You all know I am an ardent antenna experimenter be it homemade or store bought. After some time off from the hobby, I chose to make a change. But not much of one. I had enjoyed the rain gutter antenna I fashioned from a Chameleon Micro too much. Here's that thread: https://www.worldwidedx.com/threads/rain-gutter-antenna.269575/
Deciding it was time I took a look at the original, I ordered Alpha Antenna's HOA Buster from DX Engineering. It arrived in two days, well-packaged and ready to go.
1. Cost. $249.
2. Ease of Setup.
The HOA Buster comes ready-to-go with everything you need. Simply clip one end of the wire to the unit and the other to your gutter. Push the spike into the ground and you're done in less than one minute!
3. SWR.
This, of course, will vary with differing lengths/heights of gutters and the type of ground beneath them. Here are mine:
40 Meters 2.1
20 Meters 1.0
17 Meters 1.5
15 Meters 1.7
12 Meters 1.7
10 Meters 2.0
4. Performance.
Outstanding! Despite my low gutter height of 8 feet, I am making contacts across the US other countries. And remember, I do not fool with FT8, Whisper or any of that digital stuff. I prefer amateur radio the old-fashioned way--talking and listening.
5. Final Thoughts.
The HOA Buster is a fabulous antenna for those in an HOA or anyone desiring an inconspicuous antenna that is simple to set up and performs beautifully. If ordering directly from Alpha Antennas at https://www.alphaantenna.com/, you can choose one in the color of your choice.
It has a max power rating of 250 watts PEP SSB, 150 watts CW and 25 watts digital, AM/FM and is designed for use on 10-80, VHF, UHF, GMRS and CB. I'm not sure how effective it is on those other frequencies as I only used it on 10-40.
I do suggest purchasing a right angle elbow connector for attaching the coax.
Congrats to Steve and his crew at Alpha Antenna for a great product!
Deciding it was time I took a look at the original, I ordered Alpha Antenna's HOA Buster from DX Engineering. It arrived in two days, well-packaged and ready to go.
1. Cost. $249.
2. Ease of Setup.
The HOA Buster comes ready-to-go with everything you need. Simply clip one end of the wire to the unit and the other to your gutter. Push the spike into the ground and you're done in less than one minute!
3. SWR.
This, of course, will vary with differing lengths/heights of gutters and the type of ground beneath them. Here are mine:
40 Meters 2.1
20 Meters 1.0
17 Meters 1.5
15 Meters 1.7
12 Meters 1.7
10 Meters 2.0
4. Performance.
Outstanding! Despite my low gutter height of 8 feet, I am making contacts across the US other countries. And remember, I do not fool with FT8, Whisper or any of that digital stuff. I prefer amateur radio the old-fashioned way--talking and listening.
5. Final Thoughts.
The HOA Buster is a fabulous antenna for those in an HOA or anyone desiring an inconspicuous antenna that is simple to set up and performs beautifully. If ordering directly from Alpha Antennas at https://www.alphaantenna.com/, you can choose one in the color of your choice.
It has a max power rating of 250 watts PEP SSB, 150 watts CW and 25 watts digital, AM/FM and is designed for use on 10-80, VHF, UHF, GMRS and CB. I'm not sure how effective it is on those other frequencies as I only used it on 10-40.
I do suggest purchasing a right angle elbow connector for attaching the coax.
Congrats to Steve and his crew at Alpha Antenna for a great product!
