Manager


Manager - NA4M
Manager Notes
Reviews Home

Reviews For: K5JYB True Ladder Line Antennas

Category: Antennas: HF: Verticals; Wire; Loop

eMail Subscription

Registered users are allowed to subscribe to specific review topics and receive eMail notifications when new reviews are posted.
Review Summary For : K5JYB True Ladder Line Antennas
Reviews: 3MSRP: 94
Description:
600 ohm ladder line doublet antennas. Complete antenna (various models and
lengths. Formerly sold by W7FG (SK).
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.trueladderline.com/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0035
K5WLY Rating: 2012-07-26
Excellent product Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have the 80M version at 25' center, 20' ends feeding an ICOM AH4 at the feed point and I am very happy with the performance so far. Have had it for several months but recently installed, so, time below is from installation.
KC4MOP Rating: 2012-07-26
Great Concept Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have enjoyed the upgrade that I made to my multiband dipole, by purchasing this True Ladder line product. This is not an Internet review that I can now have QSO's that are 20 over S9 to everyone in Japan. BUT the idea that this ladder line and antenna is one continuous piece of wire. That was the improvement!! No soldering to worry about. Using regular solder and the hottest iron in the world will eventually be a bad connection. I especially liked the quality of the wire used in my product. Very flexible. I bought the full length version for 160M and my Dentron 3KA tunes from 160-10. The impedance BTW is 600 ohms. It has survived many high wind and storms so far. No trouble.
KD7RJ Rating: 2010-12-29
Great Antenna Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I obtained a 10-80 meter doublet with 100 ft of 600-ohm ladder line to replace a Cobra Senior fed with 450-ohm open windowed ladder line. I spoke with Charlie at True Ladder Line who was very good at answering my many questions. The Cobra antenna did work, but not as well as the True Ladder Line Doublet. The SWR would change radically with the 450-ohm line and does not change at all, even after weeks at a time with the 600-ohm line in the rainy Pacific Northwest. The antenna is constructed with 16 gauge 26 strands of 100% insulated copper wire. It is all one piece so there are no spices to break. I have the antenna up flat at 35 feet but had to bend the ends to make it fit within my suburb property lines. I have tested the antenna extensively for SWR and impedance with and without a balun. Using an Array Solutions AIM 4170C antenna analyzer, I determined it was best to use a 4:1 current balun. With a 1:1 balun some of the impedance measurements were too low even with a very good tuner, but the 4:1 current balun yielded the best results. I measured from 20 to 80 meters and found the antenna would work flat even outside the ham bands, something that cannot be said of the Cobra. I did not measure 10 through 17 meters because I have a beam for those bands. I have tried lots of antennas over 50 years and by far this is one of the simplest and best performing antennas I have used for 40 and 80 meters. I get great signal reports and can hear stations really well with this great antenna. I suggest a good tuner and good 4:1 current balun to use with this antenna. The balun is mounted just outside the shack and then enters with a short piece of RG213. The only thing that could make it better is if it was higher. You cannot build an antenna like this for less than it costs to buy it and the performance is excellent. Get one and be happy!