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Reviews For: Shark FM "mini" HF

Category: Antennas: HF Mobile & Accessories

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Review Summary For : Shark FM "mini" HF
Reviews: 14MSRP: 19.95 street price for most vers
Description:
The Shark FM "mini" series of single band antennas are convenient for HF operation on the road. Each American made antenna covers a single HF band with a power rating of 250 watts P.E.P. Each antenna features a black fiberglass lower section with integral coil and an adjustable (removable) stainless steel whip. The Allen wrench is included. The base of the antenna element is a 3/8 inch X 24 thread. The color of these antennas is black. These antennas do not include the mount or coax. [Also available in a full size version].

The S-F 5MS is a set of five mini HF antennas for 10-15-20-40-75 meters bundled in one package.

Product is in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00144.4
KD8ZM Rating: 2017-07-10
Very very pleased - 20m Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I recently bought and installed a Yaesu FT-891 radio in my pickup truck, and wanted a low-profile antenna for the install. Based on reviews here on eHam, I purchased one of these for the 20m band from Universal Radio.
First day after installation (two days ago, Saturday July 8th 2017) we went on a one-hour trip up, and one hour trip back. It happened to be a contest day so a great day to contact stations and give this whip a test. Running 100 watts, I was able to contact at least 20 stations from California to Connecticut (we were in SW Ohio).
Every single station I called out to, without exception, answered me back immediately. None had any trouble understanding my call. This test far, FAR surpassed any expectations I had for this stubby little 40" antenna mounted to the tie-down rails of my little Nissan Frontier truck.
I have now ordered the 5-band bundle for $80 from Universal Radio.
I should mention that I was also using a MFJ manual antenna tuner on this antenna, since I could not get the SWR below 1.9 without it. However, the performance using the tuner was outstanding!
W8MQW Rating: 2015-07-03
Needs a sleeve balun Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Using a MFJ 335BT 4-inch diameter mag mount, the SWR was quite high, maybe 2.3 at its best point. But when I installed a Palomar BA-58 sleeve balun just inside the car (about 4 feet from the mount) the SWR dropped to 1.05 at resonance and 2.0 at 25 kHz at either side of resonance. Nice Q. Hears well. No transmit experience yet. This review is for the 40M mini.
N9RLI Rating: 2015-03-05
They don't tune on any band, and they don't receive... Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
So...I read all the glowing reviews, about how great they were, etc. etc. and thought, DUDE! I don't want some huge antenna on my car, but I want to operate...perfect compromise. Wrong. I guess what the other reviews left out is their setup. So...here goes.

I've got a '00 Nissan Xterra with a mount drilled through the rear steel bumper. A buddy loaned me his 15M generistick (ham stick knock off) and I've worked a LOT of stations 9A4, LZ2, F5, PJ2, and on and on...mostly on 15/18/20. My radio is an IC-7000 with an LDG AT-7000 which can tune a wet noodle if needed. The only problem I had with this setup is the size of the antenna...I wanted something smaller.

I did a bit of research, looked up reviews, and bought the 5 band pack. Now, I'm not saying these things are terrible. I'm not saying don't buy them. I'm saying that if your goal is to have a discrete antenna, that doesn't pass the car's roof line, don't do it. It literally wouldn't tune below 3.8:1 SWR and receive was non existent.

I guess when writing reviews, we should really explain our setup. When reading them, I (we) should take those things into account...for my purpose they didn't work at all. At. All.
AJ2I Rating: 2014-07-13
Awesome Performance! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
HF mobile has been such a blast and these "mini" antennas are amazing. I can only speak for the 20m version. I've broke through pileups into VK and the middle east with this $20 antenna. When conditions are good, this antenna sings. Very happy.
AD4CC Rating: 2012-06-27
Excellent for the size Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Purchased from Universal Radio. All Tuned up well, however, some do not reach 1:1, maybe 1.5:1 which is fine. I use the LDG tuner with mine and the IC7000. Works very well together. Field day was fun, several contacts on Saturday and Sunday. Even checked into the local 75 meter net. They work, they are small (love the 20 meter one!). Using the diamond 400 trunk lip mount with grounding on a Lincoln MKS. Wish I had the 17 meter version but 20 tuned there OK.
Overall, would recommend these!

----------------------
Earlier 5-star review posted by AD4CC on 2012-06-27

Purchased from Universal Radio. All Tuned up well, however, some do not reach 1:1, maybe 1.5:1 which is fine. I use the LDG tuner with mine and the IC7000. Works very well together. Field day was fun, several contacts on Saturday and Sunday. Even checked into the local 75 meter net. They work, they are small (love the 20 meter one!). Wish there was a 17 meter version but 20 tuned there OK.
Overall, would recommend these!
WX4PBC Rating: 2012-04-28
Good compromise antenna Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Being in need of a "short" or “Low Profile” HF antenna system for new company SUV and reading the reviews here on eHam, I installed the mini 5 band kit on rear hatch with diamond 400c mount. All tuned well with exception of the 75m.I have not tuned it yet. Note: I have properly ground the vehicle body to chassis. (I think)

The antennas appear to be of sound quality. I added a coil spring to improve rf ground picture which did drop the SWR. I did not have problems with the set screws but based on the reviews, I replaced them shortly after the install.

Even through call signs and contacts are not the deciding factor, lack of them would be. I have no trouble in making QSOs and receive good reports stateside and fair reports from Europe.

The antennas seem to pick up less noise more so than the full size "HamSticks". So..If you’re looking for a good compromise antenna that works and is easy to tune I would recommend this “Daily Driver” HF antenna system

73, Ray
WX4PBC
www.pbcskywarn.org
KM5TC Rating: 2011-05-20
Good Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Have the 40m and 20m. Using them on my PT Cruiser. No grounding other than the trunk lip
mount on the rear hatch. 857D and LDG 100+ works
well. The size helps in pulling under my car port
and the quick disconnects are a plus for band
changes. Also used the 20m on my GMC p/u. Threw the radio and tuner in the front seat, cig for power at 30watts and enjoyed hf while on a brief
trip out of town for two days. Antenna was mounted on a mag mount no grounding. 73's KM5TC
N4DBM Rating: 2010-01-29
Works Well! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Not much more to say.. I have the 60 meter antenna. Matches up fine in the middle of the band. Bandwidth under 2:1 across all channels. Seems to work well for its relative size. I would recommend this to anyone wanting a small HF mobile. I have heard of folks installing two of these back to back and feeding one side with the center pin and one side with the shield, and making a portable "dipole" antenna with them with good success.
WB5JEO Rating: 2009-11-11
Yeah. They Work. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
How do you rate this? Surely not against larger mobile antennas. I guess I'll split the difference. I needed a daily antenna that could clear the parking garage. The 20-mtr Mini is shorter than the 5L/8 2-mtr. that slaps the overhead. Tested by calling on the CH net to another mobile in SD. (I'm in So. TX.) Came right back with about as good a report as I could give him. Reports mean nothing, but I was obviously copied okay. And that's with it sitting under a huge old oak tree and a power line. Can't ask for more from this tiny $20 antenna. It got me on the air HF mobile, which wasn't going to happen otherwise on 20, as stopping to take down a big antenna every day wasn't going to cut it. I also got some full-size Sharks and quick disconnects for days on the road. They certainly tune up slicker, but the Mini does what I need.
AC4RD Rating: 2009-06-28
They do work Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I used to do mobile HF from a big car with Hamsticks on the trunk lid. Now I've got a tiny box-shaped car and only 8' of clearance in my parking garage at work. I ordered a 20m mini Shark to give it a try. It's mounted at the roofline of my econobox (Scion xB.)

I've only had it for a week but used it a good bit during Field Day this weekend. I'm guessing it is from one to three S units weaker than the Hamsticks were--which is actually not all that bad considering that the 20m version of the mini Shark is literally only three feet long. If Field Day stations were S7 to S9 on my receiver, I had a decent chance of working them with the Shark. S5 or below, not so likely--though there was a lot of QRM, it being Field Day.

The criticism about the set screws IS correct, I had to replace mine almost immediately. And my first mounting location left the mini-Shark unable to tune up or to hear anything--but mounting it up HIGH on the car and tuning it very carefully with an antenna analyzer gave me reasonably decent performance, for an antenna so physically small. I'm going to try homebrewing a bumper-mount bugcatcher for 20/17/15 ... but for now the mini Shark means I *can* work HF from my car. Not very well, but it's way better than nothing.