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Reviews For: KN4TV design manufactured

Category: Antennas: HF Mobile & Accessories

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Review Summary For : KN4TV design manufactured
Reviews: 1MSRP: 369 plus
Description:
HUGE Centre loaded,10m ~ 80m or 20m ~ 160m all stainless steel,giant "bugcatcher" style antenna.
Product is in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0015
ZL1PO Rating: 2020-07-18
Simplicity at its best. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I imported this 'bug catcher' STEALTH 160 antenna some 25 years ago from Fortex Enterprises. It covers 160m through to 20m and 20m upwards by fitting a shorter whip.

Compared to anything else I have fitted to a vehicle this antenna is HUGE.Being 3.5m long with a huge loading coil and large diameter mast I refer to iot as a 'bird catcher'.Due to its mass and wind loading it does require a heavy duty mounting system and anchor point.
The stainless steel HI-Q "bird catcher" loading coil is supplied with a series of adjustable banana jack "plug and play" sockets.The operator will preset it to desired frequencies of choice and a flying "hot" lead is used to QSY. Mine is currently set for 1850kHz,3615kHz,3760kHz,5353kHz and 7097kHz.

An adjustable stainles stell shunt inductive matching unit is employed at the base of the antenna which raises the feed point impedance of the antenna closeer to 50ohms.
The 'skin effect' of stainless steel against other properties is debatable.

I have compared the Stealth against helical whips and both gave similar TX RX results, with one exception. The STEALTH 160m 'bird catcher' will handle lots power, which is what I wanted it for.

PROS:
When completely adjusted this is a set and forget system.
Little to no maintenance required.
Will handle lots of power
Draws crowds at the HAM Fest car parks.
Works as described.

CONS:
Expensive in the day.
Out dated by the screwdriver style antennas.
Very tall at 3.5m
When mobile to QSY you have to stop and change the banana plug fly lead tap point on the loading coil.
A heavy duty mounting anchor point required.
Don't try the drive through or building car parks