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Reviews For: Antenna Solutions - EFAB MAX Endfed

Category: Antennas: HF: Verticals; Wire; Loop

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Review Summary For : Antenna Solutions - EFAB MAX Endfed
Reviews: 5MSRP: 159.99
Description:
Efab Max 66 foot long end fed antenna covers 80 to 6 meters
Max power 1500 watts pep.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.efabantenna.com/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0053.4
N8YQX Rating: 2012-05-02
Not good for permanent installation Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Initially, I tested this antenna few feet off the ground with a short coax. Although the performance was not great, I was able to make few contacts.

Then, I decided to mount it higher, above the house. Although the coax run was longer than the initial test, I used LMR-400 to compensate for the longer run (about 50ft).

Result 1: After mounting the antenna above the house, I couldn't make any contacts. I also wasn't hearing as many stations.

Result 2: Frustrated, I removed the antenna from above the house. I shook the box, and water started pouring out. Although the box is "sealed", it still let's water in. Since the box was still "sealed" with epoxy, I didn't bother opening it up for further inspection.

Conclusion: The antenna may work for temporary work (ie: Field Day), but isn't worth much for permanent installation.
K9BLS Rating: 2010-08-15
Just Acceptable. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I'd like to give this a 2.5, but it is not deserving of a 3.

The main reason for my only giving a 2 is the fact that the manufacturer states on the antenna page that a ground radial is not required, but this is false. The manufacturer emailed me and stated that a 67 foot radial was absolutely required as well as a balun which for some reason isn't in the instructions, but was supposed to be in the instructions.

Also, I dropped the "magic box" from about a foot and there was something rattling around inside after. I had to open-up the box to see what I broke and voila....epoxy city!! Screws that hold the cover on are soft brass and since it is also epoxied on, the heads break right off with n chance of actually unscrewing them. Seems like real overkill, especially since the epoxy inside is so fragile. I don't know about anyone else, but I'm not about to feed 300 watts into an antenna that has something rattling around in the box.

Too much marketing hype. Antenna is okay, but not as great as advertised.
K4BXN Rating: 2010-07-09
Good not Great. Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I have both the max and the standard EFAB endfed antennas. The max is installed at home and most of the time but not always is about 1 s unit down from my doublet antenna at 45 feet. The shorter EFAB is my portable antenna and while I don't have anything to compare it to, I can make plenty of contacts and it does load easily on 80 to 10 meters (did not try 6 mtrs). They are a bit expensive, but well made and they do work pretty well.
W0ISF Rating: 2010-07-03
This antenna works!!!!! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This antenna worked alongside a 135' allband at 35' on field day with almost identical signals! A day or two later i worked a station in florida that was busy logging contacts.I was the 2nd loudest/strongest station he had heard all night! I have a 28'jackite kite pole that i attach it to and erection is FAST. OH by the way,i am using the 26' version and not the Max. I plan on buying the MAX and running it at my special event station at the Iowa State Fair Aug 12-22 2010 W0ISF
KD8HSG Rating: 2010-05-01
Good solution! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased this antenna because of my restricted space and a desire to get on 40 and 80 meters. I was pleasantly surprised to find it worked pretty darn good on 160 through 10 meters. I added a ground radial using the extra lug included on this antenna. Not having much space I ran the wire from a mast on my house across my back yard and the ground radial down to a tree limb in the front with the extra length of the full 66' length of the ground radial rolled and tied at the insulator. (Installed as an inverted V with the ground radial a little short) I also formed a 1:1 balun choke with 18' of rg8 coax wound tightly around a 1' length of 3"pvc pipe at the feed point. Without a tuner the SWR is good across every band. As follows 1.5:1 on 160, 1.1:1 on 80, 1.3:1 0n 60 and 40, 1.2:1 0n 20,17,15 and 12, 1.7:1 on 10 meters and 6 meters not workable at well over 3:1. Overall, I think for what it is, it would be hard to beat. In the first 2 weeks I have worked stations all over the USA with ease without an amplifier. I am using my FT2000D model with 200 watts pep.
73's Dave KD8HSG