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Reviews For: HUSTLER G6-440

Category: Antennas: VHF/UHF+ Omnidirectional: verticals, mobile, etc

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Review Summary For : HUSTLER G6-440
Reviews: 13MSRP: $129
Description:
6DB GAIN 440MHZ FIBERGLASS ANTENNA
Product is in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00134.5
K4ETN Rating: 2023-03-14
Cost effective and reliable repeater antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I operate a linked 440 repeater system in Northeast TN. I was looking for a cost-effective solution to the commercial folded dipole antennas, which honestly started giving me harness issues.

So, I decided to give the G6-440 a try on one of my repeaters as a test. Mounted atop a 40-foot tower at 2100 ft. The results were impressive to say the least.

I have since changed out to the G6-440 on all of the system repeaters and keep one on hand as a backup if needed. The purchase price makes that possible.

Power handling:
Several of the repeaters run external 100 watt amplifiers. (TPL/Henry) with zero issues.

Although I do sweep every antenna prior to installing it with my Anritsu Site Master, I have never encountered SWR above 1.2:1 in the band. Mid band 442-444 has been consistent at 1.1:1.

Oldest G6-440 is now 7 years in service and the newest 3 years.

A good solution, reasonably priced with good performance.
N4DBM Rating: 2021-02-12
Works very well Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have always had good luck with the Hustler "G" series antennas. I got this G6-440 from another ham (actually the one who wrote the review below about it being in a tree).. I cleaned it up good and ran some tests with the service monitor. It works just as intended with very low VSWR across the advertised band. The fiberglass shell is thick and heavy. It is a great repeater antenna because it does NOT have tiny capacitors in the base like many other ham antennas on the market. It will duplex very well under high power (100 W FM easily). I would not mount it out the top of a tower where lightning is prevalent. It does not need a top sway brace if side mounting. Overall, it works as advertised and I'm very satisfied with the antenna overall.
N5ZR Rating: 2016-05-18
12+ years Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I got this antenna used 12 years ago for my UHF repeater. It has been up on a 40ft tower in 2 different locations. This antenna works great with the duplexer and has great range. I don't know how old the antenna was when I acquired it but it is still doing the job without any signs of deterioration.
KB9RZ Rating: 2015-12-18
I Spoke Too Soon Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Now I have to take back what I said about the G6-440. Had a wind storm. Nothing unusual for Indiana in the fall. Several cracks developed in the fiberglass radome and water got in. Now it's 6:1 VSWR. Hustler won't repair or replace it. It's only 9 months old. I guess I won't be buying any more Hustlers.
W7RF Rating: 2015-04-07
Best UHF repeater / base antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought this new in about 1984 and had it up on my tower in West LA for 23 years. Took it down and moved to Fort Collins, CO in 2007. Installed it there on my tower in 2008 and it has now seen service for about 30 years. It has survived the corrosive air in LA and up to 92 mph winds here in Fort Collins.
Performance is terrific and rock solid. I can work my own little 440 repeater for about 40 miles with the antenna mounted at 45 feet above ground.
I cannot imagine a better or more rugged UHF 5 dBd antenna for base or mountaintop use.

73, Dan "Radiodan" W7RF
KC9YZR Rating: 2014-10-01
Well Mixed Feelings/Results Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Well, I got a hold of a Motorola Micor C54RCB-5195A Repeater, and according to the owner's manual it states that it is a 45-watt version or model, but when I took a cross-hair, or dual needle, SWR - Watt Meter, and hooked it up between the Hustler G6-440 antenna and the repeater, using 50 feet of coax, new by the way, plus the new jumper cable/wire, it showed only 20 watts forward, and 2 watts reflected, power, with an SWR of just under 2:1, around 1:1.8:1 or so on the SWR - Power meter.

However, when I took and tested the transmitted and received range of the repeater, comparing it to the Tram Browning 1481, I did get better results with the G6-440, than when using the Tram Browning 1481, even though the Tram claims more gain than what they claim that the G6-440 has, so as far as that comparison goes, the G6-440 seems to work better.

However I will be going outside, maybe tomorrow, and hoping that the weather will be nice enough, I will see whether I can adjust the SWR to be better.

Now then, I have used a G7 for 2 Meters, and there are 2 sections that you can adjust for best or lowest SWR, but I haven't dealt with a G6-440 before, so I will need to check to see whether I can adjust the SWR on it or not.

Yet another however, the owners manual states that the SWR - Power Meter was calibrated at the factory at the 10-watt level, and at the 100-watt level, and it says in the manual that I may need to calibrate the meter again, using a known power output, or known standard, of something, plus into a dummy load, to calibrate it, so I am not sure whether the 20 watts forward, and 2 watts reflected, power, is the actual or true readings.

so I am not sure whether I should calibrate the meter first, or whether I should try to adjust the SWR first, or do both.

I did adjust the power output on the repeater, and it went down to almost zero output, up to 20 watts of output power, but there's a sticker on the repeater that says that it was putting out 48 watts of power at whatever measurement it stated on the sticker.

So I am undecided about the G6-440 antenna.

Also, I see conflicting reports, on different web sites, as far as how much power the G6-440 can handle, one report says only 100 watts, another says 125 watts, another says 1KW of power, etc., so I don't really know for sure just what the power handling capability is for the G6-440.

If I get a good SWR I am thinking about going to 100 watts on my 440 repeater...I have, just today, put a preamp on it.

I have Owned the G6-440 since September the 16th of this year.
KD8RYP Rating: 2013-07-06
Great antenna Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Great antenna. Looks well built and is a good performer. The highest SWR I got across the 440 band was 1.2-1. I have mine side mounted to a tower.
N8EKT Rating: 2010-12-29
SIMPLY THE BEST! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
In 1994, I ordered my first G6-440.
It arrived in a VERY heavy shipping tube that was
crushed.
I had to cut the shipping tube away to get the Hustler out!
When I did, I found that the hardwood splint that the antenna was fiberglass taped to was broken in half!
To my amazement, the G6-440 survived without a scratch!
I put the same Hustler into repeater service at a commercial tower site and 16 years later it's still working great!
Hustler antennas are simply the BEST ham grade antennas on the market!


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Earlier 5-star review posted by N8EKT on 2004-09-08

THIS ANTENNA IS BUILT TOUGHER THAN ANY OTHER HAM ANTENNA.
6DB GAIN OVER A DIPOLE
SUPER HEAVY DUTY FIBERGLASS ENVELOPE
WITHSTANDS HURRICANE FORCE WINDS
BEST BET FOR REPEATER USE
HAVE HAD ONE IN REPEATER USE FOR 7 YEARS WITH NO PROBLEMS
WA2EHL Rating: 2009-12-30
Excellent performer Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Have had the G6-440 for 14 months thru all the seasons of the year.Wind,ice and heavy rain and still performs as if it were new.SWR still under 1.2. My GE master exec-2 repeater loves it.Well worth the extra $25 UPS shipping charge since it is one piece.Mounting bracket is the greatest compared to brand "D" and "C". And best of all the gain is dbd not dbi.
N1RIK Rating: 2009-06-24
Just works Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Well I don't have too much to say about this antenna except it works and the SWR is ok. I'm running it on a tree supported 45 foot mast at a fellow ham's qth for my 444.200 repeater. SWR is 1.2:1 on the transmit frequency and I have no desense. The antenna appears to be built rugged, and have had good experiences with a Hustler G7-144 for my 2 meter repeater. Coverage is decent. It may not be a DB-420 antenna, however it's cheaper and still built well. If you are going to be sneaking an antenna through a tree, this would be a great antenna to do it with due to the light weight, size, and the fact that the radials are very short so they won't get caught on branches as you extend your mast through the tree. Another local ham (KI4DH) has been running this antenna on his 442.200 repeater for sometime now without any problems. 73 ~ Bill