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Reviews For: WA2NAN True-Talk G5RV

Category: Antennas: HF: Verticals; Wire; Loop

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Review Summary For : WA2NAN True-Talk G5RV
Reviews: 264MSRP: 90
Description:
An extremely well made G5RV type antenna. Kerry (WA2NAN) builds these antennas with excellent materials and very good attention to detail. The center insulator is a really nice piece of work and all the connections are soldered and have heat shrink tubing on them. I am not affiliated at all with WA2NAN but have one of his antennas and it is great.

Info: kerry@northnet.org

Product is in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
352644.9
N4JDU Rating: 2011-03-30
5/5 and More! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Two years ago my city hosted the OMIK convention and we installed this anntenna on top of a downtown hotel roof. Sloped and surrounded by taller buildings this antenna was able to transmit and receive in all sorts of horrible conditons without the least bit of a problem. With a FT 1000D as a base radio we made contacts easily throughout the USA, Canada, Carribean Mexico and more dx. Simply the best all band dipole you can get for portable or emergency use. I took it home and use it as alternantive to my 50 ft Log periodic and it continues to pull in the weak signals. No service problems whatsoever. Wind, rain have not hurt it at all. I reccomend highly.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by N4JDU on 2009-07-26

I was OMIK convention Chairman this July 2009 and we strung this True Talk on top of a 14 story hotel with a fiberglass push up pole at the apex. Almost a flat top but with a slight slope downward at one end. First connected to outboard tuner (MFJ(962d) and FT 1000 MK-V (200 watt) This Antenna has excellent ears and transmits equally as well. We finally re-connected and used the inboard tuner in the radio, again SWR's below 2 in every case. Maybe 50 differnt operators at the rig No complaints from any of the operators. There is some very special advanced thinking in this product I strongly reccommend for any installation. Oh... Kerry's delivery was fast and support is excellent. Jeff, N4JDU
AC2AJ Rating: 2011-03-20
Awesome Antenna Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
This review is on the junior 10-40 model.I just installed this antenna to try out over my Hy Gain av12 vertical.I have to admit its awesome.I have it 18 feet off the ground.The ladderline and one end is in between branches and bushes.I use my internal tuner in my FT950 and in two nights I have made around 60 dx contacts.Now granted its a contest weekend so there are more on the air this weekend than normal but I have no problems getting through on my 100 watts.The most strange ing about it is I made all the contacts available on 40 meters last night and deciced to check out 80 meters on dx cluster.There was a canadian station on(Im in New York).I tuned it up and made a true 59 contact(he wasnt a contester so I just didnt get a 59 and the contact before me was 55).This antenna isnt even made for 80 meters but I made a contact.Way cool.The last thing Im wauting for is my wife to notice it and see if see approves my installation location but it blends in great.You can only see the ladderline if you really look.In conclusion I will say if your looking into this antenna you cant go wrong.
WA2LOQ Rating: 2011-03-11
WELL BUILT Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
KERRY KNOWS HOW TO BUILD A GREAT ANTENNA.A+ON MATERIAL.THANKS KERRY.
KI6GIP Rating: 2011-02-17
Forest Tested,G5RV Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Wanted to wait a while and test this antenna before passing judgment, bought a 203' G5RV True Talk. Was working out in the woods this summer and had plenty of space to put this antenna up!! Wow heard ham radio and shortwave contacts like I had never heard before.Was able to work some station in the inner mountain west and California. Good on the lower and upper bands all around.Was impressed with the craftsman ship and it being able to hold up in the hot Southern Utah climate.Was impressed with the service as well!
KH6TA Rating: 2011-02-14
Simply the Best Time Owned: more than 12 months.
First, you'll be hard pressed to find a vendor who will try harder than Terry if you have an issue.

Construction is best quality, NASA/USAF, nobody else builds/has antennas this good for this kind of money!

How Well It Works? Over the years, I have had 4 of Terry's G5RV's at different QTH's, seems like they work great no matter where I install them. Tunes, Tx & Rx all great!

Since I live in an antenna-restricted development, this antenna is PERFECT, as it can hardly be seen from any distance, easy to install, and extremely cost-effective!

My Recommendation: You can't buy a better G5RV!

Mahalo, Terry!
K4RHO Rating: 2010-12-24
Antenna has excellent construction quality and performs well Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This is a review of a WA2NAN True Talk G5RV 102' antenna purchased on eBay. The construction of the antenna is first class. It was erected at 30' and performs very well. So well in fact that European QSO's are almost as dominant as stateside contacts. The antenna's VSWR is less then 1.5:1 across all band segments using just the tuner in my Icom IC-756PROII. This is an excellent antenna for the money if you are looking for something pre-built.
N8JIW Rating: 2010-12-22
Great antenna!!!! Buy one you will see . Excellent!! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Great antenna , excellent construction. Good signal reports with a Yaesu FT 990 barefoot 100watts. I have a Hustler 5BTV and a carolina windom........ I do not use them at all any more. This is my main antennna up 30 ft QSOs to Europe , South Ammerica , all over USA. The antenna is running (oriented ) east to west in Cleveland , Ohio and ideal for beaming north and south to Canada and South America. I get Europe and Japan off the ends !!!! I bought another one its on the way .... I willl mount it to run North and South Hi Hi I will really get Europe and Asia and the first G5rv will continue with Canada and S. America .On QRZ.COM and EQSL Member ARRL EXTRA CLASS and a VE.!!!!! DON N8JIW
WS8X Rating: 2010-12-09
Another superb product! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This review is for the WA2NAN True Talk 51' shortened G5RV.

After having such great luck with Kerry's 102' antenna, I decided to purchase the 51' to use as an alternate in a different orientation at my QTH and possibly for portable applications.

The 51' wire is up in a flat-top configuration at about 35' into a tree in the back yard. The ends are supported my adjacent trees. The insulator ends of the antenna are orientated NE-SW.

I have found that the 51' employs the same impressive construction quality and high quality materials as the 102'. I use this antenna primarily for 20M and 40M but, I have no difficulty loading the antenna with a flat SWR from 40-10m using a Drake MN-2000 matching network. Signal reports have been exceptional with only 100W. I have not experienced any troubles what so ever with QRO (1kW) operation either. I particularly enjoy using this antenna for 40M.

My logbook is filling up fast and I’m a very satisfied repeat customer!


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Earlier 5-star review posted by WS8X on 2010-10-04

This is my first review here on Eham.net and I couldn't be more pleased for the WA2NAN True-Talk G5RV to be my first.

I've owned WA2NAN's True Talk 102' G5RV antenna for about 1 month. The build construction and the quality of the materials used for this antenna are incredible! I have enjoyed numerous QSO's and DX contacts in the short time I've had the antenna up. Often times on 20M SSB I've broken pile-ups with one call. Many of the stations I QSO with on 75M are astounded that I'm only running barefoot and using a G5RV. I consistently receive excellent reports. Kerry rates this antenna at 1.2KW with a good SWR. I may end up running QRO once I complete my 220VAC run into the shack but, thus far I've not needed to. An added bonus enjoyed is, there have been no complaints from the XYL about TVI! This is not the case when I use my Inverted-L.

My installation is mounted in a mostly inverted-V fashion with the center apex up at about 52' into a high tree limb. The ends are sloped at about a 60 deg angle on each end. The ends terminate to about 20 ft from the ground on each side. 550 Parachute cord is used to support the center connector and ends. I'm not using a BalUN and I've not experienced any RF in the shack. Kerry recommends constructing an RF choke with several turns of the coax where it transitions to the 450 Ohm ladder line. The antenna loads up very nicely on all bands 10-80M using my Drake MN-2000 tuner. It is also a good listening antenna for SWL.

The supplied 70' of high quality coax is more than plenty to make the run into the shack. The PL-259 connector used is silver plated and of tremendous quality. Kerry is super-efficient and friendly to deal with and turn-around time is very reasonable.

If I had the room in my lot for the 204' version for 160M I would definitely put one up. I've thought seriously about also buying the "shorty" 51' ft version to put in another tree for some different directivity.

Before buying Kerry's G5RV I had entertained the idea of putting up a ground mounted vertical. I'm very glad I went this route instead. This one's a keeper and I'd recommend it to anyone that needs a good "talker"!

Thanks Kerry for a superior product and great service!

73 DE WS8X
-Joe
NX8P Rating: 2010-11-27
So-so Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I don't agree with all the feedback on this antenna that I am reading on here. I purchased my True-Talk G5RV new on Ebay. The seller seems to be holding the price on these antennas on the auction at a full price. I bid on this antenna multiple times, but at the last minute someone always jumps in and increases the price. The construction needs some work. I didn't even put up the antenna when I noticed the ladder line connection to one side of the the antenna was broken off when I was unrolling the antenna in my yard. It looks like when the insulation was stripped from the ladder line that the conductor was also cut as the ladder line broke off right at the end of the insulation. The center insulator and the attachment of the ladder line to the dipole portion needs to be improved. I am skeptical if the connections will last through the winter. My advice would be to shop around and maybe even build your own. Very pricey for the poor quality.
K2SGT Rating: 2010-10-08
JUST WHAT I EXPECTED Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I AM NOT GOING TO GO ON AND ON.....I AGREE WITH ALL THE POSITIVE FEEDBACK. IT IS VERY WELL CONSTRUCTED, SIMPLE TO INSTALL AND THE BEST THING OF IT ALL IS THAT IT WORKS!! AND VERY WELL I MIGHT ADD. JUST ADD A TUNER AND TRANSCEIVER AND GOOOOOOOOO. ALREADY HAD 60+ MPH WINDS AND RAIN AND IT IS STILL UP THERE AND WORKING FINE. GET THIS ONE. IT WORKS, IT LASTS, IT PERFORMS. WORTH THE $$$ ENOUGH SAID??