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Reviews For: MFJ-1778 G5RV

Category: Antennas: HF: Verticals; Wire; Loop

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Review Summary For : MFJ-1778 G5RV
Reviews: 24MSRP: 39.95
Description:
80-10 Meter Full Length (102') G5RV Wire Antenna
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.mfjenterprises.com/products.php?prodid=MFJ-1778
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00244.4
AA1TC Rating: 2006-12-08
Great Performance Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I use this with a FT-897D and MFJ-993B Antenna tuner. I have it off the ground about 15 feet due to Trees on the property are few and short. I have no problems. The 102' span is perfect for my small lot and being in a Covenant restricted area the neighbors do not see it. This is the only antenna I have used so can not really compare but I am extremely pleased with it. It is well constructed and I had it installed in less than 5 minutes. For less than $40.00 and able to work 160-10M its worth it.
KC8VSB Rating: 2004-02-26
Excellent for all bands! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I bought the MFJ-1778 and still can't say enough about it! Excellent performance on all bands. Even in my attic at about 30 feet, it performs fabulous! I'm finding that 99.9 percent of the people I can hear, can hear me. I'm also giving and receiving 59+ signal reports very often.

Since I can't fit all 102 feet of the antenna in a straight line, I've got it bent in a "Z" shape. Seems to be working very well! I would recommend the MFJ-1778 to anyone, and I am planning on buying another one very soon!

73,
Joseph
K7LZR Rating: 2002-10-05
Good performance!! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought this antenna in 1995 because I concluded that I couldn't build it any better as far as quality etc. for the price. Got it at the last local hamfest we have had for $19.95 on sale at that time.

Anyway, I installed it as an Inverted Vee with the apex at 35ft. and used it with a Dentron 160-10AT antenna tuner for about 2 years with excellent results until a storm blew it down. It layed in my back yard all tangled up until about 2 weeks ago when I decided to rebuild. I replaced the original copper flat-top wire with new copper from Radio Shack and replaced the end insulators with ceramic ones. Re-erected everything with a new antenna mast with the G5RV apex again at 35ft.


Now that I have had more time to use this antenna, I am VERY pleased. Seems that all signals which I hear are workable, and most are strong (S9+) on the receive end. MFJ has done a fine job with this and it works very well if you follow the directions. I give it a 5.
KG4NVV Rating: 2002-06-11
Great Multiband Antenna Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I tried to put this antenna up using an extension ladder, but still could only get it up to 15 feet or so above ground. I was not satisfied that I would get good performance, so I didn't use it for over 4 months. Finally, about a couple of weeks ago, I raised it up to about 40 feet above ground and connected it to the transceiver. Since then, I've worked great DX to Europe, South America, Asia and the Middle East. I've gotten great 59 to 59+ reports into Europe and Turkey on 20 M and 17 M with this antenna. It also works great on 40 M (haven't done much on 75 M, so can't comment on that). 15 M and 10 M work great, too, and the antenna acts as an end-firing Zepp type on these higher frequencies.

You do need a tuner to use this antenna. I use a manual MFJ 941E, no problems tuning up flat on all the bands! This despite some of the 35 ft or so of ladder line being twirled around in a tree to keep the coax connection about 8-10 ft above ground (don't want the dog nibbling my coax!).

I've since learned about Near Vertical Incidence Skywave (NVIS) antennas that allow close in contacts on 75 M, 40 M and maybe 30 M using near vertical skip. It turns out the G5RV at 15 ft would have probably done quite nicely on these bands! Oh, well, live and learn, right?! I plan to install another G5RV at 10 or 15 ft to take advantage of this phenomenon.

All in all, a nice antenna, especially for the $40 price. It seems well constructed, with thick plastic insulators and a well-potted PL-259 connection at the bottom of the ladder line. We'll see how well it holds up over time. So far it has held up well to about 5 months of Alabama weather.

73 to all, Raf