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Reviews For: Radio Works Carolina Windom 80

Category: Antennas: HF: Verticals; Wire; Loop

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Review Summary For : Radio Works Carolina Windom 80
Reviews: 91MSRP: 89.95
Description:
Multi-band wire antenna with increasing gain vs frequency
Product is not in production
More Info:
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00914.1
VK3TQ Rating: 2024-02-17
Works as it should Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This antenna is great Installed as per spec and made sure all joints were sealed in rubber amalgmating tape. Antenna worked well at 40 feet. Was a great soldier on 40m DV & SSB 80m nets and 20m DX. I do not understand why some hams have given this antenna a poor review score. It must be poor workmanship. the vertical radiator being in proximity to objects or installed too low or no RTFM :-).
I think its one of the best designs I've ever used and easy to replicate yourself, a roll of wire, some coax a 4:1 balun and a line isolator Well done Radio Works, pity your're no longer around Pete VK3TQ
KD1W Rating: 2023-01-22
Excellent Antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I started out with the 40 meter version, which i had up for about 5 years, before I had room for the 80. I have had the 80 up for a little over a year now. There have been no issues with it at all. If there are issues with water it is probably because the sealing was not done correctly. It is very well made and works well without an external antenna tuner. I would highly recommend this antenna.

Update: The antenna was up for more than 7 years. It has worked very well and is built well. Unfortunately, during the severe wind storms we had around Christmas 2022, the wire snapped. I should have lowered the antenna but didn't.

I wish someone was still making this quality product. I have ordered wire to repair it but it would be nice to have the option of buying new! What happened to The Radio Works?
WX4C Rating: 2015-07-05
Very good Antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have been using this Antenna for over 10 years.
It works great when installed as per Radio Work's instructions. Recently I took a direct Lightning hit that destroyed the Antenna. I called Radio Works and ordered another Carolina Windom 80. there was no need to try any other Antenna because the CW 80 worked so well for me. It is a very well built made in the USA Antenna. Remember the key is to install by Radio Works instructions.
KJ4EOZ Rating: 2015-06-14
Rocks Time Owned: more than 12 months.
had a G5RV up and the Carolina windom from radio works beats it 3 to 4 S TX & RX
it's ok on 10m & 12m but rocks 15m - 80m . Do your self a Fav get a Carolina windom from radio works
K8IKW Rating: 2014-10-26
excellent antenna in varied seasonal conditions Time Owned: more than 12 months.
have had this antenna erected and in use at my home location for over 2 years in a forest area adjoining our home. Product has worked perfectly both structurally and in RF radiation on all amateur bands i use, 80 to 10 mtr. Prior negative comments indicate the writers had not prepared the seals to the center balun and the coax line isolator units securely or as directed by the company instructions. before erecting this antenna i was careful to seal the edges of the balun and line isolator deeply with the waterproof glue product provided by the mfr and did also edge the balun and line isolator corners and entrance points and wire exit connection points with this sealant...not one drop of water has entered my anits in severe wind and rain and summer temps over 110 degree and winter temps of below zero and 96 inch of snow in ground...used this unit this past month in CQWW contest and scored 260,000 points and 20 zones using this antenna on 40,20,15 and 10 mtrs...of course one should expect some variation of SWR and loading over all these bands in different locations due to height of antenna above ground....base of line isolator cannot be lower than 15 foot above ground to assure proper loading of this product...my antenna is at 50 foot height and line isolator base is at 35 foot approx above ground....mfr instructions clearly state product should not be placed lower than 35 foot above ground to work effectively . i find this to be true in my circumstance as i followed this direction and note excellent results . tuning can and will be affected by proximity to metal surfaces or wire near the antenna site as well as soil and height of the antenna at the selected site. have enjoyed my antenna CW80 for several years and expect more good years of this antenna with moderate maintenance of support wires and coax lines to the base of the line isolator entry connection.
G4SGX Rating: 2014-02-09
Adequate. Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I bought this antenna because it will just fit, with a bend or too in my garden.
It is resonant on all the bands advertised and my K3 internal tuner handles it OK.
The 'filter' at the bottom is supposed to stop any further feeder radiation but it doesn't seem to work 100%. I had an issue where although the SWR at the bottom of 80 was only 1.9 the ATU couldn't tune it and I had RFI problems suddenly.
I suspected my coax was radiating and was 1/4 wave long on 80M so I added a randomn length of coax along with a further common mode filter, (which I think was just a coil of coax with ferrites around it). It now loads ok on all bands.
A good compromise antenna, much better than my old inverted L, but I don't like the unknown factor of the feeder radiation and the lack of a proper description of what they are. Radioworks get all vague & mystical when it comes down to describing what is probably a 4:1 curent balun & common mode filter.
It now also loads up on 160M which it shouldn't, though not complaining obviously! Again evidence of feeder radiation beyond the filter.
W9UM Rating: 2013-12-12
poor quality connectors Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased the CW80 couple of months ago. On low power it worked fine. With a KW the vertical radiator melted completely out of the PL259 and had scorched the so239. Called Radio Works, told them of the problem and they sent an entire new vertical radiator with connectors at no cost to me including postage. Again, on low power the antenna worked great then my rcvr went silent and found the PL259 had completely parted from the jacket and once again the PL259 melted. This was from the Line Isolator. Called RW, spoke with a woman who wanted me to return the entire antenna. I gave up as I think QC on this antenna needs serious help especially with connectors both PL259s and SO239s. It would not stand a KW of power at any time. I'll stay with a proven G5. My 60' tower and KLM yagi came down in a wind storm much to my dismay and that was after 30 years of being able to point an antenna.
N8WXQ Rating: 2013-03-21
Works Great Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had a Carolina Windom on the air for more that 20 years. I used it to earn 5BDXCC. The construction is quite good. I have lost a few over the years by having a tree fall accross the wire. One time the antenna even survived this. The Carolina Windom 80 works extremely well on 80 and 40 meters. One must remember that the antenna is fundamentally a dipole antenna that has multiband capabilities. The radiation pattern becomes progessively more complex with wavelength. You can learn all this from the Radio
Works web page.

If you work RTTY you may need to control power. I have had no problems running 200W during contests.

Again I have used this antenna as my primary antenna to achieve 5BDXCC, WAS, WAC and WAZ. Most of these in Phone, RTTY, anc CW.
WX4R Rating: 2012-11-21
Had this antenna up several years without any problems. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I probably went oveboard on sealing the units. This, however, this has paid off. I have constantly run 400-600 watts without any breakdown. Some feel the antenna will not last at legal limit. I am satisfied.
W8DMC Rating: 2012-11-21
Very Poor Quality Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Had two, both feel apart, took on H20 and wire broke, unwound, and so-on. Bought an "EazyTune" Quality is 100% and works better, and has excellent quality put in. It’s real easy, look at them side to side, before you ever try...Bingo...Light goes on "Easy Tune" hits the nail right on.

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Earlier 0-star review posted by W8DMC on 2010-01-02

Had two...Said I'd not have another, Given one as a gift, it too fell apart, and broke down under mild cross wind. Way too many quality and well built wire antennas to use this HYPE system. Have a 43 foot ZeroFive Antennas, which blows this Antenna out of the water. Heck a 32' S9 Vertical works better and lasts longer. Check them out, they stand after years of wind and use.