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Reviews For: Hy-Gain AV-18AVQII

Category: Antennas: HF: Verticals; Wire; Loop

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Review Summary For : Hy-Gain AV-18AVQII
Reviews: 6MSRP: 259.95
Description:
The classic is back with improved design including three separate air dielectric Hy-Q traps for 10 through 40 Meters -- 1.5 kW PEP. A loading coil and an effective radiator is used for 80 meters -- 1.5 kW PEP
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.hy-gain.com/Product.php?productid=AV-18AVQII
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0063.8
KD8IIC Rating: 2018-07-20
Good Quality Vert Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
All the parts are accounted for plus an extra tube. Everything fits snug nothing loose or wobbly.
Traps are tight. My first Hy-Gain but own a MA8040v
and MA160v Cushcraft and had zero trouble with them as well. MFJ has it all together now for quality on
these two antenna brands.
Wouln not heasitate to buy again.
KT8DX Rating: 2017-11-23
Weak Traps Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Ok - thing thing had great promise but the plastic spacers inside the traps are too loose around the lower tube resulting in a very wobbly antenna. MFJ claims they "haven't had any complaints about this for the past 6 months" whatever that means. The plastic end caps won't stay on either - they are slightly oversize and slip down.

Other than that, the tubing quality is ok if a little on the light side.

I'm trying to get DX Engineering (where I bought this thing) or MFJ to replace the traps but so far no luck.

For the same price, buy a 5BTV - much more solid for about the same price.

Frankly this will probably end up being rebuilt into a single band antenna with a length of tubing.

K6ZRX Rating: 2015-06-13
Works well for my application Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I wanted an antenna that did not require a tuner to use with my old Swan transceivers. A simple vertical would save space, mounted on my rather short chimney, and fill this need well. First off, the instructions clearly written and no parts were missing. In fact there was some spare hardware and two spare capacitance hat rods. Assembly was simple and went well. This antenna is not all that mechanically strong. There are two sections that fit into larger sections that are swedged. With only a small bearing area, the sections want to wobble. I turned a couple pieces on Delrin on my lathe, ran them up the larger piece of tuning to support the end of the smaller section. Made the antenna much more rigid. Eight radials were installed as per the instructions. Upon tune-up, 10 meters was troublesome. Couldn't get a really good match. 15 resonated but has an impedance around 20 ohms. 20, 40, and 80 tuned up very well. Follow the instructions about checking SWR on 40M when tuning 80M capacitance hat rods. The resonate point on 40 moves up a small bit when moving 80 up in frequency. The guy ropes are mandatory if you want this thing to last in even a light breeze.
Overall it has been working well. The tube radio loads up on 10 and 15 with their less than perfect match. A modern radio wouldn't like the match on those two bands without a tuner.
K7TEJ Rating: 2012-10-06
Worth the price Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I was looking for a new antenna solution that would enable me to work DX and yet be adapabtble to my HOA situation. Idecided onn this antenna based on cost and the ability to mount it on a homebrewed tilt mount.

As mentioned in an earlier review, assembly was quick and easy. though the instructions mention the need to guy the antenna, I have not since it is up only when in use, other wise it lays in the cradle of the tilt mount. Even with guying it is stable when up, though if you are plannig a permanent mount, guying is a good idea.

after installation tuning was easy. I got all bands to tune to 1.7 SWR or less at the feed lline and the Auto tuner on radio took out the rest. All bands tune to less tha 1.2/1. I even got the WARC bands to tune to less than 1.4/1 and made some contact on 30m with it (Though I'll keep the G5RV Jr up for the WARc bands).

I still yet to install ground radials, but even withourt them the antenna is performing well beyond my expectations. My log has more DX in it in the 3weeks I've had the antenn up than in the previous 9 months, Including some rare DX (Conway Reef Dxpedition & Reunion Island). I;m gueesing the perfomance will only get better when I get some radials down.

Bottom Line: An affordable antenna that's easy to assemble and install and works as advertised. I'm glad I purchased this antenna and have already recomended it to my friends.
N5MPM Rating: 2011-12-23
Highly Recommended Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased this antenna for it's size and power handling capability.

The antenna assembly was quick and easy. All parts and hardware was included with some nice extras for hardware and rods for the capacitive hat also included.

Instructions and measurements were clear and easy to follow. The quality of materials were good.

I chose to mount the antenna on a center post of the metal fence that goes around the back yard. This is a confined lot for sure and the vertical was the way to go. I mounted the antenna just above the metal fence and used that as part of the ground radial system. I added 8 extral ground inserted radials just under the sod for good measure.

Tune up was a breeze. Easy, all swrs were quickly less than 1.3 to 1 on all bands. 40 mtrs was dead on with no adjusted needed. 80 mtrs did take some time with trimming an inch off the rods at the top of the antenna to walk the resonant point where needed but no problems were encountered.

The antenna loads up and plays great. Excellent contacts with the northeast US (I am in Orlando, Fl.) and Europe with S9 plus signals everywhere and great DX. So what more could you ask for other than the WARC bands maybe.

Bottom line, my experience so far is great with this antenna. I would buy it again for sure.

73's
Tom N5MPM
K1JBP Rating: 2010-10-29
1st vertical Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I've only seen two (2) reviews for this but I have to say it's better than the Condobuster I've been using. This is fairly new product, and it doesn't even have a picture on the Hy-Gain site.

Overall, because of band conditions, I've worked a few people. Unless it's mounted to the ground, the SWR stays high, even with ground radials. I was able to get everytrhing but 80 to have a low SWR.