Portable HF-008 All-band Antenna and M916 Mount Review

-- by Ben Sangster VK3TBS

I recently got the Radioddity M916 Heavy duty antenna magnetic mount with the Radioditty HF-008 all band portable antenna. I had always wanted to use HF more while camping or going on adventures around Australia (see our adventures page if you are interested), and now I am a step closer to doing that.

What the Antenna looks like. Radioditty HF-008

This quick video above and below shows how it arrived and what is in the box.

What the magnetic base looks like. Radioditty M916

The Antenna

Let's talk about the antenna first…

The antenna is a portable telescopic antenna that covers HF bands 80m up to 6m. It comes with several parts that you adjust according to the band you want to use. You can also adjust it to the part of that band if you want the best SWR. I was surprised at first that there was only one page of instructions, however, I soon realised that is really all you need.

You can click here to download manual if you want to see how easy it is. My video below shows you how to do it and how I went. I connected my NanoVNA to it to see what the SWR is which was very interesting.

The antenna worked great when I took it away from my house and other buildings. Clearly height is an advantage when on HF, and having this antenna on the top of the car is best. But it is also great if you have your car parked up high on a hill.

I was easily able to talk to others on the antenna, and it took no time at all to change bands, especially if you mark the antenna with your best settings. It may be best to use a grey led pencil to start with so you can adjust as required. My video below shows the step by step process.

Although I didn't video every band, I did manage to tune it in on all bands as advertised. This included 80 metres through to 6 metres. All the connectors were well built, looked good, and easy to use. According to the specifications, this antenna can withstand a PEP of 200W SSB and 100W CW.

This antenna is made for portable use, so clearly this would be a great POTA antenna. It is best used with the base as mentioned below.

Before I talk about the base, one final tip. I got some PVC pipe from the hardware store so it can slide into it protected. This way nothing gets lost or broken. Everything stays together in transit. Have a look in my video below as to what mine looks like.

The Base

The base is very strong and heavy, as you would expect it to be, as it has three large magnets on it. I did like the RG58 coax from it. Sometimes the coax can be in-flexible, however this coax was great and soft. It can easily go into the car or beside it to your radio.

The antenna has a SO-239 connector, so you could use this base with other antennas that are smaller, like a dual band UHF/VHF antenna and then you could use it mobile. I tried this and it worked well.

I have had several magnetic antennas before over the last few decades. If you are going to use it while mobile, you need to make sure the antenna will not get blown off while mobile. The last thing you want is a large antenna blown off and it takes the mount with it and breaks your vehicle. This base with the HF-008 is only for still operations, not while mobile. But you can leave the base on the roof and just unscrew your antenna. Just put the protective cup back on the SO-239 to keep any water and dust off it.

Magnetic bases are great, as you get the antenna right in the centre of the car roof without drilling holes into the vehicle. This centre position is the best position.

See how I went setting this antenna up

 

In Summary

In summary, this appears to be a great portable antenna for remote use. I strongly recommend getting some PVC pipe though to keep it safe. As a family, we do a lot of traveling, all over Australia, and I plan on taking this setup with my on our next trip. I might even put the magnetic base on our caravan which is higher than the car, and then CQ the world from inside our van.

Hopefully you hear me while we travel soon. If this helped you, please leave a comment below.

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