I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has experience using the
Isotron Antennas for HF. I need a compact, easy to assemble HF Antenna
that wont cost me a fortune. Suggestions are welcome...thanks and 73.
Doug

On Sun, 30 Jul 2006 19:18:27 -0400, in2bate
wrote:

I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has experience using the
Isotron Antennas for HF. I need a compact, easy to assemble HF Antenna
that wont cost me a fortune. Suggestions are welcome...thanks and 73.
Doug

Never used one myself, but if you have the room, you're probably
better off putting something else up.

bob
k5qwg

in2bate wrote:
I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has experience using the
Isotron Antennas for HF. I need a compact, easy to assemble HF Antenna
that wont cost me a fortune. Suggestions are welcome...thanks and 73.
Doug
Sorry, no specific experience.

I am sure the Isotron will radiate. However, as Kurt N. Sterba, the
'World Radio' antenna columnist has clearly demonstrated, a lawn chair
and shopping cart will also radiate; he even worked about a dozen
countries using those items to prove his point.

If you have any kind of room at all or are not in a total 'stealth'
situation, try a simple dipole or vertical; in my opinion, either of
those will work way better than the Isotron, shopping cart or lawn chair.

Good luck!

I acquired one at an estate sale. After testing it, I sold it. They do
work - however it seemed to depend upon the feedline for most of the
radiation. it does resonate - it is a top and bottom loaded coil. If you
can throw up an invisible 20 or 30 foot piece of wire, I think you would be
better off. It will work if you have no other options - but number of toher
antennas will work also. A motorized mobile antenna would work all bands
and be pretty hidden.

Colin K7FM

Doug,

I used an Isotron 40 back in 1980 while stuck in an apartment which
would not allow outside antennas. The manager lived in my building
and watched me like a hawk, so I couldn't even do anything sneaky.
The Isotron worked well enough indoors to permit me to make a fair
number of QSO's on 40m. I didn't "slay any dragons", but it beat
the daylights out of being off the air completely, which was the
alternative. In addition to plenty of Stateside contacts, I also
worked Europe, South America, VK, ZL, JA, etc, with it.

Someone else responded that if you have the room, you should look
at putting up a regular antenna. I agree, IF you have the room
and no restrictions. No tiny antenna will work as well as a big
one. The Isotron DOES work. I proved that to myself. I readily
admit that it won't work as well as a full-size antenna. Bilal
has been selling Isotrons for over 30 years now. It jsut seems
incomprehensible to me that a company could stay in business for
that long by selling a product that just plain doesn't work. It
may or may not work as well as you need, but it's worth a try!

73,
Dean K5DH


In article ,
says...

I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has experience using the
Isotron Antennas for HF. I need a compact, easy to assemble HF Antenna
that wont cost me a fortune. Suggestions are welcome...thanks and 73.
Doug

"-=H=-" wrote in message
...
Doug,

I used an Isotron 40 back in 1980 while stuck in an apartment which
would not allow outside antennas. The manager lived in my building
and watched me like a hawk, so I couldn't even do anything sneaky.
The Isotron worked well enough indoors to permit me to make a fair
number of QSO's on 40m. I didn't "slay any dragons", but it beat
the daylights out of being off the air completely, which was the
alternative. In addition to plenty of Stateside contacts, I also
worked Europe, South America, VK, ZL, JA, etc, with it.

Someone else responded that if you have the room, you should look
at putting up a regular antenna. I agree, IF you have the room
and no restrictions. No tiny antenna will work as well as a big
one. The Isotron DOES work. I proved that to myself. I readily
admit that it won't work as well as a full-size antenna. Bilal
has been selling Isotrons for over 30 years now. It jsut seems
incomprehensible to me that a company could stay in business for
that long by selling a product that just plain doesn't work. It
may or may not work as well as you need, but it's worth a try!

73,
Dean K5DH

I recall seeing an article on the AntennEX forum that came to the conclusion
the feedline was the radiator and the simply Isotron supplied a match.

Dale W4OP