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Reviews For: Elk Antennas 2M/440L5 5-element log periodic

Category: Antennas: VHF/UHF+ Directional (Yagi, quad, etc.)

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Review Summary For : Elk Antennas 2M/440L5 5-element log periodic
Reviews: 90MSRP: 124.95
Description:
2M Gain 6.8 dbd (8.9 dBi);440 Gain 7 dBd (9 dBi);20 +dB Front to Back Ratio;24 Inch Boom
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.elkantennas.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00904.9
N2NKP Rating: 2007-12-30
A very capable antenna for limited space/indoor applications Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I am currently in an antenna restricted situation (understood when we purchased this property), hence, my normal compliment of VHF/UHF yagis are in storage. Fortunately, I have a very tall attic area for indoor use and I was searching for a short boom beam that would provide good performance on both 2M and 430SSB using a single coax feedline.
The design of the dual band Elk log periodic offered a very good balance of a short 24" boom length (very suitable for my indoor rotor application)and reasonable gain. I have used the antenna for approx. one year and it has certainly exceeded my expectations. Even though it is mounted in an indoor attic environment, the signal patterns and beam width have not suffered, the antenna has exhibited very good gain, SWR on both bands is very low and front to back ratio on both bands is over 20DB.
I have been so impressed that I have now acquired the 6 element version for 220MHZ FM work.
Hams interested in VHF/UHF that have antenna constraints requiring an indoor or very short boom antenna solution should take a close look at the Elk log periodic line of VHF/UHF antennas.
N7LYT Rating: 2007-11-23
Amazing!!! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
The 2/440 is well worth the money. I bought it primarily for AMSAT's but have found that hitting repeaters 150+ miles away is fun too. I was having good success with the AMSAT's with my handheld and a whip. But with the Elk, I've significantly extended my usable talk/pass time. I use my FT-857D for the distant FM work. It's more rugged than I expected, yet light weight and easy to set up.
KD6ITD Rating: 2007-11-07
Light weight, one feedline, fits in the back seat of my truck Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I've had this antenna for one week and made several contacts thru ao-51,so-50 and the ao-27. Its light weight and portable. Its very easy to hold with one hand and operate the radio with the other. Very well made. I like the one feedline for 2m and 440. I called Ray, the owner, with a question and got a response the very same day. Very friendly and helpful.
KI6LBU Rating: 2007-11-07
Exactly as they advertise it!! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Been using a commercial J-pole for 2m/440 operation. I can almost throw stones and hit a couple of the repeaters here so almost anything would be fine for that but I wanted to reach out to some of the distant repeaters. I ran two relatively simple tests.

First. A friend lives about 10 miles from here. On simplex 145.000MHz he couldn't hear me at all nor I him on the J-pole. Switched to the Elk and he had me S6.

Second. Reached out to repeaters in towns 40 - 60 miles from here that I couldn't hear at all with the J-pole and made contact, full quieting, with no trouble at all.

In both of these tests I have some significant hills between the other station and myself. Overall, I'm not sure I could be more pleased.

BTW, If you are interested in looking at the terrain, take a look at Google Earth between Concord, CA (my QTH) and Pittsburg, CA (location of the simplex QSO) and Concord and Sacramento, CA and Concord and Grass Valley, CA. The later two locations are where I now contact the repeaters effortlessly.

Jim, K6JMG
K0TCP Rating: 2007-10-18
Excellent Performance and Customer Service Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I own two of these antennas. The first was installed a couple years ago above two beams (a six meter and a HF tri-bander). It is mounted horizontally at about 35 feet high. I applied the coating to the PVC pipe as recommended by Ray at Elk Antennas for UV protection. The antenna has been through the extremes of Minnesota weather. It has been used mostly for CW and SSB contacts. The SWR is very low across the bands. The second antenna was purchased for portable use. Several contacts have been made with a handheld radio through the ECHO satellite. I really like the ease of assembly and how quick I can change between horizontal and vertical polarization. Another advantage is no duplexer is required with this antenna. Ray always answers my questions promptly. If you are looking for an affordable, lightweight and compact antenna for 2M/70CM, this is an excellent choice!
N6ORB Rating: 2007-09-24
Excellent Portable Antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is an excellent antenna for portable use. Due to antenna restrictions, I can't put up permanent antennas, so even at home I run the same setup as I do away from home. Using this antenna on 12 ft of PVC in my backyard, I got used to making 2M ssb contacts out past 150 miles. In the Sept VHF contest last year I managed a 200 mile contact between my SF Bay area QTH and Fallon Nevada with only 50 watts. Getting across the Sierra (and my neighbors' rooftops) was a big surprise. Even better was this June's VHF contest when I made a 284 mile contact with a guy on Mt. Ashland Oregon. I was using 200 watts this time, but I was surprised to hear him answer my CQ.

The antenna is easy to switch between horizontal and vertical polarization, a feature I used in last year's June VHF contest. I heard two guys talking about a weak station in rare DM08. I was barely able to hear him, but then he said he was using a vertical antenna. I went outside, flipped the antenna 90 degrees, went back inside and worked him easily.

It's not a 5-wavelength antenna suitable for moonbounce, but it's a very good antenna for my purposes. As others have said, assembly and disassembly is quick and easy. At my request, Ray made mine with a type N connector. While it wasn't really necessary, it does show Ray's willingness to occommodate his customers. If anything happened to mine, I'd buy another one immediately.
N7UVH Rating: 2007-09-22
great foxing hunting ant Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
light, easy to put together. good front to back.
Easy to work the birds also.
W6ASL Rating: 2007-09-21
Outstanding for Satellite Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have 3 Elk Antennas. 1 2M/440L5 and 2 440L8 440 Log Periodic. They are mounted on a TV rotor using a frame made of 100 percent black PVC. The top antenna is the dual band 2M/440L5 fixed at +45 degrees elevation. Below this antenna are 2 440L8 antennas modified with a 4 turn helix for RHCP. They are stacked horizontal at 1.4 wavelength. One is fixed at +25 degrees and the other at +45 degrees. The max gain is calculated to be 13.8 dbd at +35 degrees. At +4 and +65 degrees the gain is calculated to be 8.2 dbd. I have copied signals at +4 degrees without a preamp. The performance is oustanding. The Satellites I have used are FO-29, AO-7, VO-52, AO-51, SO-50 and AO-27. In 9 months time I have 100+ grid squares including Hawaii, Alaska, Canada, Mexico and numerous states. The array is inside the house at ground level. The small size allows me to do this. Ray was extremely helpfull in helping me with this design.
F4FJC Rating: 2007-09-19
Very good value for money Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I love it, this is definitely the antenna to have when travelling or going portable : it is very light, fast to assembly and very good performance if plugged to a HT.
The sellers are very friendly and reactive.
Thanks to Ray, W6FYA for all his help.
WA6LOS Rating: 2007-08-21
Great Antenna Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I am the Comms Officer for a combined Navy and Coast Guard Expeditionary C4I unit. Your antenna was a life saver. Our current broadband monopole antenna has very poor performancee especially in the low VHF region. During a big military exercise in the West Coast, we had a hard time establising comms between ourselves and other subordinate units only 5 and 10 miles away. I could not find any solution to our problem using existing antennas in our inventory. I was able to convince one of our government contractor to purchase your 5-element LP at a local HRO outlet. Assembly was a piece of cake...no instructions needed (we call this sailor-proof!!) hooked up the coax cable and it was like night and day. Not only had we established comms between our units, but the audio coming out of the radios was very quiet! We are now looking at this antenna as a back-up for all our comms in the 142 to 143 MHz range. The SWR at this ranges were still below 1.5 to 1.0.