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Reviews For: Hy-Gain TH-3JRS

Category: Antennas: HF: Yagi, Quad, Rotary dipole, LPDA

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Review Summary For : Hy-Gain TH-3JRS
Reviews: 30MSRP: $359.95
Description:
Three element triband beam for 10 -15 - 20 meters
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.hy-gain.com/products.php?prodid=TH-3JRS
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00303.2
KD2HCE Rating: 2023-08-27
Figured out that it the mount is totally weak. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Got mine in 2018, ran it on a tripod on roof for a few years. Received it with one 15m trap not like the others. Couldn't tune 15. 20 and 10 worked but 2 out of three ain't bad as the song goes. Took two years of complaining and they MADE me a new one. All better.. Got a couple of 40mph winds and it spun. I wanted it to, but this was way slower than i wanted. Kept this in back of my mind. Moved on to a EZ-way 40 at about 45' during summer. Same thing, but my fault, didn't re-tighten before it got cold. But remembering the mental note above, I inspected the mount, every time I tightened it, it SPREAD further apart. Thereby getting weaker as a clamp. Light bulb lit up, went to the local Auto parts store and picked up two 2ΒΌ" Muffler clamps to put on my 2" mast and tighten the original clamp by not letting it spread past its original design any more. Recently had a tornado warning with 70mph winds, it handled it perfectly while fully extended. Used to be 40mph while nested was too much for it. The muffler clamps really did the trick. Suggest Stainless ones of course. Other than that. I've had pretty good luck with it. Does what it is supposed to do for the price of a 600w beam. The Mosely TA-33JR is a much simpler (less traps) and higher power antenna for just a little more $$, which would be my "do-over with what I know now" antenna any day. Just remember on the TH3-jrs like any other MFJ product, plan to PRE-assemble it a month or so before you need to actually install it so the proper parts can get to you in time for the real install.
N7WR Rating: 2021-06-06
OK for the $$ IF Modified Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Over my 63 years as a ham I have owned other (pre MFJ) Hygain HF yagis. I am aware that if you want them to last and to perform there are certain "additions" you need to make in the building process. My needs now are simple and I was looking for a tri band yagi that was light weight, could handle 500 watts, and that without help at age 75 I could mount on my rooftop tripod. Not the best height (only 33 feet) but it is what it is.

First thing I noticed is that ALL of the parts were included unlike with some other products from the same company. That was a plus. The manual, however, was practically unreadable. It looked like a 50th generation photo copy. The lettering was so blurred in many places as to be unreadable. That was a particular problem when it came to determining the dimensions for setting it up for either phone or CW. I have no problem reading small text, but small blurry text doesn't work for me.

I solved that problem by finding the dimensions diagram on line with all of the letters and numbers very clearly readable. Printed it out and used it. I set the dimensions for the phone portion of the bands---or what the manufacturer claimed to be those dimensions.

In fact, up at its final resting place the antenna tunes low on each band. It is usable in the phone portions of 20 and 10. On 15, without a tuner, it is a CW antenna. I can live with it, BUT.

Now for the construction modifications I learned, over the decades, are important with Hygain trapped yagis.
#1. The hose clamps used to secure each section of each element no matter how much you tighten them WILL NOT hold those sections in place over time. I used them BUT at each and every hose clamp location I also used a small self tapping sheet metal screw. Works well. I also used them on each of the three element to boom clamps to keep the elements from slipping out of being perpendicular to the boom.
#2. The plastic caps at each end of each trap are guaranteed to work loose over time. I used electrical tape on every one of those caps and then used silicone thinly spread to keep everything in place.
#3. Granted this is not a heavy duty antenna BUT the element sag, particularly the reflector, is significant. I live in an area that gets snow and ice loading so that sag can get to the breaking point. My solution is to use wooden dowels (of different and appropriate sizes) inside the boom and element pieces. This is a somewhat delicate compromise as if the dowels add too much weight the element to boom brackets and/or the boom itself will fail.

As for performance it is "OK". Certainly in the direction it is pointed it out performs (most of the time) my vertical and OCFD. Front to back and front to side is also "OK" but F/B in particular does not appear to be as advertised.

For those wanting a small "OK but not great" yagi at a decent price I would recommend it BUT strongly encourage the construction modifications I mentioned if you want it to last
WB8VLC Rating: 2018-01-22
wrong traps, goodbye Bouvet Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just picked this antenna up from the local radio store in portland in a hurry as there were no other tri-banders we could get on a 2 day notice and this was the only tri-band yagi that they had on hand.

It was to be installed for my work club station to try the Bouvet dx-pedition on a moments notice.

We had 2 days of install time when our facilities group gives roof access until maybe another 2 weeks due to poor wx, today it is sunny and perfect but of course the MFJ CURSE REARED IT'S UGLY HEAD.

Upon inspecting the parts our members found that the 15 meter director and reflector traps were missing and in their space were 40 meter traps for the hy-gain 5BDQ-S DOUBLET.

The local radio store will take it back but never ever will my club buy anything made by Mighty Fine Junk and we have a couple hundred club members who are not happy.

In a way I'm glad its being returned because looking at what the parts look like, this thing wouldn't last a week in the Northwest weather.
K5RCR Rating: 2015-05-28
OK for 10 years but had toi take it down Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought the antenna about 10 years ago. It is a compromise antenna and anyone buying it probably understands that. It is very inexpensive for a 3 element yagi that gives reasonable performance.

It is compact and light for a 3 element yagi and that is a big advantage for anyone putting one up for the first time. The assembly instructions were good and the hardware was appropriate for a lightweight yagi. The antenna went together easily and very little adjustment was necessary. However, a portable antenna analyzer like the MFJ259 makes this job very easy.

The antenna went on the mast easily and worked well for a number of years. It could probably be rotated with a TV-type rotator without much trouble.

However, about 3-4 years ago, I began to notice the SWR failures after rainy weather. The antenna is in south Louisiana - it rains alot here, so this became an issue. I don't think the weep-holes are so much of a problem as are the trap end seals. Once breached, the traps get wet, and corrosion sets in. After several trips up and down the tower to try to dry out and seal the traps up, I gave up and relegated the antenna to salvage.

That said, while it worked, it worked well, getting me DXCC with a ten tec omni 6 and an al-811 in about a year of causal operating.
KT5OT Rating: 2014-12-25
total mfj junk Time Owned: more than 12 months.
total junk! cheap hardware.had trouble with swr and got new traps under warranty.3 months later same issue.once you take apart the traps you will see why!dont even waste youre money on any of the hy gain/mfj antennas.i got smart after taking it down 3 times in 1 year and bought a mosley cl-33.big difference in price,but money well spent.
VK5SN Rating: 2014-11-22
Great to start with Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I inherited the Gen 1 version that used to be made by Lincoln Engineering. I understand that the quality of these antennas have come down significantly since. I assembled it as per the instructions. Put it up on a tower about 9m from the ground. I have just been amazed on what I can hear and work. I have done some side by side comparisons with my homebrewed OCF and it makes a world of a difference.
W5RHR Rating: 2014-01-01
beta match mounting is off Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just purchased a th3 jr from mfj/hygain and the drilled mounting holes for the hairpin beta match
are off and don't line up and the arms are not parallel to the mounting clamps on the driven element.
I have a ticket in to MFJ so ill see what the resolution is, but so far the quality is ok and all the parts were there (unless this is the wrong hairpin match)
W4IOA Rating: 2012-10-27
works fantastic Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Now having this antenna for over 6 months and it surviving through 15 days of hard driving rain it still has yet to have any issues. I run bareback, TS-820 or a IC-718 and both work well with this antenna. It's been raining hard and during that time I have made contacts as far as Kuwait and Bahrain, Cape Verde and Argentina, Aruba to the Baltic countries. This antenna has far exceeded the expectations on all three bands. Yes, it tends to bends side to side because the doves find it the place to roost but it has maintained it's low SWR through it all. When purchased, it was in sad shape. I cleaned the traps, replaced the fasteners, and stuck it up 35 feet on a pushup pole. Can't find a better deal today in antennas under $100 ( I have less than $75 total into this one).
VK3ZAZ Rating: 2012-09-29
An easy antenna to assemble and erect. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
My TH3 MK4 had swr issues and the idea of dropping it off my 75 foot tower finding what was wrong, fixing it and getting it back up, was a bit tough for an old timer (66 yo).

My mate said try to make tower climbs less and less go for something reliable.

To this end I bought a new M2 9M2SSB and a near new TH3JRS.
These antenna are ultimately going to end up in VK0 if and when I go down in 2013/2014 so it was an interesting assembly experience.

I assembled the TH3 treated the boom and eleme3nt joints with long life fishoil, sealed the connector and adapted a radio works current balun that fits neatly under the boom of the TH3JRS and uses aluminium straps to the driven element.

Testing near the ground showed it was in the band and once raised well in the bands.

I found it easy to lift with a single rope hand over hand and easy to put in place.


We had a fierce equinoxial storm this weekend and it whipped all over the place but nothing broke.


My only reservation is the power limit.
Now we have 1kw in VK on test I am switching the VL1000 to low power.

Anyone know of the 600 watt rated TRAPS is a conservative rating or will they max out on the DE.

All in all apart from the droopy ends the beam looks neat has good btof and I scored 3D2C ahead of some big guns today running just my 500 watts.

VE7SNC Rating: 2012-02-13
poor traps Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Antenna worked fine for a beginner, but when it rained the SWR was off the charts. I should have read these articles first guess it is an ongoing problem. Thought maybe the traps were in upside down but NO they suck.