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Reviews For: QSO-King End Fed Antennas by NUØR

Category: Antennas: HF Portable (not mobile)

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Review Summary For : QSO-King End Fed Antennas by NUØR
Reviews: 36MSRP: $60-80
Description:
160-6 meters. Very efficient end fed antennas. Quick deployment.
Product is in production
More Info: http://eBay. Search QSO King or end fed wire antenna
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00364.8
N1YZ Rating: 2017-02-26
Solved my stations weakness on 40m Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I am using the 117' version of this end fed (EF) antenna). This antenna has allowed me to do several things my dipole could not.
1) Operate on 160m - yay!
2) Hear and work better on 80m.
3) Work much much better on 40m.

I typically operate on 20m and below so my difficulties on 40m with my dipole were a major disappointment. This antenna has solved that in a huge way. Weeks of A & B antenna tests between the two antennas show the QSO-King EF antenna receives 10-15db better than my dipole on 40 and 3-5 db better than my dipole on 80m. This is good news! On 20m the antenna hears about 3-5 db down from my dipole, but because the antenna is oriented differently from my dipole, some sigs are stronger with the QSO-King. The one QSO I had on 17m showed the EF beat my dipole by 4db.

The HF bands have not been too hot from 15m -10m lately so there is more testing to be done there. All in all an excellent experience with this antenna. I'll update my experience going forward.
KD6SX Rating: 2017-02-17
Revised review Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is a revision of my previously submitted review of 16 February 17. In that review, I said that the QSO King was not as good as my doublet on 30 and 40 meters. I contacted Bruce by email for his advice and he told me what I'd done wrong. I had placed an air-wrapped RF choke at the coax feed point on the balun. This was wrong and I should have known it. This antenna design requires a length of coax to provide sufficient ground for it to work properly. If a choke is used at the balun, it chokes off the length of ground needed. If a choke is used, it should be on the radio end. I corrected my mistake and it made a huge difference. The antenna now works at least as well as my doublet on all bands and I only have to use an external tuner on 160 meters. My rig's internal tuner mops up the SWR on all other bands.

I'm happy to give this antenna a "5" now.

KD6SX
W8NVC Rating: 2016-05-23
QSO KING END FED Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I got the 10-80 59 Ft one because my close friend had one and used it on the air and I was amazed. Now to the nay sayers, here is what I have to say. Yes you can build one yourself if you have the time and save a little money But, this thing is built like a tank, its waterproof and is easy to put up. NO I'm not the biggest thing on the band but, I'm in the game and I can play amateur radio. Some hams like myself don't have the space or a they have HOA or are renting. I have a place of business that I rent the store front so I was limited. This worked. I was using a ham stick on top of the rooftop Ac unit and it sucked. This baby works. and its easy, and looks like an ATT telephone box mounted to the building. So, if your looking for something that is easy to put up and handle some power 1.5 kw this is it.. I'm very happy.. Thank you QSO King. I'm on the air at work and i'm enjoying my hobby.
W1XWX Rating: 2016-04-13
Finally failed- but Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is an update of a long term review of the QSO King 160-6 meter. The 3rd year it was up in the backyard over a large tree the wire broke . It was an easy fix to rejoin the wires, solder and tape.

After 4 years I begin getting odd SWR readings and took the box down to inspect. The Texas sun had finally warped the box from where it was hanging from an antenna mast and allowed water inside. However this was after about 4 and half years of being out in the weather. I swapped the box out with a duplicate I used for portable setup, cleaned up the old box and now use it only for portable operations during good weather.

What can I say! Just a great value for about $69 dollars. 5 PLUS stars.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by W1XWX on 2014-02-08

Just finished WAS on both LOTW and Eqsl using this antenna. I extended the length to 127 ft based on my conversation with Bruce. The box is mounted up about 20 ft and then goes over a tree and down to a fence, where it takes a left hand turn down the fence. This last section is about 15 ft above the ground.

It's been up now for almost 2 years with no issues. My MFJ 986 tuner easily tunes all bands- except 6 meters. I also use the line isolator sold by this same company.

Recently I bought another one to use at field day and for emergencies in my GO kit. They are real easy to put up. I usually work 80-10 meters and the antenna has performed well considering the low height above ground. I have about 35 confirmed DX contacts. This is a really good antenna and is well built. Normally I run it using my ALS600 amp at about 400 watts.

I would guess that you could make this into a poor man's loop with more wire, if you had the space and the extra wire. I am planning to put up a tower and beam but will leave this up even after the tower is installed.
KC9OET Rating: 2016-04-10
great antenna Time Owned: N.A.
the QSO king is a great antenna I have mine mounted horizontally about 40-ft between 2- trees I have the 98-ft version the swr is 1.2 on all bands except 20-meters that is the only band that has an swr of 1.8 and I use the tuner to bring it down to 1.2 all other bands I just bypass the tuner I have talked to england. Spain and everywhere on this QSO king I have had a station in nj ask me what type of beam I was useing as far as I am concerned it is the best wire antenna out there. KC9OET
W5ATK Rating: 2015-08-05
OUTSTANDING! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
After relocating and purchasing a home with a limited space and trees for my G5RV that I used for 20 and 80 meters for years, I saw an article in the August edition of CQ raving about the QSO KING End Fed antenna as an alternative. I had tried several OCF dipoles since I needed my feed line as close to my home as possible, but wasn't having any luck. Although I don't have an HOA to tend with, I wanted to be neighborly in my sub-division and not have feedlines hanging over my pool in the back yard. I purchased the 88' version with one end about 30 feet up and the other with the matching unit mounted about 6 feet up on my privacy fence next to the house. After 9 months of being off the air, not only was I back on 80 meters, but getting great signal reports from friends all over the US. I do use an antenna tuner and a counterpoise about 50', although not required, really helped! So far so good. If you are limited in space or span, this is the one to get!

===

Update: After receiving the 88' version of the QSO-King from NUØR, I called Bruce and decided to try the 117' version. He sent me the longer replacement wire and the RF in line filter. Put it up in 5 minutes. Although I can suspend the original 88' antenna comfortably in my yard to the top of the only tree in my back yard (about 40'-50' tall), the 117' goes over the top of the tree and down the other side, inside the tree about 15'-20'. Bruce assured me that it would not affect the performance. It was a significant improvement to the already 88' version that was working quite well. I was making DX contacts that evening on 40 mtrs to Europe and getting compliments on my signal from friends around the net. If you are space limited or have HOA challenges and still want to enjoy HF, both local and DX, this is the best option. Best part is the customer service is outstanding and Bruce will always take the time to speak with you."
KT5OT Rating: 2015-02-04
excellent,excellent product! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
quite an antenna.even if you have no HOA restrictions on antennas every ham should own one.
quite an amazing antenna for me with lot restrictions,low noise,will tune on any built in tuner or autotuner,works on all bands even quite well on 6 meters.i did install 16 45 ft. radials and gained another 2 S units.160 meter performance awesome.i have it in a inverted L fashion with 75 ft vertical and 42 ft sloping down to 34 ft.i plan on buying another for portable ops.bruce is great and will help you with any questions you have.73s
N0YK Rating: 2014-12-16
Good at 5 MHz and above Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased this antenna after reading the good reviews on this site. I needed a QRO solution on 80 meters for my HOA lot. I contacted NU0R with QSO-King and explained by installation area and that it was for the 80 meter band. He recommended the 117' antenna and a choke to place near the amplifier. All arrived in a few days and I was able to get everything installed just fine. Results on 80 meters have been disappointing. SWR is 8:1 across the entire band. On 160 meter the SWR is something like 16:1. This is all measured on a quality antenna analyzer. SWR does drop to a very reasonable reading at 5 MHz and above. I do feel the antenna meets the "4 - Good" rating at 5 MHz and above. Below this and specific to 80/160 meters, I'd rate it much lower. Again, your mileage might vary and I'm only speaking to my personal experience with the antenna. I did exchange several emails with NU0R explaining my troubles. He did offer some suggestions but we just couldn't make it work on the lower bands. My next plan is to try a different balun from Balun Designs, maybe the 9:1 Unun. If anyone has any suggestions, please contact me offline.
NR7J Rating: 2014-11-19
Great Product Great Seller Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Bruce, will help you with all of your questions. The other guy gets annoyed very quickly. I'm so glad I purchased this and not the other balun, I did a lot of research and talk to guys that own them both. They all said go with the QSO-KING then I looked and Bruce sold over 1000 in one year, the other guy maybe 100. That alone speaks volume.
Do your research and you'll end up buying this one too like I did. Many blogs and reviews everywhere.
Did a quick test with the antenna as soon as it arrived, I had it about 3 feet off the ground and worked California and Oregon on 20 meters. The wire is 44' I'm still testing with and w/o a 13' counterpoise wire. Balun is at 8' feet and then the wire extend horizontal up about 16', sloping in the middle down to about 13'. SWR change even with an airchoke on the the feedline and on some bands the counterpoise makes a different up on some bands and down on others. Of course if you have a tuner it will work fine on all the HF bands. Finally after about 20+ years I'm back on the air. Thank You Bruce, good job.
KK6DCT Rating: 2014-09-26
Works great! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Shipped and arrived within a couple of days of ordering. Put it up for the first time this afternoon as a sloper, high end was up 33ft on a kite pole. Used an LDG tuner and it didn't need to tune in on 20m, tuned fine on 15. Made some RTTY contacts and worked great. Storm coming so had to take down my kite pole, but happy with it so far!