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Reviews For: TAK-tenna

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

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Review Summary For : TAK-tenna
Reviews: 156MSRP: $348. USD
Description:
High-frequency antenna for 3 to 30 MHz., inclusive

TAK-tenna is Unique and has been awarded U.S. Patent.

Radiating elements use proprietary copper jacketed alloy

Rotatable - Portable - Stealth - Primary & Restricted Space

Very easy to assemble

Sturdy and well built with low wind load Weighs only 5 pounds Very small footprint >p>TAK-tenna 80 Multibander has a 48 inch boom All other models have a 30 inch boom.

Direct feed with 50 or 75 ohm coax on resonant band User chooses resonant frequency Use coax + antenna tuner...or twin lead + antenna tuner for off resonance operation

Power tested to 1000 CW watts at resonance Key down for 30 seconds and 1400 Watts PEP no heat sensed on antenna wire or coax feed point when touched by hand after power testing

High efficiency = NO lossy matching components anyplace in system Directivity = 10 to 14 dB signal increase in transmit with 90 degree rotation with horizontal orientation Vertical orientation provides omni-directional pattern

Shipping world wide

Product is in production
More Info: http://www.tak-tenna.com/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
151564.5
N2TNQ Rating: 2014-03-14
Tak-tenna 80 Great antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
An easy antenna to put together. Have been using it in the vertical position for over two years. No problem talking to Europe or South America with 100 watts. Has also worked well with a max of 500 watts to South Africa.
N3HBV Rating: 2013-10-26
TAK-tennas are working like a champ! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I installed the 20m and 40m-multiband TAK-tennas three months ago and have been very pleased with their performance. I have them at 20 feet, horizontal polarity, and am using a simple TV rotor for azimuth. They were straight forward to both assemble and resonate with an SWR analyzer, and the MFJ-969 tuner has no problem adjusting for optimum SWR when changing bands. The TAK-tennas are outperforming my G5RV jr. and have definitely added a very positive dimension to my DX capabilities.
VK1IRC Rating: 2013-04-09
TAK-tenna 80 - Great HF antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Ok.. Point 1. TAK Antenna is a VERY effective antenna..
After achieving resonance at GROUND level, I have had a HAM friend help me with putting the TAK up on a telescopic mast (and soldering taps to final position) that has been put in at QTH.. With ground Earth. I have to say that resonance with this antenna did take some time but an Antenna analyser did pull this antenna in for me easily... at the end. Father & son assistance did speed it up. Since then... GERAT performance...
Taps soldered into final position (very important). Well.... I have to say that after ONE (1) day of the Tak being up and plugged into the rig, I have achieved a contact to VE7AV (in log on QRZ.com page), British Columbia Canada which I have to say is a BIG BIG achievement from VK1 land (on 100W.. Kenwood TS 2000). Also... all around VK 3, VK 4... 5, 7 etc... getting Great reports from the TAK. Various SOTA contacts as well and ZL 4/2 New Zealand calling ME.. on a DX net. This is an Awesome antenna. Highly recommended...Very well designed. PSK receive great as well, Multibander does the job extremely well with tuner in rig.
Every station that I contacted (without) the Tak previously has said that my signal is MUCH better than ever on the TAK TENNA.
So.... Knowledge sharing from Steve is a big factor. Steve has extensive knowledge to assist you with getting this antenna up and on the air from your QTH. He will work wih you 100%.... post sale as well.
TAK really is a very unique antenna that works...
Very Happy.
VK1IRC. Canberra. Australia.
K6BHB Rating: 2013-02-03
expensive DIY solution for an antenna Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I'm glad to see that other people have had luck with this antenna; I've had absolutely awful luck with it.

This thing is advertised as an antenna kit -- I'd call it more like "kit to build an antenna". You get some antenna wire, a few pages of mediocre instructions, and maybe $15 of parts from the hardware store (plastic pipe, zip-ties, mounting hardware).

The "build and tune it yourself" instructions mean that if you have good results with the antenna, you can post a nice review here -- or if you have bad results, you can blame yourself for not assembling or tuning it correctly. I don't have any experience with other antennas, so I'm going to say that this makes a very poor first antenna. You might as well build one yourself -- you have the same odds of success, and your wallet will be happier.

With regards to the patent -- Patent #3432858 from 1969 describes something mighty similar to this antenna, so I'm not sure what value Tak-tenna can add to it.
KB1HYL Rating: 2013-01-25
I'm very happy Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
All I can say is that I'm very happy with my multiband 40 TAK-tenna. Like many reviewers, I live in an apartment. I'm lucky I'm on the top (3rd) floor and able to mount my antennas on my balcony. The height above ground is about 35-40 feet.
It was quite easy to assemble following the instructions. I had a little trouble resonating but that was because I was also just learning how to use my antenna analyzer as well as learning how to resonate. It still only took me about 2 1/2 or 3 hours from opening the box to using the antenna.
My very first HF contact (Both on this antenna and as a General licensed HAM) was located in Bosnia-Herzegovina. I figure that's not too bad from southern New Hampshire, USA on 100W.
I'm starting to get interested in 75/80 Meters now and my first choice for an antenna is the TAK-tenna 80 Multibander.
N5PU Rating: 2013-01-02
Bought in 2007! Great! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
My XYL bought me this antenna in 2007, it was great then and has been ever since. This is my 2nd review. I have been using this antenna at about 15 ft. It performs very well! I use it mostly on 40 and 15 meters (with my tuner). If you follow the instructions and resonate to the part of the band you like most, it really does great. I spoke with Steve on the phone this morning (1-2-13), great man, and some of the best customer service I have ever seen! I am getting ready to put my tower back up (46 ft) and needed the instructions to readjust the resonance because I had lost mine (had a senior moment when I filed them and can no longer find them. He sent them to me by email the same day I asked for them! WOW! I really like this antenna and can hardly wait to see what it will do at 50 ft. It will be installed above my Force 12 tri-band so I will have 4 bands up! You can't go wrong getting this antenna, it performs!

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Earlier 5-star review posted by N5PU on 2008-01-19

I got this antenna for Christmas and it took me a little longer than 90 minutes to put together, but then I am old and slow. I tuned it for 7.120 as I plan to use it for SKCC CW qso's. I used the MFJ 259B to tune it with. Had it on the mast with my dual band vertical (VHF/UHF) about 10 feet off the gnd, well it starting raining and had to stop. It is still there, but plan on putting it on my tower, this thing works! First 2 QSO's I got a 559 es a 599 with IN and MI, I live in south MS (100 watts). Not bad, can't wait to get it up higher! Very good price and great service! I would buy it again!
K4WLS Rating: 2012-11-27
works well Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I live with HOA rules that bar me from having an antenna that extends above the roof, or is visible from the road. I was looking for an antenna that would perform better than a low wire especially on the mid and upper bands. I bought the TAK-Tenna, and put it together according to the instructions with the exception being I resonated it to just above the 30 meter band to allow me to tune it smoothly at 20, 17, 15, and 10. I have used it for 3 weeks and my log on qrz.com is testament to how well this works..the antenna gives me great ears as well as transmission and now, if I can hear them, I can work them..barefooted with 100 watts if need be. I have the TAK-tenna 35 feet off the ground horizontal polarization. In the past 3 weeks I have worked 12 countries on 4 continents with TAK-Tenna and with lower noise in reception too..for less than 150 bucks how can you go wrong..thumbs up guys at TAK-Tenna!
WA7ROD Rating: 2012-08-21
number 2 ant. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This is the secound one I got. This is for 20 meter band and with a 4:1 bulin from comtek, I have a SWR of 1.1 on the whole band, dead flat. I get almost all 100 watts I put in it.

I can hear It all, At least as much as you can with it in the up and down direction.

Soon I will get the 10 meter one!

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Earlier 5-star review posted by WA7ROD on 2012-02-18

The last guy has to read the instructions on how to build the thing. It will not work unless you do. I called the telphone number and the guy at the other end was very good at helping with with it. When it was up, the first two places where 800 miles away and the another one was 900 miles a way. Very strong signel. They heard me very well. It is only 20 feet above the ground and in trees. My swr is 1.2 @ 7.2mzh It will tune to 80 meters to 10 meters. Need a portable ant? This is it.
KP4CA Rating: 2012-04-26
Excellent HF antenna Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Recently I build the 40 meter version of this antenna. The antenna performs very good. In fact the second day I installed the antenna, I could make a contact with Belarus and I'm from the Caribbean. The Belarus station give me a 59+ report. AWESOME! As a multiband the antenna performs good also with the antenna tuner. I very satisfied with this antenna.
N6VUY Rating: 2012-04-02
TAK-tenna 80- Good Antenna, Good Customer support Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Back in 2009 I bought a Taktenna 40. I living situation in SOCAL was Condo with detach garage so I had small Patio. I decided to mount this in horizontal at at about 12 feet up just a few inches below the roof line to keep low profile. Call the company once and they called back within an hour, of course Steve will make you feel less than zero but he will help you. Got the resonating point and went on air. Managed about 4 QSOs one digital and the rest SSB. However I discovered a problem, the antenna resonated so well and it was to low and I managed to open my garage door and both next door neighbors. It did not make me popular. Decided to change to vertical so I still opened my garage and the neighbor across the court. So decided on the attic and did not get good results, only the spiders were happy with the antenna in the attic.

Reel forward to the present and the Tak 40 did not survived the move to the house. SO I decided to shop around to see what was available and I was not crazy to string a dipole because it is just a regular house unless you compromise and make it an inverted dipole.

So I took the plunge and got myself a TAK-80 antenna. Followed the instruction to the letter and I advice the more time to spend looking for the resonating point the better results you will get. I managed to resonate 3.615 MHz at 11 feet I raised the antenna to 35 feet and the resonance change to 3.675MHz and I was happy with that

My radio is Kenwood TS-570d using RG-213 coax. The radio tuner tuned perfect 75/80 meters 1.2 SWR across. At that time no activity happening there so I decided to hook the LDG KT-100 external tuner I have 1.5 SWR on 10 meters and less going down in frequency.

So I started making calls and manage to get 55 reports from the east coast and I rotated the antenna and manage to improve about 2 S units. I manage to connect to KP4 station and felt very good about it. I got thrown by accident into the CQ WPX ssb contest so decided to push my luck. I managed QSO with Mexico, Japan, Chile, Argentina, Brazil and Belgium all on 15 meters. Unfortunately everybody gave 5/9 reports but it seems that is what everybody does on that contest, but they only asked to repeat my call only once so I know they were listening very well.

Just last weekend I worked North Cook Island a DX-expedition(E51M) on 17 meters and they gave 5/9 report and there was a pileup going only using 100 watts

Bottom line the antenna works, is it a compromise antenna...maybe, you decide. I am planning to get another one and set in Vertical mode and mount side by side. Antenna is light but it is sturdy, this season we had several Santa Ana Winds events down here and at my house I measured 68 miles wind speed.

If there a drawback. I do have a recommendation, once you finish resonating and soldering the wires to the spirals, consider spray painting the spiral to reduce the corrosion specially if you are near the coast like I am.

In my future I may be purchasing two more antennas to be taken to KP4 land to operate as fixed portable on both poles, I am taking the beam I have down there and ship back to CA and mount the beam and the TAKtenna on a tower.

Height definitely improves the signal in both directions.

My next project is to rebuild the TAK 40 and see if I can do an NVIS experiment and most likely deploy it on Field day this year.

If you don't have space, or have restrictions or your budget is tight you should consider this antenna. read the instruction carefully when you look for resonating point otherwise you might end up writing a review like a few that have been written and don't be afraid to call customer support they like to support you on this and make you feel less than zero but you will learn about resonance and go ahead and read everything about dipole antennas that you can find online, become familiar with the operation of dipoles.

73s catch on the air.

Jose A Vazquez
N6VUY