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Reviews For: W5GI Mystery Antenna - K4TR Antenna Mfg & Wireman

Category: Antennas: HF: Verticals; Wire; Loop

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Review Summary For : W5GI Mystery Antenna - K4TR Antenna Mfg & Wireman
Reviews: 25MSRP: 53.99 to 172.99
Description:
Design by John W5GI. This antenna is a collinear array and resembles a G5RV with lots of gain on 20m. Works on the low bands with a tuner and out performs a G5rv on 40, 80, and 160m. It has 6 lobes broadside, and gain is amazing. If you live in a restricted area and have a way to put up a wire antenna that is 100 ft in total length, and has 6db gain on 20m, this is the antenna for you.

Available from Wireman and K4TR Antenna Mfg & Sales:

http://www.thewireman.com/

http://www.k4tr.com

Product is in production
More Info: http://www.k4tr.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00254.8
NZ4O Rating: 2009-02-25
Good Antenna Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Recently I purchased a W5GI mystery antenna from K4TR antennas at http://kk4tr.tripod.com/index-10.html. The K4TR version is constructed much better than the version from the Wireman.

The multiband antenna performance is better than my old G5RV and works really good on 20 meters.

73 & GUD DX,
Thomas F. Giella, NZ4O
Lakeland, FL, USA
N2YHN Rating: 2008-12-15
strong performer Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
i recently got the kit version and put it up in an inverted v config up about 60 feet ,i am able to tune pretty much between 10-80 either with the rigs tuner or an outboard palstar , i run an ft-1000mp and fl-7000 putting out about 500-600 watts , i am able to work anything i hear with mostly 5/9-5/9+ reports with marginal band conditions, i haven' t had the chance to see how it will bust a pileup as of yet (have not heard any good dx -peds lately),cant wait to get till band conditions improve. nevertheless i can not say enough about the performance of this antenna, it kicks butt!
WB0UZW Rating: 2008-06-20
Very Good Antenna Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I replaced a G5RV with John's Mystery Antenna. I bought the kit. Took a couple hours to assemble and put up. First thing I noticed is how the noise level dropped a couple db and signals were stronger. Next was how easy it is to tune. I have loaded it on 160 with a Palstar AT-Auto but it's touchy on 160 with this little amount of wire. So it's not for 160 and doesn't claim to be. 80 through 6 are great!
It works great. The G5RV will stay on the shelf. I'm going to build a super loop and compare the two. Should be fun.
Enjoy.
N1FYQ Rating: 2005-09-19
Exceeds my expectations Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
My QTH is in a large heavily wooded lot and has few viable antenna options. My last house came with a built-in 60ft Rohn tower and rotator so putting up a beam was a no-brainer. No such option here. I considered a vertical on the roof peak (where my discone lives now) but guying options are limited. After reading the W5GI reviews here and reading the online materials I thought I'd give it a shot. I ordered the kit from Wireman and received it within a few days. Assembly was simple and straight forward with good instructions and photos. I raised the antenna in a grove of 100ft white pines and oak about 100ft from my house. The center is ~35ft high with the ends at ~25ft and with an angle between the legs of about 150deg. Keep in mind the antenna is beneath a rather formidable tree canopy. Despite the currently compromised band conditions and site challenges I've had great results. All the HF bands between 80m and 10m tune with SWR's less than 1.5 (20m & 40m have SWR's of 1.0). Even the lower 2/3 of the 6m band tune with SWR running around 1.4 to 1.6. Despite this humble set-up I've made my way through several pile-ups, gotten great signal reports and have already made DX contacts on most of the bands. (I've had my General for less than a week). The other thing I've noticed is how quiet the antenna is when receiving. I don't know what more I could ask.
W0QU Rating: 2005-06-15
Disappointing Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I put up a $40 G5RV last summer but wasn't having much luck with DX so I bought the W5GI Mystery Antenna. After getting it up about the same height as the G5RV and running the coax to the ham shack (it was getting dark outside) I rushed to the transceiver with great expectation. Much to my disappointment the $40 G5RV has been consistently better ... when I switch to the Mystery Antenna signals drop considerably, except on 160 where my G5RV doesn't operate.

I must be doing something wrong if everyone else is getting great results.