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Reviews For: Hexbeam: Traffie

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

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Review Summary For : Hexbeam: Traffie
Reviews: 82MSRP: 1129.
Description:
model HX-5B
Product is not in production
More Info: http://www.hexbeam.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00824.8
TURBOBOB Rating: 2010-11-22
Exceeded My Expectations Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I have had my two band (15m & 10m) Traffie HXL-1510 hex beam for four months now and I am very pleased with it performance. I purchased this antenna because I have a limited area in the woods near my house to erect an antenna. This version has only a 6.3’ turning radius and fits nicely in the area I have. This antenna is mounted on a Channel Master 30’ push up mast and is turned by an Alliance HD-73 rotor and has so far survived 50 mph gusts. I believe that a full size beam would perform better but given my space limitations this antenna has performed very well. My other antenna is a 24’ ZeroFive 40-10 vertical and as expected I see a 2 to 3 S-unit difference between the vertical and hex beam on my K3 S-meter.

As has been mentioned this is a very well designed antenna which I put together in 30 minutes in the wood where I have it mounted. During trimming tree branches near the antenna I had one four foot branch land on the antenna with out damaging it. Overall this antenna has exceeded my expectations.

Bob
K9FHY
KQ0C Rating: 2010-11-08
Tiny Jewel Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have the Lightweight 20 meter monobander now, and the multibander on order. Mike Traffie undermarkets the quality of this antenna... it took me just 20 minutes to assemble this perfectly designed little antenna, and every component was engineered for precise, easy, durable assembly. This is not a bunch of spare parts from Home Depot. Everything is very clean.

Performance wise my first QSO was with the Phillipines and my second with the Fauklands. SWR across all of 20 meters is easily tuned by my amp... so I don't buy any of the critique from other hex designers about narrow bandedness.

The antenna is small enough that I can effectively hide it in my "no antennas" neighborhood.

I've waited far too long for this easy way to get a gain antenna.

There are undoubtedly antennas with more gain... but none that I am aware of as small, light, weather tolerant etc. While the antennas are a bit pricey when you realize what you save on beefier towers, rotors etc the overall economics are very strong.
K2MK Rating: 2010-06-05
Compromised installation, excellent performance Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I gave up a tower when I moved to a new home 3 and a half years ago. To stay within HOA guidelines I installed a SteppIR BigIR vertical among some trees which performs beautifully on 80 through 10 meters. I can work just about everything I can hear but there were too many times when I couldn’t hear everything that was spotted on 20 through 10 meters. A hex beam offered the opportunity of erecting a directional antenna on a simple mast that I could keep close to the back of my house invisible from the street.

My installation is compromised because at 27 feet elevation, the beam is very close to the slope of my roof. And at only 7 feet from the back of the house I have to tilt the mast almost 20 degrees while raising it in order to clear the house, the eave of the roof, and the rain gutter. Once extended, I can upright the mast to a true vertical.

Performance of the Traffie 5 band hex beam has been outstanding. I quickly jumped from 60 to 120 countries worked on 17 meters and added a few all time new countries that I absolutely could not hear with my vertical. (Using a quick A-B test). My performance in the recent WPX contest was clearly superior to my effort last year. Many more stations heard and worked on 20, 15, and 10 meters. It was a real pleasure to be able to rotate the antenna to peak up a signal and null out interfering stations.

We are all very lucky that there are a number of very high quality hex style antennas and kit components available. I was drawn to Traffie’s because of the slightly lower weight and the slightly reduced turning radius. My installation is dimensionally challenged so this was important to me. The quality of Mike Traffie’s antenna is superb. The cooperation and assistance I received over the phone from Mike was equally excellent. I was a little surprised at first that there was no e-mail address available on his web site but he more than makes up for that with excellent telephone support. And I also read on an e-mail reflector that foreign hams can fax him their phone number and he will call back at his expense.

The fit and finish of the antenna components are terrific. It took me just under 2 hours to fully assemble the antenna without a helper and I was not rushing. The instructions are clear and well illustrated. All parts are clearly labeled. Be sure to talk with Mike in advance about your mast diameter. He has different coupling sizes available.

My SWR is a little high over 60 degrees of rotation. I attribute this to the close proximity of the antenna to the sloped roof, aluminum fascia, and rain gutter. But it certainly does not seem to have had any effect on performance. I have not fully extended the mast to keep the antenna invisible from the street. If I have no HOA complaints during the first year I will probably push the mast the rest of the way up. I would expect the SWR to improve as I further elevate the antenna away from these objects.

Feel free to e-mail if you have questions. I can also provide you with some tips for using a Rohn H30 push-up mast with a bottom mounted rotator.
WD4ELG Rating: 2010-04-04
Awesome return on investment Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have owned the HXL-20 lightweight version for 20 meters for 4 years. I finally moved to a new QTH where I had room to erect the HX5-bi 5 bander, so I ordered it from Mr Traffie. It has been up for 3 days on a 32 foot mast, and it shines compared to my verticals, dipoles at 64 feet, and my big inverted L (as expected, but it is simply awe-inspiring to hear the difference). I just busted through the pileup for YI9PSE on 17 meters SSB on first call, barefoot. How is THAT working out for ya? Quite well, thank you very much.

1. Stealth - I pained the spreaders with matte black spray paint, and wrapped electrical tape around the mast.

2. Simplicity - truly plug and play assembly. Mike Traffie has thought of everything. Two hours from UPS dropoff until the antenna was mounted and ready for raising on the mast (with a quick lunch break).

3. Performance - I don't have any way of measuring it on an antenna range, but I am quite happy with the results.

4. Value - this thing is simple to assemble, very sturdy and capable of withstanding some pretty strong weather events.

Final point, and I said this in my earlier review. I have nothing against the other hex beam antennas from DX Engineering (simply a FABULOUS company to do business with), and K4KIO and G3TXQ designs and sales are very high caliber. I bought from Mike Traffie (and paid a bit more) because I have a relationship with him. No, I have never met the man. I have no financial ties with him or his company. But in dealing with him and his family over the past 4 years, I am CONVINCED that you will not find a more honest, reputable person in our hobby. I support Mike's efforts and his business, and he stands behind his products 100%. I cannot overstate how happy I am to do business with Traffie Technologies. I just wish everyone was as honest and customer-focused as Mike Traffie.

Hope to see you on the bands (I may get through the pileups sooner than you with my antenna!!), and feel free to give me a shout on the air or email me if you want more details on my installation and my experiences.

Mark Lunday
WD4ELG
wd4elg@arrl.net
http://wd4elg.net
http://wd4elg.blogspot.com
AH6ZZ Rating: 2009-06-21
Second Review Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
First QSO was with a Colorado station at 1400 local Hawaii time -- S9+20 out S9+5 in. Of course that is not a controlled scientific test of a new antenna – but it was thrilling to hear the 9+20 report from 3000+ miles away.

This antenna is the 20m mono-band version of Mike Traffie’s Hex Beam. It is a fine piece of work and a great antenna for my situation and location: small lot, two-story, no CCRs etc -- but concern that I not alienate spouse or neighbors.

Quality craftsmanship, a proven design, simplicity of assembly and great technical support (both in selection of product and after sale support). I have heard a few complaints about price – but you get what you pay for -- and the Traffie product is worth every cent.

K3LJ Rating: 2009-06-10
HX5Bi Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have finally stopped my procrastinating and installed my EZWay tower and put up a Hexbeam HX5Bi on top of it. The assembly of the Hexbeam could not have been any easier unless it could be made as an upside down umbrella and unfolded then installed.

I spent about 2 1/2 hours putting it together in the backyard using a picnic table with the umbrella removed and a 1 1/2 piece of pipe connected to the base plate. The spreaders went together smoothly and the running of the elements were of no problem. The connectors of the elements were color coded and etched as to band and driven or reflector element. Everything was precut and went together smoothly. I am very satified with the quality of the materials used as well as the workmanship. We had a severe thunderstorm roll through with 60 mph gusts last evening and it handled it with no problems at all.

As far as how does it work, it works as it was advertised. I have under 1.8 to 1 SWR on all all from 20 through 10 meters. I used a quality coax with the installation as well. The directivity is obvious as well as the nulling off of the sides.

I am very pleased with my selection of this Hexbeam as to it's performance and it's construction. I would have no problem recommending this antenna to anyone.

VK4SX Rating: 2008-12-23
Proof in the Pudding Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
well after my 8 yr hiatus from Ham radio, and being a silly boy, I removed and disposed of a lot of gear, towers, and yagi arrays ( still have nightmares) I decided to venture back for cycle 24, after much thought and research I ended up on a very very nice phone call to Mr Mike Traffie, that alone is worth the call costs, well my situation had altered, some vacant land beside me had been rezoned, so I only had 4mtrs to the boundry , from last existing lattice tower that attached to house, so I didn't have a lot of options, after a few calls to Mike, I was suitably convinced that the TRAFFIE HX5Bi was the way to go, it would allow a small turning area, fit in the desired lot, LOW maintenance, LOW wind load, (QLD coast) and geez it just looked good to me, so I prepaid for a unit, and then sat back and waited for the day it arrived, well Mike is true to his word in many ways, it arrived on time, as per our phone calls, BUT I had a very small stumbling block, my HX5Bi was kitted out with the NEW type resin glass spreaders, and being SO STRONG a material, they needed an alteration to the SHORT support cables to show a perfect HEX shape, Tim, Mikes son and I were in contact via emails and Mike sent me 2 x SHORTER Support cables, and presto, all fixed and up in the air, without bragging or BS'ing as we say down here, the DX fellows I have worked with 100 / 150ws max, can vouch for it's wonderful performance, to be honest , I am still quite amazed in it's actual performance, and it never fails to surprise me, I get absolutely outstanding reports for a HX5Bi on 10 mtr tower, mounted 1mtr above the rotator to the HEX Hub, very very good reports indeed. I am 7 mtrs ASL, it is an outstanding product, and everything said about it in the past is true and correct in my books. many thanks Mike and Tim of Traffie Technology,
roll on some sunspots, keep and ear out for VK4SX.
rgds all

Dennis VK4SX
M0IHT Rating: 2008-07-20
Exceeds expectations Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Mainly because of limited space available, I decided for the hexbeam (the raving reviews here might have supported this decision).
The put-together instructions were detailed and very helpful and I got so much fun out of assembling this beam that I was disappointed when it was suddenly ready. Anyway, I could lift it with one hand onto the rotor (imagine, a 5-band beam in one hand) and stormed to the shack to apply first HF.
Since then, I just love it. As many hams here also confirm, it is simply amazing how this quite small beam surprises everytime with what ease I can crack pile-ups or reach the very DX I still miss in my log.
I don't have test equipment, but the S-meter (IC746PRO) tells me: front-to-back is about 4 digits, front-to-side about 6 digits. SWR is well within the advertised ranges on all bands.
And the best of all, it is soooo quiet. My previous vertical offered me every day after sunset a noise level of S9 on all bands (in the center of Riyadh). There was not much ham radio at night. But the hexbeam seems to be rejecting this noise, it simply does not exist at S0 (zero!!!). Now I really enjoy switching on the radio again, because all I hear is the faint signal of a rare DX and, with that beam, I get a report from him (or her).
WA4IAM Rating: 2008-02-24
Great antenna for limited space! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've been using my five band Hexbeam HX-5Bi for a little over seven years and I can say without reservation that it is THE BEST limited space antenna for 20-10 meters that I've ever used! Usually I'm able to crack heavy DX pileups wall to wall with kilowatt stations in the first couple of calls running only 100 watts. It is a bit pricey, but the quality of materials is first rate and the performance beats anything in its size class. SWR is 1.1 to 1.3 across all bands (exception on mine is a brief excursion up to 1.7 at the bottom of 12 meters, nothing to worry about). It has survived hurricane force winds and heavy ice storms with no damage whatsoever. If you don't have the space to put up a full size beam and you want a good a good gain antenna with high quality and survivability, you can't do better than a Hexbeam!
F5NZY Rating: 2007-11-12
I like this antenna... Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Within only 8 months and low sunspot, I worked my 250th DXCC with a power max of 100w.

For its size, foot print, weight, performances, this antenna is just the right for me.

Between a HexBeam and 200 pounds of aluminium... No hesitation!

73's de Steph, F5NZY