Anyone tried this screwdriver?

[nfsus]

Harvest HD-330 Multi-Band 3.5~30/50MHz Screwdriver Mobile Antenna

buyantenna.com

 

[fourstringburn]

Inexpensive for a screwdriver antenna.

However, any small screwdriver antenna that covers down to 80m is always going to be extremely lossy.

Of course any 80m mobile antenna is lossy but the larger screwdriver antennas do have an ERP on 80m typically around 3-5 watts where a small antenna would most likely be in milliwatts.

It takes a lot of internal coil to get a match that low and that affects the other bands as well. The other trade off is the coil wires are thin and can't take high power if an amp is going to be used.

The best small size screwdriver antenna would be the Little Tarheel HP which can handle 500 watts and covers 40-6m.

I use a 17ft telescoping whip for 80m when parked and that whip dramatically increases efficiency on 40 and 20m.

Just something to consider…

 

[SIX-SHOOTER]

I use the Harvest Outback 2000 as a portable antenna & it works great. I've never used it on 80 meters since it's not a band that I care much for.It does not have a motor so it's manually tuned.

 

[w9cll]

Inexpensive for a screwdriver antenna.

However, any small screwdriver antenna that covers down to 80m is always going to be extremely lossy.

Of course any 80m mobile antenna is lossy but the larger screwdriver antennas do have an ERP on 80m typically around 3-5 watts where a small antenna would most likely be in milliwatts.

It takes a lot of internal coil to get a match that low and that affects the other bands as well. The other trade off is the coil wires are thin and can't take high power if an amp is going to be used.

The best small size screwdriver antenna would be the Little Tarheel HP which can handle 500 watts and covers 40-6m.

I use a 17ft telescoping whip for 80m when parked and that whip dramatically increases efficiency on 40 and 20m.

Just something to consider…

I have the High Sierra Sidekick, close to the small tarheel. I use a 72" whip and while its not as nice as the 17' option I can tune 80 much better.

 

[fourstringburn]

I have the High Sierra Sidekick, close to the small tarheel. I use a 72" whip and while its not as nice as the 17' option I can tune 80 much better.

The longer the better!

Try a 17ft whip when your stationary (obviously). it'll really increase the efficiency. That'll make up some gain for not being able to run an amp.

On 20m (and above) you'll have to collapse it some because it's already a 1/4 wavelength on 20m.

 

[w9cll]

I will look into that, I don't do a lot of mobile now but its a cheap performance inprovment.

 

[fourstringburn]

I will look into that, I don't do a lot of mobile now but its a cheap performance inprovment.

Do it!

It's the MFJ-1979. It sells for $70.00

It collapses down to 27 inches so it easily stows away in a car and has a typical 3/8x 24 end thread that's used on mobile antenna studs.

 

[nfsus]

I use a baby tar heel on my car. Works very well. Had it on my truck and it didn’t work as well.