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Reviews For: Hustler CGT-144 Collinear Trunk Lip Mount Antenna

Category: Antennas: VHF/UHF+ Omnidirectional: verticals, mobile, etc

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Review Summary For : Hustler CGT-144 Collinear Trunk Lip Mount Antenna
Reviews: 29MSRP: 51.95
Description:
Price listed is the current HRO price (3-12-03
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.new-tronics.com/main/index.html
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00294.4
N4DBM Rating: 2010-05-22
Works on 10 Meters also. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Should have put this in my previous review. I saw where someone else wrote this about the antenna working on 10 meters, and it does. Since it is not a DC grounded antenna, the slight inductance in the phasing coil acts as some loading on 10 meters and the feed point impedance looks like a 50 ohm quarter wave. Every vehicle installation varies, but with my CT-144 mounted thru-hole on a toolbox, on 2 meters cut for 146.000 MHz even, the 10 meter match is right at 28.300 MHz and has well below 1.5:1 SWR from 28.100 to 28.700. I have made many contacts on this antenna on 10 meters. Buy an HF/VHF diplexer from Comet or Diamond, and no need for an antenna switch! Similarly, buy the G3-144 base antenna and have a 2M/10M dual band base. It's the same antenna.

73, N4DBM.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by N4DBM on 2010-05-07

Starting out knowing it may be a litte lengthy..

Hustler antennas are my favorite. I like dealing with the company and their products are proven over decades and made in the U.S. They are a good old school company and I really believe their sincerity and motivation to produce good products comes from the desire to make us "hams" happy.

I got the CG-144, which is the antenna ONLY (no mount) from Universal Radio for $31.95. You can hardly buy a Larsen 1/4 wave for that! $31.95 is a fantastic deal, first of all, for the antenna.

The CG-144 is a 5/8 wave over a 1/4 wave. It is the exact same antenna as the G3-144 base station, only a little thinner. It accepts 3/8 x 24 TPI threads, and mounts are relatively cheap and can be bought for $10 - $15 at CB stores.

The performace is EXCELLENT. Of course with the physical size, it should be. It's just over 7 feet tall. The VSWR is flat up and down the band. Gain over a 5/8 wave is very noticable, gain over a 1/4 wave is nearly the difference between uncopyable and full quieting.

The quality and appearance is great, too. Overall as you can imagine, I am very, very satisfied with this antenna.

I looked for a high gain 2M mobile for a while, and when comparing prices and quality, I looked at some of the Comet and Diamond manufacturers.. Over $90 for a comparable sized/gain antenna from those guys! I'll stick with the Hustler product line, a good American company with fair prices Thanks again Hustler for the fine antennas.
KC8Y Rating: 2010-05-02
excellent antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've had & used the CGT-144 (with the radial grounds) on a mast (about 15-ft high) for over 15+years, and it surely rates more than a 5...
This setup has always given me EXCELLENT results
in all types of weather (we have in NE OH), and it's NOT been weather-proofed at all...I use 15-watts and a base-radio on 2-meter FM

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Earlier 5-star review posted by KC8Y on 2007-03-12

I've used this antenna, with the radial kit (MKR-2; see KG0WX comment), for the past 13-years...have not been disappointed at all...the published gain IS TRUE...have mounted about 15-feet above the ground...the receive is fabulous
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Earlier 5-star review posted by KC8Y on 2003-08-21

have used this antenna, as a base-setup with the
radial kit, for the past several years...use it with the TM241A and now, the H2100...the antenna is now, located in a temporary location (only about 5-ft the ground), but it will soon be at it's regular setup (20-ft)...it has stood-up well thru heavy snow, rains, & winds...still preforms excellent, since the day I got it... It's a super 2-M antenna!!!
W8AAZ Rating: 2010-05-01
Proven over decades Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
First off, this one is not on a vehicle, it is on a mast at home. My Comet dual bander needed new coax. I did not need the dual band function and wanted less of a comprimise on 2M. I got a NOS in-package Hustler for like 18 bucks on ebay. Another payout for the mast mount radial kit from R&L, they had it discounted. So I saved alot of money on it. Tuned it up on a short mast. This requires cutting of the heavy thick stainless lower section. Hard to cut, be prepared. Very hard to cut with a hacksaw. Had it almost perfect match on the mockup. Weatherproofed it and put on the same mast the Comet was on. Well when I got it up the SWR is now just under 1.5 but the curve seems the same so it must be random factors. It seems to be outperforming the Comet though. Not by huge margins but visible improvements and a better report on simplex from a regular station. If you have one lying around unused, get the radial kit and have a viable gain home station that is a bit less visible than the fibreglass antennas and lightweight to boot. I have used them and seen them for decades so they got a rep that you cannot deny. Just watch out for a tight center pin on the coax conn. on the radial kit. Might need some working in to get it connected. Mine fits like really tight which must be good. Take the time to weatherproof it real good.
AC4M Rating: 2009-07-08
Good antenna for the money Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Good performing antenna, only weak points about the antenna it is a very tall antenna you might hit a few tree limbs, the mount could be a little bit better and if you are way out there from a repeater the antenna needs to be straight up and down but, over all a great mono bander type of antenna.
W8EFM Rating: 2008-12-29
It's like having a base antenna on your car Time Owned: more than 12 months.
And at 7 feet tall it looks like one too! I love this antenna. I bought the model without the trunk lip mount. I used to haul bikes on the roof of my Explorer so I put this antenna on the rear step bumper with a quick-release mount. Probably the worst possible scenario, but no worries it turns out. On the first road test in rush hour traffic I was full quieting into a repeater 45 miles away on 5 watts. I'm on my second Explorer now with this same antenna and it still puts a smile on my face. Only problem is fitting it into the car when I remove it. This is one loooong antenna.
AI4WM Rating: 2008-01-27
Great Antenna with a poor mount Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Bought this antenna for mobile use to use with a low power rig. The ratings on the antenna seem true, good gain and low swr. However Hustler never made a nice trunk mount and still does not make a good trunk mount. The length and wind loading of this antenna will cause damage to paint. I used this antenna about a month and checked for paint scratching and found the cheap plastic gouges paint so off it came. I mounted the antenna on a Diamond trunk mount. The performance is great. I could hit repeaters almost as good with this antenna on a rig with a 10W output as good as my other rig with a 25W output on a roof mounted antenna.
This antenna has since been replaced by a Motorola and a better rig. I now use this antenna with the radial kit for emcomm and it works great, as good as my base antenna. If you use this antenna mobile and want a trunk lip mount I recommend using a Comet or Diamond trunk mount and not even purchasing the Hustler mount. If this antenna came with a good mount it would rate a 5.
KC0QME Rating: 2007-03-12
Best Collinear Ever!!!! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Well I bought 2 of these after being disappointed with the Lakeview collinear and all I can say is WOW!!!!!!!!! What an antenna. SWR is 1.2:1 and the receive on this baby is awesome and the transmit is the same. A and B comparison between the Lakeview and the Hustler yields 1-2 s units in receive and transmit on the Hustler so lakeview can go jump in there own lake LOL. If you had a choice between the Lakeview and the Hustler go for the Hustler, you wont regret it. 73's.....................
LU1HQV Rating: 2006-05-05
Just an antenna... Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bough this antenna for install in my sonoma '95.
Antenna is tall, very tall and a little hard to tune.. very hard to tune.. very narrow... Finally whit a lot of help other hams, I find a fairly good swr (1,3 at 146 mhz, 1,7 in top and botton band).
If I need to buy again... I prefer a simple 1/4 wave... I think claim gain is real... maybe..
If you like (like me) taller antenna, install; if you want just work some close repeteaters, buy any other...
One last thing.. this antenna really need a very good ground!!
W1GMQW Rating: 2004-11-28
Best 2M antenna I ever used! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've had this great little antenna for well over 20 years, used it mobile, on my balcony at home and in other locations.

With 160 Watt Mirage amplifier was able to work over 100 miles (Concord CA - to - repeater in Grass Valley - in the Sierra Mts.) -- from my balcony near ground level!
KG0WX Rating: 2004-11-17
Gain figures accurate, well built, exceptional value! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
The setup I had before I installed the CG-144 antenna (with the radial kit) was a MFJ dual band mag mount antenna. Now that antenna I had had for many years and I was convinced it's advertised gain was accurate. I did the math (better coax, Hustler CG-144 antenna) and figured I was in for about 4db improvement.

So far, I was right. IMHO this antenna has it's advertised gain (5.2dbi). Construction is what a mobile should be - built like a rock low and very flexible up on top.

The only part I didn't like was trimming the lower section to match the radial adapter. I had to cut 3.25" off the heavy, stainless steel 1/4 wave rod. Just try doing that without a hacksaw!

Great antenna.