Hello David, I enjoy your videos. They are very informative. Regarding the MFJ Octopus, I purchased one and deployed both 75M & 40M hamsticks. The 40M hamsticks are the 300W version and fairly lightweight. However, the 75M 300W version wasn't available, so I purchased the 600W version which MFJ said the Octopus supports. Supports in functionality, yes, but not structurally. They would sag about 15 degrees downward. I had to install a custom u-bracket made of Delrin to reduce the sag. That mostly solved the sag issue with just a slight sag remaining - good enough. There were a few quality issues: 1) The SO-239 connector developed a short. So I had to replace it with a new on. 2) A short developed where the coax is soldered internally to the two bus wires. I had to cut, strip, use shrink tubing on both the center conductor and shield. Then re-solder. 3) The swedge nut came loose on the Octopus tube where it would clamp to the mast. I had to re-swedge it. Below are my SWR measurements after carefully trimming the sticks. The Octopus is deployed up at ~20 feet on a military style tripod with a rotor. My Kenwood TS-590SG's tuner handles the higher SWR fine and judging by my QSO of up to 1000 miles away from San Jose, CA on 80M, it seems to be performing well. 80M: Freq: 3.8, 3.9, 4.0 MHZ 2.88, 8.09, 11.02 (useable range with antenna tuner; 3.798:3.0, 3.80:2.88, 3.836:3.01 -> 3.8 KHZ bandwidth. I usually work the low end where some of my favorite net are. 40M: Freq: 7.175, 7.237.5, 7.300 MHZ 2.63, 1.38, 3.13 I will tune the 20M, 15M, and 10M hamsticks later. Thanks for your great content. Gary KE6BYU

Great Review! I purchased this antenna as well and the first hub I received was bad. MFJ sent me another one quickly and it works great. I have used it several times on trips for business when I travel. I use the tripod for setup instead of a higher mast as you did, but overall, it works great. I tuned the stingers similarly and marked each band with a different piece of colored tape so that when I disassemble the ham sticks they can be put together the exact same way each time. I also made a carrying case for the ham sticks from PVC and end caps. Made several contacts on 80m and 40m. I will also use this on my next trip with a newly acquired SDRPlay and listen to the bands. Thanks for all of the hard work you put into the channel.

Another excellent review, Dave. Many thanks!

That was a great presentation.

Thanks for the great review! Next May, Wifey and I are heading out for a couple years of Travel Trailer life around the USA. I was looking at Buddipole antennas, but this one caught my eye and made a lot more sense for my needs. Your review has convinced me!! 73 from NH. N1WLD

Thx for a great video Dave, i have 2 x 20m HamSticks and the 347 mount, yet to setup tune, n test, 73s from Bulgaria, LZ/AE1TP

Dave, thanks for exploring the potential issue of interaction among the bands. I bought the Shark version of hamsticks in pairs for 10, 15, 20 and 40m during a dealer's 30% off sale, and am going to try to homebrew a hub.

Thanks for all he insight, I years ago bought most of the bands granted from different brands but hopefully I will find away to utilize them now . last October, Hurricane Michael visited me with his 155 MPH breeze. After finally getting the 17 various trees from both my yard and the neighbor just north of me that were literally blown down out of my yard, I find more room to do antenna projects, my back yard had been vertically dark and to many limbs in the way in a 100 ft by 150 space. Now being a more mature man whose body is slowing down getting stuff into the air is much more difficult. sadly unlike you, no assistants are available. The trees still standing are not very tall but some are still growing. Sadly the days of fellow Hams helping to get each other back on the air is not the same as many years ago when my CB friends helped me put a tower and Moonraker up. Some critical of ham radio always seem to point out the altruism is long gone. getting old of course finds one having out lived many of those that were there for help in the past. Also every antenna I use to see when driving about is gone so my issues are the same as every other ham neighbor in our community. Truth is after these storms antennas made available from other hams across the country would be a welcomes help in our communities recovery, but as is and was the case for me, fixing my roof had to be the first step towards any normality.

@davecasler

4 жыл бұрын

We live in a pretty grumpy society right now, but there are always specks of kindness here and there. Maybe ask a younger neighbor to help out. Might spread some interest in ham radio!

if you want do this on a low budget starter basis you can get the mfj mini dipole (mfj-347) for $24.95, and 2 matching hamsticks of the same band for $25 to $30@. buy a 10' length (or 2) of fence top rail (~$10) at a hardware store and get it vertical any way you can. as dave says, don't forget to attach the co-ax before raising. guy it somehow.

Thank you Dave for the great octopus antenna review and the unique music! Mike N6IMY

this was an interesting antenna like the video thanks

Great video Dave, I found the same readings while tuning mine and thought was pretty easy with a analyzer. For your group here I installed mine pretty easy by myself the main difference was I used a regular pushup pole that I set up without the antenna first to set the guy lines to help hold it when I pushed it up with the antenna. At 9' it was easy ti tilt up , 20' feet would be a different story. Thanks for the detailed Video. KK6USY Chuck

Nice review Dave and MFJ owes you one. Though, in my opinion, I just don't see as a viable portable antenna solution. Though FT8 contacts are contacts, this is a mode designed to work on compromise antennas during a low sun spot cycle. Perhaps put money into a cobweb.

@davecasler

5 жыл бұрын

I have a cobweb which was destroyed by a deer. I plan to rebuilt it.

Julian inserted the stinger another 4" for a total of 9"

Dave, Great video on the Octopus antenna and detailed information. What I have always wondered about is, how do you get any work done out there in Colorado with all those beautiful mountains to look at?

@davecasler

5 жыл бұрын

During the summer it's hard! I don't ski, so my winters are spent indoors.

This has confirmed to me that the Cobwebb is a far cheaper and more effective antenna. Whilst you could use 75m or 40m (unlike the cobwebb) the fact that 75m hamsticks are so inefficient, plus the lack of bandwidth, means they are not a good option. Hamsticks work ok 20m and up. But this antenna is more expensive than a cobwebb and does not provide a full halfwave dipole antenna per band, which a cobwebb does and does not provide omni-directional coverage for each band, which a cobwebb does.

@davecasler

5 жыл бұрын

The cobweb is available from MFJ in a version with 40 and 30 meters.

So, I'm curious to know how the performance of this antenna would compare to a commercially made (ZS6BKW) dipole antenna. Any info? Is it possible to do good DX with the octopus?

What if you put a remote atu between antenna and coax to shach after dialing it in the first setup?

Do you think the ham stick can be alter for better bandwith thus a rasier install ? kg6mn

@davecasler

5 жыл бұрын

Actually, I don't think so. The short length means lots of loading means narrow bandwidth.

Two questions... 1) How is the RX? I'M using a vertical at my QTH, hoping for greatly improved "ears" 2) Since 40m antennae often resonate on or near 15m, have you tried it? Walter "Dutch" Thurman, N0RDC

@davecasler

5 жыл бұрын

The antenna receives well. I haven't tried the 40-meter part on 15. I should do that.

Are you using a green screen? If so, you are doing an amazing job. Can you do a short vid about how you do your green screen please (set setup, lighting, software)?

@davecasler

5 жыл бұрын

See kzread.info/dash/bejne/qXqHs5qvpLGnZaQ.html. I use CyberLink PowerDirector 365 (which is now Version 17) and use an old New Blue plug-in to do the green screen effect.

I am very interested in the his antenna yours is the best review I have seen. Is it necessary to use a non conductive mast? David Byrd KN4BHS

@davecasler

5 жыл бұрын

The mast I used is aluminum. It's army surplus and painted green, but nonetheless metal.

@davidbyrd5065

5 жыл бұрын

@@davecasler thanks for your reply. David Byrd KN4BHS

Would this antenna be a good option for DX operations with 100 watts max? Would an external tuner give you more usable bandwith on 80 meters? I am not happy with the S9 Alpha Antenna 31' vertical with lots of radials. Thank you. KD4MAN

@davecasler

4 жыл бұрын

I was surprised how well this antenna works. But note that it doesn't cover the entire 40m band and only a small portion of 80m. An antenna tuner is not going to help much--you need to take the antenna down and retune it if you decide you want to use a different part of the band.

On an Octopus antenna, if you adjust one Ham Stick, do you have to adjust the 'opposite' ham stick the same amount? Michael VA6XMB

@tglenn3121

4 жыл бұрын

From what I've heard, yes. If you have, say, two ham sticks for 20m, to have proper match, both hamsticks have to be the same length.

How difficult would it be, to order this antenna with 11m/20m/40m/75m??? Or does the 10m stingers have enough adjustability for 11m???

If you don't mind me asking. What time and days is your ham net on 3.992.50? Thanks from KF4WLQ

@davecasler

4 жыл бұрын

The local Montrose Amateur Radio Club has its net on that frequency at 7:30pm local Sunday evenings. We used to have an LDS net on that frequency but that was dropped a few years ago.

@WesPsWorld

4 жыл бұрын

@@davecasler Thank You

What would happen if you put only 20 meter poles in the octopus?

I wonder how well the ham-sticks work in this dipole mode, versus how well they work in the ground plane mode? I suspect equally well, but I'd like to see a test.

@davecasler

5 жыл бұрын

They seem to work fine. But be sure they're both the same length, otherwise one side will be in tune while the other isn't.

@blueharley2

5 жыл бұрын

@@davecasler It seems odd to me that the coax side of this dipole needs tuning. In the hamsticks' normal use as mobile HF, a car body isn't tuned. Mag mount antennas work just as well on a big tin roof or on a mobile home as a counterpoise where the only rule is "bigger is better". Same applies for ground radials. So I think the hamsticks on the coax side should work best fully extended, assuming there is no balun on the octopus.

@davecasler

5 жыл бұрын

The balun makes the antenna balanced, and neither hamstick acts as a counterpoise. They're both part of the (highly loaded) dipole.

MFJ doesn't provide tracking numbers. How has been your experience on shipping from them to you?

@davecasler

5 жыл бұрын

Nothing has ever gone missing. If you want a tracking number, you can purchase MFJ products from dealers such as Ham Radio Outlet and DX Engineering. The items are the same price through a dealer.

@k2icc

5 жыл бұрын

@@davecasler Thanks for the information. I have not received my Xiegu G90 ordered last week, so will wait then. I taught they were going out of business or something was going on. Email reply was they checked then USPS provided no tracking number to them, so I never had that before. Thanks.

@davecasler

5 жыл бұрын

@@k2icc That would be interesting since MFJ just picked up distribution rights inside the US for their products.

Why not try FOUR, 80m elements, TWO 20m and two, 160m ?

@davecasler

3 жыл бұрын

It’s not going to add anything. It will also change the 80m input impedance to 25 ohms. The basic dipole configuration on each band works best.

@stephenwalters4798

3 жыл бұрын

@@davecasler I was thinking that each pair could be tuned to key points in the same band and use the high Q to add some selectivity where you want it.

I believe you have the same military surplus poles I probably have so I think it would help if you got a tripod stand that works with those poles. I bought one and can raise and lower the mast myself the only problem is you would have to buy three more poles for the legs. What you do is put the legs into the stand and then feed the mast poles one at a time up the middle of the tripod. You can buy the tripod from www.goverticalusa.com and many other accessories. Joe, ki4dyp Lehigh acres FL

@davecasler

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the link. Looks like interesting stuff. I saw one at Quartzfest.

Tnx for the review Dave Vy73/88 Mabuhay 🎉