| KD7ZD |
Rating:  |
2010-07-12 | |
| Great Antenna |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I've had this antenna up for about 7 months but only pulled the coax and installed my SG-230 antenna coupler about a week ago so this is kind of a mixed review.
The antenna was a snap to install. I dug a 4 foot hole as suggested and filled it with cement and a 2 inch water pipe about 18 inches above ground. I installed a ground plate and ran a few radials. Assembling the antenna and mounting it was very easy and the only reason it took several hours is because I was being so very careful.
The antenna has survived several Oregon coast storms with wind gusts around 80 mph. It does move around a bit in that kind of weather but no trouble.
About a week ago I pulled coax and power leads, mounted and wired my SG-230 at the base and fired it up. I've had good reports from 160 to 20 meters with only 3 radials out. I do have a 10 foot ground rod at the base, however.
Over the next few days I'll install about 27 more radials but I wanted to share my success with only a partial install.
From what I've seen so far, I highly recommend this antenna. If anything changes in my opinion, I'll post it here.
Phil
KD7ZD
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| K5ML |
Rating: |
2010-06-16 | |
| The Most Effective Antenna My Neighbors Will Never See |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
I live in an antenna-restricted community complete with CC&Rs and an HOA Gestapo. The CC&R regarding antennae states that they must be screened from view or approved by the architectural committee. In October 2007 I put up a 43’ ZeroFive vertical and applied for approval from the architectural committee. The president of the HOA told me that he believed it would not be approved but he would allow me to put up the antenna at night. I thought that was very generous of him inasmuch as it would be screened from view by nightfall and wouldn’t need approval with or without his permission. Thanks for nothing.
Later, thanks to K6OU, I learned that if I removed the top 20’ of the antenna, it loaded and worked very well from 30-10 meters disguised as a flagpole. So, during daylight hours, I removed the top 20’ attached an American flag, put a ball on top of the pole and used it as a flagpole antenna during daylight hours. During the daytime, I worked the world on the flagpole. After dark, I worked the world on 40 and 80/75 meters with the 43’ vertical. I was complying with the CC&Rs and all was well……or so I thought.
After operating this way for about 15 months, I got a nastygram from the HOA telling me to remove my antenna or screen it from view. I replied that my flagpole was in compliance with the CC&Rs and they had no basis for their charges. They then tried to fine me for using a flagpole as an antenna, despite the Federal Freedom to Fly the American Flag act, an Arizona state statute that states I’m allowed to have a flagpole of reasonable height, and the fact that from the street it looks like any other flagpole. They finally backed off when my attorney sent them a letter stating that they would have to put up tens of thousands of dollars of association money and convince a jury that I couldn’t fly an American flag in my own backyard.
In an effort to have an even more stealth antenna, I got another idea. I ordered a 33’ ZeroFive vertical to put on the opposite side of my property where there are nearby plants and trees. I painted the antenna a flat matte green color that is very close to the color of an S9V vertical that I had purchased to experiment with. I had the paint specially made at Home Depot. The painted ZeroFive blends in great with the surroundings. If anyone wants a copy of the paint recipe, drop me an email (k5ml@arrl.net) and I’ll send it to you. But wait…. There’s more.
Shortly after painting it, my wife discovered some plastic grape leaf garland at a local Big Lot store. It comes in 6’ lengths and sells for about $5. I bought a bunch of sections of garland and wrapped them snugly around the vertical. The garland is attached to the vertical with the hose clamps that are used to hold the telescoping sections of the antenna together.
To keep the antenna as stealth as possible I use it as a 22’ vertical most of the time and it works great from 30-10 meters. I call it, “the beanstalk” because it looks like a giant beanstalk. I only put in the top 11’ and use the full 33’ vertical when I want to work 40 meters. That happens only after dark the vast majority of the time. The only time I now use the 43’ vertical is when I want to work 80/75 meters.
I’m happy to report that the beanstalk works great. The first week it was up I worked XV2RZ, A65CA, S79GM and 3B9WR along with a bunch of other less exotic DX. With few exceptions, I work everything I can hear. Just for fun, during a recent CW DX contest I turned off the linear and ran 100 watts into the 22’ beanstalk on 40 meters to see what I could work. In a half-hour, I worked two KH6’s, VK7, CE, JA and VP2.
If you can’t or don’t want to put up a directional antenna, my experience is that a ZeroFive vertical is an excellent choice. Living in the Arizona desert, ground radials are a must and the beanstalk has 40 of them. It’s fed with 150’ of RG-213/U, with a Balun Designs Unun at the base and a Dentron MT-2000A tuner in the shack.
As always, Tom at ZeroFive was a joy to work with. He does very little advertising because he doesn’t need to. His legions of happy customers are the best marketing in the world and it doesn’t cost him a dime. I sent Tom a photo of the mighty beanstalk and he posted it on the ZeroFive website:
http://www.zerofive-antennas.com/content/mickey-k5ml-stealth-33-foot-zerofive-hoa-area
Shortly after I put up the beanstalk, a former neighbor who is sympathetic to my plight dropped by. She said, “My boys told me to look at your new antenna but I can’t see it.” I pointed at the beanstalk and she said, “I still can’t see it.” Finally, we walked into the backyard toward the antenna. When she got around 20’ from the antenna, she spotted the base mount, the Lance Johnson radial plate, the Unun, the coax and screamed, “Oh my God! That is so funny!” Mission accomplished. |
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| K9KEJ |
Rating: |
2009-05-04 | |
| Tremendous DX condx in Costa Rica |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
The weather was terrible(lots of heavy rain),the fishing was excellent, and the DXing was fantastic. I leave a 33-foot, ZERO FIVE Vertical in the jungle of eastern Costa Rica because I make it down there a couple times a year. Operated as TI6/K9KEJ with a small xcvr putting out around 40-watts. Most of the operating was on 40 SSB in the late afternoon and evening. Because 40 has been red hot over the last month, I was blown away by the DX pileups I was able to generate. Signal reports from Eastern and Central Europe ranged from 5X7 to 15/9. JA and HL stations gave me 15-20/9 reports as well. We (W9YOR and myself) had one ground wire acting as a radial. The 33-footer was ground mounted and surrounded by tall flora and palm trees. Because of our proximity to the equator, I expected some fairly good DXing, but I was knocked over by the response we were able to generate. Andy, UA3TCJ near Moscow couldn't believe we were only running 40-watts, and was incredulous when I told him our antenna was a gound mounted, 33-foot, ZERO FIVE Vertical.
When Don, W9YOR helped extend the antenna, he was amazed with the quality of the antenna, and subsequently the great reports we received from around the world!
Orrin
K9KEJ
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Earlier 5-star review posted by K9KEJ on 2008-05-01
It's May, 08, and I recently returned from another fishing/hamming trip to the jungles of eastern Costa Rica. Operated as TI6/K9KEJ. This was the 2nd year using the ZERO FIVE, 33-foot vertical. I ground-mounted it in between a thick stand of palm trees. In 2007, K5YG and I were able to make around 1,000 contacts with over 30-countries from the Costa Rican location (the same QTH), with a Kenwood TS-50 and a small MFJ antenna tuner. I've written this review in a continuing chapter and dialog regarding ZERO FIVE antennas. This 33-footer is made with the same rugged quality as my 43-foot ZERO FIVE at my Illinois location. What really tickles me is the negative advertising I have recently noticed comes from a competitor, but that is to be expected. There have been reviews and comments made here from detractors claiming that those of us who own a ZERO FIVE vertical are members of a "cult", when in reality we are HAMS who found a unique company (ZERO FIVE) that goes the extra yard to provide the highest quality and fantastic customer service. I have four of these verticals, and because I've had tremendous with all of them, my testimonials will forever be etched in stone. Again, I publicly state that I do not have any financial interest in the ZERO FIVE company, so these comments are not coming from a paid shill. And for the critics, all of the reviews have come from REAL HAMS, not from some yuppie advertising agency!
Orrin-K9KEJ |
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| N4NHQ |
Rating: |
2008-08-28 | |
| Great Antenna. |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| I live in an antenna restricted development with no trees or simple way to support a wire antenna. I put the ZeroFive up in the center of my backyard with 37 ground wires 15 to 25 feet in length. The clean look of the antenna attracts little or no attention and the neighbors that have noticed it are nonplussed. It can’t be seen from the front of the house. It just doesn’t raise any interest because it is so difficult to see and is a clean design. It was easy to install and Tom was a great help getting me started. It comes partially assembled. I rented an electric jack hammer from Home Depot and drove a 5 foot length of 2 inch galvanized pipe in the ground leaving 18 inches to attach the antenna. I also used the jack hammer to drive a couple of 8 foot ground rods. The antenna was together and up in an hour. It took me about 5 hours to get all the ground wires down. IT REALLY WORKS AND HAS BEEN EASY TO TUNE. I have made contacts on 80 to 15 meters and worked parts of the US, Europe, South America and the Caribbean since having the antenna this brief period, running 100 watts. It is well made and easy to put up or take down. I have owned other verticals over the years but none have come close to the performance or appearance of this vertical. HIGHLY RECCOMENDED |
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| KK8ZZ |
Rating: |
2008-05-27 | |
| Great Value, Great Signal |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
I've had the 33 foot model up since December -- easy to assemble, tough materials, once it's up, it STAYS up! Handled NE Ohio winter winds and storms with no problem -- as Tom says, it just flexes like a flyrod in highest winds and comes right back to vertical. I used both a 1.5KW PalStar tuner and a wonderful little LDG Z-11A for autotune on my IC-756ProII and both worked fine. You WILL need the balun, but check eBay for another balun supplier that carries the same thing for about 2/3 the cost. Tom is a class act, always willing to talk by phone or on the air to help new users get their antenna set up. I had a little grouding problem with the antenna and my X Engineering radial plate -- Tom recognized the symptoms, suggested exactly what to do, and it worked. The antenna has produced lots of good contacts stateside and DX. I highly recommend this antenna, and the longer 43 foot version (my next antenna, coming soon!)
Bob KK8ZZ Solon, Ohio |
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| AD5OW |
Rating: |
2008-04-19 | |
| Wow this rocks. |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| Just got it up in the air. I forgot to order the match so I hose clamped a piece of coax on the vertical. I'm on 40 meters with just 3 radials now. The SWR is flat on 40 and I'm hearing stations from all over the US. I can't wait to finish up with around 12 radials. Tom you make a great product. Strong and really military grade construction. Thank you, I've never had a vertical that worked. Now I have the best. |
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| KK7XE |
Rating: |
2007-09-11 | |
| My Best Vertical Ever |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| I ordered this antenna in July so that I would have it when we moved from the East side of Montana to Central Montana. Originally I was going to mount it on a new post & beam garage we had built. Being steel, I knew it would make a good ground plane, but due to the proximity of power lines, I ground mounted it. Last week, on the 4th of Sept. I got the base pipe in concrete, and the next day mounted the antenna along with 4 radials. Came in, turned on radio and much to my delight, it was alive with signals as never before. I can load it on all bands, WARC and 60M and is truly a pleasure to use. I now have 8 radials on it, and reception continues to improve. I am adding 8 more today, and will continue to add till ground freezes, which will not be too long. I have emailed Tom with questions, and always, a quick response and most pleasant. A nice person to do business with and a great product. Oh, before I forget, on a first call, right into Caracus and the UK. I am very happy and it's truly well built. This review was based on my previous ownership of the following verticals. Cushcraft R-5, Gap Titan, Hustler 5BTV, Butternut HF6V. Hands down, more efficient and no traps or other forms of antenna theory. |
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