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Reviews For: PAR Electronics, Inc EF-10/20/40

Category: Antennas: HF: Verticals; Wire; Loop

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Review Summary For : PAR Electronics, Inc EF-10/20/40
Reviews: 92MSRP: 59
Description:
The EF-10/20/40 replaces the EF-20/40. Physically identical to the EF-20/40 (39' overall) it adds 10M operation. 25W power limit. No tuner is required.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.LnRprecision.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
15925
N6PG Rating: 2015-02-19
Great performance and well built Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I was suspect of an endfed with no counterpoise, but I've had fantastic results using the trail friendly Par EndFedz. It's easy to deploy and well constructed. The wire gets pulled on when it's up in a tree, and it's holding up well. I have verticals, dipoles, etc... But this is now my favorite field antenna. And it packs up small..!!
KG4LLQ Rating: 2014-06-26
Great Zepp Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I've had my EF 40/20/10 for about a year now & use it as my secondary antenna at my home. I have not trimmed the antenna for 40 meters so my SWR on 40 is at 2:1 across the band. My MFJ 949e solves that problem. On 20 meters it is 1.3:1 and on 10 meters it is also 1.3:1. It even has an SWR on 12 meters of 1.5:1 and on 18 meters 2:1. Here's the key to this antenna: it is a Zepp in which the center conductor of the feedline coax radiates RF through the antenna while the outer skin of the coax feedline radiates RF as common mode current. Therefore aligning the feedline is critical. Keep it away from metallic objects and run the feed line, in as much as possible, in a horizontal configuration off the ground. Since it is limited to 25 watts (per the manufacturer) there shouldn't be a problem with RF exposure. However, I use an MFJ-915 1:1 isolator near the transmitter just in case. This is a very competent antenna for a Zepp.
NY4Y Rating: 2014-06-05
Great Antenna Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just got my 'trail friendly' antenna last week. Put it up yesterday, trimmed it using my Rig Expert antenna analyzer, and went on the air.
I am located in Northern CA, and got my father in Tampa, FL on both 40 and 20 meters. I was coming in a solid S9 to Tampa. I am so surprised such a tiny package can pack such a wallop. I just ordered a second PAR antenna to use for a permanent installation. Can't say enough good about this antenna.

Bob Smith NY4Y
NK5G Rating: 2014-05-25
Excellent End Fed Antenna Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have owned the 10/20/40 antenna for about a year. I have the antenna mounted on the back of my house at just 15 feet sloping down to 6 feet with only short run of coax into the shack. I put it there as a quick and dirty antenna for digital modes on 20 and 40.

I used it for the 2014 CQWW WPX CW contest in QRP category for 20 meters. Comparing it to my other antennas, I was rather impressed how well it performed with such low power and not very high off the ground. Running S&P I worked all over Europe and Japan with ease.

As described,these antennas make for excellent portable antennas, but can also be a good solution for those is HOA restricted areas as the match box and 18 gauge wires can easily be hidden.

I have not yet tried the 100 watt versions, but if they perform like the 25 watt version and placed higher than mine, you will be pleased.
AE7UT Rating: 2014-05-05
Best portable antenna for camping and SOTA Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've owned the EF-10/20/40MKII for over a year now. I've used it on numerous camping trips and SOTA activations.

I'm always impressed with this antenna when I use it. I turn off my internal tuner on my KX3 and always get an SWR <1.5:1. I've tested it against a Buddipole, Alpha antenna, AlexLoop, EARCHI end fed, SotaBeams dipole and a ZS6BKW. The LNR performed as well as the dipole and ZS6BKW and was significantly better than the others. In terms of ease of deployment it blows all the competition away.

I've used my antenna in rain, wind, sand storm and snow. The only thing that harmed it was me. I recently broke the choke in my backpack. I know it was my fault.... but after calling LNR they are sending a new one for free. They said it should have withstood even my carelessness.

So a great antenna for a great price. Every ham should own one.

KB2HSH Rating: 2013-11-10
UNBELIEVABLE Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
As an apartment dweller, I don't have the antenna options that I had when I was both married AND had property without HOA restrictions. In my post-marriage life, I am living in a small apartment in the foothills south of Buffalo..and graciously, I was given permission for a "shortwave antenna". My first antenna was a loop...that I JUST learned was wreaking havoc on my neighbor's geriatric TV set.

Out came the wallet...and the LNR (PAR) EF-10/20/40 arrived a few days later. I admit that I read and Googled quite a bit about the PAR EF antennas, TVI/RFI, and even the recommendation from a local here in Buffalo (AA2GA/KC2QZF).

Even though the EF is lazily strung from the eave of my first floor apartment and is strung out to a fiberglass rod...giving it NO MORE than 8 feet at maximum (this is not the final location...this is just to play with it until I can get onto the roof of my building) I have worked most of Western Europe with NO MORE than 2 watts (to help with the TVI/RFI problem) on SSB and RTTY. Last week, I broke a mini-pileup to work a special event sation on 20m. And this morning (11/10/13) I worked Morocco with 2W on 10. The 43' loop couldn't do that.

A few nights ago, I connected the EF-10/20/40 to my Anritsu SiteMaster (think MFJ-259...but with MUCH MUCH MUCH higher quality...and used professionally by me in the RF world) to see just what I was looking at "stock" without the required pruning. 10 and 20 are perfect...but 40 is at 3.1:1 at best. Once it's in its final location, I will do the "pruning and tuning". Until then, it's still amazing "out of the box".

My EF is fed with the same RG-8 that I used on my 4BTV when I was married and had the BIG antenna farm.

Sure, the EF is pricy...but I have to say...it has been worth EVERY PENNY. And the email that I sent to LNR asking questions...kicking tires...were answered HONESTLY and promptly.

Overall...I am ECSTATIC. This is the antenna that I wanted for years. (Asked the ex for it whenever she asked "What do you want for your birthday/Father's Day/Christmas?") I am thrilled that I have it. It has FAR surpassed the loop that I had been using.

I am buying the EF-80 next so that I can work the good stuff at night.

CR7AFI Rating: 2013-10-17
Excellent Antenna Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Using the PAR End Fedz EF-10/20/40 and 5W from my Elecraft KX3.
Ready assembled and very easy to tune with an antenna analyser. Instructions are very concise and simple to follow. Delivery was fast to Portugal.
My antenna is mainly used at home, sloping from 4 meters at the first store of my QTH to 9 meters above ground on a pole in the garden. Orientation is West to East.
After 10 months of operation I have made 670 QSOs and collected 60 DXCC entities on SSB alone.
No need to have fancy antennas to make contacts!
This one is really outstanding!
Yes, the propagation has to be on our side as well!
AA9SD Rating: 2013-08-02
Works for me! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
My rigs are an FT-817nd and a Ten Tec (YouKits) 4 band CW QRP Xcvr. I've been using an OCF dipole and getting good results considering I can only get it up in the air about 20 feet. I decided to buy the PAR (now LNR Precision) 10/20/40 end fed for portable work.

I got to test it for the first time today. I tossed a line over a branch at about 20 feet (my trees are small) and hoisted the end up. I tied a line to the matchbox end and tied it off to my front porch rail about 4' off the ground. That left the matchbox end about 6' off the ground so the antenna sloped.

I hooked up my SWR meter (I don't have an analyzer) to check where it was resonant and got a 1.1 to 1 SWR at 14.070 on 20M and a 1.4 to 1 SWR at 7.070 on 40M. I didn't test the 10M SWR and I made no adjustments to the antenna.

Calling CQ on 20M using PSK31 I was immediately answered by N4WDN in Alabama. I'm near Chicago and this was with 5 watts, so not bad. He said my signal was the brightest on the waterfall and gave me a 599.

I then fired up the PSK Reporter website to see if any monitors had heard my station calling CQ and found I had been heard from New Hampshire to Florida to Texas to Oregon and points between. This is with the antenna sloping from only 20' down to 6'!

Bottom line- this little antenna works and works well with no tuner at least in the lower frequencies of the bands it is designed for (though I honestly can say 10M works since I didn't test it). I may give it a further test up in the phone areas of the bands but since I'm almost exclusively CW or digital I'm not tuning up there much. For a very easy to deploy portable antenna it is great (and pretty darn stealthy as well).

-Sherman AA9SD
XE2XX Rating: 2013-02-02
Amaizing! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have been searching for portable QRP antennas that can be easy to deploy for field and travel use. After reading so many good reviews for this item, I decided to give it a try.
To be honest, initially the price was not atractive for me but finally I have to admit you will be satisfied due to it's performance.
Today I went to a local park in order to give it a try.
I hanged the antenna from a couple of trees. The far side was about 20 ft height and the close side was 4 ft height. Yes, it was mounted as slopper.
I connected the antenna to my MFJ analizer and ...WOW!,, great SWR readings on the 3 bands. There was no need for pruning or adjustments. Now it was time to hook it to the Yaesu FT 817 rig with no tuner. The fun started pronto. I was able to make nice QSO's in SSB and CW modes. Oh yes, it gave me good reports in the 40 meter band also which I consider a plus.

I hope the manufacturer will offer a 100 Watt version of this quality built antenna in the near future.
N1FDX Rating: 2012-08-24
Better than expected. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
A review with a bit of a story. I purchased one of these antennas a few years ago for use at my condo in the Smokey Mountains. I've been through numerous antennas bought and homebrewed. I use it with my portable station, a Yaesu FT-817 2.5-5 watts PSK or RTTY. This one is a winner, it really performs well just thrown into a tree from the balcony, partially horizontal and the reset hanging vertical over a branch. From Eastern Tennessee I was able to work many stations accross the U.S. as well as South America and Europe with just 5 watts. Very nice for the price and you can roll it up and put it in your laptop bag.