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Posted: 10/27/2011 1:27:27 PM EDT
today I received the Ed Fong J-pole antenna.
Eham Reviews of Antenna 5.0/5 PDF of antenna design and specs Ebay Linked Here Dual Band Base Station VHF/UHF J-Pole - Available in HAM (144-148 MHz and 440-450 MHz) or Commercial (152-157 MHz and 460-470 MHz). Maximum power input 75 watts.
True Dual Band base station antenna. Don’t be fool by claims of dual band performance. Although traditional VHF J-pole antennas will resonate at UHF, they suffer a –6dB loss at UHF over a ¼ wavelength groundplane. This antenna was featured in the Feb. 2003 QST and designed by Dr. Ed Fong WB6IQN of UC Berkeley. It is the same antenna that appears on the front cover of the ARRL VHF/UHF Antenna Classics Handbook. It also won the best paper of the month award. It offers true ½ wavelength performance at both VHF and UHF with no ground radials. SWR is less than 1.3 to 1 on both bands. I have my students build these (and often myself) as an exercise. The proceeds are shared among my students. The antenna has been so successful that it has been adopted by the Red Cross, ARES and numerous municipalities for emergency deployment. Copies of these agencies evaluation reports are available by emailing me. A copy of the original paper on how this novel antenna works is available from [email protected]. Every antenna is hand tuned (by me or my graduate students) to meet specifications. The proceeds of this antenna go to my graduate students. Beware of imitations. There are others on eBay that virtually make the same claims (and even exaggerate) and their antennas even look like ours and require you to purchase the PVC pipe. That antenna is not the same. It is a standard VHF j-pole that resonates at UHF (all antennas do that). This antenna is complete with exception of the 5 feet of ¾ inch Class 200 PVC pipe needed for the antenna. Individual shipping of the 5 ft antenna is $10 so we rather you go to Lowe’s (stock # 23990) or Orchard Supply (stock # 648-5908) and buy the PVC pipe for about $1. It is pretuned for 144-148 MHz and 440-450 MHz for ham bands or 152-157 MHz and 460-470 MHz commercial band. Please indicate with your order which antenna you wish in the special notes section. When deployed, it will give about +6dB of gain over a rubber duck antenna. It comes complete fully assembled with end caps and an SO-239 connector. Just insert it into the PVC pipe and you are ready to go. Please email me if you wish an N connector and/or a 250 watt version. The N-connector is $6 extra and 250 watt version is $10 extra. The antenna has a lifetime warranty. Just return it and it will be either repaired or a new one sent to you. Any questions call me at 408-245-8210 or email me at [email protected]. 73’s Ed Fong WB6IQN It shipped in a manila envelope via USPS. Inside the envelope were a receipt, instructions/technical data, a PVC end cap and a wire that was soldered to a SO-239 which was fitted to another PVC end cap. 
As mentioned in the email I received from Ed after placing the order I had on had a 10' stick of 200 PSI 'white' PVC pipe ($1.98 at Lowes for the stick) Make sure you have at least 5ft of 3/4 inch 200PSI PVC pipe. This is not the same as the standard Schedule 40 PVC pipe. 200 PSI is about one half the thickness and has much better RF characteristics than Schedule 40. I purchase mine at Lowe's (item #23990) but Orchard Supply (item # 648-5908) also carries it. If you cannot find it, I can send it to you free of charge, just pay the postage. It is usually $8-10 depending on the location. So I cut the PVC pipe to the stated 5 feet (60 inches). 
Slid the wire into the pipe, secured the end caps, taa-daa 
I then grabbed the ext ladder and a few clamps and tossed it up in the air! 
I'm now maybe 8 minutes into the entire deal.....I connect the other end of the coax to my Kenwood TM-231 set on Medium power (as always) and call on the local repeater. Quick reply comes back and states strong signal with full quieting, short QSO follows and then I decide to lower and paint. 
Gray Primer-guess it will blend a bit when I get it mounted on the Eave Mount I'm awaiting-will continue post at that time. From my initial findings, I'm super pleased with the antenna, super easy to assemble and nothing to poke me in the eye or anything-I believe this would make a great EMCOMM antenna-YMMV Compared to the "Bow" used with the Slim-Jim....this seems to have less exposed to get broken...or noticed for that matter. Who's to say you couldn't add a eye-hook in the top cap and pulley it up somewhere if you wanted.... QRV |
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Posted: 10/27/2011 2:02:42 PM EDT
[#1]
ETA: for less than $30 I'm Throughly Pleased!
reserved 
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Posted: 10/27/2011 2:05:03 PM EDT
[#2]
Looks nice, drop it in a stink pipe and it is invisible. Just drill a hole in the stink pipe and fish the coax out. seal up the hole with RTV silicone and the HOA can kiss your ass.
Thanks for the write up. |
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Posted: 10/27/2011 3:49:54 PM EDT
[#3]
This is one of the few posts I have been looking forward to since we talked about in a previous thread. Great review! I am heading to ebay to grab me one, right now! If you get any results for the 70cm please post up.
73 Joe |
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Posted: 10/27/2011 4:17:58 PM EDT
[#4]
Quoted:
This is one of the few posts I have been looking forward to since we talked about in a previous thread. Great review! I am heading to ebay to grab me one, right now! If you get any results for the 70cm please post up. 73 Joe Joe, from my initial impression-you're gonna kick yourself for waiting this long to order it   
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Posted: 11/3/2011 5:39:42 PM EDT
[#5]
Got mine the other day and mounted it about 20' up in the air...Got great reviews on the Wouxun's sound with only 5w
 . I have no affiliations with him, either-just another happy customer!
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Posted: 11/4/2011 5:34:05 AM EDT
[#6]
N9TAX dual band j-pole from ebay
So how does it compare to this one do you think? (since this is the one I bought) |
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Posted: 11/4/2011 5:52:45 AM EDT
[#7]
Quoted:
N9TAX dual band j-pole from ebay So how does it compare to this one do you think? (since this is the one I bought) ARFCOM discusses the Slim Jim I've got one too, Dual Band version. I've had great success with it as well. I was looking for something a little more permanent than the Slim-jim for outdoor installation so I ordered the Fong (the slim jim is gtg outdoors btw). For the $, again, hard to go wrong with either. Both have advantages-ex: the slim-jim is uber portable which is a nice touch! |
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Posted: 11/8/2011 8:18:46 AM EDT
[#8]
I ordered his roll up J-Pole for my EDC bag to go along with my 5W HT and really like it. Packs small doesn't weigh alot and I can get a lot more range out of it if I string it into a tree. It came with a 6 foot extension of coax so you can get it higher.
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Posted: 11/8/2011 3:37:47 PM EDT
[#9]
Thanks a lot ARFCOM. There goes more of my money.
 Received mine in the mail today.
Bought it for an emergency backup and will add it to my stores. |
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Posted: 11/9/2011 5:13:50 AM EDT
[#10]
Quoted:
Thanks a lot ARFCOM. There goes more of my money. Received mine in the mail today.
Bought it for an emergency backup and will add it to my stores. Just look at it like really cheap-ass insurance and a back-up for your back-up antenna 
I put mine up on a 10' piece of SCH40 PVC conduit and then put that at the top of my short 30' tower. Talked simplex @~35' SUnday night on 5w with the Wouxun. I am loving being able to learn this hobby for so cheap (right now!)...I say that and almost talked myself into a IC-7000 yesterday...
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Posted: 11/9/2011 5:33:32 AM EDT
[#11]
Quoted:
Quoted:
Thanks a lot ARFCOM. There goes more of my money. Received mine in the mail today.
Bought it for an emergency backup and will add it to my stores. Just look at it like really cheap-ass insurance and a back-up for your back-up antenna
I put mine up on a 10' piece of SCH40 PVC conduit and then put that at the top of my short 30' tower. Talked simplex @~35' SUnday night on 5w with the Wouxun. I am loving being able to learn this hobby for so cheap (right now!)...I say that and almost talked myself into a IC-7000 yesterday...
it's not you, it's those Jedi Mind tricks.................. |
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Posted: 11/9/2011 7:14:31 AM EDT
[#12]
Yes...yes that damn Jedi had used his mind tricks on me once again....I see now
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Posted: 11/16/2011 2:52:13 PM EDT
[#13]
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Posted: 11/16/2011 3:29:14 PM EDT
[#14]
Isn't that a very narrow bandwidth? How does it work on the rest of the 2m band (137MHZ-174MHZ)?
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Posted: 11/16/2011 6:28:16 PM EDT
[#15]
Mine is hooked up to a yaesu ft-100d running ~25w and I have been all over 2m and 70cm and have listened to a few things in the HF band with it. I wouldn't dream of keying up in the HF, but it does pick up a little. Great antenna if it cost $100, but for $27.....WOW!
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Posted: 11/17/2011 5:50:19 AM EDT
[#16]
Has anyone tested for DB loss when PVC is painted?
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Posted: 11/17/2011 6:04:43 AM EDT
[#17]
heck, i'm still wanting to get the 20' ladder down here so I can hang it on the barn......but to answer-no, I've no way to test.
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Posted: 1/1/2012 2:03:12 PM EDT
[#18]
Excellent Signal Reports on the Repeater and Simplex..... I'd recommend! 
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Posted: 1/28/2012 5:11:39 PM EDT
[#19]
so I am just about to buy my 2 meter antenna... I had seen the Fong J-pole... but was leaning towards the arrow (arrow j-pole
so anyone have experience with both?? neither is particularly expensive... looking to get two 2 meter antennas up... on in the city up about 35' or so... and one at the cabin... maybe up 40 feet... I might just need to buy one of each myself and test both then bring one to the cabin... but maybe in a month or so... when the credit card has cooled off a bit... |
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Posted: 1/28/2012 5:23:30 PM EDT
[#20]
If you can get the materials, the Arrow is pretty easy to build.
I just like building my stuff is the only reason I say that. Many people like the Arrow.
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Posted: 1/28/2012 5:28:34 PM EDT
[#21]
Have both, love both. The Arrow is really well built, it cost 2x the Fong J-Pole. The Arrow is more heavy-weight, the Fong is lighter (PVC). I think you would be pleased with either-I am, and chose one of each to see which I liked better-I've not come to that conclusion yet.
My Arrow is on the House chimney, the Fong is as shown above on the barn. YMMV |
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Posted: 2/9/2012 12:21:23 PM EDT
[#22]
Is the top of the antenna secured to the top cap in some way?
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Posted: 2/9/2012 1:07:41 PM EDT
[#23]
negative-the solid core wire will hold it up inside without allowing a sag. I guess if you wanted some insurance you could drop a little dab of silicone and press it in? I used nothing, not even PVC glue to hold the caps on...well maybe the gray primer is bonding in some way or another......
YMMV |
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Posted: 2/9/2012 1:19:33 PM EDT
[#24]
You just reminded me of my second question:
did you seal the base in some way to avoid water intrusion? |
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Posted: 2/9/2012 1:29:17 PM EDT
[#25]
negative, I may go back with some coax seal tape stuff if I ever order me any.
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Posted: 2/9/2012 3:47:13 PM EDT
[#26]
Quoted:
Is the top of the antenna secured to the top cap in some way? I'm a bit of a pack-rat so I had some lightweight foam that had quite a bit of stiffness to it. I cut it to the diameter of the pipe and poked a hole in the center to keep the radial centered. I doubt it was necessary but wanted to see if it would affect the antenna at all. No difference that I could tell with my MFJ antenna analyzer. I love the antenna. Low swr over a fairly wide bandwidth. |
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Posted: 2/18/2012 8:57:02 AM EDT
[#27]
Quoted:
Has anyone tested for DB loss when PVC is painted? Your question weighed in my mind. Installed the antenna last nigh and I got an email off to Ed Fong this morning. He said he has used Orchard Supply latex spray, minimum affect and shouldn't need to trim to retune or anything. |
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