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Reviews For: High Sierra HS-1800/Pro

Category: Antennas: HF Mobile & Accessories

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Review Summary For : High Sierra HS-1800/Pro
Reviews: 77MSRP: 300-$500
Description:
For General Mobile use. Light weight, high performance and covers entire HF spectrum. Uses new custom Black Hawk motor. Available with semi-automatic control box.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.cq73.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00774.7
W9ATB Rating: 2007-11-12
Outstanding Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Recently moved to restricted subdivision so no wire antennas. Purchased this antenna after reading the reviews on Eham. Can't add anything to what's already been said. Worked some good DX on 30 meters, nothing rare but not bad for a mobile antenna on a tripod in the back yard. It does what the folks at High Sierra says it will do!!!!!!! If you live in a restricted area and looking for a great antenna this is the one.
KC4CP Rating: 2007-05-16
Excellent Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I should be review number 52 & with 52 reviews, how is it possible that this antenna gets a perfect 5 rating from all? Simple, it is an awesome antenna! Really, seeing that it has 52 perfect 5.0 reviews should say it all (but alas, I have more to say). :-)

I have run many different HF antennas, and the High Sierra 1800 is as good as they get. I originally owned the 1500 series, then went to the 1800. A while back, I sold my SUV & sold the 1800 (thinking that I would not want a large antenna on my new Maxima). But the HF mobile bug hit once again, and I bought another 1800.

While there probably are other HF antennas that perform equally as well (or nearly as well), there are 2 things that separate High Sierra from the others. First, their customer service is superb. Second, you can buy everything that you need ... and it is all "plug and play."

I especially love the brillant quick disconnect system that they use on the base of the antenna. It allows me to remove the antenna in just seconds. The base of the antenna has a recessed, brass, cone shaped, insert ... and the top of the mount has a protruding, brass, cone. Set the antenna on the mount and the connection is made! Brilliant!

On 6-20 meters, most HF mobile antennas will do okay. But 40-80 meters is where it gets tough. And even on 40-80 meters, the HS 1800 really shines! On 75 meters, I often hear: "I can't believe you are running mobile." For me, 40-80 meters is the most fun on mobile HF & on these bands, there is no better antenna then the 1800!

For the record, my present set up is the HS 1800 & Knwd 480HX (great combination). I always use a receiver hitch mount (I install one on all my vehicles) & High Sierra's hitch - antenna mount (with the tilt over option)& High Sierra's vertical mounting bracket. With this set up, the antenna has plenty of support, can be moved out of the way when using the trunk, & (as I already noted) can be removed or put back on - in seconds.

NOTE: These are large antennas ... but they transmit Big Signals!
W6FH Rating: 2007-02-25
Excelent - Very rugged Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had my HS-1800/Pro for 6-7 yrs. and have enjoyed many local and DX QSO's with it. I get allot of comments like,"I can't believe you're a mobile!" Not only is it a high quality, easy to tune antenna, it is very rugged also. I have it mounted to the side of my Draw Tite hitch receiver on my Toyota 4X4 and it has gone through quite allot of off-roading and just keeps on working. I have had to replace the whip a couple of times when I hit tree limbs at high speed and they got a little bent, but never have damaged the body of the antenna. In fact, one time, I forgot to take the whip off when I backed into my garage, and all it did was snap off the stud at the base of the whip, which was easily replaced.

Jim, the owner of HS Antennas has been very helpful with any questions, parts or problems I've had over the years, such as adding a ground strap when I had trouble tuning on 40M, since I used a custom made side mount. I can't believe how fast I get delivery of any parts I order from him.

I just can't say enough about the quality of this antenna, from the durable, powder coated tube to the tough Black Hawk motor, and the Staeless steel spring, used for the contact with the coil, instead of the Beryllium Fingerstock that the competition puts in their antennas. High Sierra is the cream of the crop of motorized mobile, or base antennas. I know I'll get many more years of use out of it.
W0LTL Rating: 2006-11-18
Excellent Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Saw the ads for the El Dorado package, and while I thought it was a little expensive, ordered it and installed it today. Just in time for some of the SSB SS contenst. Wonderful antenna! High qulaity, efficient, easily installed, all the necessary stuff included, wonderful experience. While it is not my old 18HT, if I can hear it I can work it. It is doing an excellent job. Great antenna for the money, it is roof high about 15 feet above the ground, using the supplied short radials, adn if I hear it I can work it with the 100 watts. Pretty impressive antenna system.
73
G3VXY Rating: 2006-11-10
BASE STATION USE Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought an HS1800 Pro about a year ago from the UK supplier Waters & Stanton and am using it as a base station antenna. I had been looking for an antenna that didn't look like one to the untutored eye - neighbours + garden proud wife. I made up a test rig from scrap wood and laid out radials as per the manual. It tuned up treat in various locations. I installed it on the fence close to the ground so as to bury the radials and for the stock to be relatively unobtrusive against the black fence. I put a 1m x 5m chicken wire mesh beneath the feedpoint and laid out the recommended 32', 16',11'at 90 degs, 0 to 270. I then ran 4m radials at 15 deg intervals and threaded them into cracks in the 0.5m patio slabs. To the rear there is not much radial pattern as I am on the fence, although there is some.

It tunes up a treat with SWR 1:1 on all bands except 1.8 MHz which is a bit finicky but I get 1.5:1 with patience. I am very satisfied with it electrically and in its construction. I use the recommended motor drive times for a frequency band and they are sufficiently accurate. Sometimes I have to tweak it a second or so,

My only beef is the small size of the switch on the antenna controlbox. Holding it down for 108 seconds (end to end) is a pain as it is a miniature type.

I run up to 100W on a Kenwood TS570D with an MFJ-934 ATU between it and the HS1800. The shack is on an upper floor and an artificial ground is not needed. I only operate CW and subject to propagation it does all it should in terms of QSO.
2E1RDX Rating: 2006-09-03
Great Stealth antenna Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have had this antenna up for only a couple of days it's mounted at around 7m on a small mast and I have put a Butternut STR-II Radial kit on it 4 Radials that slope down at from the base of the antenna to around 2m AGL I have worked 7Z1SJ, RU9ZM, EK0W/P, JF1SQC, all on 20m ssb also V55O/p on 15m RA9CDW on 18m and EK0W/P on 40m I can't tune 12m or 80m with it but that will be my Radial system not the antenna I must say that I didn't expect such good results with this antenna at the bottom of the Cycle and when conditions were not great !!!!
rgds Ian
KK5ZD Rating: 2006-06-16
very good product Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I've used hamsticks before which wasn't that great. I had a bugcatcher(not texas) which worked great, but since they are not made anymore, and I didn't want to drill holes in my new truck to install the tuner, remote mounted radio, etc, I decided to go for a motorized antenna. I researched several and decided upon the high sierra platinum package. I have it mounted on my aluminum toolbox.
I installed the antenna according to the instructions sent and I've had great success with it. I get good reports constantly and I work a lot of eighty meters. This is a well built antenna, and one reason I chose the platinum package is because I wanted everything I needed to mount it. I didn't want to get the antenna, then find the whip, get the control box, etc. This way I was able to mount it after receiving it without going to a store for more parts to mount it with. Again, I can recommend this product without hesitation.
N7EO Rating: 2006-05-16
Super after sale service Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The HS-1800 is mounted in the bed of a F-250 on the rear of the cross bed toolbox. Used with a TS-B2000 the HS-1800 has provided super service with excellent reports. The motor failed due to moisture after two years of service. The warranty is as stated - HS replaced it and resealed the antenna. A company that stands behind their equipment warranty has my admiration and repeat business.
N8JCN Rating: 2006-04-02
Great performer & value Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I had a version of the Texas BC, tried Hygain, but the 1800 pro always gets me great signal reports!

N7FGF Rating: 2006-01-19
Great antenna and well designed..... Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I live in a 5th wheel travel trailer, in a trailer park. They don't like the idea of big antenna's and I wanted something to be able to use while camping.. NOT something you'd have to put together at camp, like a pole and a mast. I have my High Sierra antenna mounted on the ladder which goes to the roof of the travel trailer, along with some other antenna's up there for VHF/UHF voice and packet. I am impressed with the quality of High Sierra and really thought this out before any purchase. SWR is low, the antenna does get out. I have seen some "homebrew" antenna's like the High Sierra.. But never the quality. Very impressed with everything about the antenna. Sure I have to take the whp off when traveling, but not all the mess like some other folks.... Mast, clamp connectors and ground straps... It's just up the ladder to put the whip on and I am done... Any antenna in this trailer park will pick up QRM due to all the power lines around here... But I did take a trip away from QRM and the High Sierra works for me... BTW, I have an 80 percent hearing loss, voice is not easy for me.. So I am pretty picky about what I use.. It's not the volume... It's the equipment and how clear the signal comes thru.... I usually don't say much about products.. But when something as good as the High Sierra... Which is a quality product.. It's great... In May of 2006 we will be going on a yearly camp out.... Way out in the sticks.. I can't wait to get the travel trailer there and play radio.. My brother used to say QRM was so low there, you could hear a pin drop on HF... Jim at High Sierra was GREAT about addressing my concerns before purchase.