I read the reviews and was very skeptical. I had a hard time believing everyone gave a “5/5” report. I finally had to buy one to find out for myself…at the price I figured I could not go wrong. I ordered last Wednesday and had it Friday morning! Saturday, I put it together and got it on the air. It took me longer to read the downloaded instructions then to put the thing together.

I turned on the rig, a Ten-Tec Omni VII, checked 40 with my 80-meter full wave loop and noticed a few S3 to S5 signals and nothing more, then I switched to the S9v, WOW!!! The S3 went to S9, the S5 went to 20 over. The band came alive. My XYL was gone so I found myself still up and on at 3 AM, working everything I could hear. Several broke in to tell me I was the loudest station on the band. I broke several pile ups on the first call, had 20 over 9 QSO’s with California, but got out equally with stations here in Florida and surrounding states.

I am not using a chock coil, have not hooked up a 4:1 balun and am still able to load it on every band from 80 to 6 with an MFJ 3 kw tuner. On 40 my SWR is below 1:3 to one across the entire band and there is no rf getting into speakers, computers, televisions or phones. I mounted the S9v as suggested on a galvanized pipe against my perimeter fence in the back yard. The bottom of the vertical is level with the top of the fence line, and I tied the shield of my 213 coax to the fence. The installation from start to finish took less than an hour. The antenna is so light I could lift it with one hand but did use two to lift it and set it down over the mounting pipe.

I have been a ham for over 50 years, and used every antenna in the book, and then some. I am always trying something new to compare with what I have. The 31-foot S9v exceeded every expectation and made a believer out of me. It must be the fence!!!

W4CBS

MORE INFORMATION

More reviews on the V43 HF Lite antenna

See the V43 HF Lite antenna

View all Product Customer Reviews

Open the Alpha Antenna Home Page