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Reviews For: KLM KT34A to KT34M2 upgrade kit

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

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Review Summary For : KLM KT34A to KT34M2 upgrade kit
Reviews: 5MSRP: 200
Description:
Upgrade your KLM KT34A to KT34M2 specs.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.m2inc.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0054.8
K3GW Rating: 2013-03-11
WELL worth the effort Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought my kit at Dayton and got a discount price. My KT34 was originally bought in 1990, had a good service life and I bought it used from the original owner. When assembling the antenna it was obvious that the original aluminum straps were not up to the task. I replaced the insulation rods and installed the upgrade kit from M2. I will tell you that it takes attention to re-dimension the driven elements but that upgrade and the stainless steel through bolts have kept the antenna together in my very windy location and I have NEVER had any changes in SWR, which was common under the old arrangement, particularly in wet weather. I had difficulty with one of the machined pieces (not M2's fault) and they helped me through it and provided free replacement parts.
K0ZRK Rating: 2013-03-11
Worth the Effort Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I agree with other reviewers that this upgrade is a lot of work, but the results are great. After purchasing the upgrade kit, I had to purchase the upgraded phasing tubes, which did not come with the kit.High SWR was resolved by replacing the phasing straps with the newer phasing tubes, which should probably be part of the upgrade kit. After all the work was done, I worked Cyprus while testing the beam 7 feet above ground. This upgrade took 5 times as long as any other antenna I've ever assembled, but it was worth the effort. It really is a great antenna.
One warning: The instructions for the upgrade and the instructions for the new KT34M2 have measurements that don't agree with each other. Be sure to use the correct set.
IC8POF Rating: 2012-04-06
Lot of work but worth Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
As already written by others it is a big job dismantling, cleaning and remounting the KLM KT34 with the M2 upgrade kit, all the work took almost 3 winter months per year along 3 years, but it is worth every cent.
At this link http://www.qsl.net/ic8pof/howto/klm_reborn/kt34m2.htm
are my KT34 rebuilding experiences.
The yagi is on a 36ft tower and I am very satisfied with the results.
I use a gp DX88 to make the comparisons , the signal differences are huge.
CU down the KLM boom.
73
Phil@IC8POF
VE6MRV Rating: 2009-02-05
What the KT34XA should have had in the first place. Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I cannot emphasize how important it is to apply this kit to your KT-34XA. All those sloppy flattened metal connectors will be history; replaced by a solid, machined aluminum connectors. This kit turns the KT-34XA into what it should have been in the first place.

Yes, the assembly process is complex and time-consuming, but the end result is well worth it. The final product is much, much stronger than the original, and the joints will NOT become loose, unlike the original.

The KLM is still a world-class DX antenna. Beats a Steppir, hands down. Don't trash it - upgrade it.


N6KD Rating: 2007-10-24
Overall fine upgrade Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The results are good but the instructions to get there are very bad. I don't know who writes the manuals at M2 - but they need to find a writer.
You end up assembling sections then taking them apart to meet some other manual requirement. There does not seem to be any logic to the process.

The antenna functions quite well and has held up in several large wind storms without damage - so mechanically the antenna is much better. I upgraded the XA version (6 elements) now called a KT36XA.