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Reviews For: Mizuho AN series antennas

Category: Antennas: HF Portable (not mobile)

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Review Summary For : Mizuho AN series antennas
Reviews: 2MSRP:
Description:
Monoband loaded telescopic whip antennas for 80-10 meters with BNC conector. Designed for use with the MX series HF/VHF SSB/CW handhelds.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.qsl.net/ku4qd/mizuho
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0024
K8ESE Rating: 2021-04-08
Mizuho AN bnc antennas Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I have a number of Mizuho MX radios for misc bands and matching AN antennas....I have worked 40 meters CW on my MX 7 and AN 7 antenna running 2 watts recently....I really had no problem with them. They work as they should. Just worked a cw station in Montana from my QTH (1074 miles away) on 40 CW. I can carry the radio, Counterpoise, and An 7 in my pocket....
KU4QD Rating: 2002-06-17
OK for what they are...within limitations Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The Mizuho AN series antennas are monoband loaded telescopic whips designed to be used attached to the MX series SSB/CW handhelds for 80-6 meters. Of course, they work equally well on any HF or 6m portable or handheld, such as the Yaesu FT-817 or the Tokyo Hy-Power HT-750.

Do these antennas actually work? Can you get out with a 2W handheld and a whip antenna on HF? The honest answer is: it depends. All antennas of this sort, no matter who makes them, work better with a tuned counterpoise. If you are willing to walk trailiing a wire these antennas do work well on the upper HF bands (20m and up). I've never had much luck with the AN-7 (40 meter version), but I do make contacts with the AN-18 (17 meter version). This parallels my experience with similar antennas made by Tokyo Hy-Power.

Without a counterpoise you'll receive just fine, but getting out at all becomes quite difficult if not impossible. The SWR is also higher than expected on some bands.

I collect Mizuho equipment and find it to be of generally excellent construction, but the AN series, sadly, are probably an exception. Excessive stress on the BNC connector can cause the antenna to become wobbly as the connector loosens from the rod. The construction of the Maldol or Tokyo Hy-Power antennas is much, much better.

Would I recommend these antennas? Yes, because Mizuho has made them for bands that nobody else has bothered with, and they work as well as anybody elses. However, on bands where Maldol or THP sell comparable antennas, I'd go with those. Of course, if you are simply trying to collect all the matching accessories for you MX handheld, then yes, buy the matching antenna. That's the only reason I can think of to choose their 6, 10, 15, 20, or 40 meter models.