Hy-Gain DX-88
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| Frequency | 80, 40, 30, 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10 m |
| Bands | 80m, 40m, 30m, 20m, 17m, 15m, 12m, 10m |
| Power | Handles 1500 W PEP (the legal limit) on all bands. A passive antenna - no power is consumed. |
| Modes | n/a (multiband HF vertical antenna) |
| Weight | 8.16 kg (18 lb) - About 18 lb (~8.2 kg); 25 feet (24 ft 9 in) tall. Survives ~75 mph wind unguyed. |
| feedpoint | SO-239 (50 ohm) |
| power req | Passive antenna. Ground-mount with a radial field for best performance; recommended mast 1.5-1.625 in. |
A full eight-band vertical (including the WARC bands) that handles the legal power limit, with adjustable capacitors that make it easier to tune than many trap verticals and a low radiation angle for DX. It is a lot of band coverage from one compact, feedline-simple antenna.
As a ground-mounted vertical it needs a good radial field to perform, the many traps add complexity and occasional maintenance, and the low bands are a compromise versus full-size antennas. As a Hy-Gain/MFJ product, availability and support are uncertain following MFJ's 2024 manufacturing wind-down.
The Hy-Gain DX-88 is a full eight-band HF vertical (80-10 m incl WARC) that takes the legal power limit and tunes more easily than many trap verticals thanks to its adjustable capacitors - a strong all-band choice for a small lot with radials. Check availability given MFJ's wind-down.
The Hy-Gain DX-88 is a full eight-band HF vertical antenna, covering 80, 40, 30, 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10 meters - all the HF bands including the WARC bands - from a single 25-foot radiator and one feedline. It handles 1500 watts PEP, the full US legal limit, on every band, making it a serious antenna rather than a compromise lightweight.
Its design uses low-loss traps together with adjustable capacitors, which is the feature owners most appreciate: the capacitors let you tune out many of the matching headaches that plague other trap verticals, and the antenna presents a low angle of radiation that favors DX. It feeds through an SO-239, weighs about 18 pounds, survives roughly 75 mph winds without guying, and mounts on a standard 1.5-to-1.625-inch mast.
As with any ground-mounted vertical, it needs a good radial field to work to its potential, the many traps add some complexity and occasional maintenance, and the low bands remain a compromise against full-size wire antennas. One practical note: Hy-Gain is owned by MFJ Enterprises, which announced a wind-down of manufacturing in 2024, so availability and support should be checked. As an all-band, legal-limit vertical for a small lot, though, it is a strong performer.
It is a more-band alternative to verticals like the Hy-Gain AV-640 and the trap-based Hustler 6-BTV.