Manager


Manager - NA4M
Manager Notes

Reviews For: Workman UV-325

Category: Antennas: VHF/UHF+ Omnidirectional: verticals, mobile, etc

eMail Subscription

Registered users are allowed to subscribe to specific review topics and receive eMail notifications when new reviews are posted.
Review Summary For : Workman UV-325
Reviews: 6MSRP: 16.00
Description:
Dual-band NMO Antenna
Freq Range 144-148 MHz and 440-450 MHz
VHF Gain 2.7 dB
UHF Gain 5.5 dB
150 Watts
36 1/2" Overall Length
(also sold with 3" NMO mag mount as UV-325MM)
[also see reviews here under "Workmen UV-325]
Product is in production
More Info: http://workmanelectronics.com/htmdocs/uv325.htm
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0062.5
WB9VKM Rating: 2020-06-07
Identical to Tram 1180 Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have used the tram version (1180) for two years with out a problem with the antenna on the roof of the mibile .Not as good as with a Hustler CG144,but it does work with less gain but better radiation for when in canyons. I got the workman version to use as a base antenna. It is on a mag mount ,mounted to the cover of a a/c unit on the roof and the swr is 1.5 at 144.5 and 1.1 at 148 out of the box with the upper rod at the lower limit. So far- so good. For the area I live in it's all I need. I will let you know if I burn it up with running 100 watts from a IC 746.
NE1EE Rating: 2020-04-22
Leaks Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
So I needed a new mag mount for the new car, which my XYL didn't want to have drilled...but a mag mount was find. (I started by placing a 6" circle of 3M car film on the roof, which has worked very well for the past 6 months.) I bought a Workman dual band NMO and a 5" base. I knew the base was crappy when I bought it, but I looked a about 20 5" NMO mounts, and they all were the same: they would not sit flat and seal on the roof. So I sealed it with silicone. I have had the car parked in the yard for weeks due to the C19 event, and have been using the antenna to check in to nets. Today, I went to swap the antenna between rigs, and water leaked out at the HF fitting. (We had a lot of wind and rain last night.) I pulled the antenna, and sure enough the NMO mount was soaked. My Radio Shack 5/8 from 1995 never leaked. So Workman gets a zero from me. I am pretty angry that I have the whole coax filled with water, making the mount useless. They can't even be repaired as easily as the older ones. And I don't know if the antenna is the problem...it has a rubber gasket, and was screwed down as usual. I have several other mag antennas: Radio Shack, Comet, all w HF connectors. Never a problem.
KB1TXK Rating: 2011-08-25
I don't get it...this thing is great Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I don't understand why others are having issues. My antenna works just fine, tunes fine, receives fine. It bends but doesn't stay bent. The coil hasn't melted, nothing is rusting.

So yeah...apparently if you want this antenna to work correctly, follow these steps:

1) Remove antenna from package
2) Install antenna on mount
3) Connect cable to radio
4) Push buttons and talk

KD0NFF Rating: 2011-01-25
Not awful, but not great either Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Seems fairly well-constructed, but even with trimming I could not get the swr below 2.1:1 on certain parts of 2m. Not suitable for my needs..
N4FDG Rating: 2008-02-27
It is weak!! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Not too good. With little effort, I could turn this thing into a pretzel. Mine lays down in the wind at highway speeds. This antenna is weak and certainly not made for driving down a tree lined road. Buy something else a little more substantial.
KB3CS Rating: 2008-02-27
not as durable as I expected Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Now that I've had this a while and have been driving down the highway with it on a 3" dia. mag mount,
I noticed it developed a kind of "windswept" look. The antenna had developed a curve from base to tip.

Turns out the antenna whip itself is _bendable_ !!

It doesn't spring back to straight - it must be made of some sort of mild stainless.

It can be bent back to straight by hand.. but this just shouldn't ever be necessary in my humble opinion.

On the other hand, it weathered mildly and has kept its tuned VSWR. No problem with 50W.
Oh well. I will eventually replace this with something made of more durable material.


----------------------
Earlier 2-star review posted by KB3CS on 2007-10-21

Out of the vinyl sleeve, the stock 35" overall length resonates below both the 2m and 70cm bands.

I measured the VSWR at 2:1 on 70cm and >2.5:1 on 2m. Not good.

After trimming 0.75" off the bottom section, the 70cm VSWR dropped to <1.5:1. Excellent.

After trimming 2.75" (!!) off the top section, the 2m VSWR dropped to <2:1. Tolerable.

70cm VSWR was not noticeably affected by the shortened top section.

The tuned overall length is now 31.5" and I'm not certain the antenna really is designed to be 1/2 wave on 2m and 2x5/8 wave on 70cm as the gain spec would imply.