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Reviews For: LNR Precision End-Fed Half-Wave Wire Antennas

Category: Antennas: HF: Verticals; Wire; Loop

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Review Summary For : LNR Precision End-Fed Half-Wave Wire Antennas
Reviews: 272MSRP: 52 to $125 Depending on Band
Description:
End-fed, half-wave wire antennas..
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.LnRprecision.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
002724.9
K5OX Rating: 2010-09-29
Best Wire Antenna ever used in 40+ Years Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just bought a EH-20 (low power 20 Meter version) as I was getting no where with a shortened vertical in attic on a QRP 5 WATT Rig.

I am unable to climb at this time so my wife did the hard work, and I stayed below.

First, however I wanted her job as easy as possible and using my past antenna experience low angle radiation is most important so I started at the floor of my closet in the bedroom used as a ham station. Mounted the box as low as possible. This left about 9 feet of vertical wire going up and then increased it by making a hole for a 3 ft length of PVC tubing. This provided a feed through for the insulated wire and elimination of it coming in contact with the foil on the insulation. From there I gave my wife instructions to stay away from large metal objects and to stay at least two feet from the roofing material itself as the roofing material was foil backed and an expensive upgrade to the house for energy savings. I didn't order the options the buyer who's loan fell through did I got stuck with a hams nightmare a shield around my antenna.

But my wife insisted on finishing the job in one operation she kept going up and up by throwing the wire over a rafter but using 2 foot tie wraps to hold the wire away from the rafters. The wire ended at a point that she had to use a step ladder (it was safe the attic has a walking track) then she went for the gold and through over the highest rafter and tied the string off holding he insulator to it.

All in all this gives a inverted L with the top sloping up at a rather modestly steep angle ending at 25 - 28 ft high.

But for QRP it is a superb antenna as it seems to work fine on higher angle stuff and lower angle because of the 12-13 foot vertical at the beginning.

About the shielding. They are 4 X8 sheets and not contiguous because there is a 2 " gap or so between the foil on each adjacent sheet. It seems to not have any real shielding effect at 20 meters but does at VHF and UHF.

Larry at LNR is one of the most customer service oriented individuals I have met. He juggled his schedule to make sure I got same day delivery. I had hoped for my sons to be here that week end but they had mandatory things come up they had to be elsewhere so my wife deserves something really nice for what she did and I'll make sure that happens.

Proof is in the pudding I guess. Before I was lucky if I made one 339 contact a night, now 559 is the lowest I get and lots of 569 an 579s. and I've only been back on the air for two months and my longest contact was 1,100 miles from Houston to NC. And yesterday I got a 559 from Victor in Torrent, Spain.

I live in a one story house but it has a very high pitched roof but my trees are not even 20 feet in the backyard and HOAA restrictions enforce no antennas except Dish local TV. So better to not be seen.

On tuning you would think that I would have a hard time tuning. I put about a 15 foot piece of coax needed to get to the rig and using a SWR/POWER meter my calculations using their chart were almost exact -- I ended up with 1.2: 1.0 on 14.050. And I no longer use my tuner. It would just add more loss.

The rig I use new TENTEC R 4020 which is a great rig but I don't have time to write a full review on that yet. As I go for surgery so that I may get up in the attic myself in the future.

You Cannot go wrong with LNR and his PAR line of antennas. The change in ownership seems to indicate faster service -- at least so far to me. Give it a try. Their box at the end is magic and eliminates all the horrible problems we hear about Zepps.
VE3WPN Rating: 2010-09-20
Add me to the Complete Satisfaction List Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
To repeat what many others have said, excellent service, excellent product.
I ordered from Canada at the last minute and Larry came threw like a scholar.
I am on my way to France and needed an EF-20.
My kit will consist of an Icom 706MK2G, EF-20 and an EF-40.
I made a test run last night and my tuner will be staying home.
Listen for F\VE3YC from Vimy Ridge and the Normandy Beaches Starting September 27-2010 to October 09 2010 (20,40 Meters, phone)
I will be coming at you with my trusty Icom and my LnR Precision EF-20 - EF-40.
K8UPR Rating: 2010-09-17
New Owner-same great service Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Ordered an EF-40 from Larry at LnR Precision who is the new owner of the former Par Endfedz.
Like many others, I have used Endfedz from Par in the past with great success, so I know it is an effective antenna. Only unknown was service from the new owner. Ordered and received my new EF-40 within a week.LnR replied quickly with my order comfirmation and expected shipping.Same quality product with great customer service!
N4SRQ Rating: 2010-09-17
Great Bang for the Buck Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
How simple can it get. My first experience with the 20M version was to toss it over a tree limb in a somewnat inverted v fashion. Using my 5W QRP rig I hit my first PSK station in France - almost 5K miles distant. This thing is so portable I keep in in a plastic ziplock bag and throw in my field bag.

Trimming it is foolproof. I had inadvertantly trimmed off a little too much from the radiator - my bad - not paying attention - no problem though. I simply added a short length of wire (provided) to the lug and brought it right into resonance.

Since no depolying position is the same, I keep a few various length wires in the bag so I can adjust for different deployment topography.

It uses about 18 guage wire on a teflon like coating sheath so that the wire slides easily over branches.

Overall, it works great and the price was reasonable. I am using the 40M one as well and all the above comments apply to that flavor as well - just need a larger ziplock to put the 66' radiator in.
KI5SO Rating: 2010-09-09
12 meter working super on 11 meters! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This is my follow-up report on the end fed 12 meter antenna. I cut it down to turn 11 meters and I can truly say it works equal to an Antron 99 or Shakespeare Big Stick. I have it vertical right now with the feedpoint about a foot off the ground. I talked to a mobile over 20 miles away, no linear either way, and it's hearing everything. The matchbox on this end fed is a magic box. By the way, if you ever cut too much off the wire you can add a wire stub on the match box. Just wrap a wire around the bolt and tighten the nut. Trim that wire as needed. And let me add, I should have bought a 10 meter end fed and added the stub. I think this would have been better and would not push the limits of the matchbox. Anyway, no matter where you live or what constraints they put on antennas, the par end fed antennas can get you on the air in fine style. Later, I plan to throw up a line and pull this antenna on up in the air. I'm a very happy customer.
K3LU Rating: 2010-08-27
Simple and Amazing Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Wanted a quick antenna to get started on 30 meters and also that I could take down for portable use. The EF-30 works very well. Customer service is great. There's a reason these antennas are rated so highly and with so many reviews. It's because they work. The worlds greatest antenna? No. The best portable wire antenna? YES! Hands down. I wish they would come out with a 60 meter version next.
K6IEA Rating: 2010-08-15
Can be used on 80 meters too! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
According to Dale Parfitt, manufacturer of the Par End Fedz, you can use an EF-30 as a vertical quarter wave antenna for 80 meters if you attach it to a suitable ground/counterpoise.

I ran an EF-30 as a sloper attached to a counterpoise and it worked fine for regional NVIS, with a 59 signal report at 200 miles using 10 watts SSB.

Dale doesn't emphasize this on his site, but it works and I think others who may need to throw up an 80 meter NVIS antenna should know about it.
VE3TWM Rating: 2010-08-10
Inexpensive and Effective Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Several years ago I purchased the EF-40 40m version to complement my tri-band 20/15/10 TGM mini-quad (an antenna whose small size belies its prowess as a 20m antenna - see my review on that antenna from more detail). I installed the EF-40 antenna as a sloper with the fed end approx. 35 feet up on my tower sloping down to a 20 foot Jackite pole in a rear corner of my lot (direction sloping to the East).
Previously I had owned a number of other antennas for 40 meters including a G5RV, a Hy-Gain 18AVT, an Alpha Delta DX-B sloper and an MFJ nightmare I would prefer to forget. In my estimation, all were more difficult to deploy and resulted in significantly lower performance on 40m than the Par EF-40.
One installation tip I feel I should pass along; in the documentation I received with the EF-40, tuning instructions indicated removing 6 inches of wire would result in the resonant frequency increasing by approximately 50 kHz. I found that prior to trimming the antenna, it was resonant at 6950 kHz. Since I wanted the antenna to be resonant at mid-band (7150 kHz), I cautiously lopped off 18 inches only to find to my dismay the antenna was then resonant at 7450 kHz. Learn from my mistake and trim in much smaller increments or just wrap the extra wire around the end of the antenna.
Despite my installation issue, this antenna has been the best 40m antenna I have ever used. It enabled me to get on 40m with an effective signal despite the small size of my property. I routinely work across North America and into Europe on LSB only.
I have since purchased End Fedz for other bands and continue to be impressed with the value and quality. If you do not mind the single band limitation and can get the antenna up into the clear, you'll put out a nice signal for a small investment.
I have used these antennas for Field Day the past couple of years with the focus on 40m and 20m. Running a single rig with an antenna switch, two ops, a leisurely work ethic and the antennas strung up between 20-30 feet up and not in the clear, we have averaged 160 QSOs per event. I am thinking about setting the EF's up in a vertical orientation next year with a couple of tall Jackite poles (I love those things) providing support. Whichever way I go, at least 1 EF will be part of my Field Day effort.
One last note: Dale indicated to me someone has copy-catted his design and is selling a knockoff for a lower price. After hearing about this I ordered myself a second EF-20. In my estimation, since the design is Dale's own, do the right thing by paying a few bucks extra for the Par and get the original. Let's encourage the inventors in the ham radio market and shut the door on those who would put the innovators out of business.
73 from Tracy VE3TWM
NS5U Rating: 2010-07-31
Solid and Simple Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
These are well made and effective. Lightweight means they will pack well and hang easily. Dale is first rate all the way.
W5WRJ Rating: 2010-07-27
The best there is..... Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Just got my DXCC Phone. And a Par End-Fed 20 Meter accounted for over 50% of the contacts. The design, quality and customer service are a 5+. I have it up about 55' as a semi-slope coming back to my 2nd floor shack. So I have my WAS, WAC and DXCC in 2 years with lousy band conditions......Thanks, Dale