| N9APD |
Rating:      |
2011-11-24 | |
| Easy to install solid performet |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
| This is a follow up review. I installed the S9-31' vertical a few months ago. It was out of frustration that decided to try this antenna. My various attempts at dipoles in my small city lot were not very good. I have no trees or other supports to get above the average tree canopy or roof lines of nearby homes. My antennas always ended up with an NVIS pattern - not what I was looking for. Out of frustration I purchased the S9, hoping that the 31' straight up would put some signal at the horizon. The install took about 2 hours including running the coax. I mounted along the center of a 100' long chain link fence, with the ground radial connected to both the antenna and the fence. I mounted the bottom of the antenna into a metal military camo support pole - a perfect fit it turns out, just like it was made for it. A couple of heavy duty hose clamps secure the metal camo pole to a support pole on the fence. It is a clean install that is hard to see from the street (nice). I run a Yaesu FT-817ND (5 Watts) into a small MFJ Tuner, and mostly run PSK-31. Before the S9 my dipoles seemed to favor North South (no matter how I oriented them). Now the coverage is truly Omni directional, allowing my first Japan contact. Lots more contacts into Europe & Russia than before, and still have the same great signal into South America. Probably the best testimony I have is that this summer my area (Northern Illinois) was twice his with 90+ MPH straight line winds that tore up my roof and downed trees all over the area. My S9 stood tall and undamaged. Perhaps the only thing that would have changed that was flying debris, but I was lucky and none hit it. I plan to buy a second S9 for my field day set-up. |
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| WA5DA |
Rating:      |
2011-10-01 | |
| Works amazingly well |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
On 7/29/2011 I got the antenna up in the air and 20 radials in the back yard, got on the air, and on the first night I worked Russia, Czech Republic, Spain, Quebec, and Italy! What a nice surprise for my introduction into HF. I'm using LDG's 4:1 Unun, and outputting 100 watts from my FT-857D.
As of 10/1/2011, I have worked 53 DX entities, and 47 states. I don't think it is beyond the realm of possibilities of getting DXCC and WAS by year's end (only thing that may hold me up with QSL delivery times). The antenna may be built for 40M, but I've worked the majority of my contacts on higher frequencies. It works very well on 30M, 20M, 17M, 15M, and 10M. I've made two contacts on 6M during Sporadic-E openings, so even though this isn't a good choice of 6M it does work. I can even get it to tune up on 80M in narrow band segments but have only worked the digital modes on that band. The thing won't tune up 160M (no surprise there).
I think it goes without saying that a good ground radial system is important for vertical antennas. I spent more money on the radials and radial plate than the antenna itself. I plan on putting more radials down in the ground later for improved performance. I mowed the lawn with the mower at its lowest setting, and bought a couple of bags of "landscaping staples" from Lowe's to push the 14# wires tight into the ground. My yard slopes and is curved so I needed a lot of staples. I tried the biodegradable staples from DX Engineering, but they didn't work too well for me, almost half of them snapped due to the compacted soil in most of my yard.
Anyhow, I'm really happy with the setup and wanted to give an example of how well it works for chasing DX.
73! |
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| KE2GN |
Rating:      |
2011-09-17 | |
| Lives to specs, great value, good perfoprmer |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I live on a city lot. The neighborhood is full of trees but none on my lot. For the last couple of years, I have uses short wire antennas coming from the roof to the branches of neighboring trees with limited results. I never felt I had the space for radials since most of the bigger verticals want 60+ foot lengths. Then I discoverd the S9V 31. It takes care of all these problems.
I give it top marks for the following reasons. First, it does everything it claims to do. Second, it is priced very well. Third, it works.
I have about 16 radials, a few of which are very short since the S9V is located near the corner of the lot. Where I can run 30 foot radials, I will be running as many as I can. Once I received the UNUN, it tuned well on all bands. It has great performance and I feel like I have been given back the entire world again. (I used to have ten acres for antennas).
The first weekend I had it up, we were visited by Hurricane Irene. It took only ten seconds to lift the pole off the pipe and lay ot on the ground. No worries at all.
It is virtually invisible against a background of green shrubbery and the two neighbor's trees. I recoommend it wholeheartedly.
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| W5CYF |
Rating:      |
2011-08-10 | |
| So good I bought a second one |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I initially installed my first 31’ S9 as a replacement for a HyGain 18HV because I wanted an antenna I could use across bands without going outside and changing coil positions.
I put down about 30 radials of various wire sizes ranging from 22 gauge phone hook-up wire to 14 gauge electrical wire. I used whatever I had on hand and cut them to whatever length would fit the space. Nothing scientific about my layout at all and it works well.
I’ve used a 4:1 Balun, 4:1 Unun and coax choke and all seemed to work equally well.
Unfortunately my first S9 took a *direct* lightning hit and virtually exploded taking out several of my rigs at the same time. (Results can be seen on my YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suaMa1h8u2Q )
After the dust settled, the first thing I reordered was another S9 31 and installed it exactly the same as the first one. 15 minutes after the package arrived I was on the air!
The only thing different…now is I lower the S9 even if just a ‘bad cloud’ blows over!
73
John/W5CYF |
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| N8ZEE |
Rating:      |
2011-07-16 | |
| Great product |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I have both an 43' and 31'and think they are the greatest. The 43' is used at home, and the 31' is used now with my RV when traveling.
I never had any contact with the previous owner John, but he could not be any better than LDG.
Have 5 of thier tuners and find them Fantistic.
I do not feel you can go wrong with this S9 Antenna, after my experence with them.
Will answer any questions that I can about this product.
Will have more testing in a few more months.
Bill
N8ZEE |
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| N2LRB |
Rating:      |
2011-07-14 | |
| Great antenna! |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
I've had both the 18 foot and 31 foot versions of this antenna and have been using them since January 2011. I can not recommend them enough. I live in New York City and am lucky enough to have a landlord who allows me to put one antenna on the roof.
I have made contact all over the place, the continental U.S., Europe and Western Africa with the 31 footer. I am only using 10 radials as it is not my roof and I am lucky to have what I have as it is. I use the 18 footer for portable operations in Central Park. The antenna comes with a4:1 Unun, use it if you are going to work more than one band. I also recommend using an external antenna tuner. I don't need it for either antenna above 20 meters, but do need it for 20 and 40 meter operation. You can not go wrong purchasing this antenna. |
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| W5XJ |
Rating:      |
2011-07-14 | |
| Even better with autotuner at feedpoint - follow up review |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| This is a follow up to my original review. The screws I got with my S-9 work 100% better than the clamps for a fixed setup. On July 4th I set the antenna up portable in the park with my LDG AT-200 Pro at the feedpoint and a bunch of radials (essential) laying on the ground - it tuned 6 - 40 FB. It is so light it is easy to setup - just pound in a short mast, pipe, conduit, broomhandle, etc and you are in business. LDG should make a weatherproof 200 watt remote autotuner for this antenna since the AT-200 is intended to be used inside and you have to make your own enclosure for outside use -small Igloo coolers work OK for this. MFJ makes one but I am not sure how it would really hold up. There is always SGC but that is a large box to have on the ground. I would buy this antenna again for sure! 73 & good DX de W5XJ (Dallas) |
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| NW9T |
Rating:      |
2011-05-17 | |
| Not really a 5 but very close |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
It's not perfect, and I really tried not to give it a rating of 5 but a 4 is just WAY too low. The problems I have encountered with the 31' S9v have been minimal, and easy fixes. Plastic bottom that fits over the end of the tube came off, epoxy didn't hold and the stop rings were prone to slipping until I really clamped them down.
I mounted it in the same location I had a home brewed 20 Meter 1/4 vertical mounted over 30 buried radials of 17' each. Even though the radials are relatively short for below 20 meters it loads up no problem 6 to 80 meters (using the optional 80 coil which I believe is no longer available). I use the MFJ 945E tuner and also went with the Balun Designs 4:1 Unun.
As I said it tunes up on all the bands from 6 to 80 but does it perform? In a word, YES! I've had the antenna up for only a couple of weeks and have been very impressed. In the first couple of days, and spending very little time on the air I've added several new countries to my list. During several pile-ups I actually busted through, was heard, and got my contact. As always propagation and timing can be huge factors, but being heard and hearing are the primary goals.
When you look at the initial investment, the fact it actually works on all bands, I can't give it anything but high praise.
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| W4CBS |
Rating:      |
2011-03-15 | |
| Great antenna |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I read the reviews and was very skeptical. I had a hard time believing everyone gave a "5" report. I finally had to buy one to find out for my self...at the price I figured I could not go wrong. I ordered last Wednesday, and had it Friday morning! Saturday I put it together and got it on the air. It took me longer to read the downloaded instructions then to put the thing together.
I turned on the rig, a Ten-Tec Omni VII, checked 40 with my 80 meter full wave loop and noticed a few S3 to S5 signals and nothing more, then I switched to the S9v, WOW!!! The S3 went to S9, the S5 went to 20 over. The band came alive. My XYL was gone so I found myself still up and on at 3 AM, working everything I could hear. Several broke in to tell me I was the loudest station on the band. I broke several pile ups on the first call, had 20 over 9 qso's with california, but got out equally with stations here in Florida and surrounding states.
I am not using a chock coil, have not hooked up a 4:1 balun and am still able to load it on every band from 80 to 6 with an MFJ 3 kw tuner. On 40 my swr is below 1:3 to one across the entire band and there is no rf getting into speakers, computers, televisions or phones. I mounted the S9v as suggested on a galvanized pipe against my perimeter fence in the back yard. The botom of the vertical is level with the top of the fence line and I tied the shield of my 213 coax to the fence. The installation from start to finish took less then an hour. The antenna is so light I could lift it with one hand, but did use two to lift it and set it down over the mounting pipe.
I have been a ham for over 50 years, and used every antenna in the book, and then some. I am always trying something new to compair with what I have. The 31 foot S9v exceeded every expectation and made a believer out of me. It must be the fence!!! |
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| WX4O |
Rating:      |
2011-02-21 | |
| Great Antenna |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
| This is my 2nd review of the 43' S9V. Used it exclusively for the CW contest and had really good results 10 thru 40 meters. Worked the world with 100 watts. I love this antenna. My radials (more will go down very soon) aren't buried. I just cut the grass VERY short, layed 'em down, and when the grass grew back they're invisible. I highly recommend the antenna, especially considering the price! |
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