X1-HF Vertical 1-50 MHz Receiving Antenna Complete with 10m Lead

Not bad antenna, but not perfect.
Excellent broadband receive coverage from 1.8–30 MHz.
Best “sweet spot” around 25–30 MHz.

SWR measured using NanoVNA H4 v4.3:
80m - 5.75:1
40m - 2.94:1
20m - 3.55:1
11m - 2.59:1

Noise floor @ 95dBm (tinySA)

I would love to see the X1-HF re assessed by our favourite YT radio experts.
The review originally was done during Covid and the conditions were not the best.
Like other users of the X1HF I have found it is deaf on certain frequencies - using it with a SDRplay RSP1B, I find it impossible to receive UK CB yet can sometime pick up clear US CB - Ham Bands are very hit and miss, you can hear the European QSL guys with their powerful amps but little to zero from the UK and they have all but gone in the evening.
The FM and air band are very clear, a little hiss but almost as clear as DAB on the FM transmitted stuff.
Coming to the Broadcast Bands. Here it is strange and I assume something to do with propagation or background noise. 41m is often the only band open around 10pm utc there are 10 stations, 4 are acceptable (all RCI) and 1 is week, the rest are lines on the waterfall.
The X1HF is advertised as a balcony or small yard alternative - it is not. Comments here that 20ft is to low - the review puts it on a washing line post on a cable that is not the RG58 included and comments it is ideal for bottom of the garden or a bit high up - washing line posts are about 2m assume to get away from the noise in the house/garden.
My X1HF is outside the back door at about 3m, seems to pick up noise from my sons bedroom 3 brick walls away, the fridge motor and some other noisy objects that are not mine, with the noise base levels and visible interference on the waterfall increasing during darkness.
Oddly this antenna does not need an antenna tuner nor does it required any power, which could be its downfall, I think it needs some filtered amplification, reason being I used to use a SW55 and AN1 back in the 90's, the AN-1 had a battery powered amplifier of 9v - very capable of listening to number stations, the buzzer and lots of stations that have gone online.
To summarise, this is not an urban balcony antenna, it picks up to much noise, it might be a bottom of the garden antenna, but then that will depend on what your neighbours are doing in their sheds and garages.

I wanted to start listening to HF so I purchased this antenna to go with my SDRplay RSP1B. I am picking up plenty of signals but as usual I want more so I will be putting it up even higher so it is the same height as the house and see what that brings in.

Was looking for better HF reception than what my discone offered and after watching the Tech Minds video review I was sold! Solid construction, comes with mounting brackets for a secure and solid installation. It even reaches up to airband without issue. Great value, great reception, great price, highly recommended!

Good quality and generous 10m of cable to reach your device. Better reception on HF compare to other indoor antennas I had and some more expensive, plus that it does good job on the air band as well. I've mounted a plastic pipe with slightly bigger diameter than the antenna on my balcony, so I can hang or remove the antenna easily.

If you are absolutely strapped for space then the X1 can help you with your SDR receive needs. I could only mount the Antenna 20 feet from the ground and this was adequate for some bands but deaf on others. The broadcast bands were generally OK. If you could mount this at a decent height I believe that the reception would greatly improve but at twenty feet the Reception was only OK. 30 feet of wire and a receive only balun was more beneficial to my SDR receiver than the X1. If you are Genuinely strapped for space this antenna will be of use to you. Build quality is good and should last outside in most weather for some years.

I was struggling a bit with a Youloop to my SDR Play RSPdx due to location so thought I'd give the X1-HF a try. The HF bands sprang to life even if the antenna is currently strapped to a telescopic lighting stand to get some height until I get some ladders for roof installation! The antenna appears solid and well made, however, it would have been good to have a shield sleeve to cover the coax feed point at the base of the antenna to protect it from weather - not a huge issue as I've made my own out of a piece of plastic pipe - I'd still give the build 5 stars for quality and performance at this price though.

Been suffering from listening to my sdr and picking up virtually nothing. Purchased this antenna and HELLO WORLD fantastic piece of kit and just lash it to whatever plug in and away to go. Highly recommend this for HF listening

Just got mine delivered. I have a small apartment w. balcony, so I fixed my X1-HF vertical antenna on the balcony rail, using L-shaped satellite dish balcony railing mount.

Lots of shortwave stations heard today at 49m, 31m, 16m and 13m bands and 40m HAM band traffic came also crystal clear.

Heard nothing at LW, which is obvious, and just barely few MW stations. I was happily surprised that 135MHz airband and local HAM beacon at 144MHz/2m were also loud and clear.

X1-HF vertical 1-50 MHz is definitely worth buying in my opinion, if you dont have your own backyard or otherwise lots of space for fixing antennas outdoors, and if you cant hear much inside your apartment.

Thanks to Moonraker staff for your friendly service. Y'all stay safe.

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