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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: 85MSRP: 89.95
Description:
Multi-band wire antenna with increasing gain vs frequency
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.radioworks.com/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
15854.1
AA3VD Rating: 2000-08-29
Works for me! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I've been running a CW80 with an IC 746 for 3 weeks. It was initially at 35 feet (worked fine) and then moved up to 50 feet (even better). Only place I've encountered any significant VSWR is on the low end of 40 meters. On other bands, the IC 746 autotuner has no probs., typically runs 1.0 to 1.1 on the 746's internal SWR meter. Operating on 10, 15, 17, and 20 meters with 100 watts max, have worked all over Europe and Russia, several Africans, S. America, Alaska, VK, ZL, and JA. Not a beam, but a good deal at the price!
KA1SLG Rating: 2000-08-29
big dissapointment Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This was the first commercially constructed wire I have ever bought and it performs no better than a G5RV. Don't expect this antenna to load anywhere but the very bottom end of 80 without a tuner. It also has a high enough SWR to not allow auto tuners in rigs to lock in presets, and some bands you have to coax the tuner to load it up. The big, heavy transformers and line isolators are a chore to haul up into the air so if you don't like big sags in your antenna and don't have a 60' center support, pick something else.
N3OO Rating: 2000-06-11
G5RV vs RADIO WORKS C/WINDOM Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I had two G5RV's mounted at my qth here ( just in case on would come down due to bad winter condx hr in nw pa mtns)....they G5RV's always worked fb!! I Took one G5RV down and replaced it with a Radio Works Carolina Windom 80...same location...same height...same flat top configeration . The new Carolina Windom 80 works better on 80 meters only ( it should , it's a 80 meter antenna )....the rest of the bands , the G5RV has it beat hands down....as many as 10 db at times xmit / rcv !! This holds true for local / dx.....the G5RV is the winner here .
K0FUN Rating: 2000-02-23
Great Results With CW 160 Time Owned: unknown months.
Using the 160 Meter version of this antenna I have had very similar results to the previous review. Only problem was finding 250' plus of clear path in the woods. Installation took a full day with the assistance of a professional tree trimmer. (No problem with the antenna just dense woods!!) It is at about 65 feet and configured in a flat top arrangement. Antenna hardware is very good, no trimming or tuning required. SWR on 160 approaches 2:1, antenna is absolutely perfect tune on lower 300 hz of 80 and tunes very easy on all other bands. Using a Tentec 238 it easily handles a KW and the auto tuner in an FT-100 loads all band 160 - 10 with no problem. I have been using the CW-160 since mid December. Have worked all states on 160 (with 100 watts) a little DX on 160 and lots of DX on 80 and 40. Very effective antenna.
WB0FDJ Rating: 2000-02-23
A very good all band antenna Time Owned: unknown months.
In the fall of '99 I decided, after much research, to try the Radio Works Carolina Windom 80. After at least 6 months of use I highly recommend it to others. It is built from high quality materials and is withstanding our winter ice loading very well. Once erected I found that all bands are easily tuned using one of the cheapo MFJ tuners. I kept a log of the settings and QSY to another band takes seconds. I hope to eventually get it up higher than the 35' that it's at now, but it still works very well on 80. On 40 I am hearing and working some of the long haul that I have never been able to hear (or work) with my dipoles (i.e KH6). I have used it running QRP (2-3 watts) and find it to work very well. For less than $100 I have a reliable antenna with one coax running into the station. I am seriously thinking about getting one of their loops. I've got to admit, this has beat my old GAP all to heck.