Manager


Manager - NA4M
Manager Notes

Reviews For: Lakeview Co., Inc.

Category: Antennas: HF Mobile & Accessories

eMail Subscription

Registered users are allowed to subscribe to specific review topics and receive eMail notifications when new reviews are posted.
Review Summary For : Lakeview Co., Inc.
Reviews: 3MSRP: 25.95
Description:
Stake Hole Mount NOTE: As of Jan 2012 no longer in business
Product is not in production
More Info: http://www.hamstick.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0034.3
ADAM2 Rating: 2011-02-27
Good Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This review is only for the hamstick at 20 and 40 meters.

These antennas use two set screws (under a piece of blue tape) to manually adjust the top part of the antenna (whip) for tuning. If you adjust the whip by more than about 6” downward and enter the “closed area” (using a little too much force), you run the risk of piercing a wire that runs inside of the fiberglass antenna. You will be able to feel where the closed area begins. But, perhaps an improvement of this design would be to add a metal or hard plastic protector that prevents entering this area.

I was able to get SWR below 1.5 very quickly in the vertical configuration, without an ATU. Impressive! However, I was not able to hear anything or make a contact. Note that I was not using a large ground plane, like a car, but this was a stand alone mount.

I then tried the hamsticks in a dipole configuration and was generally unable to get SWR below 3.5 or 4.0, even with an ATU.

Since I wanted to compare the hamstick against something else, I used the same equipment (less the hamstick) using 14 AWG THHN wire. I cut the wire very quickly (17.5 feet, instead of 15.5 – 16.5 on 20 meters), and immediately was able to tune up, hear traffic, get SWR below 1.3, etc.

Manufacturing quality appears to be good, but I did have a problem with one.

So, they’re good, not great. I probably was not using them for the right application and would give them a try for my car. The price is right.
KB2SEO Rating: 2010-09-03
Excellence in a easy to manage package-AVOID THE KNOCKOFFS Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have Lakeviews in 10, 15,17 and 40 meters. I also own 2 "knockoffs". Without a doubt, Lakeview makes the BEST "Ham stick" of all of them. One other manufacturer simply slid the ends of the coil wire under the metal ferrule, expecting the cheesy cheap heat wrap to hold it all together- My mobile rig on a net at the time was Up and down as the antenna would lose than gain connection.It sounded like someone was rocking the RF gain back and forth! after a little investigation with the ol' Fluke meter and some wiggling-I found the wire was full of corrosion from the untreated bi-metal contact.a small hunk of wire snapped off the end of the antenna!My Lakeviews are clean, no damage in spite of being bumper mounted and being subjected to 80 mile one way commutes!...the knockoffs, are newer but ALL have had electric tape wrap where the plastic wrap split or the wire broke and had to be soldered.the loading on the Lakeviews were as expected and promised. the Other ones- were not "Iron " or had any "valor"- I have Awful loading, even on the new ball mounts on the side of the jeep. the Lakeview is perfect on the side ball mounts . The tuner allows me to use the entire phone band on 40! Next Ham fest I see Lakeview, he'll be getting a order for replaceing ALL the knock off antennas, and whatever bands I still neeeded. the knockoffs are 10-13 dollars cheaper...NOW YOU KNOW WHY!
WB5MHA Rating: 2007-10-01
great! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I don't know why there are no previous reviews of the Lakeview Hamstick antennas. They work better than expected. I usually get DX asking "what antenna gives you that kind of signal" questions while working mobile. Add a cheap MFJ antenna tuner and your 15 meter Hamstick will work all bands.

It's not a beam. Keep your expectations realistic. However it works very well if band conditions permit.

I have easily worked DXCC mobile over the five years I have used them and the sunspot gods have not even been favorable.

Just watch out for low tree limbs and Wendys entrances.