The Band Hopper II, two-band portable dipole antenna system
At a glance:
Bands 20 m, 40 m
Power rating 125 Watts
Balun included Yes
ATU needed? No. Connects direct to your radio
SSB, CW, data? Yes. Fine for all modes
How long is this antenna? About 28 metres end to end (20-40 version).
Mast A lightweight telescopic pole (6 - 8 metres pole length recommended for Band Hopper II)
***IMPORTANT NOTE: if you are using a Band Hopper with our 10m Compact Travel Mast, attach the antenna with a cable tie to the top of section 11 (counted from the bottom). This is about 6 metres (20ft) up and is the perfect height for the antenna centre. Any higher and the antenna may not work properly and your Compact Travel Mast could be damaged.***
What do you get?
Band Hoppers are a complete system including:
- A resonant multi-band dipole antenna with Perspex link hardware
- A 10m feeder - high quality RG174 terminated in a BNC plug
- High performance balun
- A guying system for a lightweight telescopic pole (6 - 8 metres length recommended)
- Three Wire Winders to ensure tangle-free operating
- Three lightweight aluminium alloy pegs
- A nylon carry bag with peg pocket
Band Hoppers work out of the packet - no messing, just fun!
Instructions are available HERE!
How to erect your BandHopper - video
Not sure which Band Hopper to choose? Click here for some ideas.
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Also available from our international agent(s):
The secret of most successful HF portable operators is not hard to find: it's an efficient antenna! No wonder that the linked dipole is the most popular portable HF antenna type used in Europe. The Band Hopper II is designed for the lightweight portable specialist. Not sure what a linked dipole is? Click here.
The Band Hopper II covers two HF bands with a high efficiency full-size halfwave dipole on each band. It's not a compromise loaded antenna. It's also designed to allow you to get the feedpoint high - that's important for good performance. Band selection is by easy-to-use jumpers; quick to change.
We include a high performance balun to reduce unwanted feeder coupling - reduces potential interference problems.
Using the Band Hopper II could not be easier. The custom designed centrepiece fits on an tapered pole (such as our famous SOTA pole). It slides down to the optimum height (usually the junction between the top and second sections of the mast).If you don't have a tapering mast dont worry, the centrepiece has slots for cable ties too so you can attach it to most anything. Don't like masts? The centrepiece has an attachment point for a throwing line to use in the forest.
Unrolling the dipole elements is a breeze using the Wirewinders supplied. When you unroll the elements you will notice that the Wirewinders are attached to 4m (13ft) nylon braided extension cords. This not only means that you cannot lose them but also that in rocky areas you can guy your pole by putting the Wirewinder in a crack in the rocks or just by putting it under a rock. The Wirewinders also make great snow anchors too so guying your pole in the snow has never been easier! We also provide pegging loops for use with our high quality pegs (included).
The feeder is a 10m length of RG174 preterminated in a BNC plug. This is wound on a third Wirewinder. Also on the third Winder is a 10m back guy for your mast. No need for any additional guys and the two dipole elements plus the back guy are all you need for a stable and robust system. The back guy is attached to the Wirewinder to give you the flexible guying options above. Just a mast or use a tree and you're good to go!
This antenna is super light too! The whole package consisting of the antenna, the Wirewinders and the back guy weighs in at less than 450g (20m/40m version); that's under a pound!
No need to adjust the Band Hopper II, it is supplied pre-tuned. We do the tricky stuff leaving you to have the fun. This is a fully assembled product that works out of the packet
The Band Hopper II is a truly amazing package for a bargain price.
Each Band Hopper II includes an antenna bag and three pegs making it a complete system.
Videos Hide Videos Show Videos
64 Reviews Hide Reviews Show Reviews
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Better than expected
Nice build quality. Very good overal setup with baluns, cable, bag and all needed accessories. User only need pole. I use 8m finhing rod (1m when collapsed) and with that dipole is about 7.5m high. SWR metered with AA-200 and is both bands (7MHz and 14MHz) very low (see graphs on my IG account user: oh1sa. Also nice mechanical design, not build to last, but build to low wheigt and easy fix if needed. I will recommended this, at least for backup for emergency use. Thank you.
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SOTABEAMs 2-band dipole
This field antenna is very thoughtfully designed and goes up and down easily, just like in the video. As I put it up the first time, there was always a feature right there to assist in the next step. I mounted it on a 31' pole (rather than 20') and needed to clip in copper scraps to get resonance. It was easily done. I found a 12" jumper worked on 40, a 7" tail on 20. The feedpoint plastic block snapped on one side when the pole got away from me and slapped it to the ground. It was easily glued and SOTABEAMs immediately air mailed a replacement feedpoint block with hardware.
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Band Hopper 2
Love this, easy to setup and use. Packs away really easily. Cannot fault it. Worked equally well with a clansman and ft-817.
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The most important part of the SOTA station
Very good, very light, very easy to handle. I use it with a 10 m SB travelmast, cable-tied it on 6 m height, as advised by Richard. I've disconnected the yellow rope from it, as i want to decrease the force on the top of the mast, and i use a GK10 guying kit to hold the mast. In this case it's easier to catch the links on the antenna, in my opinion. And i wind the coaxial cable on the winder reverse as the way it has arrived to the winder, it's a bit less tricky to erect the whole thing. again, for me . All the parts are superlight, yet strong enough ! The lenght of the coaxial cable is just perfect too !
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First contact in years
Used my sotabeams 20/40 linked dipole tor the first time today. My first contact was a ve7 from my home qth using an icom 703 running 10 watts. The antenna was on a 6 meter fiberglass mast and the band was not in the best of shape. Distance was 3548 kms, not bad for an old radio and my first contact in years.
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Testing 20m Deployment in Loft
Temporarily setup in the loft until I replace with a fan dipole. Set up for 20m in an inverted V configuration with sloping legs favoring east direction. Using a SDR Play RSP1 have received JT65 & FT8 from 94 countries in a few days. Once the loft antenna is sorted it will be redeployed for QRP portable where I have no doubt it will work great.
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Band Hopper 2 makes QSOs EASY!
Recently purchased your two-band (20/40M) portable dipole antenna in preparation for our Solar Eclipse Special Event Station. We were planning to use both bands during the recent solar eclipse in the USA, but ended up staying on 40M for the entire event. Laid out the antenna on the ground and raised it with a 33’ fiberglass pole, staked out the ends of the antenna and was “on the air” in less than 10 mins. The SWR was so good across the entire band, we never needed the ATU in our 100 watt radio! Signals from across the USA were pouring into our Special Event Station and we made 113 QSOs in about 3 ½ hours of operation, having GREAT FUN in the park on the solar eclipse day! I can’t say enough good things about this antenna! This antenna design, wire, coax, connector, wire winders and bag w/stakes is a true bargain from SOTABEAMS! Easy “no-muss, no-fuss”, get on-the-air antenna makes it FUN to use. Looking forward to many more trips back to the park!
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Got me into South America
Matched with the 7m SOTAbeams pole, I went to the beach. 4w rig a bit of grey line and JT65. I have done this many times with other antennas, I can hit the US and Canada with some regularity. Using the linked dipole, I hit Brazil on both 20m and 40m, managed Guatemala too. Buy the 7meter pole. Both together, well worth it.
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Wellmade and good performance
I always make my own wire antennas for Mountain activities but reading the reviews of the linked dipole I bought one. The antenna is Well made, lightweight components and think in the People Who rise antennas in sota. The antenna has very good performance and swr 1:1 without tunner.
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Update.....
Since my last review on this antenna I have added an FT-817ND to my portable kit. I took it out and matched it up this weekend for a bit of QRP and I was really pleased. 5w output, up on a hill and confirmed a contact in Bulgaria as my furthest. I really cannot rate this antenna highly enough and although I still have not bought the tri bander, I would recommend this two band linked dipole to anyone. 5 stars without any hesitation.
