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Reviews For: Hexbeam: by K4KIO

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

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Review Summary For : Hexbeam: by K4KIO
Reviews: 191MSRP: 669
Description:
A six band, broadband, G3TXQ- designed, hexagonal beam with performance on par with a two element Yagi but a much smaller physical footprint is fully tuned and ready to go. This is a plug and play antenna, not a kit. It can be assembled in an evening with no measurements or tuning needed. No traps or coils are required and a single coax feeds all bands. Available for Bands 20 – 6 meters in various combinations. All steel components are stainless and non metallic components are UV resistant. Mount on a push up mast or rooftop. The sturdy aircraft aluminum base plate has never been reported to fail by hundreds of users. A “no questions asked” 30 day refund offer comes with each beam.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.k4kio.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
24.51914.9
AJ2I Rating: 2015-12-10
Amazing Peformance Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
What else can be said that already hasn't been. 5/5 an amazing antenna that has broken through countless pileups. Great performance on all bands. Flat SWR across the board. They say it's only equivalent to a 2 Element yagi, however, I've been stronger many times vs local hams 3 element trapped Yagis.
W7ZAC Rating: 2015-11-16
Excellent Product Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I live in Northeastern Nevada at 5675 feet above sea level. We get brutal winters here, with strong winds. I just installed the KIO Hexbeam two weeks ago before our first snowstorm. I also installed the ice cords. It works as advertised. I do notice that it has almost no attenuation on the backside of the beam, but I expected that since it is essentially a tuned dipole. I can work what I hear now, and I hear many new countries, especially on the JT65-HF mode. I made an excellent choice, Thanks! It is up only 40 Ft at the present time, but works great!
AK4FU Rating: 2015-10-25
out standing antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Best antenna I have ever had, the one thing is after three years the spreader fiberglass poles have started to de laminate and need to be replaced that just part of living in South Florida the sun is brutal on fiberglass and plastic. All in all it’s still the best antenna that I have ever had and I highly recommend it.
KK4CZT
WA5WA Rating: 2015-09-27
A+++Antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've this antenna about 1 year and QSO more than 1000 from around the world with this antenna, and when one of the spreader broken, I called Leo and he shipped it to me without charge.
Exellent antenna and superb Customer Service from Leo
KE5JA Rating: 2015-09-27
Excellent Antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
When I first purchased this antenna for my Sakhalin Island, Russia RA/KE5JA QTH, I needed an antenna with a small turning radius and wind load. I wasn't expecting much but wow, I sure was surprised. At my Sakhalin QTH, the hex beam was mounted only 35' up but worked much better than I was expecting. It also survived the harsh winter storms and snow.

I am now living in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia and recently had the hex beam temporarily installed on the roof of my A93JA Bahrain house. And again, WOW, it worked fantastic! I made over 10,000 QSO's with it the first two months I had my A93JA license and could break any pile-up with it. It is now in the process of being installed at my Saudi Arabia 7Z1JA QTH.

The beam is very light weight, easy to assemble, excellent SWR, and had no problem surviving Siberian winters and now Middle East summers. I highly recommend this antenna and feel you will be surprised at it's performance!
N3QQN Rating: 2015-09-19
Wonderful antenna Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
20, 17 and 15 meter bands all have excellent VSWR with no tuner. It is 8 feet off of the ground and I can ragchew with my friend in Indianna from Seattle mid day with no dropout. I cannot wait to hoist it up on the push up mast.
KG4BFR Rating: 2015-08-01
The 2nd Best Antenna I have ever owned Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Excellent antenna with a very good price,easy to assemble,does not take up to much space in the yard,very good quality components,the antenna is up on a Rohn 40 push up pole with 8 guy wire rope....antenna is at 30 Ft to base, no rotor,antenna is pointed do North over the Pole....Spreader Arms are getting a bit rough from the South Florida sun, I would recommend painting them if you live in a high UV zone.
It is a fantastic antenna with incredible receive...get it up in the air and enjoy.
73
VK3TWM Rating: 2015-05-31
Best antenna I've ever owned. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Wow! This is an awesome antenna! Only had it on the mast for about two weeks and already I'm working stations I couldn't even hear before. I love it!
Granted that I've only had it for a short time and I will write another review when it's been up for 12 months or so.
Although it is only mounted 7 metres above the ground! It has brought FT-950 to life.

This antenna is well built and represents good value for the bucks. I reckon, if you buy it! You won't be disappointed.
Thank you Leo for a fine product! I am now one happy DX'er...........
K9ILL Rating: 2015-04-29
Non directional Time Owned: more than 12 months.
After owning my hex beam over 2 years, I'm well pleased and get great signal reports. My hex does NOT seem to be very directional. I live in the St Louis,MO area and I leave my beam pointed S/E most of the time and I still hear Canada and the N/E as well as I hear the S/E.
I guess that could be a good thing sometimes. I DO love the beam though. It's light weight, works well with a TV rotator and has withstood 70 mph winds and ice storms here in the Midwest and costs HALF the price of a Mike Traffy Hex beam.

NG0Z Rating: 2015-04-28
World of Difference Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased the 5-band version with the ice cords, larger flange base plate and the ferrite bead choke balun. It shipped quickly.

The antenna arrived in good condition, there was some gunk on a couple of the spreaders that I removed with steel wool before painting them black.

The directions were easy to follow and I assembled it myself easily on a step ladder suspended by two saw horses in the driveway.

I was amazed by how large it looked in the driveway but to a amateur radio operator it is a work of art once it's assembled. To spouses and neighbors, not so much I suppose.

Everyone in on the project was skeptical that the SWR would be flat and low on all (5) bands until we put the analyzer on it...wow. No tuning required on 10, 12, 15, 17 or 20 meters!

The analyzer shows it will be easily tuned on 6M and 2M even although I didn't opt for that option.

I've been running with a 43' DXE MBVE-1 Vertical with an extensive radial field and a 200' doublet up 50+'...and what a difference this antenna on a 50' tower has already made...


I can hear stations that I could not hear before, and those that I could come in much stronger. I got a 59+ into UAE and last night got a 58 from China putting 500-600 Watts into this beautiful antenna. Both after only a couple tries in huge pileups.

Completely delighted by the performance so far and it looks awesome!

Bonus: I had a question when we were installing the antenna on top of the new tower and Leo answered my email on a Sunday! If that's not excellent customer service (and maybe also a little insane) I don't know what is! (Thanks Leo)

Hints and Tips:

-I painted mine black, and recommend it for UV protection but even more so for aesthetic reasons!

-Buy some extra hose clamps.

-I would probably put wire ties on the hose clamps if I had to do it over again as I'm not sure I trust them for the long haul...time will tell.

I will update this review if anything changes.

73