Is this the best? Gabil GRA-7350TC Ultra Compact Vertical Antenna

We take the Gabil GRA-7350TC portable whip antenna and lightweight tripod up north with us to Madeline Island on the shore of Lake Superior (Big Bay State Park K-1439) to give it a test and see if this really is the ultimate in portable, packable, HF vertical antennas.
Read my updated thoughts on the Gabil antenna: www.jpole-ante...
Gabil GRA-7350TC 3/8x24 Portable HF antenna: amzn.to/4638Sd5
Gabil GRA-ULT01 MK3 Lightweight portable antenna tripod: amzn.to/472QXVh
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Roasted Stuffed Squash Thanksgiving Bowl
1 acorn squash
1 medium onion
2 celery stalks
12 oz turkey (Oscaer Mayer carving board cuts work great)
1 package Stove Top stuffing mix
1 1/2 cup water
4 tbsp butter
1/4 cup pecans
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1. Slice squash in half end to end. Scoop out inside and coat with olive oil and salt. Roast in a medium heat dutch oven for about an hour or until tender.
2. Saute onion and celery until translucent. Slice turkey into small pieces and cook until warmed through.
3. Add stuffing, water (or broth), and butter. Stir until stuff has absorbed liquid.
4. Stir in pecans and cranberries. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve stuffing mix in the squash bowls.
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#Hamradio #AmateurRadio #POTA #ParksOnTheAir #PortableHamRadio #antenna #productreview #gabil #gabilantenna #grc7350tc #qrpantenna #portableantenna #antennatripod

[@TinyTJ04]

The tripod legs lock fairly well in my experience. Setting up the legs requires rotating them almost 180 degrees from when stowed for storage. You may have been using it "upside down."

[@lawrence3242]

Several months ago I bought the GRA 7350 antenna. I initially mounted it on an old SKS Chinese spike bayonet. It was easy to stick in the ground and kept the antenna vertical. But after seeing your video on the GRA-UL01 MK 111, I finally bought one. This is by far the best antenna mount for portable use I’ve ever seen. It is built with craftsmanship and is as durable as a tank. I couldn’t have designed a better mount. I will retire my SKS bayonet back to just being a portable ground rod. Oh I also bought the faraday cloth as a counterpoise’. These items make a winning field antenna system. Thanks for being an Elmer.

[@W5DCFAmateurRadio]

Great review for a good portable antenna. Just a quick note, the the tripod locking collar should be on top. The leg locking clips should be pointing outward and it will help keep the legs locked in place :)

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

That must be why they click after you have the legs at a 90 degree angle. The instructions leave a bit to be desired. But like I said, I'm used to more substantial photographic tripods.

[@twobikesandadrone]

Really liked the way you incorporated your camping routine into the video! It's so difficult to decide which antennas to get for my future SOTA/POTA activations using my motorcycles to get to/from the locations...but this one seems like it might make the cut. Thanks for the review!!

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

I'm not sure if you saw my blog post, but I have an updated opinion of the Gabil antenna in it. www.jpole-antenna.com/2023/11/28/activation-log-the-gabil-antenna-maybe-its-not-so-bad/ I'm thinking of doing some QRP bike touring this summer and I'll probably take along the Gabil just because it packs down so small.

[@twobikesandadrone]

@@KB9VBRAntennas I didn’t realize you had a blog site as well, and will have a look soon! On a different note, can you recommend a less expensive SLR camera/lens combo than what you have? That’s a nice setup but way too expensive for my blood 😁 And since there’s a slight chance that I might make some videos of my SOTA/POTA trips, I’ll need something better than my iPhoneXR or GoPros.

[@frasermderry]

Hi, Michael. Thanks for the comprehensive review of the Gabil antenna and tripod. I have this system, the Comet Toybox, the MFJ-1899T, and several other similar systems. I think that none of them is the BEST antenna, what I DO see is a very nice matrix of antenna components that can be mixed and matched to experiment with. I recently bought a 7-section manpack whip that I will add to the matrix. I haven't tallied the number of combinations, but I have a TON of possibilities for experimentation, for sure. Hope to catch you on a POTA activation sometime soon. Best, Marc (N1QGM)

[@radiotests]

Well noted! Mix and match!

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

I think you are right. There is no one great antenna, but there are lots of components that can be put into the right combination.

[@McPilot_W3DDS]

Thanks for the video Michael, I just today did a POTA activation QRP with this antenna mounted to my car... I had a QSO into CA from FL on 5 watts. I live in an HOA and use this antenna with a ground spike portable on a daily basis with good results.

[@StevenHailstone]

This has been a good performer for me. Early Saturday mornings I have had success on 80 meters CW. Perhaps the lack of success on 40 was more due to band conditions? Oddly enough, due to a rocky customer service experience with Amazon, I have 2 of these!

[@temporarilyoffline]

Just an FYI, you had the tripod upside down in the video. The legs lock better when turned 180d away from the storage position. I found the antenna to be "a great compromise" for portable use. There are tons of options, but this one packs up small and gets out in those parks where you can't put a stake in the ground or a wire in a tree... or if you're just lazy like me ;-)

[@aceventuraaceventura2003]

Pile ups... looks like indeed the dream setup!

[@thelostiowan]

I have both this GABIL antenna and mount along with Chameleon MPAS and their ECOM2 and a Ryansloop and honestly the easiest one to get on the air quickly is the Chameleon telescoping antenna and a ground stick with 4 radial. Thank you for all the great vibes and reviews of interest to the hobby and the eats aren't half bad either. We will hope to work you park to park from over here in Minnesota someday soon. 73's KC0QNA/DON

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

That's my preferred vertical, a 17 foot whip adjusted to a 1/4 wave.

[@thelostiowan]

@@KB9VBRAntennas just in the last 2 months I've activated some eight or nine parks with SWR of 1.4 or better from 40 m up. It is just been a great win-win antenna overall using the steak. I bought the faraday screen too, but have not needed to try it yet.

[@W8MJL]

I picked up the MFJ 1898 at the Dayton show last year, haven't had the chance to give it a fair test yet, and this one looks similar. wonder how they stack up against one another. Thanks Mike for another great video, very helpful. 73 de W8MJL

[@tomKZ8TOM]

The squash dish looks great!

[@1polonium210]

Thanks. I just ordered the antenna and tripod!

[@deankq4adj125]

Thank you for the honest review, I know you have the best interests of the viewer at heart. I still love my Wolf River Coil which I first saw on your channel. Keep up the good work!

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

I think this antenna has its place as it is more compact than the wolf river setup, but the WRC does outperform it, especially with the 213 inch whip.

[@wayneskiba1237]

Michael, another very informative video, I enjoyed your review of the Grabil GRA-7350TC portable antenna, and of course the park activation, thank you for sharing. Very nice scenery.

[@davidsradioroom9678]

It looks nice, but I think I will stick with my WRC TIA 1000.

[@paulsundquist5258]

Love that park. You'll have to go in the summer - the bay at the swimming area really warms up the frigid Lake Superior water

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

We usually head up to the island a couple times a year. By Lake Superior standards, the water in the bay does warm up, but still can be chilly. Here's a video from last summer with an activation that I did in the same spot: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gpiYfGZ9qZyEitk

[@o00scorpion00o]

The 891 has incredible audio via headphones.

[@joelaut12]

Portable Antennas are always a compromise, either it’s good on the low end or good on the high end. For the money, not my first or second choice, great review!

[@radiotests]

Thanks for taking the time to review a quality Taiwanese product from a nation of people who support freedom of expression and speech without subjegating others to the horrors of communism. We vote with our money and even being a low fixed income disabled senior I'll never promote Communist Chinese ham radio gear made by literal prisoners Living in hellish situations. Come on guys wake up, the red Chinese CCP hates us and our way of life. Support Gabil as a great small company trying to serve us and support hams making gear right here at home and other countries that support the right to be free.

[@99corncob]

I bought one of these after seeing the rave reviews from several other KZbinrs. My evaluation of the antenna is about the same as yours. I use it with a ground spike instead of the tripod and it works, but it definitely is not fantastic. Its portability means that it still is useful for me, but if I was working mobile with an automobile I would be using my Wolf River Coil instead of this. Thanks for an honest review.

[@barrykery1175]

Neat antenna, good video. Performance is directly related to the amount of ground radials you lay down. Barry

[@SteveH-TN]

Thanks for sharing your experience POTA. I’ve only learned about POTA recently and hope to become active in a POTA soon as both a Hunter and Activation operator. 73 Steve AA4SH

[@forgetyourlife]

You were pretty nice. 😊 I returned mine very quickly. Night and Day for sure.

[@mcdeadsquirrel]

Thank you for this!! '73 Upstate NY

[@brentOhlookAsnake]

Where about upstate? That’s my area too

[@mcdeadsquirrel]

@@brentOhlookAsnake Right in the Center of the State. Utica, NY

[@falcon16czz]

Thanks for sharing this new antenna setup. I live in California & have been looking for a quick portable setup. Going to try it out. Thanks for your reviews. 73's KD0FDF Rancho Cordova CA

[@MadGoat]

The tipod legs do lock... you were using it upside down. The twisting locking ring goes on the top.

[@SnowLynxPreparedness]

I wonder how it would perform in the rain - it seems like "nice day only" antenna. Would be nice to know before I buy it.

[@W3DMJ]

I have this setup and I think it performs really well. Haven't tried the screen yet. I have 6 x 10 meter radials. Thanks for the video de w3dmj (I believe the tripod was upside down)

[@KU9L]

I bought it 6 months ago for POTA in case i couldnt put up a wire antenna, but u get better performance in 20m with my MFJ-1979 on the rear hitch mount of my pickup truck with an eBay 2" hitch mount & my window screen ground plane clipped in. I cant always bring my truck to the picnic table so anytime the band seems hard for QRP levels U bring out the 7350TC & my Icom IC-718 set to 50 watts. I have not failed to actuvate even if U use inly one radial instead if the eindow screen. When i fotget & leave rhe 50 watts on I usually learn real fast as my wire toroids heat up & my glue gun toroid holder melts away, lol. Cheers, Davey --KU9L

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

You definitely can tell the difference between the 1/4 vertical whip and the Gabil system. More testing and playing around with it is certainly in order.

[@KU9L]

@@KB9VBRAntennas 1/4~ whip with two 48"x84" screens running 5 W QRP CW was about as effective as 50 watts SSB into a loaded short verticals with one 1/4~ radial, propagation being somewhat equal. I'd have to try it a bunch of times to prove it. Challange accepted, sir, lol.

[@iamnobody9542]

Loooonnnggg ago, there used to be a program with the ARRL antenna book called Mobile. It was well done, and could calculate the efficiency of various antenna configurations vs car size and where mounted. An 8 foot whip with a base coil was always less than a center coil, like the Hustler. Coils dont radiate. Getting the coil up the whip gets more of the high current base portion exposed - uh, er... Electro MAGNETIC waves... Magnetism is related to Current... The best efficiency for a hustler on 40 was ~15%. Just too short. Only 3.5% on 75... Way too short! 20 and up, pretty good. Why? Size matters. When you get below ~1/3 of full length, efficiency takes a nose dive. That's Y 2M HT whips are ~6 to 7" long - ~1/3 full length. Always base loaded, tho, for convenience. Compare to a full size quarter wave whip (unwieldy on a 2M HT, tho). Jerry wa2omu

[@ehayes5217]

Great info, thanx & 73 de WA4ELW in TN 🇺🇸 dit dit 😃

[@jdoolan21209]

This is my go-to antenna when I'm running out of my car. I have a lip mount and it tunes out nicely on 20m. I have found that trying to turn it for 40m and the lip mount isn't so great, so I'll change over and use a mag mount.

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

I'm going to try it on the mag mount this winter to see if it performs any better than the shark sticks.

[@paguy67]

Thanks for the review. I almost bought this, but now I won't bother, I have a Chameleon MPAS light and WRC this looks like something id pass up on

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

Unless you need something ultra-compact and packable, I would agree.

[@ibannymous]

Thanks for the review!

[@MichaelKraus-x9r]

The legs do lock if the tripod is turned right side up, good review though.

[@wildbill1]

Thanks for the video review. Bet that squash tasted better than that bug 😆. Always enjoy your videos. 73😊

[@gregmalonewa3gm680]

A compromise for sure. I have used this many times when I want to do a quick in and out activation from the car when pressed for time. I put it on my Diamond K400 mount on the fender lip and it works fairly good. I am 99% CW so that may have better performance. One thing I did do though I changed the whip to a 108" whip and it works much better.

[@kgrant67]

Michael, you mentioned that performance lacked on 40 m and attributed it to the 102 in whip. Should I expect similar performance from the Wolf River coil with 102-in whip?

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

That's a really good question. Since I switched to the 213 inch whip, I haven't used the short 102 inch whip in a long time. But my general observation is that Wolf River's coil has a larger diameter than the Gabil. This does two things: lowers the Q, so you get more bandwidth on 40 meters and it takes less turns of wire on the coil to reach the same level of inductance. A larger coil, theoretically should give you better performance over a narrower one. Some testing may be in order, though, to test the hypothesis if whip length is kept the same, would a wider coil be better than a narrower one.

[@kgrant67]

@@KB9VBRAntennas thank you. I just got my license and a radio and ordered the Wolf River with the 102 in whip. I think I'll go ahead and order the long whip and see what happens.

[@kennygraves489]

Really digging the tripod. I was looking at the chameleon whip though. How do you think that setup would work? It would be for pota maybe some sota

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

You can use the 17 foot Chameleon whip with the Gabil tripod. I've successfully done that a few times. The downside is that if the wind is anything more than a light breeze, it will fall over. You will have to either stake or sandbag the base for stability.

[@kennygraves489]

@KB9VBRAntennas copy that. Thank you for the reply. Love watching your videos.

[@Ammed_KN6STX]

Can you use more shorter ground radial? Instead of the 4 - 16’ ft radials?

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

You can use shorter radials, but you will need many more of them.

[@ICEDoTDK]

cool job 73 from Danmark

[@K3JRZOnTheAir]

It is a very compact antenna, which might work for those activators that need that. Nice work though! 73!

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

I'm thinking of slapping it on a mag mount and see how it compares to the shark sticks. It may be a good cold weather option.

[@theodoreboyer2275]

Can you share the recipe for that stuffed squash?

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

Yep. The recipe is in the video description

[@tmccusk1]

Great video Michael. Slight change of topic. How would the Silver Bullet perform with the Chameleon 19.5’ whip. Thanks.

[@Kinetic79]

I think it’s 17’ and it will perform the same as his usual go-to stainless steel whip does, and the same as the wolf river coil’s full size whip does. Stainless isn’t technically an ideal material, but it’s tubing and not just thin wire-so that surface area makes up for it. You will still need to fine tune the length of the whip, amount of inductance (coil setting) and achieve a functional ground plane. Those are bigger factors than the brand or material. This whip in the video is not full-sized. More aerial and less coil inductance is generally better on these setups. I think he also doesn’t mention that the whip threads are not 5/8-24… so you can’t swap out the whip on this adjustable slider coil without a very expensive adapter (for what it is).

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

Three years ago I put the Chameleon Mil-Whip and Mil-Extension on the air with the wolf river coil. It works surprisingly well. Here's the video kzbin.info/www/bejne/pIushI2elNF_Y6s

[@tmccusk1]

@@KB9VBRAntennas I watched it. Putting the Chameleon on my Christmas list. Thanks again

[@tmmlrd]

Looks very nice antenna. Cost is very high however, I understand some 700 USD or so for antenna +tripod. I have a much cheaper MFJ1899T and I like it very much for /P operations, although it does support QRP only. I had a lot of QSO across Europe with that antenna and a FT-818. Do you know it? Could you make a comparison between the Gabil and the MFJ portable vertical antennas? I am wondering if after all the difference in price (more than a factor 5!) is really justified.

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

Your price is far off, the antenna is USD $139 and the tripod $119, or about USD $260 for everything. I don't have any experience with the MFJ antenna, but I did recently pick up a used one at a hamfest. I may be able to compare the two, but I think performance will be quite similar.

[@Proc3000]

Another great video. Not expensive either for the antenna. Was wondering why you always run 50 watts and not 100. Is it to save battary?

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

I run 50 watts to conserve battery life. It is the best balance I've found for transmit output vs power consumption

[@Proc3000]

@@KB9VBRAntennas makes sense. I lig around a 36Ah so I don't worry too much but I'm looking into smaller batteries.

[@randycollins7699]

your tripod was up side down.

[@N4GW]

So how does it compare to others like Wolf river and Chameleon

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

It may be hard to compare it to the Chameleon as that is a non-resonant antenna, but I do have a comparison with the Wolf River. Here's a video from the same location, same bands, and same time of day. The only difference was that it was in July vs September. The 1/4 wave vertical and Wolf River Sporty Forty performed much better than the Gabil. (Fast forward to the end to see the results). kzbin.info/www/bejne/gpiYfGZ9qZyEitk

[@loraz0]

The instructions for that tripod sitting right next to it. So close.

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

Instructions are for the whip, they say nothing about the tripod which is sold separately.

[@DetestedNine28]

how good does the antenna do with QRP operations on CW? i'm looking to get this antenna where i am stopping by new york for a day fundraiser trip with few of my friends and going to hit a NY park and looking for a very quick click and go operations and i'm planning to pack my icom 705 for the trip and planning to do only CW where it's only for the day and we decide to be at each other's locations for 1 hour so in my case i am only going to be at the park for 1 hour that day so it's basically a have to be click and go type

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

I've seen QRP CW operators like Bill K4NYM use this antenna with success. CW tends to me more forgiving than phone operation.

[@K4GDS]

The legs didn’t lock because you had the whole tripod upside down.

[@K4dsx]

How many watts can ya run for FT8?

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

It's rated for 130 watts sideband, so I'd say 30-40 watts data modes. I ran 20 watts data with no issues.

[@davewhite7679]

I have serious doubts about that tiny loading coil surviving FT8 mode at 40 watts for more than a few minutes on 80-meters. KZ9V

[@gregbreitz972]

Another great video!!