 3 years.
So after these 3 years I come up with the same conclusion - if I could only have 1 antenna this would be it.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by NU4B on 2004-12-06

When you consider price, performance, ease of installation - this antenna is a winner. Read and follow the installation instructions first. They are rather simple and really apply to any good antenna intstallation. If you follow them to the letter you will have a fantastic 80 - 10 meter antenna that is not shy about working DX. The antenna holds up well in severe weather. My antenna is configured as an 84 ft flat top with 16'and 32' verticals at the ends. It is about 40' high. Without a tuner, mine has a SWR of less than 1.5:1 on three bands and no higher than 2.5:1 on any band. With a tuner any SWR is easily tuned out.
The antenna is very quiet. As far DX'ing, I've worked 78 countries on all continents in 9 months using 5 watts or less out. (its not a "x" element yagi, so if your expecting "x" element yagi performance you will be seriously upset - but you won't be climbing towers, waiting for the rotator to turn, or make a big dent in your checkbook either) It does hold its own though. At higher frequencies it begins acting like a very long wire. With 100 watts out - who knows?
Radio Works customer service has always been excellent with me.
I think if I were told I could only have 1 antenna, this would be it.
(and no I have no affiliation at all with this company. Its just a good product.)
VE7AOP Rating: 2003-12-12
Great Multi-band Performer Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I bought the Carolina Windom Short 80 as an upgrade to the Short Special 80 for better performance on 80 and 30m. It is performing remarkably well and I managed to squeeze it into my small 110’ X 30’ foot city lot. Height is 50’ at center and about 40’ on each end. (The Short Special 80 was good but difficult to tune without an external tuner, especially on 80 and 30m.) The longer Short 80 tunes up nicely with my IC-756PROII on 80,40,30,20,15,10 and 6m without needing the external tuner. I can work everyone I can hear, DX included. Signal reports have not disappointed. The key to success with this antenna is follow Jim’s advice – water proof, good RF ground, and at least 86’ of coax feed line. Although not advertised as such, the Short Special worked amazingly well on 6m. The longer Short 80 also tunes up nicely on 6m, but no experience to report on its 6m performance. (I hate to think what the pattern looks like on 6m!) Radio Works staff is excellent. No problems with ordering and delivery, questions were patiently answered, and their catalog and product manual are informative and interesting. I tried an open wire doublet but the Windom works better for me especially on DX routes. Also coax feed is far more convenient at this QTH then handling 100 plus feet of twin lead feed line and required pruning for a doublet. Fan dipoles although more balanced were less stealthy (too many wires). The Short 80 does require a good RF ground to be really effective. I am using a single 10' copper clad rod.
K3JOE Rating: 2002-02-23
Good Quality, Excellance Performance Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I brought the antenna at the Richmond Hamfest this year. Put the antenna up in 30 min. The Carolina Windom Short 80 has out proformed my G5RV and HF6V Butternut. I get reports of 1-2 S-units more with the Carolina Windom Short 80 on 40m,20m, and 10 meter. I have the antenna up 30ft in a flat top configuration. I have taken down the G5RV and HF6V antennas. The Carolina Windom Short 80 will tune on 80-10 meter and the WARC band with a tuner. I use the Mfj 989-C tuner and get 1.1 SWR on all bands. This is the BEST wire antenna I have used or seen yet.