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Reviews For: Hustler G6-144B

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

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Review Summary For : Hustler G6-144B
Reviews: 14MSRP: 149.
Description:
2-Meter Base Antenna With 6 db Gain
Product is in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00144.9
WA1YIH Rating: 2024-06-22
Good 2 meter base antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I had one of these antennas mounted 10 feet off the ground at the corner of my house and talked all over mainly on simplex. The range I got was about 40 miles base to base and an easy 25 miles base to mobile. This was back in the 80's to mid 90's and it was a used antenna from a repeater when I got it. I could talk to repeaters as far as 60 miles away running 50 watts output here in Southern Maine. The match was good across the whole band and I never had an issue with it.
N1AUP Rating: 2018-12-19
If the SWR is less than 3:1, it's fine; Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I'm confused about all of the people freaking out over this product because the SWR is showing 2:1 over parts of various bands.

If you're buying a mono band antenna, it's typical to see SWR curves over a band that rarely go higher than 1.5 : 1. In multiple band antennas, that is rarely the case. As I understand, most solid-state, final amplifiers are happy as long as the SWR is below 3:1. My Diamond X50 gets as high as 2.25:1 in various places on the 440 band. Further, the center is not in the middle of both the 2 and 440 band. It's skewed.

Finally, the first time I shot my brand new X50 with an MFJ analyzer, I was seeing ratios that approached 3:1. I called HRO and Diamond, and reported I had a defective unit. Diamond engineers told me that they saw strange SWR readings with MFJ analyzers, and that I should reshoot it with something else. I did, and the readings dropped to closer to 2:1.

Personally, if I see less than 2.5 to 1, then I'm fine with the product.

Hustler has been making antennas for decades, and they make a fine product. The company cares about customers, and I'd feel comfortable buying their product.

MHO.
W5KVV Rating: 2017-07-15
Good, but not without issues Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Antenna was purchased from DX 6/2017. Antenna was built 3/2017 per inspectors signature and date on the antenna.

Pros:

Easy to assemble. Fairly robust, but an obvious victim of production cost cutting measures over the years. Easy to tune and dead flat once tuned for your desired frequency.

Cons:

Ground radials are pure garbage. Look at them too hard and they bend. I wouldn't place this antenna in service at my QTH, let alone on a tower for repeater service with these flimsy radials. Not as broad banded as i would hope, but for a repeater installation this isn't a problem.

Not available with an N connector.
HUSTLER: THIS IS A SIMPLE REQUEST! What "repeater grade" antenna uses a SO239!? I have 40 year old commercial lowband antennas that use N connectors !!!

This antenna was purchased as a stop gap in order for our club to get a new repeater on the air. Short tower, tall hill. 725' HAAT to be exact. It will be replaced with a commercial unit eventually. I have seen these antennas from decades past and can tell you first hand, they ARE NOT what they use to be. Materials are thinner, weaker and cheaper.

3/8 aluminum round stock is way overkill to use as ground radial replacement material. It does nothing but add weight and strain to the assembly. 5/16" aluminum round stock is more than adequate and allows you to use the included hardware. I cut my radials to 20" in length.

SWR/RL on our TX frequency is 1.17:1/22db according to my Site Master.

Overall, not bad, but could be better. But at $156 bucks a piece, I doubt that will ever happen.
N4DBM Rating: 2015-05-30
Excellent all the way around. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have owned and used many of the Hustler "G" series antennas over the years. I like them all. They are built good and they perform well. The G6-144B is fed with a shunt coil to ground. This means obviously it is a DC grounded antenna which is a plus for common-sense reasons. The basic design is two 5/8 wave antennas that the manufacturer says are spaced at "optimum" lengths apart. The only down-side to this antenna is that it does not come with an "N" type connector if needed. Not a huge deal. I like using adhesive lined heat shrink to seal the connector with. I did replace the small 3/16" radials with some 3/8" rigid aluminum rods but the factory radials will probably work well under normal conditions. I also like the fact that it's made in the USA. I believe the Comet and Diamond antennas are fine but I'm old school. Just my opinion. Thanks and 73..
K0UA Rating: 2014-12-28
Still working Time Owned: more than 12 months.
While I can't be sure, I believe I have had this antenna up in the air since about 1975. I have had it up on several towers thru the years. I bought it used from a ham going thru a divorce, and I cannot remember what I paid for it, but it wasn't much. I would say it has served me very well.
K4IED Rating: 2014-03-13
Excellent Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Picked up a used Hustler G6 and mounted it about 15 foot up. Able to talk in a repeater that is 60 air miles away. It has excellent SWR across the band but I did notice this antenna is much more sensitive to its surroundings then my other antennas. It has survived many KY storms and a very hard winter (over 30 days below freezing and a dozen or so sub zero) all while being used daily. Going to move this antenna up to around 50' and compare everything again. This one definitely gets the green light.
AA2HA Rating: 2012-09-15
OK for most Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I really hate to rain on the paraded here, but I'm not as impressed as most with this antenna. I've seen a few people model this antenna with various programs and all have calculated dBd gain figures under 4. (For whatever that's worth)
The performance is not an issue for me as the antenna is equal in performance to the Comet GP-6 it would replace. What I find odd is the fact that it is marketed as a "base or repeater antenna" but is not available with an N connector as is it's larger brother the G7-144.
The other issue is the strange mounting plate (and related hardware) on this antenna. My tower (as most others) use a 2" mast. There is no way, without radical mechanical modifications, to mount this to a 2" mast.
I didn't realize this until after I ordered it (my fault) and sent an email to tech support. They replied that "the antenna can not be used with a mast other than 1 1/2 or 1 3/4." I also asked for wind loading calculations for this antenna (required by my township) and was told that I would "have to send the literature to an engineer for analysis"! Really? Every other antenna I own had manufacturer specs on wind loading.
The smaller mast issue may not be a problem for the average roof-top installation, but a major issue for mounting atop a tower mast.
As one other poster pointed out, the radials are hollow aluminum tubes. Here in the Pocono's, ice damage is a very real concern. I'd have to replace the radials, visit a metal fabrication shop, buy special U-bolts/saddles, and pay for an engineering review to actually use this antenna. This cost would far exceed the price of the antenna itself.
With a few modifications, (and manufacturer specs) this could be a great antenna, and seems to work well for others (judging by reviews here) but for me at least, it's not even usable.
It arrived two days ago and I'll be sending it back tomorrow.
KR4ZI Rating: 2012-01-23
Very impressed Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased the Hustler G6 for my second station at Holden Beach, NC. I didn't want one of
those light duty antenna's that would fail after the first storm or Hurricane. I was very impressed when I opened the box and took out all the pieces, every part was first quality and heavy duty construction. I tuned it to the middle of the 2 meter band and my MFJ259 showed excellent R and X values across the band. I did however add anti-oxidation compound to every thread and joint, also added a little extra UV protection to the parts that the UV rays damage. Performance is great. It is the best 2 meter vertical I have owned or been around to date.
N8EKT Rating: 2008-12-03
SIMPLY THE BEST ! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
If all you ever owned was those wimpy fiberglass ham grade antennas, you will be AMAZED by the commercial quality construction of the G6!
High gain and strongest ham antenna on the market!
100MPH wind survival!
Handles 600WATTS!
6 Db gain over a DIPOLE!
It NEVER pays to go CHEAP on antennas and HUSTLER
doesn't cut any corners!
WD4MBE Rating: 2008-05-12
Really Performs! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is my 2nd G6-144B antenna. Both have done an excellent job for me. No issues with either one...easy to assemble, too.

I mounted the G6 on top of my 2 story home which is 22 feet above ground at its peak. I can get in any repeater in my area, plus the wide area repeaters in my section of NC with 50 watts out on my Yaesu FT-2500.

This antenna will do a great job for you...highly recommended from me!