Manager


Manager - NA4M
Manager Notes
Reviews Home

Reviews For: Edison Fong PVC pipe 2m/440 omni antenna

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

eMail Subscription

Registered users are allowed to subscribe to specific review topics and receive eMail notifications when new reviews are posted.
Review Summary For : Edison Fong PVC pipe 2m/440 omni antenna
Reviews: 41MSRP: 22
Description:
What appears to be a piece of PVC pipe with an SO-239 on one end, little do
they know........
Product is in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00414.8
KE2SJ Rating: 2022-01-02
Simplicity with Performance Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Needing an antenna to hold me over until I got something more permanent and higher-performing, I bought the Ed Fong antenna. Don't expect the performance you'd get from a $100+ vertical or a $200+ yagi. But put it together right (and it's hard not to), and Ed's antenna packs a respectable punch. Be sure to follow his instructions as to what PVC pipe to buy. Home Depot does NOT carry it; Lowe's does. Other than that, it's good for portable, and even for permanent use. Ed is very responsive if you have a question or issue. There are lots of inexpensive j-poles and other dual band antennas for sale out there. This one won't blow you away, but it's performance is well worth the small price he charges.
N6RRV Rating: 2020-12-09
Exceeded my expectations Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased the 2 meter/440 version. Ed sent me the wire antenna and PVC caps with coax connector on one end cap to go on the bottom of the PVC pipe. . I go to Home Depot, spend $1.99 on 5 feet of the 200 psi PVC pipe. I drive home, insert the wire into the PVC pipe. Cap off the ends. Done. Insanely simple. I connect 40 feet of rg8x coax and lean the antenna along side a wooden fence and fired up the rig,,,,,WHOA, couldnt believe it. Only five feet off the ground and recieved all the repeaters in the So. Calif area, full quieting with 10 watts. Ed is BOSS and could easily charge double what he charges....the man exudes integrity. Thx Ed. N6RRV
K7VQU Rating: 2020-11-10
Works Great, Easy to Camoflauge Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Hi:

Great Antenna and it's easy to camouflage !

KA7EII Rating: 2020-03-14
It Just Works! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
While building our new home last year, I installed one of Dr. Fong's DBJ-1 antennas in the attic. Been using it for a few months now and I'm impressed with how well it performs. Running 10 watts FM, I can work all the local repeaters out to 25 miles. Bump up to 50 watts and I can work the more distant repeaters 80-plus miles away. This spring I was going to install a dual-band vertical (Comet GP-3) but I may just purchase another Edison Fong DBJ-1 as I still have the other 5-foot section of PVC pipe left over. It's nice to be able to purchase something simple that works as advertised and it makes me feel good that I am helping to support Dr. Fong's students.
W4ZZK Rating: 2019-09-12
Goes Head-2-Head With Popular Dual Band Fiberglass Antennas! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I continue to be blown away by the performance of what would be considered a very simple, yet effective antenna design. I have taken special effort to put this antenna head-to-head with several popular dual band omni base antennas, one in particular to mention, the Tram 1480 Dual Band antenna. At the installation location, 20-25' AGL in North Alabama, in relatively horizon-to-horizon open area, somewhat hilly in the distance, there is **very, very little, if any difference in signal level when receiving distant repeaters and stations. Seems to take the same amount of RF Power to bring up distant repeaters. I work repeaters 50+ miles away daily with 15 Watts at 20 feet. When there is tropospheric ducting going on, it gets so much better. This is worth every dollar. I also cannot stress enough how important it is that you do use Class 200 PVC Pipe, as directed. Schedule 40 does detune the antenna, due to velocity factor of the SCH 40 pipe. They have tuned these antennas with Class 200 pipe. Be sure to use it. Look, it may only take a few bucks to make these yourself, but seriously consider supporting Ed's students in purchasing one via his eBay store. It's "the" economical performer for VHF and UHF FM work.
WH6FSA Rating: 2019-07-03
Great antenna Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Well made antenna. Lifetime warranty. You provide your own PVC and mast. I Originally intended to use the DBJ-1 as a back-up/portable antenna for field use. Received good reports on performance and able to tx /rx well on simplex as well as hitting many of the local repeaters. I now have it mounted on a 16’ mast as my main antenna and picked up a second DBJ-1 for use away from the shack. Ed Fong is a knowledgeable ham and is quick to answer all questions. It’s also especially great that the proceeds support his students.
KC7JNJ Rating: 2017-12-05
Love it! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Been using it since summer 2017. Working great in every way. I had to really double check some SWRs and ended up replacing my coax. Now It is flat on VHF and 1.5 on the UHF repeaters I use. I am hitting repeaters all around. The other cool thing is I can call Ed himself if I have problems or questions. I called him just to chat. Learned a few things from him, he is fun to talk with. For the price, and I can talk with the designer himself. Along with he stands behind this thing. This is real value. It won’t be long before I have another. I am also thinking this will be perfect for the motorhome. Or should I say enginehome as it has no motor hi hi.

SWL377 Rating: 2017-11-09
Super value Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Ed is a PhD EE and designs and build these antennas with great care. They work. The price is fair. They weather well. What more could you ask?
W8RMV Rating: 2017-11-08
Works great Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is my first & only 2M/440 antenna. I have had it up for a few years and it always worked great. Yesterday I realized that I had a SWR meter that would work at 2M so I hooked it up & was disappointed to see a 3:1 SWR. I sent Ed an email & he quickly emailed me back & told me to call him. He answered just as he got out of the shower. I told him I'd call him back but he was having none of that, he wanted to help me now. He quickly figured out that I did not have it clear of the roof edge. Sure enough he was right. I moved it up 5' & now the SWR was 1.5:1 across the band. I was able to talk simplex on SSB on 5W with my HT to my buddy over 30 miles away . He said I was 59! Thanx, Ed.
VK3FORK Rating: 2017-07-10
For the money = Exc Time Owned: more than 12 months.
For the $$ competes with much more expensive antenna . Might want to tighten and glue the SO 239 to stop it rotating . I currently have two of these , and to be honest the older one performs better than the newer one . The older one is very close in performance to my Diamond X50 , the Diamond just edging out the EF PVC . SWR is very flat on my sample ( 2 meters ) and the antenna works very well for both 2 meters and 70cm .

What ever repeater I can hit with the Diamond X50 I can also hit with the EF PVC @ 1/3 the price .