Got mine up 50 feet. Experimented with height. At 10 feet swr on 40 meters was about 1.2 and was around 1.5 on 10 meters. At 50 feet swr on 40 meters went up to around 1.5 but went down to almost 1.1 on 10 meters. Bandwidth also widened on 10 meters at this height to the point where even 11 meters was under 2! It even covers 6 meters with a swr of 1.4 at 50.8MHz and less than 2 from 50 to 51MHz. The built in antenna tuner of my Xeigu 6100 easily tunes 80 Meters as well and makes many contacts with 10 watts!
Been using this antenna for the last 2 years and absolutely love it. Best value for the money. Tuning was a PITA before I found KK6USY's video where he measured each section, it saves so much time since tuning requires you to bring down the antenna to ground level, tweak, and re position vertically. I use this antenna for a 10M beacon and also to get on 40M. I have it mounted on a 20 foot pole, and it does a great job DX'ing into Europe. Survived many storms, and solid construction. Can't beat the value. And no ground radials to mess with!
I purchased this exact antenna this spring and I have been very happy with it. No complaints. I even have been able to tune (with external tuner) the 17M band and make some contacts there. There is a great video on YT where someone added a small 17M portable whip antenna to one of the sections that gave them perfect SWR on 17Meters. This was done on a comet antenna but the configuration of the Comet and Xeigu is pretty much the same. Thanks for the video!
Well that antenna is fantastic, if I didn’t have a neighbourly reputation to maintain I would 100% put that up at the back of the garden! Sticking to the covert wire for the meantime it is.
Thank you for sharing your findings. I always enjoy your videos. When I test my antennas, I use FT8 as well with JTDX and grid Tracker. What I like about grid Tracker is: 1. seeing where the stations are in the world. 2. I can see my signal as a heat nap. This allows me to see how strong my signal is. I can switch antennas and compare to to get an idea as to how my far field plot looks.
Thanks Mat for the video! After watching your video I did some research on the Xiegu VG4 and went and purchased one. It took me about an hour to set it up. Very easy to set up and work. I too your advice and used the measurements off the KK6USY’s video and the SWR came out great. I have three different EFHW wire antennas and I thought I needed a vertical. I have the VG4 about 25 feet off the ground. I had my son help me with the installation of the antenna. After a got it up a made some contacts on 10m and 15m then I made some on 20m. Keep the videos coming I enjoy your channel. Thanks again. Frank W1VBX in Maine.
Very nice Mat I've been looking at one of these for quite a while. Last I checked about a year ago, freight costs are a killer here this neck of the woods.
I purchased this antenna (with considerable difficulty due to availability and postage costs) last year and I have to say its performance is impressive. Interestingly it seems it is now sold by ML+S as the ‘KC4’ and is just shy of £300 so cheaper than mine was by a fair margin.
look at the old crushcraft A7. basicly same antenna. 10ft off ground. says in the book. just tossin it out there. i have a old A7. it works fine when the bands allow it lol
Running huge amounts of power through an omnidirectional antenna seems kind of amusing and wasteful to me. Yesterday, 10 meter SSB was amazing between the US and Europe. I worked 12 countries in one hour running 30 watts into a EFHF dipole up 18 feet. Most reports 5/5-5/8. One guy in Italy turned his power from 500 watts to 30 while working me. His signal went down 3 s units but perfectly readable. Don't get me wrong, I like big yagis that aim power like flashlights, but when the bands are open, you can turn down the power.
Great video, not a bad price either however a trapped vertical would be my last choice for an antenna based on my own experience with a Hustler 4btv, my Cobweb knocks spots off it from 20-10m & my 30m mono EFHW (with the atu) beats it from 40-10m (mounted at 8m)
Wow great video and helpful comments. I’ve been looking at a hustler btv for a little while as something I can have deployed that I can just jump on and use. I have kids that use the garden and keeping a wire in place is challenging so I thought a vertical would be a nice solution. Would you recommend this over a hustler or are they much and such the same. Sorry for the noob question. Just not sure for value for money.
The Hustler I guess would be ground mounted, and would require an array of ground radials. If you have people that want to use the garden then maybe this VG4 would be better as you can install it high up in the air, without the worry of people touching it.
Had this pos up for 6 months. It would not hold a tune at all. The tubes kept sliding down inside eachother. I would take it down and retune it and tighten the clamps. Eventually got new clamps and still had the same problem. Not sure what it is with the unit i got but other people are enjoying theirs. Ymmv.
Hey Mat. Love your Tech MInds channel but please stop the barbs against FT8. FT8 represents the digital bleeding edge of low power amateur radio. Digital modes like FT8 allow many more people to experience the thrill of working the world without running megawatts of power through a tri-band yagi up 75 foot. It has truly democratized the hobby while bringing thousands of more people into enjoying the wonders of HF radio. Both the hardware and software were built on the sweat and tears of some very generous amateur radio operators. I understand that some feel that FT8 is just machines talking to machines. That no real interaction is going on. That's too simplistic. The Xiegu antenna reviewed here is the perfect example of companies putting together ways to bring the world together. Keep up your great resource, I look forward to every video you do.
Who's Tim? My FT8 comments are all "Tongue in cheek", considering a large portion of my video is using FT8. I guess some folk don't get the sarcasm. Every mode has it's place on the bands. Thanks for watching.
Hi there! When I was transmitting and receiving I was using "Thetis" with my Hermes Lite 2 radio. The other software, receiving only, was SDRuno from SDRPlay. Thanks
Got mine up 50 feet. Experimented with height. At 10 feet swr on 40 meters was about 1.2 and was around 1.5 on 10 meters. At 50 feet swr on 40 meters went up to around 1.5 but went down to almost 1.1 on 10 meters. Bandwidth also widened on 10 meters at this height to the point where even 11 meters was under 2! It even covers 6 meters with a swr of 1.4 at 50.8MHz and less than 2 from 50 to 51MHz. The built in antenna tuner of my Xeigu 6100 easily tunes 80 Meters as well and makes many contacts with 10 watts!
Been using this antenna for the last 2 years and absolutely love it. Best value for the money. Tuning was a PITA before I found KK6USY's video where he measured each section, it saves so much time since tuning requires you to bring down the antenna to ground level, tweak, and re position vertically. I use this antenna for a 10M beacon and also to get on 40M. I have it mounted on a 20 foot pole, and it does a great job DX'ing into Europe. Survived many storms, and solid construction. Can't beat the value. And no ground radials to mess with!
I purchased this exact antenna this spring and I have been very happy with it. No complaints. I even have been able to tune (with external tuner) the 17M band and make some contacts there. There is a great video on YT where someone added a small 17M portable whip antenna to one of the sections that gave them perfect SWR on 17Meters. This was done on a comet antenna but the configuration of the Comet and Xeigu is pretty much the same. Thanks for the video!
Well that antenna is fantastic, if I didn’t have a neighbourly reputation to maintain I would 100% put that up at the back of the garden! Sticking to the covert wire for the meantime it is.
I have this and if you spend a few hours tuning it a NanoNVA, making adjustments in each bands you can get all 4
Thank you for sharing your findings. I always enjoy your videos.
When I test my antennas, I use FT8 as well with JTDX and grid Tracker. What I like about grid Tracker is:
1. seeing where the stations are in the world.
2. I can see my signal as a heat nap. This allows me to see how strong my signal is. I can switch antennas and compare to to get an idea as to how my far field plot looks.
Grid tracker is something that I have not really looked at. I may have to invest some time into looking at it. Thanks for the reminder!
Thanks Mat for the video! After watching your video I did some research on the Xiegu VG4 and went and purchased one. It took me about an hour to set it up. Very easy to set up and work. I too your advice and used the measurements off the KK6USY’s video and the SWR came out great. I have three different EFHW wire antennas and I thought I needed a vertical. I have the VG4 about 25 feet off the ground. I had my son help me with the installation of the antenna. After a got it up a made some contacts on 10m and 15m then I made some on 20m. Keep the videos coming I enjoy your channel. Thanks again. Frank W1VBX in Maine.
Brilliant to hear Frank and thanks for watching my videos, very much appreciated :-) Matt
I can see I will soon own the antenna. Thank you. All of my antenna are at least 20 feet above my roof line.
Very nice Mat
I've been looking at one of these for quite a while.
Last I checked about a year ago, freight costs are a killer here this neck of the woods.
Hi Matt, good to see you're making a success out of your hobby & channel.
Congratulations on hitting 100,000 Subscribers. :)
Cheers Jay! Hope you're well fella. :-)
I purchased this antenna (with considerable difficulty due to availability and postage costs) last year and I have to say its performance is impressive. Interestingly it seems it is now sold by ML+S as the ‘KC4’ and is just shy of £300 so cheaper than mine was by a fair margin.
Looks a decent antenna for the money Matt and great for small gardens..thanks Chris Gm4zji
Similar design to cushcraft ‘r’ series. Arguably the best design for 1/2 wave ground independent vertical antennas.
Excellent review , even better was your ultra polite description of FT8 😂
Tony M0VDO
A 17.5 ft vertical wire works the world on a fiberglass fishing pole 40 to 6m. A little more wire and I get 80m. Along with a cheap 4:1 unun.
See you're using Thetis software. Good stuff.
look at the old crushcraft A7. basicly same antenna. 10ft off ground. says in the book. just tossin it out there. i have a old A7. it works fine when the bands allow it lol
Looks very similar to my old Cushcraft R7000!
To the West of you not the East of you on 15m ;) thanks for the review.
Darn..! I was looking south at the time, so, essentially, to my east lolol.. Well spotted dude.. :-) Thanks!
I have a Hustler 6-BTV - nice clean silhouette, otherwise similar.
Fantastic review, many thanks
Glad you enjoyed it
Running huge amounts of power through an omnidirectional antenna seems kind of amusing and wasteful to me. Yesterday, 10 meter SSB was amazing between the US and Europe. I worked 12 countries in one hour running 30 watts into a EFHF dipole up 18 feet. Most reports 5/5-5/8. One guy in Italy turned his power from 500 watts to 30 while working me. His signal went down 3 s units but perfectly readable. Don't get me wrong, I like big yagis that aim power like flashlights, but when the bands are open, you can turn down the power.
Nice one might treat myself
Great video, not a bad price either however a trapped vertical would be my last choice for an antenna based on my own experience with a Hustler 4btv, my Cobweb knocks spots off it from 20-10m & my 30m mono EFHW (with the atu) beats it from 40-10m (mounted at 8m)
Looks like one of Cushcraft verticals, but instead X-hat, Xiegu uses just obe horizontal stub... 360 EUR definitely high price for 4 bands vertical
Had a HF vertical a while ago was 4-5 band monster but in an urban enviro it picked up too much noise so I went to mag-loops
Wow great video and helpful comments. I’ve been looking at a hustler btv for a little while as something I can have deployed that I can just jump on and use. I have kids that use the garden and keeping a wire in place is challenging so I thought a vertical would be a nice solution. Would you recommend this over a hustler or are they much and such the same. Sorry for the noob question. Just not sure for value for money.
The Hustler I guess would be ground mounted, and would require an array of ground radials. If you have people that want to use the garden then maybe this VG4 would be better as you can install it high up in the air, without the worry of people touching it.
Reminds me of one I had from sandpiper antennas UK looks good as they went out of business some time ago a bit expensive though
Had this pos up for 6 months. It would not hold a tune at all. The tubes kept sliding down inside eachother. I would take it down and retune it and tighten the clamps. Eventually got new clamps and still had the same problem. Not sure what it is with the unit i got but other people are enjoying theirs. Ymmv.
Perhaps adding a hose clamp to the bottom section where the 2 sections meet would help. Acting as a stopper.
@@trumpdonald6911that's actually a really good idea.
What was the swr on 10Mhz (30M)?
Also where is the discount code?
How does it do with that sdx 3 bander you just reviewed?
Just wondering if you can tune 80 meters with an antenna tuner? Anyone try this and what were the results?
Used this antenna with a xiegu x6100. The antenna tuner had no issues tuning it and was working very well on 80 meters with just 10 watts!
Nice!
Hey Mat. Love your Tech MInds channel but please stop the barbs against FT8. FT8 represents the digital bleeding edge of low power amateur radio. Digital modes like FT8 allow many more people to experience the thrill of working the world without running megawatts of power through a tri-band yagi up 75 foot. It has truly democratized the hobby while bringing thousands of more people into enjoying the wonders of HF radio. Both the hardware and software were built on the sweat and tears of some very generous amateur radio operators.
I understand that some feel that FT8 is just machines talking to machines. That no real interaction is going on. That's too simplistic.
The Xiegu antenna reviewed here is the perfect example of companies putting together ways to bring the world together.
Keep up your great resource, I look forward to every video you do.
Who's Tim? My FT8 comments are all "Tongue in cheek", considering a large portion of my video is using FT8. I guess some folk don't get the sarcasm. Every mode has it's place on the bands. Thanks for watching.
@@TechMindsOfficial Like I said, I love your channel. Good DX Mat.
Ft8 is as good as any other meditation to having contacts on and is equal to morse and ssb and other digital mod
No its not.
@@The0nionKnight Yes it is.
Do you want the 5 minute argument or the full half hour?
How would this fair as an RX only antenna for an SDR?
Icom do a scanner ariel and will take 100 watts its what i use
1KW? BRUH EVEN 50W IS LIKE UNREAL NUMBERS FOR ME
$270. Pass. But great video. Thx
Why not make it legal limit?
Its only a couple db more and im sure the incremental cost isnt much more
1000W IS the legal limit. Here.
Hi.
That SDR Software program You are using What Program is that. It is Looking Awesome
73 De OZ3NO
Hi there! When I was transmitting and receiving I was using "Thetis" with my Hermes Lite 2 radio. The other software, receiving only, was SDRuno from SDRPlay. Thanks
Hi there Matt. Could you confirm the software and Antenna Analyser you used? Thanks!
Hi ya, I was using the analyser that I showed in this video: ruclips.net/video/MZC9_e9erCc/видео.html Cheers
Great video Mat! What rig were you using? 73 de WA3RSL
Thanks! I was using the Hermes Lite 2 with the Thetis software :-) Cheers
@@TechMindsOfficial Awesome. Thanks.
At least with antennas there’s no firmware for them to make an utter mess of and never fix…..
all that video and you blur one of the imprtant/interesting sections?
Give me a time stamp so I can see what you are taking about. Nothing got blurred that wasn’t already shown.