| WI0H |
Rating:     |
2011-09-12 | |
| No complaints here |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I got one of these for my first HF station back in 2008. I didn't have a lot of room for antennas, so I set it up on my roof in an inverted V config. Say what you will about this design, but it worked for me on everything from 10 through 40. I did manage to make a few contacts on 80 with it, but it radiates as well as a wet noodle on 80 so I wouldn't recommend it. You will also need an external antenna tuner as it may give your internal unit some issues. I know it gave the internal tuner in my IC-746 fits on 40 and 20. It would hold the tune for a while and then lose it, usually in the middle of a QSO. I switched to an external tuner and never had that problem again.
I can't really comment on build quality other than to say mine stayed up on my roof through three years worth of wind, rain, and snow with no issues. YMMV, but I have no complaints. It certainly outlasted my buddy's roof top vertical, and he paid ten times more than I did.
If you have the room to set up a longer, more efficient antenna, do so. But if you have limited space and an external antenna tuner, this antenna is well worth your consideration. |
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| KJ4VTH |
Rating:     |
2011-01-15 | |
| Good antenna but |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
the price is higher these days and the quality is not top-notch.
You must have an antenna tuner, even says so on the bag. SWR is quite high but a good tuner can get a decent match on most bands.
52 wire, 15 high, it does a respectable job on 10-40m; poor job on 80m (they do not advertise use on that band). I have made SSB contacts thousands of miles using 50-100w and digital contacts tens of thousands of miles using 10-30w.
I would give it a 5 except for the price hike and materials construction that is just OK. Hopefully it will hold up over time but suspect I will be replacing it in a couple years due to exposure to the elements.
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| W5LXG |
Rating:    |
2010-12-18 | |
| No thanks |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
Mixed comments. A problem ordering direct so I'd recommend buying from a stocking distributor such as HRO.
On the positive side, the quality of the few components is excellent given the low cost. Plus the workmanship works great.
My installation was not textbook. It was necessary to slope the antenna from 50' down to 20' in an approx. slope of 50-60 degrees. That might be the cause of SKY HIGH SWR on ALL bands 40-6. My Kenwood TS-480 would accomplish a match of sorts from 20 to 6, but needed an external, wide range tuner to tame 30 and 40. To my surprise, I was unable to obtain QSOs on those 2 bands in 2 or 3 evenings of trying. I tried 3 different homebrew coaxial HF chokes at the feed point to no avail. Gave up and erected a Radio Works Carolina Windom 40. What a wonderful difference. Maybe if the antenna was installed as normal flat top, it might have earned a 5, but 3 is best I can honestly access. |
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| YV5IAL |
Rating:     |
2010-11-02 | |
| La mejor relacion precio / eficiencia en una antena multibanda |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
Si bien la antena G5RV jr es una antena de compromiso. Para mi es la antena multibanda de mejor desempeno para su costo.
La antena puede sintonizarse perfectamente con el Antenna Tuner interno del radio en las bandas de 40, 20, 17, 10 y 6 metros. En estas bandas he logrado DX fantasticos !!!
Con una antenna tuner de banda ancha es posible sintonizar tambien las bandas de 30, 15 y 12 metros (tambien 80 metros, pero esto seria algo extremo para lo cual la antena no fue disenada).
Sin embargo, la antena no propaga correctamente la senal de radio (ni siquiera con un antenna tuner de banda ancha) en las bandas de 30, 15 y 12 metros.
La recomiendo ampliamente !!!. SObre todo, para aquellos colegas que vivan en sitios donde se prohiben las antenas ... |
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| EI4GMB |
Rating:      |
2010-09-10 | |
| DXCC with G5RV Jr !!!! |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
The G5RV Jr. (51ft)(10m,20m,40m) was the first antenna I purchased as a Radio Amateur. I installed it horizontally (flat-top), 30-35 ft above the ground and slopoing northwards in an east-west configuration.
At sunspot minimum and using just 100w, I reached DXCC with contacts on 5 out of 6 continents !!!
It is a truly remarkable antenna. I have since bought a Carolina Windom at 5 times the price and in many instances the G5RV Jr is better, so much so that I find myself constantly switching back to it !!! It is indeed a superb limited space antenna and even outperformed a vertical that I eventually took down.
If you buy this antenna you will not be disappointed. It will definitely exceed your expectations !!! |
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| KG4YMC |
Rating:      |
2010-09-10 | |
| g5rv 102version |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| I have used the 102 version . It tunes up great on 15 and 40 and will tune on six , but for six did better with three element or better ant. Mine has been hit by tree branches and a support string or two have broken and the down wire replaced when a tree branch fell on it , not the fault of anteena and it keeps on working great,Had checked into the pacific maritime net and was told I had strongest single to station in wa. state with ten watts and ncg tribander radio I have. worked spain japan, argentina, europe , rotundra is. alaska and hawaii. ect with it , tunes up great on 15 and s40 . I have room to try 204 version . have mine mounted not very high 25 30 feet , kinna lazy flattop , I kid when the clouds are ovehead just right , might get good for around 35 not bad deal and will tune with mf mobile tuner ( excuse me transmatch ) kg4ymc |
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| KJ4EOZ |
Rating:      |
2010-09-10 | |
| aways work great |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I have two of the g5rv.jr
works great on 40 - 6 meters
Just moved to front Royal , va
put one up at 50 feet running a FT-950 at 100 watts .
from june tell now and worked 33 countries
40 and 20 have worked 43 states .
works 10 and 6 very well .
for $28.00 cant beat it .
tunes up with the tuner in my FT-950 |
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| W0GLB |
Rating:      |
2010-06-03 | |
| A bargain for sure |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| 5/5 based on cost vs. performance. I don't have a junkbox of antenna fixin's, so this cost less to buy than I would have spent to homebrew, and is build tough. Performs well on 40, 20, and 15, but can't get it to tune on 10m. Wasn't made to work on 80, and doesn't. Can I do better? Sure I can, but for economy and being ready to raise and radiate, this gets a gold star. |
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| KF6KDA |
Rating:     |
2010-05-13 | |
| 2 year review |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
Here is a 2 yr update on this antenna.
Yes, it's still up. Yes, it still works.
I now have it at 30 feet in a vee and the ends about 15 feet. It is fed with 75 feet of RG8X. This is a bad thing, but coax length does matter getting it tuned. This almost made me cut off the coax connector and just run 300ohm to the shack. I haven't done that yet. My TS2000 tuner still loves it on all bands save 30m. Still HATES 30m.
I use a Jacktite windsock pole as the center support. It's broadside east/west. It has endured some 40 mph winds and has fallen once due to a failed strap I was using to anchor it to the fence. No damage, loose connections or faults so far.
My on air experience with it:
40m: Marginal performance. DX can be a struggle, but it can be done. I have worked Africa, S.America, VK/ZL and east to YB9 and beyond.
20m: Average performance here. Used mostly on 20m. EU, Africa, S.Am, the Pacific and east to JA and DS.
17m: Average performance here. Contacts are easy when the band is open.
15m: TERRIBLE!!! Deaf and very poor radiator here.
Major struggle to work anything. A 40m dipole at 15 feet blows this antenna away on 15m. Not even a contest.
10 and 12m: Works well. Has some lobes here. Not good for the local ragchew on 10m, but contacts on this band have been easy when its open.
6m: Kinda works ok. Lobes here. Some directions work quite well. Other directions, you'll hear nothing while the other locals work them.
Overall, it's not the best antenna in the world. Even at this length, there are some mono band solutions at the same height that will do much better. I've had fun with this antenna. I've also cussed it out to no end!!! I guess what it comes down to, I've worked 65 confirmed DXCC in just over 2 yrs. It does work if you don't expect to compete with the guy down the street with the yagi and the tower.
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| WW3K |
Rating:      |
2010-01-08 | |
| Surprisingly Effective |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
Santa Claus just brought me one of these (via AES in Milwaukee, WI for $28.99 for Christmas 2009) & I threw it up in place of a 20M dipole.
It is about 51 feet long and has approx 14-16' 300 ohm ladderline transformer section with a convenient SO239 termination for your PL259 coax connection.
It's short, lightweight, unobtrusive and gave me the following resonances (fed with approx 100' of 50 ohm coax):
FREQUENCY SWR IMPEDANCE
3.605 2.9:1 111 ohms
7.641 2.5:1 40 ohms
16.01 3:1 69 ohms
29.5 2.9:1 81 ohms
42 - 59.985 MHZ 1:1 match into 50 ohms
HF transceiver's autotuners will love this thing on all bands 6-40 meters. Should match well. Auto tuner in IC-746 PRO & MFJ-993 IntelliTuner even tunes it for the entire 75-80 meter band. Forget about 160, unless you feed it as a Marconi Tee.
Looks to provide GAIN on the 6, 10 and 12 Meter Bands! (similar to what a full size G5RV would provide for the 20 meter band).
I think it makes a very effective compromise antenna for space limited individuals, and you can't beat the price (even if you built it yourself.)
I would highly recommend installing this antenna as a FLAT TOP dipole, or a sloping dipole, or even as a vertical dipole. I would advise against inverted vee configuration because of the matching line impedances. Also, I would recommend at LEAST 20-25' above ground; the higher the better & in the clear.
CAVEAT: This is a harmonic antenna and really DOES EFFECTIVELY RADIATE HARMONICS. So, be prepared to get into telephones, HDTV, etc., even out of the 300 ohm transformer (which DOES radiate), so mount accordingly. I'm not sure I'm gonna be operating QRO with this thing, but I certainly will be using it for SWL, & bird-dogging.
SUMMARY: If I could only have 1 (one) HF 'DO-IT-ALL' Antenna, it would be a Double (204' long) G5RV. If I didn't have the room to mount that as a flat top in the clear (which I don't), I'd use a regular (102') G5RV. If I couldn't fit that (which I can't as a flat top), I'd get this HALF G5RV.
I am completely satisfied, and do indeed HIGHLY recommend this highly effective multibander.
73, Dom
WW3K |
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