| N9CC |
Rating:  |
2008-12-14 | |
| Awsome 66ft Low Band Vertical |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I just added the new 66 foot Vertical from Zerofive antennas to my station. I use this vertical for 40/80 meters , I still have my 43 ft and use it on the higher bands. The 66 footer is the new Extreem Series that Tom custom built for me. OH and it is Freestanding.No guys needed. It is feed with a 4 to 1 UNUN at the base trough 80feet of LMR 600 Ultraflex. All I can say is this Vertical plays great on the low bands.The build is massive as well as the craftmanship .All needed for long haul DX .I will continue to buy products from this company because of the craftmenship and massive construction of everything Tom makes.Thank's Tom for another fine work of art. If you like to see the instalation pictures of the 66 footer please E-Mail me. Remember you allways get what you pay for . Only the best will do for me ,We only live once .
Tnx De Gus N9CC |
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| K9ON |
Rating: |
2008-11-02 | |
| Excellent antenna Excellent quality |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
I met Tom the designer of this antenna thru a friend. The three of us installed the 43' model at my friends QTH and Tom stayed until the job was finished including hooking up his analyzer for a complete all band check out. I was as impressed with with the antenna as I was with Tom and his attention to detail. About 3 weeks later I went to Tom's place and purchased the 43' 10 thru 160M vertical for myself. I was never a big fan of vertical antenns although I have owned quite a few in my ham career since 1959. This thing really works. My installation is fairly in the clear and I have 45 radials in the ground ranging from 66' down to 20' long as space permitted. I needed something to work the bands below 30M and that is mostly what I use it for and I can say it does the job. I am working more DX now than my so called 1/2 wave no ground radial antennas ever did. I use mostly 100W on CW and I usually can connect on the first or second call. In pileups that is not always the case and sometimes I will have to use the amp. but I always get in without too much effort.
While picking up my antenna at Tom's place I got a chance to talk with him and watch him work.
Every antenna is individually made by him with strict attention to detail and not in some factory by a foreigner making a couple bucks an hour who doesn't know a vertical antenna from a fishing pole. Any of you guys old enough to remember the Telrex brand of antennas by which all other antennas were judged by, this is the new standard. Support is excellent. Tom is not satisfied until you are. This is product built by a ham for hams. |
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| KC0W |
Rating: |
2008-10-26 | |
| ZD7X says, "Flame Thrower" of an antenna!!! |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
Here are the results of using a 43' ZeroFive antenna on St. Helena island for my 11 month DXpedition as ZD7X.
In a nutshell, over 45,000 QSOs on 10 - 80 meters. To say the antenna performed GREAT would be an understatement!!! St. Helena has some of the most extreme winds in the world. Gusts of 50+ MPH for a week straight are not unusual at all. The antenna handled anything & everything that Mother nature could throw at it without a wimper. After 11 months the vertical was just as straight as the day I put it up.
I did go to extreme measures in terms of laying down ground radials. I put down over 3,000 feet of radials. All of the extra work was worth it in the long run as the results speak for themselves.
I ran 100 watts for 90% of my 45,000 QSOs. I lost track of how many times fellow amateurs would tell me that I had, "the only signal on the band". On my end of the pileups, the receive aspect of the antenna were just as wonderful.
After all was said and done:
45,000 QSOs
25,000 CW QSOs & 20,000 SSB QSOs
214 Countries
All 50 States (many times over)
2nd place in the world in 2007 CQWW SSB (15 Meters)
1st 2nd or 3rd finishes in literaly DOZENS of other contests during the 2007-2008 contest season.
I believe that no single operator will ever again make 45,000+ QSOs in under a year using a ZeroFive antenna!!!
I'm now in Cambodia ready to start a 1+ year DXpedition to Vietnam, Laos, Thailand & Cambodia.....When you work me from one of these four countries (chances are you will) it will be a ZeroFive antenna on my end of the pileups.
Tom, ZD7X, TO0O, KC0W |
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| WD4ELG |
Rating: |
2008-10-05 | |
| First 48 hours - outstanding |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
No surprise, though. Look at the reviews here. Read the website. Talk to Tom Leakakos (N9ZV) at Zero Five antennas. You get what you pay for!
Let me first talk about Tom, and my perspective. If you look on eham, you will see I have invested a LOT of time and money into antennas. My XYL thought I was insane to put $1K into this vertical, and she was not too thrilled that I was asking for birthday, Christmas, and anniversary gifts for this year AND next year all in one! But after I shared with her my experiences via email and over the phone with Tom, she understood what I saw as customer service that has NO EQUAL! Tom is extremely competent, responsive, courteous, and in our conversations over 3 weeks he was the final element of the sale!
My goals:
1. 160 meter presence for 9BDXCC
2. Improved performance over my Cushcraft MA8040V on 80.
3. Improved performance on 40 over my wires which work very well (Buckmaster OCF, Par End Fedz).
4. Ready for long distance DX on the higher bands when sunspots return (someday!)
My comparison: Wires for all bands at no height greater than 32 feet. A Hex Beam at 32 feet on 20 meters that is killer on that band.
My situation: Clay soil, small lot in neighborhood, lots of trees, restricted neighborhood.
My installation: nestled among the trees, the 43 foot vertical is wrapped in black electrical tape. 20 radials, 50 feet in lenght each. 100 watts. CG3000 remote tuner.
My first 48 hours, and the conditions are horrible: SSN = 0, SFI = 68. So I wanted to see what I could do with it in the first 2 days:
160 - too early in the season, band is dead. Nothing heard.
80 - this band is tough to predict. Using ON4UN's low band DXing as a reference, and my moderate results with the Cushcraft, I was not sure what to expect but I had high hopes. With solar flux rock bottom and no spots, 80 has interesting chacteristics. First night on 80 with this thing, I worked a bunch of European stations no problem. I worked the A25/DL7DF DXpedition on the first call, once his signal came up out of the noise about 0400 GMT. Only twice have I ever worked beyond 5000 miles on 80 meters, and under MUCH BETTER CONDITIONS. So here I am working the A25 DXPedition. THAT is impressive! Yep, it works on 80.
40 - lots of Europeans worked no problem. Busted through a big pileup on TA3D with the first call. NICE! Then busted through 6W1SJ pileup first call. SWEET! Worked E51NOU about 0500 UTC, first call. Then got NH7O first call. I have done the same with the wires, but NOT with PILEUPS and only when conditions were better. And DEFINITELY NOT ALL IN ONE NIGHT! Yep, it works on 40.
30 - just a few minutes on this band, worked EA5 easily. Yep, it works on 30.
20 - wide open. Worked into South America. Also snagged some nice ones on the first call: J28JA, D2NX. EXELLENT! Yep, it works on 20.
17 - just a few minutes on this band, worked LX1DL easily. Yep, it works on 17.
15 and up - heard some signals from South America, but was too focused on getting new ones on 20.
Things to remember (check the ARRL antenna book for more details):
1. This is a low angle radiator. It is designed for long distance DX. It stinks as a short-hop antenna under 1500 miles.
2. Vertical antennas are lossy beasts. You need radials. Tom recommends 40 at length 50 foot. I did 20 radials each 50 foot length as my best effort, bent at the end of my lot.
3. Verticals have no gain, no directivity. It is not a yagi, it is omnidirectional.
4. This antenna will have more noise pickup than a horizontal wire.
5. This antenna will not work without a tuner. Some rigs can handle the load with their internal tuner, others cannot. If the tuner is at the rig, some signal will be lost in the coax (depends on length, type of coax, and the SWR). Best performance with a remote tuner.
6. This antenna needs a balun at the base (unless using a remote tuner, as in my case).
So you're asking WHY DID I PUT DOWN $1K for this thing? Why did I get eaten by bugs and sweat a gallon with the radials? Why did I go through 6 rolls of electrical tape to make this baby stealth so the nosy neighbors won't complain? Why did I get blisters from a post-hole digger for the support mast? Because with only 100 watts, I need the BEST radiator available. This is an all-band, rugged, and well-designed unit. IT WORKS. I am going for 9BDXCC and Honor Roll. Will I do it with 100 watts? I am already at 250 worked. But I need something to take me to the next level. THIS ANTENNA IS WHAT WILL DO THAT. Already in 48 hours I am impressed. I can't wait for the CQ WW DX contests!
If you want more info, or are thinking of buying, I strongly recommend you chat with Tom. If you want to email me, I will be happy to share my thoughts and experiences.
73, and watch out you guys on Honor Roll!
Mark, WD4ELG
http://wd4elg.net
wd4elg@arrl.net |
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| W0RIC |
Rating: |
2008-09-19 | |
| Phased ZeroFive's |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
Just worked 6W1SJ in Senegal on the 1st call on 40 meters! USING PHASED VERTICALS! WOW!!!
Phasing these 43' foot Zero Fives are amazing. I can now pull out stations as much as 20dB improvement when phased.
The phasing system is the Stack Match II Plus from Array Solutions. Jay at Array Solutions is great to work with. Fast emails, fast delivery, and a very well built phasing system.
The reports have been as much as 20dB difference when switching from the NE, SW, In-Phase and out.
What a great set-up to have. I am looking forward to the winter DX.
The Zero Five vertical is a MUST HAVE for anyone considering a very well-built, very reliable first-call antenna.
73
Rick
W0RIC
Denver, Colorado
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| K9KEJ |
Rating: |
2008-08-27 | |
| Knocking off DX like crazy! |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
Once again the 43-foot, ZERO FIVE multi-band vertical has come through for me. But I really expected it. On Aug. 27,2008, I reeled them in, by working two BT stations with 5X9 and 10/9 reports(China), a half dozen JA stations (Japan), two HS0 stations (Thailand), a half-dozen mideast stations, UA0(Asiatic Russia, and TA (Turkey)! All this happened before noon central time on 20 meters. In almost every QSO the DX stations ask me what kind of beam I'm running? And once again, when I tell them I'm running the 43-foot ZERO FIVE "bulldozer", they reply in total disbelief! This happens almost every single day. As I've stated before. I've run a variety of different verticals in the past and nothing has ever worked as well for DX as my 43-foot multi-band, Zero-Five. And for all those critics, skeptics, and imitators, if you doubt my achievments, come see the QSL cards on tne wall. I'll even let you operate the station.
Orrin
K9KEJ |
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| W4USR |
Rating: |
2008-08-04 | |
| Smart Choice, Great Fun |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
Last year at this time I had just completed the installation of the mighty Zero Five, 43’ vertical. In a matter of a few days I had a name for this RF radiator .. I call it the Ionospheric Sabre. I replaced a Hy-Gain 14AVQ vertical. How did the Zero Five 43’ Ionospheric Sabre compare to the 14AVQ? Well I will let you come to the conclusion ….The 14AVQ is now used as a barbeque skewer! I have two (2) of these mighty Zero Five radiators, one on the east coast of North Carolina and the other at my main QTH in Cary, NC. Do I love these antennas …. You bet!
Tom, N9ZV, thank you once again for designing and manufacturing such an amazing antenna. I am so pleased to qso with the many crazed Zero Five vertical owners on 40, 20 and 17 meters. Some day you will need to let all of us crazed Zero Five owners know why it works so well. It is over a year and many high wind storms and the mighty Ionospheric Sabre is still playing “BIG TIME RADIO!
Dennis W4USR
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| W1CDX |
Rating: |
2008-07-18 | |
| Finally ... |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
Finally I can write a good review for this Antenna. It took me a few months to finally get this thing working.
At first i thought ... how can over 50 people write reviews for an Antenna that really sucks? Well ... it was my Radial System that sucked, and after running over some of the on ground installed 32 Radials with the Mower and having lost a few more radials to our Dog, I decided to install elevated.
I Cemented a 12' pt 4"x4" into the ground 3' and mounted a 2" dia. 5' pole to the top. The ZF 43' Antenna is now mounted at 12' hight and I cut 4 Radials for each band out of #12 stranded for 160/80/40/20/10 and mounted them isolated and in straight lines from the penninger plate while connected to my MiniVNA Analyser. I cut the Radials for a perfect Z match and the the SWR is mostly below 3:1. My Tuner (MFJ998) if I ever get it back from MFJ's Warranty repair, can tune the rest.
Wow what a diff. This Antenna performes really well AND workes "mostly" with only my Radio tuner.
I 'm very happy with the Results.
73 Steve, W1CDX
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| KK8ZZ |
Rating: |
2008-07-15 | |
| 43 footer well made and a great radiator! |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
Replaced my 33 footer (a pretty good performer by itself!) with the 43 footer in order to gain a better signal on 40 and 75, and have the ability to try 160 next winter. The antenna goes up in a very short time and is made of extraordinarily sturdy aluminum. I used the Penetrox joint material to ensure a non-corrosive connection, assembled the sections in less than a half-hour, and sprayed the antenna with a flat clear Krylon spray to eliminate external oxidation. Though the flat clear takes most of the shine off the aluminum, it still pokes WAY above the house. No complaints from the neighbors, but I asked Tom about flat black/brown/camo paint and he assured me that others have done the same thing with no problem with the antenna (as long as the paint doesn't contain any metallic material, of course). I "recycled" the base from my SteppIR vertical, but redug the hole and added additional concrete to better secure the base in the high winds sure to come from summer storms and winter winds. I bought the optional $38 guy kit, and like the antenna, it is well made and gives a great feeling of extra security when the winds blow. Tom has over 1,500 of these out world-wide and has never lost one to winds, so I'm probably over-engineering my installation, but it makes me feel better, regardless. With an LDG AT-100PRO autotuner, I can tune to any segment of any band 160-6 meters within 2-3 seconds, and frequencies that are already "memorized" are matched virtually instantly. Radials are an ABSOLUTE necessity, and I laid down over 40 until I was satisfied with the match on 40. More to add for 75, but they'll have to be laid down in a bent and zig-zag style to fit within my suburban lot. Looking forward to lots of operation this summer and fall with this fine vertical. Tom is absolutely dedicated to his products, troubleshoots any problems that users might encounter, and stands 100% behind everything. You can't go wrong with this antenna!
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| K6HT |
Rating: |
2008-06-17 | |
| Excellent Performer!! |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
I have tried quite a few vertical antennas in my search for an excellent performer but just couldn't find one. Until I overheard a couple of
guys talking about the ZeroFive vertical antenna.Well curiosity got me and did a research on the antenna and was quite impress with what I have found out.
I called Tom at ZeroFive and he was so helpful before,during and after sale that made my decision real easy. I have the antenna mounted on top of my cushcraftA3S beam antenna and the result is just excellent. Like having a ground plane with the tower acting as my radials. And yes my QTH is quite windy and no sweat the ZeroFive antenna can handle it. Was I happy with the antenna? Yes I'm and customer service from Tom is excellent. |
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