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Reviews For: HyGain TH7DXS

Category: Antennas: HF: Yagi, Quad, Rotary dipole, LPDA

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Review Summary For : HyGain TH7DXS
Reviews: 21MSRP: 869.95
Description:
Trapped tribander 10/15/20 24' boom
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.hy-gain.com/products.php?prodid=TH-7DX
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
23.5214.1
KX2T Rating: 2024-07-30
The original TH6DXX was a better designed antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
In over 50 years in this hobby I have owned two TH6DXX antennas at two different locations plus one TH7DXX at another, both on Long Island NY at similar topographical locals. The TH6DXX had excellent gain for were you set the antenna either phone or cw but that was its main issue but the gain lets say set for phone was better than the TH7DXX cause the element spacing was better. Hy Gain got duped into the KLM trick with dual driven elements that increased bandwidth for your SWR but it actually reduced gain although both companies try to place a spin of some gain was achieved with the two driven element design but that was marketing BS.

The only advantage was with the TH7 was swr but gain with the wider swr bandwidth was less. The traps in the HY Gain antennas were about the highest Q factor of any tri band beam but with higher Q comes less bandwidth so the original TH6 was a better performer for the part of the band you set it for.

Once the F12 C3 and C3E hit the market these multi element Tri Band beams change the whole market and then companies like Optibeam and JK started into the mix with a whole bunch more but the core development went to the original designs of Tom N6BT who was the original designer of these systems far outshining the trap tri band beams but the older designs for when they were developed are still in operation today.
I no longer have the towers I once owned or the property but between the TH7 and the TH6 both that were at 50' I strongly feel the TH6 was the better of the two.
KC8YTY Rating: 2024-07-30
Decent Tri bander Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Decent Tri bander. Trap caps can come off easy if not secured
WD0ERU Rating: 2021-06-10
Not the same as it used to be; never again. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Back in the mid 1980's I purchased a TH7DX from Hy-Gain and it was an excellent experience, from the initial purchase, delivery, assembly and finally getting it on the air.

Today, however, is a completely different story. First, let me say I'm glad I made the purchase through DX Engineering. Their level of customer support is second to none. When the antenna arrived, it was in good shape, and what I should have done was immediately go through both boxes and account for parts and hardware. I didn't. Instead, I waited until we were ready to assemble it and get it up on the tower (this was 2 months after receiving the antenna).

To make a long story short, we had 4 missing aluminum elements, a broken trap cap, and a variety of missing hardware for assembly. They even threw in some parts that weren't for the TH7DX. So, got on the phone with DXE and they said that they'd have the manufacturer (MFJ) send the missing parts out as soon as they can. I figured, OK, we can handle that. The next day, we started assembling what we could and a couple of the tiny plastic end caps for the tubes that extend from the traps just fell out somehow??? I found them lying on the floor.

It was that moment that I said, this is completely ridiculous, and there was no way I was going to put this antenna atop my tower and have to potentially service it every year or two because of less than satisfactory craftsmanship and bad quality control.

So, I contacted DXE and they agreed to take it back and refund the entire purchase price, plus, they sent out shipping labels so I didn't have to pay for return shipping. That's the way to run a company! They also said that when I get the replacement parts, no need to send them back. I have since placed an order for an Optibeam OB9-5HD-P from DXE and it will be here in a couple months.

Moral of the story, if you must have a TH7DX, when you get it, immediately do an inventory of every single part and nut and bolt, because I can assure you, something will probably be missing. And if you purchase one, use DXE, they are great to work with when things don't exactly go right.
PY2KNK Rating: 2017-04-18
excelent performance Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Recently put on my first tri-band antenna, chosen the TH7DX, I'm impressed by the performance, compared to my mono bands of the same size, I can say that I compared in real time, and I made sure that TH7DX outperformed my antennas in most situations Mono bands of my building.

Antenna very well built, stainless steel screws, excellent finish, bandwidth I can say that if you were to choose between monoband antenna and the TH7DX, would certainly choose TH7DX.

I do not give a maximum rating for Hy Gain TH7DX, because there were two wrong-fit clamps, and two bolts were missing, which fixed the alignment of the boom, I had to put others bought here in Brazil, and I did not find stainless steel, Traps with loose screws, then quality control below that expected for an antenna with this name and tradition.

I hope MFJ pay attention not to lose new customers, because the antenna is really an excellent acquisition, and I can say that it is a multi-band with superior mono-band performance of the same size, no doubt.

In a few years I would like to come back here and report on the durability of the parts and survival over time.

I hope my opinion can collaborate with other colleagues on a new acquisition.

Best regards

73

Leonardo Zucon PY2KNK
TF3CY Rating: 2015-02-14
good antenna but with problems Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought the TH-7DX few years back new - I had not owned many yagi antennas before - just a FB33. I was bit surprised how hard it was to assemble and measure - lot of places to get wrong. The tapering of the elements where quite bad and to much space. the clamps for the thinnest elements where to big and not enough tapering - so they rattled inside the larger tube. I took down the antenna after few winters here in TF land - as I constantly had to pick up parts around the garden. I had already put some screws through - So it was either to fix the issues, drilling and putting screws through the tubes or try another antenna. I bought a Optibeam OB9-5 and there is a huge difference there, no comparison in build quality and ease of assembly. You really don't need the manual. (but the OB9-5 is double the price)

But on the air it's a good performer - good forward gain and FB - so I have no complaints about SWR - but being a trapped yagi - I sometimes noticed difference in SWR in heavy rain/snow situations - but nothing serious.

I bought the TH7DX because I had heard good stories about the mechanical side of the antennas - we have had some TH series many years here in TF - but I think production must be slipping.

73, Benni TF3CY
N3US Rating: 2014-09-20
Great for a Trap Antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
My Hygain (pre-MFJ) TH7-DXX was up at 73 feet for 20 years at my central OK QTH. The performance was great, I made top of the Honor Roll with it, the excellent FB ratio was excellent, and the antenna withstood many ice and severe wind events. However, the original BN-86 failed after just a few years due to its poor quality construction. Its SWR rose significantly after rain because the traps plastic end caps deteriorated after 12 years. At my new QTH in central VA, I went with a Bencher Skyhawk to avoid both trap based and stepping motor based antennas.
WR0F Rating: 2013-04-07
Amazing @ 55 ft Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I put up a TH7DX up in June 2012 and have very good results . I had one up back in the late 80's previous so we knew the track record of this antenna .
I did have 2nd thoughts and I should have done it differently now I should have put up the TH11DX as it comes with the BN 4000 balun standard a $109 option on the TH7DX .
I replaced my BN 86 with the BN 4000 as we was planning on running a KW+ . Hy-gain should include the better balun with this antenna
We easily break pileups on 10-20 meters and it has a very good bandwidth on swrs so no antenna tuner is needed with the factory setup.
I have been very happy with the antenna @ 55 ft up . I hope to put it up another 20 ft higher in the summer 2013 .
KI0Z Rating: 2012-11-17
Good not Outstanding Time Owned: more than 12 months.
put up the TH-7 on a Triex 70' Remote crank up tower. It was good in all respects yet needed to be @70 ft to start working on long haul dx. it was gud for 13 years then went to the TH-11. WHAT A DIFFERENCE !!!! @ 40' IT WAS AMAZING !! CLEARLY THE LOG CELL WITH SAME BOOM MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE AND LONG HAUL DX WAS NOT A PROBLEM WITH 5 WATTS OR LESS WITH GOOD PROP... THE TH-11 is AN OUTSTANDING ANTENNA . LOVE THE TH-11 WITH MORE GAIN THAN THE 204BA Monobander on 20m MILL SPECKS (NO GROUND GAIN) now if it only had 30 m. 73 KI0Z Dave
VE7GBV Rating: 2012-11-17
comparison with the Optibeam - TH7 could be better ... Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I recently built an Optibeam 16-3 for 10-15-20m and now have refurbished our 20-year old TH7DX. Building the Optibeam was a pleasure - top quality components that almost assembled themselves.
The TH7? - not so much. The boom has been bent by the wind, the plastic components have failed- the trap endcaps especially - the tabs which bond the trap cases to the elements have broken, and it's impossible to get a wrench on the nuts inside the too-small phasing lines.
The TH7 costs less than the Optibeam - and you get what you pay for.
XE2LTH Rating: 2012-02-23
The Hy Gain TH 7 DX Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is the antenna that I have and have in the tower witout maintenence for More than 30 YEAR's ,I have no problems until now but was because the tower was rebuild and increase 15 centimeters and dont give the correct cable to rotate but I have a very good repoert over the world. If the cable was get larger I dont think to have anny problem's