Hy-Gain TH-6DXX Thunderbird
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| Frequency | 14-30 MHz (20/15/10m) |
| Bands | 20m, 15m, 10m |
| Modes | SSB, CW, AM, FM, digital |
| Connector | SO-239 |
| Year | 1972 |
| feedpoint | SO-239 |
The legendary Hy-Gain tribander. 6 trapped elements on a 24-foot boom. 2kW PEP. 25 dB F/B. The TH-6DXX (Super Thunderbird) was the DXer's tribander of choice for decades. Many are still in service after 30+ years.
Discontinued. 24-foot boom and 29 kg require a serious tower and rotator. The traps age and can develop water intrusion after decades. Replacement parts are scarce.
The contest standard for a generation. When operators talked about 'putting up a beam,' this was often what they meant. The TH-6DXX was the affordable big tribander for people who were serious about DX and contesting but did not have a tower budget for a monobander stack.
The Hy-Gain Thunderbird is one of the most storied tri-band HF beam antennas ever made, the full-size classic Yagi for 10, 15, and 20 meters that defined what a serious station's antenna looked like for generations of operators. Built across several models over the years (the three-element TH-3 up through larger versions), the Thunderbird delivers strong gain and front-to-back ratio for working DX and contests.
Like other Hy-Gain tribanders it covers three bands on one boom using traps and tuned elements, and it is a substantial antenna that wants a good tower, mast, and rotator. Its reputation rests on solid performance and durable construction; well-maintained examples have stayed in service for decades, and the design remains a benchmark against which compact tribanders are measured.
Hy-Gain's parent MFJ Enterprises wound down manufacturing in 2024, and the Hy-Gain brand was acquired by ITU Corporation in 2026, so availability has recently been in transition. The lighter TH-3JR is the compact version of the same idea, and the four-element Explorer-14 is a higher-performance stablemate.