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Reviews For: Radiowavz G5RV Lite

Category: Antennas: HF: Verticals; Wire; Loop

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Review Summary For : Radiowavz G5RV Lite
Reviews: 23MSRP: 41.00
Description:
80-10 meter shortened G5RV using coils
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.radiowavz.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00233
KF6IIU Rating: 2010-06-30
Decent compromise antenna Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Got one of these as a portable, limited-space, "field day" antenna. The mountains in California are pure rock, so verticals don't work very well, but there are plenty of 50+ foot trees to hang dipoles or slopers from. And I wanted something that would mate with the existing 50-ft lengths of RG-8 I already own, rather than going out and buying more ladder line.

Tunes up OK on all bands, even when set up for my test as an inverted V at only 35 feet. In fact, my tuner just bypassed all L and C on most of 20, so it behaved like a full size G5RV, even though the legs are only 30-something feet each. Made of 14ga THHN wire and zip-cord-like wire for the matching section. My only quibble about quality is the center and end insulators are just pieces of 1/4" PVC sheet with holes drilled in them, and the holes are not chamfered, which could lead to premature wear. The twin lead, not being ladder line, may be more sensitive to water and ice than open feedline. And the kit was missing one end insulator.

Bottom line: Of course you can build your own wire antenna for less, but if you want a kit, this is a low cost option. You might want to add a few bucks for "real" end insulators.
K4MSC Rating: 2010-01-23
It works Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
This antenna is an easy way to get on HF if you want to keep things simple and stealthy. For me it works best on 20m, ok on 75/80m, and seems a bit deaf on 40m. A tuner is required.
W6EDS Rating: 2010-01-16
Impressed, 10-160m Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This is my first antenna and I am impressed with how well it works. To be less visible, I installed as an inverted V six foot above roof peak, then slanted it down to just six inches off the concrete roof tile roof... Also using LDG AT-200 tuner.

Works well 10-80; SWR is excellent 10-80 (low end of 75 actually) but high SWR upper end of 80.

If I disconnect the PL-259 ground connector from the antenna connection to the tuner, and ground radio/tuner with an 8 foot ground rod, I can tune 160m.

Because emails to the company went unanswered, and others delayed days, I took a point off an otherwise 5 of 5.
KE4OYF Rating: 2009-06-28
Good introductory wire Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Purchased as an intro to wire antennas. It is affordable, works well on 20 meters, fits in a small yard and is stealthy. No complaints about the construction. Granted it is simple but it works. Tuning it with a LDG z11 pro does a decent job on several bands but some keep a high swr which is a bit too much for comfort. If your new to wire antenas, its great. If your looking to work on every band it does give you a limited foot print in the arena but is not that solid. I would recommend it as a cheap starter antenna.
AA0NO Rating: 2008-03-16
DOA... junk?? Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Purchased from AES & installed it up to 34ft & was completely dead! no receive.. nothing! I checked the connector at the feed line & was dead short. took apart & was fused together! I removed & connected direct & works. very poor construction as stated by the other reviews. make your own!! materials are sub standard & not tested when assembled or mine would not be DOA.
CT1IDW Rating: 2007-12-23
Excellent antenna Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
It's a brilliant antenna if I ignore:

The lack of quality;
The awfull construction;
The horrible manual.

I give it a 1 because I like the paralel feeder used otherwise a 0 it would be served.

CT1IDW
K4XZ Rating: 2007-11-25
Never Again Time Owned: more than 12 months.
These things are junk! Don't waste your money.Spend some and build it your self.My first wire antennea I built with bare copper wire, a 1:1 balun, with the top @ 20',the ends at ten.I worked more QSO's with this than a radiowavz.Cheap construction.

73 Joe K4XZ
CT2IBY Rating: 2007-11-25
A terrible mistake and waist of money Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This antenna does not work at all,as explained in a previous review, the G5RV Lite will not resonate on any ham band.
Construction and the materials are bad and the end insulators are pathetic pieces of thin plastic.
I wonder if at least they measure the antenna, how can Radiowavz defraud amateur radio people selling this piece of wire saying this is a multi band antenna?

I measure the antenna with MFJ-259B, in my 3 favorite bands 80, 40 and 17 m, with the following results:

Freq 3600 3700 3800
SWR 9,0
Imp (Z) 68
Freq 7040 7070 7100
SWR 5,0 5,0 5,0
Imp (Z) 50 47 41
Freq 18100 18130 18160
SWR 5,4 5,2 5,0
Imp (Z) 42 46 50

To be honest I wouldn’t give it for free to my friends.
K4LD Rating: 2007-10-20
Good Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have an advantage of other people using this antenna. I can put a larger antenna than this on my land, but I was looking at HRO for something fun to try and found this. I installed it up and tuned it. I have used Radiowavz G5RV's almost all the time and they work great. When you have this antenna you get half the length and performance. I have it up 90' and have been able to work England while I was QRP. It's a nice antenna that is going to be replaced with something that can handle power.
N3ZAS Rating: 2007-06-21
DIRT CHEAP GARBAGE Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.

I PURCHASED THIS ANTENNA FROM HRO INSTALLED IT
AND FOUND IT WILL NOT RESONATE ON ANY BANDS.THE
CONSTRUCTION IS CHEAP AND DIFFICULT TO INSTALL
AS THE CENTER INSULATOR IS A THEE WAY PVC PLUMBING
CONNECTOR WITH NO WAY TO SUSPEND THE ANTENNA.THE
WIRE IS # 14 INSULATED AND VERY CHEAPLY MADE THE
FEEDER IS ALSO JUNK WIRE AND WILL NOT HOLD UP.THE
END INSULATORS ARE THIN PLASTIC SHEETING INSTEAD OF CERAMIC OR GOOD POLYPRO.I TOOK IT DOWN THE SAME DAY & DISCARDED IT.INSTALLED MY HOME BREW SINGLE BAND DIPOLE MADE OF GOOD MATERIALS AND INSTANTLY RECEIVED 5-9'S FROM ENGLAND 7 BELGIUM.THE ANTENNA RESONATES ON 17 MEMETERS AND WITH A TUNER ON 20 &
40 METERS.MOTTO DONT BUY A RADIO WAVZ G5RV JR.