Taurus 80M-6M Multi-Band Long Wire Dipole Antenna - inc WARC Bands

This is the perfect antenna for someone that doesn't have a lot of room. It is only 64 feet long. I see a lot of negative reviews from hams that say they have high swr readings. This antenna is designed to be used with an outboard tuner. If you're not using one forget it. I work 10 through 80 with my Dentron Super Tuner with no tuning issues whatsoever. Also it is designed to be run with a counterpoise - or - a ground - not both at the same time. I go to ground with mine. My antenna runs from the top of my garage door to a tree branch in the yard and back down to about 2 feet off the ground tied off with a stake and a bungee cord in an inverted v - The highest point being only 16 feet off the ground and it works amazingly well. I am running 400 watts plus through mine and have had no issues for a year so far.

First, there is some confusion in the printed length shown in the description, but the antenna I received from this Amazon entry was the 64ft. model, which is the length I wanted. Finally had some decent weather to get mine put up about a week ago, mounting the unun enclosure box onto my existing mast, at about 30ft, and then running the far end of the wire to a tie-off in a maple tree out in my back yard, sloping downward from the mast and ending at about 12ft off the ground. Connected a 17ft counterpoise wire to the ground terminal and ran it (also sloping downward) in the opposite direction. Using my IC-705 transceiver and the IC AH-705 ATU, I am able to tune up on every band from 160M to 6M, with a 1.3:1 SWR or less. Operating tests at the 705's QRP level are giving good transmission results across the bands, and reception is very good (of course QTH elevation figures in here, I'm at 1000ft ASL). Very satisfied with the performance of this antenna, but the true test will be in its longevity during the coming months/years to see how the components fare after lots of use and weather exposure. The wire's insulation is clear so not sure how the sun's UV rays will affect it over time. Not a deal breaker performance-wise if it breaks down, but curious to see how it lasts. For the price, I'm satisfied and would buy again. Shipped with good packaging and 4 days to my door. Sign me: 10 Watts and a Wire.

Surprisingly good antenna. I opened up the unun and was blown away by the quality that it contained. Magwire wrapped toroid decent soldering. The antenna wire itself is nice and flexible and the entire thing was fairly well constructed. Strain relief is non existent, however it was not hard to correct this. The little crimp on connectors were cheap, however; again not hard to correct with some better quality connectors. All in all a decent built antenna, especially for the price.Update after a few months: This antenna is great. I have worked DX contacts in Lithuania, Brazil, Costa Rica, South Africa and Hawaii from Central Texas with this antenna. Well worth the money. If I had it all to do again I would have bought the 160m version but this does everything it claims to do. I’ve worked 10-80m and good solid QSO’s on all of them. The rig is a Xiegu G90 and running the tuner my output is only 13w, so the antenna is very good.

This antenna / balun combo is a good first antenna. I could NOT match it to 80m at all. Similar problem on 6m.Otherwise, I have made contacts on 98 countries so far using FT8 and 100 watts on a IC-7300. The specs were not real clear as to the length of the wire.

Very disappointed. No instructions (I don't need them, but reckon new hams might). I opened it up and inspected it prior to installation. Glad I did! The toroid was hanging by wires in there; the hot glue that was supposed to hold it in place was worthless. I could see my SWR changing as the wind blows in this configuration and the toroid bounces around, loose in the case. Very poor. Then I noticed the center of the coax So-239 wasn't even connected... to ANYTHING! See photo. Phenomenally poor quality and phenomenally poor quality control. Glad I opened it up and looked before connecting my radio, or this unconnected coax center might have damaged my transmitter if I'd put any kind of power to it! I'll repair this junk and make it useful, as I don't have time to return it. Otherwise, it'd go back in a heartbeat! Recommend you save your money and buy a different antenna. Unless you're looking for a relatively expensive DIY project that needs to be repaired prior to use!

Put the antenna up this afternoon, in less-than-ideal conditions (about 16' at the feed point and 12' at the other end), went in the shack and tuned up 15M and had a confirmed contact in the Vancouver, BC area within 15 min or so. He reported a 5-9.

With an auto tuner able to work 6m thru 160m. Longest contact to date is Russia.

I cannot get 80 m to drop SWRs low enough for me to use that frequency. Had to work to get 40s in line but got it. Overall, works well!