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Reviews For: High Sierra HS-1800DX Screwdriver

Category: Antennas: HF Mobile & Accessories

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Review Summary For : High Sierra HS-1800DX Screwdriver
Reviews: 22MSRP: 395
Description:
Screwdriver antenna, replaces the HS-1500. Power rating 1000 watts. Tunes 3.5-30 Mhz with a 6' whip or 6.9-60 Mhz without a whip. 10.5' long when extended with 6' whip.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.cq73.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00224.8
KK4DF Rating: 2002-05-29
Outstanding product Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
While at the Dayton hamfest this year, I got the urge to look closely at HF mobile. After talking with a number of amateurs, vendor reps, and looking at the vast array of HF antennas installed on vehicle throughout the boneyard, I took the plunge. I picked up an Icom 706 MkII G and the High Sierra HS-1800 screwdriver antenna. With installation and the first week of operation behind me, I am very pleased with this setup.

The antenna installed without a hitch (no pun intended) on the back of my truck box. There are many pictures in the manual showing various installations. One thing to consider before you choose you installation location is the total height of the installed antenna when fully extended with the whip installed (i.e. 80 meters). The tip of my antenna whip reaches about 13.5 feet above ground. Clearance is often less at the road shoulders (right side in the US) than in the center, so a center or left side location may be preferred as opposed to a right side location.

The quality and workmanship of this antenna installation are without equal. I looked closely at several others, and they just did not measure up to the quality of the High Sierra units. Sure, this antenna does cost a bit more than some of the competition, but the small added investment seems well worth the price.

I have been truly amazed at the performance of this antenna. Working DX seems at least as easy as from my home QTH. I broke a DX pileup on the first try while out on Memorial Day. I worked my weekly schedule with my high-school buddies while motoring around town. The signal reports in my driveway with 100 watts to the HS-1800 was practically equal to my home 100 watt rig feeding an inverted-L antenna at 65 feet.

After making a few marks on the antenna for each of the ham bands, I can now peek out my rearview mirror when changing bands, adjusting the antenna as I ride down the road. But I can't quite see the 80 meter mark in the rear-view mirror, but all the rest are in clear sight. The SWR is practically flat (1.2 or less) on all bands.

I did some additional grounding (bonding) of certain vehicle parts to the truck body; hood, engine block, tailpipe, and truck box. This made a measurable reduction in ignition noise, although some still exists.
W7KKK Rating: 2002-05-18
Nice Product Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This screwdriver is new and replaces the HS-1500 series. A new heavy duty 12 volt motor, improved contactor spring and coil assumbly are listed as improvements over the HS-1500.
Only complaints were that the new and improved controller box has no grommet to protect the 4 wires that come out of it and there was no wiring diagram with the antenna. The manual made reference to a wiring diagram but it was not there. Other than that, they sent the kit UPS 3 Day Select which they did not tell me about and was a bit high priced for shipping. Ground shipping would have been fine. Maybe they figured that I was anxious as I was beating them over the dead as they went to the Dayton Hamfest to get it ordered.
Installation went very smooth with the kit. I bought the Platinum Kit which includes almost everything. (Is there ever enough of everything?)
I also did not understand why they would put the power leads for the controller unit on a cigar lighter adaptor. Most of us do a permanent installation and have many other things to use that power source for. A waste of money as far as I am concerned.
I was surprised to find that they powder coated the stainless steel antenna and the quick disconnects but it does look nice.
I followed the recomendations in the manual and did not try to redesign the antenna as they put it. They give you lots of pictures of mounts which is overkill to me. They also give you a very nice maintenance section on how to keep your antenna working just right.
I mounted it on my tool box which is in turn bolted to my pickup bed. I used the supplied ground strap and ground the antenna to the tool box, to the bed of the truck and then through it to the frame. This ground strap has a connection point for a sheet metal screw every 4-6 inches which really makes it nice. They give you 3' of it with the kits.
SWR is less than 1.3 to 1 on all bands 10-80. My first contact, a new BX5, gave me a 5/8 this morning on 15 Meters from the driveway. And with conditions the way they have been I will take that!
Tuning is very quick. I don't use or want a controller. Most I talked to via emails prior to purchase agreed that controllers can be overkill. I guess it depends on who you talk to.
This unit only moves some 2 inches from the fully retracted position to tune from 10-20 Meters and it does it very quickly. 40 meters is at about 5 inches and 80 is about 12 inches and takes a little longer to get to.
Construction of the unit appears to be high. If is lasts as long as previous owners tell me I will be very happy.