I recommend the Comet GP-9. Mine has been installed on my two story brick chimney for a long time - 8 to 10 years probably. I attached a 10 ft. metal TV mast with steel strapping bands to the chimney. (I bought both the mast and bands from Radio Shack before they went out business.) Then I attached my Comet GP-9 to the mast. Interesting enough, I wrapped all the joint connectors and spray painted it mat black the same as shown in the video. (Our minds were on the same track there - keeping out rain water.) I didn’t paint the three radial arms. And I used LMR-400 coax too. (My coax run into the house is 55 feet.) From the bottom of my Comet GP-9 to the chimney foundation is 35.5 feet. Even though my Comet GP-9 has been installed several years when I fire up my old iCom 208H or my iCom 7000 for VHF/UHF operating my SWR is always 1:1 or less. It’s hard to ask for much better. And for performance... I have many repeaters within a few miles for duplex operating. Simplex operating is still excellent up to 35+/- miles. I made a good investment in antennas when I bought my Comet GP-9. I’m pleased.
Since our other large Amateur dealer I have found customer service at the other no longer exists. Call them and they almost act upset you had the nerve to call and disturb them! When there was competition you always got free delivery on anything over $200. I dropped a little over $2000 last year for a new radio, and was shocked when I got charged for delivery., When I called I was told to take it or leave it. If it wasn't for the difference in the dollar, I would have ordered it from the US in a heartbeat. Now I don't care. after a few very frustrating calls, I now order it out of the US.. I pay a bit more, but at least when I call to talk t them they are friendly and accommodating.
acutally, paying in the US from Canada is CHEAPER than the Canadian retailers even with money exchange rates, customs and shipping... it might be more complicated to have items echanged or repaired but most products now need to be returned to the manufacturer. I had an issue with an Icom product bought from USA even though I am in Canada and there was abosolutely no problem for the warranty service. I had to deal with Icom though, not the USA retailer.
I have a GP-9 myself. I have had it for about two months now and so far have found it's performance better than expected. Just yesterday I moved it from a 33 foot mast to a 50 foot mast. I was able to reach repeaters that are over 50+ miles away, simplex. Yes, I am pleased.
Hi Steve, thank you for your comment and for sharing your experience. Sounds like the GP-9 has worked very well for you. PS I hope people reading this will go check out Steve's TH-cam channel. He's done some nice stuff over there, including his own take on the GP-9. Great work, Steve!
Hello my friend!!! I'd like to know if you still have that antenna and if you've had any problems with it... Please. Reason I'm asking is because I am planning to buy one (GP9) but first I'd like to get some information about it... so any help would be greatly appreciated 🙏. Thank you. 73s from KJ4BGW !
I have one of these up 62 feet, and it can hear a butterfly sneeze at 10,000 meters. Do the math, that's only 6.2137119 miles. But...butterfly sneezes are very quiet. Great antenna.
I bought a GP-9 from one of the big 3 ham gear outlets in the US. I decided to check SWR before installation and it was crazy. I thought one of the retaining screws became loose between the elements. I disassembled the antenna and that's when I discovered the bottom element was loose. Yes, the cold solder joint at the UHF connector failed. I took photos and sent an email to the store. They forwarded my email to Comet. Comet said to resolder the joint and the antenna should be fine. I did and the antenna works great. Comet also said if I wasn't comfortable doing the repair, to send the lower section back to them and they would repair it. I opted to fix it myself because I have soldering tools and skills, and I didn't want to wait a weeks for the turn-around time from Comet. It's a great antenna and I also give it a guarded recommendation. Caveat Emptor.
Great video, Tracey. Always informative. I have a non-optimally placed Arrow OSJ 146/440 (j-pole) and managed to hit a repeater at about 90km according to Google Maps using 30W (FT-2980). At 80W it was all-in no problem. Great antenna for the price. I find the 2m repeater traffic either non-existent or 'disappointing' ! But for sure there are also great people you meet there.
I have had the Comet GP-9 up for nearly 25 years. It still works fine. And, the good quality coax still works OK. The one thing I noticed when I moved the antenna from one house to another about 4 years ago I noticed there appeared to pin holes in the paint. I intend to take it down, repaint it, and replace the coax this summer.
Humm... i have Only had mine for almost 24 years..lol Though i have Noticed the same pitting you mentioned ( were you the one who did hat to my GP-9 ..LOL )
The reason for using N connectors vs pl-259 above 200 mhz, is because of the "impedance bumps" that occur. N connectors are far superior to pl-259 in the 440 mhz range, and you can see the difference using a good spectrum analyzer. The pl-259 will have impedance mismatches at random harmonics. In simple terms, you may have an SWR of 1.4:1 at 446.000 mhz, and an SWR of 2.3:1 at 446.800, then back to 1.5:1 at 446.750. N connectors have a much smoother match where they are joined, and less insertion loss as well.
Could be. The problem is, most ham radios themselves have pl-259 connections. My digital weak signal setup on UHF is all N connectors through and through. My radio has N output on the back. I'm kinda a nut though, because of what I'm trying to accomplish. My radio is mono band UHF, my feed line is 20' of 1/2" hard line, all N connectors with a pass band filter, and a home made mono band UHF antenna. I can hear signals that my other typical radios can't detect even with the SQL open. Pulled off 120 miles of DMR simplex with ease, at only 20 watts with a guy in Santa Monica. San Diego to Santa Monica. Would probably not have RX'd the guy had I not had such good ears on my end. He was talking to someone else in LA at 10 watts when I called him.
Nice video and perfect timing ! I was into the process to do the exact same thing ! I went with the shorter Diamond model as I wanted to do some satellite work in the futur. The higher gain models tend to squeeze the radiation pattern down on the horizon. To complement other comments and my own personal experience, I now order all my stuff from DX Engineering. They now have an option for canadians including taxes and duties in the shipping price. Even with the US/Cad exchange rate, I am still 10-15% below « local » prices. Returns are even possible without shipping to US. They have a return adress in Ontario. After spending thousands of dollars in years and getting below average customer service and rip-off shipping charges...I am glad I’ve made the change.
Hello Tracy. I have the same antenna. I bought it and left it laying around for two years before I put it up. That was a big mistake. I built the antenna and like you tested it out before I erected it. The SWR was through the roof. At first I thought it was bad coax. So I tried another run of coax and had the same results. So then I ordered new coax, since both the coax had was old. When I hooked up the new coax, the SWR was still bad. So now what? I talked to my Dad and he said to start trouble shooting a section at a time. Well load and behold I had bad solder joints in all the sections. Cap's that were not even soldered. So next time I buy any antenna, I will never leave it laying around and to make sure, like you said, have the seller check for cold solder joints. Thank you for the information. 73 de KG7LOI.
Great to see you posting content again Tracy. I dont have any VHF here yet. At my old QTH I used a Diamond CP32e. It was excellent and I was able to work a repeater over 100 miles away via sea path. Unfortunately it had no 70cms. Stay sage and look forward to future videos. 73 de Colin.
Yeah, I"m with you. When you're putting up a tower, why not buy the nicest antenna you can fit. It's so much work to get up there, the cost of the actual antenna is relatively small.
I like the look of this antenna and have had another tri-bander from the Comet brand which has let in water and the solder joints have degraded at the base. I have took apart 3 similar antennas and water ingress has been an issue. I think I will buy a GP-9 as it has plastic joints. Incidentally water ingress on the three tri-banders I have worked on for myself and others have had water ingress which has affected the coax seemingly allowing water through the PL259 and into the outer braid of the coax. I am in England and it seems to have hardly stopped raining in 4 months. The length of antenna also seems beneficial on 70cm. I will try one out! Thanks for posting M0KIA
Apparently either my coax is bad, or my Comet GP-6 went bad. So, I’m replacing both while upgrading to a Comet GP-9. Your video convinced me it was a good move. I appreciate your professional narration. K2PTL in Tennessee.
My GP-9 has been outstanding at 25ft. I got a new mast and got it at 31 ft with some new LMR coax and the results were outstanding. Today, 2 weeks after that install I have low signal levels! Not sure if it's the antenna or coax. SWR meter no longer works in my radio. Just throwing another $400 at a new antenna and coax isn't an option. A little frustrated because I need to take it back down!
Tracy, THANK YOU for this excellently narrated video. Well done!. I run the smaller brother of the Diamond X500, namely the X300N.( I have the Diamond X510N here as well but have never installed it (yet). I note with great interest the point about the ABS couplers on the Comet, instead of the metal shells used by Diamond. Interesting point. I was delighted to see you using Coaxseal..... an absolutely brilliant product. when properly applied.. no water will ever get into a properly coaxsealed joint. Been using it for over 20+ years on all my external cable joints and connectors. Unfortunately, It does not seem to be very well known in Ham circles. As the Diamond X300N.. i feed it with Messi& Pauolini Hyperflex 13 cable. Nothing comes even close to that cable. Unlike your setup I use N connectors where I can. With 5 watts.. I can open the Woodcock Hill repeater in Limerick and that repeater is over 60 miles away... with a hill in between us! For a proper QSO I go to 25 watts to increase the clarity. I never knew that both the Diamond and Comet had such low elevation angles... a real Godsent for spanning distances, like from your QTH to Buffalo. Thank again... enjoyed yr video. Well done. Albert EI7II in Ireland.
@@OutdoorsOnTheAir Tracy.... one point perhaps of interest. I would highly recommend using LOCTITE) (or equivalent) on the screws that connect the actual radiating elements. I addition, I do on the threads of the short stainless steel radials as well. One further point that might be of interest: The aluminium sleeve that clamps the completed antenna to the mast is a weak point. Friends of mine that have this antenna have replaced that sleeve with a stainless steel or a heavily galvanised steel one one. Over time, of course dependent on the wind load the two bolts that hold the antenna there will start to allow play. This is based on real life and (bitter) experience. Hope it will never thappen to you. Albert. EI7II.
Very good review. We are going to be using some of these antennas for commercial business repeaters, and definitely going to be using your recommendations from this video.
Good video. I settled on a GP-3, live in the mountains. First one did have a cold solder joint. Took it back to Burnaby radio and exchanged it with no questions. Service at the dealer you referenced really depends on who answers the phone/counter call.
Nice review Tracy, and good tip about using coax seal over the electrical tape so it’s easier to remove. I wish I’d done that! Hope to hear you on Winter Field Day. Btw nice shack. Mike K9KMV
Or better, Dont use it at all. Use Coax Wrap instead. Its a self amalgamating tape that is loads better than that tar like mess. It is sold by HRO and DXE etc.
Thank you for your comment, Mike! Every year something seems to come up on WFD weekend that keeps me from participating. This year I am scheduled to do a presentation for the Long Island CW Club on Saturday, so no WFD for me. Next Year!
Suggestion. I always use copper antiseize on all electrical connections including coax connectors. Will keep moisture and corrosion at bay. Ensures good conductivity with the copper infusion. Works good an aluminum tubing as well like when assembling aluminum antenna elements.
Thank you for in depth information on this antenna and of the way to safe guard the fittings With extra precautions on sealing the joint like you I need to put up a better antenna for 70cms and 2mtrs and will now ask about the cold solder joints at the base and about warranty from our local ham store here in the UK
I kinda hit the mother load last year. An SK on the island where I live left behind a couple of VHF / UHF antennas that I inherited. A Cushcraft 719B 19 element 70cm yagi, a Cushcraft 124WB 4 element 2m yagi, a Cushcraft A43011s 70cm yagi, and a Diamond X700HA (7.2m/23.6ft tall). I mounted the Diamond antenna on a 6.5m steel pipe. I am located about 150m above sea level, the ocean right below me. My nearest 70cm repeater is over 70km away, with half a mountain on a neighboring island in between, the Diamond antenna does allow me to open the repeater with even my HT. Lots of salt water between me and the repeater. I still have to test out the 719B yagi. The smaller 70cm yagi works, and I can actually carry it on my motor scooter. The 2m yagi is messed up somehow, and I still have to fix it. In any case, I got a couple of good antennas. You should have seen me carrying the Diamond and then the long Cushcraft antennas, one at a time, on my motor scooter. Like a knight jousting. Fortunately, no traffic, AND no policeman saw me that day. People carry crazy things on their motor scooters here, but I think that was really pushing the envelope hard.
I salvaged a mystery vhf / uhf antenna. It is about nine feet tall. Vhf reaches incredibly far. Uhf seems to leave a lot to be desired. The standing wave ratio is wonderful on both VHF and UHF but the operator says that UHF just does not hit much. But it was a free antenna. I recognized what it was when someone asked me to haul out a bunch of scrap metal. The operator is happy with the antenna overall. It can hit UHF repeaters locally. The operator mainly uses the antenna for VHF FM simplex and some repeaters. Although, he does do some UHF repeaters also. I wonder if maybe the antenna is simply a 2 meter antenna that does not radiate a good angle for 70 centimeters. I am not an amateur radio operator so I am clueless on how to determine the radiation angle and I likely do not have the equipment to find the radiation angle either.
I have a Tram 1481 up for the Yaesu Ft100DR in my office. I thought about water egress into an antenna. I decided to use "Flex Seal" in clear color. It dried after four coats. The swr was reduced to 1:2 and it went up to serve the dual band. It has been performing well ever since, its only neen 14 months but it is doing well. KI5IQE ( I also have a Tram 1480 on the FT100DR in my shack, same performance track)
I just installed a Comet CX-333 (2m, 220 and 70cm) antenna at 25ft. I experienced everything mentioned on the video but here’s my experience. These antennas NEED to be free and clear of anything metallic around them. My initial installation was a few feet from my chimney and the SWR was nothing like it was on my 12ft high test mast. SWR was horrible on 2m in some areas as high as 2.5:1. Once I moved the antenna to another location, ten feet away from the chimney, the SWR corrected itself.
Tracy: I am micway between Matt, K2EAG and Ross, KB2TIN. I run the triband Comet, the GP-15. I check in most every evening on 147.42 simplex with Gary, VA3JYD. He calls up a simplex round table at 1900 local. Maybe I can catch you there one evening soon. Matt and I are also regularly on 223.50 simplex, and I run a 2 meter SSB net on Wednesdays at 2000 local. The SSB net frequency is 144.210 MHz on USB. All I have is a vertical so it would be a great test for your antenna. CU on the air! 73, Keith, WB2VUO here near Buffalo, NY
Nice video, well done. I would suggest you check out the coax calculator on QSL.NET, for 68 feet of LMR400 you are loosing almost 2dB of signal at 450 MHz and 1dB at 146 MHz. You have a high gain antenna, it would be bad to offset that gain with coax loss. And I agree with you on using tape on the joints. In commercial service, we put down a layer of tape, then use 1 layer of mastic, then 3 more layers of electrical tape, each overlapping the previous just a little. Seems excessive, but loosing a cell phone site or commercial amplifier due to water in the joint is not a good tradeoff for saving time!
Excellent review, Tracy! I'm glad you were able to improve your simplex performance by such a significant margin, and that the antenna has worked well for you. 73 de VE3GKT!
Nice video narated setup Could here what whas all the stations height power and setups just give detailed writing and yours as well what is your dailly communication range and whats your best
Great video. I love your setup. Please try USB on 144.205MHz, yes I know the polarization is wrong but "they" will hear you. Also, both SSB and FM satellites may work with this kind of setup. You should try...
@@Steve-GM0HUU I am sure trying does not hurt. I have heard about hams who use satellites with just whip antennas and it works since they can provide more power. Also, things like APRS, FT-8 or even scatter are on the table. You can say that with antenna like this possibilities are endless ;-)
When testing on the ground, or near the ground, the swr could be high depending on what its near. Mine low was horrible swr, but put it up on a temp mast 10 feet up and it had a great match. Same as on my tower at the final height.
Really good review Tracy! Thanks! Just put up a Comet GP-98 for 144/430/1200Mhz a few weeks back. Did the same treatment to the plastic jointing section (the GP-98 is only a two piece antenna) in the middle. The incredibly harsh UV down here in VK land would destroy the plastic in no time. And your GP-9 looks great painted. May do the same before too long! Please show your tower install from the base up if you don't mind, very interested to see how you had it installed! 73's!
Beautiful shack. Hard to believe ur V/UHF antennas weren't "together." I see alot of 'em there. U hire someone for custom shelving? Do it urself? Very tasteful. I hv 2 SWL rooms in addition to the main radio room. Right now I'm waiting on the availability of backordered Palstars!
Keep your videos coming. Very educational. I run a yeast ft-2980r at 80watts. Coax is RG8x 75 feet. Hooked to a CP22E antenna ground to tip of antenna is 43 feet. I don’t have a good SWR meter. With that being said. The longest contact I’ve made was only 28 miles. I think I should be doing a lot better than that. Any info you of others can give me to check or try different would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again Greg KC3PMX
Thank you very much! To understand your range, it's important to take into consideration the surrounding terrain If there are obstructions, your range will be limited in those directions regardless of power. However, RG-8x is definitely not going to get the most out of your antenna. There will be a lot of loss in that line.
Loved your video! I would be shocked if a retailer would check for cold solder, mostly all they are interested in is the sale! JohnBoyUtah KJ7TBR. I have a Alinco DR-735t that puppy puts out 50 watts am thinking about the GP9 antenna 73’s🇺🇸📡🎙😎
I have two Comet antennas and both are perfect. I understand that sometimes things don't get done right but a cold solder joint isn't worth the trip back to the seller and there are always two sides to every story.
Thank you for your video its fun to work vhf and uhf simplex. I did what to say comet is distributed out of California and they are wonderful if you have issue. The ham store did not do the right thing but if you called comet I would be you would have gotten a different story. I have and they always help.
Thank you very much for the information! The one issue we here in Canada face is support across the border. A supportive reseller here in Canada would make getting help a lot easier. Regardless, I will pass your message along to the ham I mentioned in my video. 73 from VE3TWM.
I got a 3 element 21" Yagi 7.2db indoors on a 2nd floor apartment bedroom on a 6' wooden coat stand hitting repeaters 80 miles away on gmrs 462.650mhz while pointing at different repeater 50 miles apart. Tram yagi $54
I previously had a Comet CX-902, a much more compact 2m/70cm/23cm antenna, would have been happy to have bought another, but such is the power of a mouse button that I ordered a Diamond X510 instead. To be honest I am not yet convinced that it was a wise decision, a very sharp polar diagram, on a very "bendy" antenna, hoping the flutter is not too extreme when it is installed. Regarding the cable joints etc, here in the UK, for professional stuff we used self-amalgamating tape like you but a layer of "Denso" tape over that. It is a disgusting thing to handle and nasty to wash off your hands but offers great protection.
@@OutdoorsOnTheAir, Denso is disgusting, not much fun when a reel of it gets out of a tool box and ends up on cloth seats. Very effective at it's job though.
The same goes for a high gain antenna sitting low with the need to reach high up repeaters or local SOTA stations.. If you live in a hilly area you dont want "high gain"
Very nice video. Can I ask where did you find the tower as I am prepping my shack. So far I have been happy with the Comet products for my HT's and mobile setup, my shack is next. KN6PWH.. 73
Great video, very helpful. I live in a valley with small hills on two opposing sides, would you recommend this antenna or a different model? Thanks de VK1DON
I bought a Diamond X50A Nov., 2017. I live up pretty high, 900 ft in NW NJ, with excellent NW reception, and I can get a LOT of the eastern PA repeaters. Still, I can get the NE NJ and NJ Shore repeaters pretty well. I have about 100-200 foot of mountain to my NE-E and I can still get the eastern NJ repeaters. Not sure how far away any of them are, but I believe 50 miles+ ? NO idea if this antenna helps or hurts, but it works. Only one I ever owned for a base station. TYT TH-7800 50W I have it mounted, don't laugh at me, on a 3" x 10' external PVC into a 2" x 10' external PVC, secured at the base by a cinder block, and attached at the (facia? board , whatever the board is on the side of the roof... ) Total height, 20' to the radials. Over the peak of the roof by maybe 4". Aluminum siding on the house, so being up that high was a major consideration. Works well, as far as I know.
Thank you for sharing the details of your installation. I'm interested in what others use and how it works for them. Sounds like your setup is working very well!
I have only a GP-1, which I picked up new for only $40.00, at a hamfest 2 years ago. I am in an apartment with a terrace on the third floor, about 30 feet above ground at about 300 feet above sea level, so not much blocks me in the surrounding area for Simplex and repeaters around here in Nashua, In Southern, NH. Have you had any contacts on simplex with mobile stations a distance away? W2CH
I just installed a knock off (tram 1481) version of this a week ago....... it's a BEAST!!!!!! Best 100 bucks I have spent.... well and the LMR-400.... best 200 bucks! lol
Good video. I had an x510 for a long time. Gp9 is the same size and design. Cant go wrong. However, for those on a budget, consider the Tram 1480. 1/3 the price. Not quite the performance, but very good.
No experience with the Comet base antenna line. When looking I also focused in on the Diamond line and ended up buying a used X200A at a tailgate sale. Fifteen years later it's still going strong.
Good video Tracy and interesting antenna, thanks. I reckon that using the electrical and self-amalgamating "coax sealer" is a good idea. Really, got to wonder if this should be supplied with base-station antennas like these?
Sometimes, these branded antennas have a quality feel on the outside but, on closer examination, they have obviously cut corners on some of the production methods/components and quality control. Obviously, the various brands are in competition and have to make products to a cost. However, basic quality issues like cold solder joints is not what you expect nowadays from a decent brand. Worse still, suggesting that's it's a consumer problem is unbelievable!
I'm glad that you have a good experience with the GP-9. The ham that had an issue with cold solder joints, if you can let him know to contact Comet directly. I personally know the two gentleman that run the company and they stand by their products, if someone finds a manufacturing defect they will work with that person to remedy it. It sounded to me like the retailer for whatever reason was not willing to put in the effort to RMA the antenna with Comet.
Thank you for your comment. I did follow up with him to relate what you told me. He explained further that his first call was to Comet in California and they brushed him off. Sad to hear that.
Hello Thanks for the video and review I'm searching for my 1st 2m/70cm Base Station antenna to use with my Yeasu mobile rig... I was almost sold on the Comet GP-9, but ive seen a handful of comments about leakage and poor swr... I have a few questions if you have time. 1st what exactly was that black sealant you used aside from the electrical tape??? Any links? I've never messed with any of this stuff before, so totally new here. 2nd question, you've had this antenna up almost a year now. After all this time, what do you think? Would you buy it again? If not, what would you look at? Lastly, how stiff/bad is that LMR to work with??? I need to do about 35' or so run from the antenna itself to the box I want to put at the bottom of my tower where it will connect to a poly phase lightning arrestor, then a second run from the arrestor into my house/basement down the wall to my radio. I was thinking of making that cable myself. I need learn to terminate cable myself right.. :)
I used Coax-Seal. If I were to do it again, I would use the Diamond Coax Tape instead as it comes off a lot easier if you need to take it off. The antenna is still working FB for me. No issues at all. I would buy it again. LMR400 is about the same as RG-8/U, maybe a bit less flexible. Not too hard to work with. I went with pre-made cables by ABR. I ended up with a bit more than I needed but not enough to cause a serious degradation in performance. Good luck with your install!
Height is might. Just beware, speaking from experience always be ready for lighting. I had a storm come and took a hit that blew my antenna apart. I had the RF connectors disconnected but power was still hooked up. I could hear the spark at the connector ends when it hit. Even with surge protectors on the power side lost my power supply. Took out a board on my air conditioning and my televisions. Bottom line it happens.
@@OutdoorsOnTheAir Hope it helps someone. I didn't mention I had gone to a lightning/grounding class which was several days. So with all the grounding I still got zapped by a direct hit.
Thank you! there is no simple way of adjusting the SWR short of trimming the wire elements inside the fibreglass tubing, and that could be problematic. For what it''s worth, I find the performance on the VHF High band to be pretty good, especially if you can get the antenna up high and in the clear.
Hi Tracy: Loved your great in depth review on the GP-9 and my only question to you is this, would this antenna work best in your opinion for receiving transmissions made within the 160 MHz range as well or do you think it would be better to go for the GP-6? I'm trying to receive a railroad 8 - 15 miles away, but here in Georgia there are quite a lot of hills and ridges in the way. Plus our location is about 100 ft above where these transmissions broadcast from while the repeaters you could say (a defect detector and the conductors calling) come from pretty deep within some forested woods. Once again really enjoyed your excellent review and am glad your set up is working great! Thanks
Hi Joseph, thank you for kind words and your question. I'm not certain which way to go on this actually. Like you, I enjoy listening to railroad comms and in my area the GP-9 is doing a fine job with giving me a good range on those channels. But the terrain I am in does not feature the hills and ridges you refer to. I'm inclined to tell you that unless you are on top of or at the bottom of 1000 foot or higher ridges that the GP-9 will do fine but truth is that would only be a guess. At the end of the day, I don't think you'd go wrong with either antenna.
N connectors are far better because they have gaskets and are water tight. I would never use SO-239s on a vhf/uhf antenna where there's a choice. You also want to put a little flex loop in the coax at the bottom of the antenna before you tape it to the tower. With it pulled tight the way you have it, the solid center conductor in the coax may eventually fatigue and break at the connector as the antenna flexes in the wind and thermal contraction and expansion pull slightly on the coax where there's no give. Also, why bother with such a short tower? For something that low you could have just put a couple of $15 pieces of mast up that high with a wall mount and saved a lot of money.
Good points, thank you. As far as why a tower, I don't trust wall mount masts. Additionally, I climb the tower to do antenna work, including installation of wire antennas for HF. For me, the tower is the heart of my station. The tower is worth the investment to me.
If you live in a fairly flat area and want maximum range, and are not interested in working satellites, go with the GP-9. Otherwise, the GP-6 will probably be your best bet. I will say while I am pleased with the GP-9, there are times I wish I had gone with Comet's 6m/2m/70cm product.
I recommend the Comet GP-9. Mine has been installed on my two story brick chimney for a long time - 8 to 10 years probably.
I attached a 10 ft. metal TV mast with steel strapping bands to the chimney. (I bought both the mast and bands from Radio Shack before they went out business.) Then I attached my Comet GP-9 to the mast. Interesting enough, I wrapped all the joint connectors and spray painted it mat black the same as shown in the video. (Our minds were on the same track there - keeping out rain water.) I didn’t paint the three radial arms. And I used LMR-400 coax too. (My coax run into the house is 55 feet.)
From the bottom of my Comet GP-9 to the chimney foundation is 35.5 feet.
Even though my Comet GP-9 has been installed several years when I fire up my old iCom 208H or my iCom 7000 for VHF/UHF operating my SWR is always 1:1 or less. It’s hard to ask for much better. And for performance... I have many repeaters within a few miles for duplex operating. Simplex operating is still excellent up to 35+/- miles.
I made a good investment in antennas when I bought my Comet GP-9. I’m pleased.
Thank you for sharing your positive experience! It's always good to hear from others who have used something for an extended period.
Since our other large Amateur dealer I have found customer service at the other no longer exists. Call them and they almost act upset you had the nerve to call and disturb them! When there was competition you always got free delivery on anything over $200. I dropped a little over $2000 last year for a new radio, and was shocked when I got charged for delivery., When I called I was told to take it or leave it. If it wasn't for the difference in the dollar, I would have ordered it from the US in a heartbeat. Now I don't care. after a few very frustrating calls, I now order it out of the US.. I pay a bit more, but at least when I call to talk t them they are friendly and accommodating.
Thank you for sharing your experience, Steven!
acutally, paying in the US from Canada is CHEAPER than the Canadian retailers even with money exchange rates, customs and shipping... it might be more complicated to have items echanged or repaired but most products now need to be returned to the manufacturer. I had an issue with an Icom product bought from USA even though I am in Canada and there was abosolutely no problem for the warranty service. I had to deal with Icom though, not the USA retailer.
I have a GP-9 myself. I have had it for about two months now and so far have found it's performance better than expected. Just yesterday I moved it from a 33 foot mast to a 50 foot mast. I was able to reach repeaters that are over 50+ miles away, simplex. Yes, I am pleased.
Hi Steve, thank you for your comment and for sharing your experience. Sounds like the GP-9 has worked very well for you.
PS I hope people reading this will go check out Steve's TH-cam channel. He's done some nice stuff over there, including his own take on the GP-9. Great work, Steve!
Hello my friend!!! I'd like to know if you still have that antenna and if you've had any problems with it... Please. Reason I'm asking is because I am planning to buy one (GP9) but first I'd like to get some information about it... so any help would be greatly appreciated 🙏. Thank you. 73s from KJ4BGW !
What mast are you using?
Every time you hit a repeater, it's "simplex".
I have one of these up 62 feet, and it can hear a butterfly sneeze at 10,000 meters. Do the math, that's only 6.2137119 miles. But...butterfly sneezes are very quiet. Great antenna.
😂😂
Hey Tracy great seeing you buddy great video 😊
I put up a Diamond 510 GP in 2006. I haven't touched it or the LMR 400 coax since and still has 1:1.2 -1.3 swr. Great video.
This is a well-produced and very informative video. Your very precise narration is helpful and much appreciated. Thanks!
Thank you very much!
I bought a GP-9 from one of the big 3 ham gear outlets in the US. I decided to check SWR before installation and it was crazy. I thought one of the retaining screws became loose between the elements. I disassembled the antenna and that's when I discovered the bottom element was loose. Yes, the cold solder joint at the UHF connector failed. I took photos and sent an email to the store. They forwarded my email to Comet. Comet said to resolder the joint and the antenna should be fine. I did and the antenna works great. Comet also said if I wasn't comfortable doing the repair, to send the lower section back to them and they would repair it. I opted to fix it myself because I have soldering tools and skills, and I didn't want to wait a weeks for the turn-around time from Comet. It's a great antenna and I also give it a guarded recommendation. Caveat Emptor.
Great video, Tracey. Always informative. I have a non-optimally placed Arrow OSJ 146/440 (j-pole) and managed to hit a repeater at about 90km according to Google Maps using 30W (FT-2980). At 80W it was all-in no problem. Great antenna for the price. I find the 2m repeater traffic either non-existent or 'disappointing' ! But for sure there are also great people you meet there.
Thank you! That range you have is awesome.
I have had the Comet GP-9 up for nearly 25 years. It still works fine. And, the good quality coax still works OK. The one thing I noticed when I moved the antenna from one house to another about 4 years ago I noticed there appeared to pin holes in the paint. I intend to take it down, repaint it, and replace the coax this summer.
Thank you for sharing your experience.
Humm... i have Only had mine for almost 24 years..lol
Though i have Noticed the same pitting you mentioned
( were you the one who did hat to my GP-9 ..LOL )
The reason for using N connectors vs pl-259 above 200 mhz, is because of the "impedance bumps" that occur. N connectors are far superior to pl-259 in the 440 mhz range, and you can see the difference using a good spectrum analyzer. The pl-259 will have impedance mismatches at random harmonics. In simple terms, you may have an SWR of 1.4:1 at 446.000 mhz, and an SWR of 2.3:1 at 446.800, then back to 1.5:1 at 446.750. N connectors have a much smoother match where they are joined, and less insertion loss as well.
Thank you for this. My SWR goes up and down across each band from 1.1 to 1.5 many times from top to bottom. Maybe this is the reason?.
Could be. The problem is, most ham radios themselves have pl-259 connections. My digital weak signal setup on UHF is all N connectors through and through. My radio has N output on the back. I'm kinda a nut though, because of what I'm trying to accomplish. My radio is mono band UHF, my feed line is 20' of 1/2" hard line, all N connectors with a pass band filter, and a home made mono band UHF antenna. I can hear signals that my other typical radios can't detect even with the SQL open. Pulled off 120 miles of DMR simplex with ease, at only 20 watts with a guy in Santa Monica. San Diego to Santa Monica. Would probably not have RX'd the guy had I not had such good ears on my end. He was talking to someone else in LA at 10 watts when I called him.
Nice video and perfect timing ! I was into the process to do the exact same thing ! I went with the shorter Diamond model as I wanted to do some satellite work in the futur. The higher gain models tend to squeeze the radiation pattern down on the horizon. To complement other comments and my own personal experience, I now order all my stuff from DX Engineering. They now have an option for canadians including taxes and duties in the shipping price. Even with the US/Cad exchange rate, I am still 10-15% below « local » prices. Returns are even possible without shipping to US. They have a return adress in Ontario. After spending thousands of dollars in years and getting below average customer service and rip-off shipping charges...I am glad I’ve made the change.
Good info here. Thanks.
Great points, thank you for your comment!
No affiliation, DX Engineering is awesome. I buy thru them whenever I can.
Hello Tracy. I have the same antenna. I bought it and left it laying around for two years before I put it up. That was a big mistake. I built the antenna and like you tested it out before I erected it. The SWR was through the roof. At first I thought it was bad coax. So I tried another run of coax and had the same results. So then I ordered new coax, since both the coax had was old. When I hooked up the new coax, the SWR was still bad. So now what? I talked to my Dad and he said to start trouble shooting a section at a time. Well load and behold I had bad solder joints in all the sections. Cap's that were not even soldered. So next time I buy any antenna, I will never leave it laying around and to make sure, like you said, have the seller check for cold solder joints. Thank you for the information. 73 de KG7LOI.
Yikes, really sorry to hear that, Clark. Glad you managed you resolve the issue. 73 from VE3TWM.
Great to see you posting content again Tracy. I dont have any VHF here yet. At my old QTH I used a Diamond CP32e. It was excellent and I was able to work a repeater over 100 miles away via sea path. Unfortunately it had no 70cms. Stay sage and look forward to future videos. 73 de Colin.
Thank you for your comment, Colin!
I hope people reading this check out your TH-cam channel. You done some really good stuff! 73 from Tracy VE3TWM.
@@OutdoorsOnTheAir thanks Tracy, appreciate it 👍😁
ive got one its been up in the air over ten years now and still working fine no problems with it at all
Thank you for sharing your experience!
Yeah, I"m with you. When you're putting up a tower, why not buy the nicest antenna you can fit. It's so much work to get up there, the cost of the actual antenna is relatively small.
We think alike 😀
I like the look of this antenna and have had another tri-bander from the Comet brand which has let in water and the solder joints have degraded at the base. I have took apart 3 similar antennas and water ingress has been an issue. I think I will buy a GP-9 as it has plastic joints. Incidentally water ingress on the three tri-banders I have worked on for myself and others have had water ingress which has affected the coax seemingly allowing water through the PL259 and into the outer braid of the coax. I am in England and it seems to have hardly stopped raining in 4 months. The length of antenna also seems beneficial on 70cm. I will try one out!
Thanks for posting
M0KIA
Good info! Thank you for sharing your experience.
Apparently either my coax is bad, or my Comet GP-6 went bad. So, I’m replacing both while upgrading to a Comet GP-9. Your video convinced me it was a good move. I appreciate your professional narration. K2PTL in Tennessee.
Thank you and enjoy your new antenna!
My GP-9 has been outstanding at 25ft. I got a new mast and got it at 31 ft with some new LMR coax and the results were outstanding. Today, 2 weeks after that install I have low signal levels! Not sure if it's the antenna or coax. SWR meter no longer works in my radio. Just throwing another $400 at a new antenna and coax isn't an option. A little frustrated because I need to take it back down!
Nice installation. It is always a thrill to have a new antenna work so well on simplex. Enjoy-73/W6VPS
Thank you very much! 73 from VE3TWM.
Tracy, THANK YOU for this excellently narrated video. Well done!. I run the smaller brother of the Diamond X500, namely the X300N.( I have the Diamond X510N here as well but have never installed it (yet). I note with great interest the point about the ABS couplers on the Comet, instead of the metal shells used by Diamond. Interesting point. I was delighted to see you using Coaxseal..... an absolutely brilliant product. when properly applied.. no water will ever get into a properly coaxsealed joint. Been using it for over 20+ years on all my external cable joints and connectors. Unfortunately, It does not seem to be very well known in Ham circles.
As the Diamond X300N.. i feed it with Messi& Pauolini Hyperflex 13 cable. Nothing comes even close to that cable. Unlike your setup I use N connectors where I can. With 5 watts.. I can open the Woodcock Hill repeater in Limerick and that repeater is over 60 miles away... with a hill in between us! For a proper QSO I go to 25 watts to increase the clarity.
I never knew that both the Diamond and Comet had such low elevation angles... a real Godsent for spanning distances, like from your QTH to Buffalo.
Thank again... enjoyed yr video. Well done.
Albert EI7II in Ireland.
Thank you for your very informative comment, Albert!
@@OutdoorsOnTheAir Tracy.... one point perhaps of interest. I would highly recommend using LOCTITE) (or equivalent) on the screws that connect the actual radiating elements. I addition, I do on the threads of the short stainless steel radials as well. One further point that might be of interest: The aluminium sleeve that clamps the completed antenna to the mast is a weak point. Friends of mine that have this antenna have replaced that sleeve with a stainless steel or a heavily galvanised steel one one. Over time, of course dependent on the wind load the two bolts that hold the antenna there will start to allow play. This is based on real life and (bitter) experience. Hope it will never thappen to you.
Albert. EI7II.
Awesome video. I have just purchased a GP-9 and it will be doing up soon.
Very nice. Congrats on the tower and new antenna!
Thank you, Mike! I hope everyone reading this checks out your fantastic TH-cam channel.
Very good review. We are going to be using some of these antennas for commercial business repeaters, and definitely going to be using your recommendations from this video.
Thank you and good luck with the installs.
Good video. I settled on a GP-3, live in the mountains. First one did have a cold solder joint. Took it back to Burnaby radio and exchanged it with no questions. Service at the dealer you referenced really depends on who answers the phone/counter call.
Thank you for adding your experience. Glad to hear the reseller treated you well.
My friend liked his GP-3
until hearing my GP-9 Perform..lol
I have owned a GP-9 for many years. No problems.
When connecting the coax, make sure you don't block the weep holes with tape or sealer.!
Great tip! Thank you for sharing your experience.
Nice review Tracy, and good tip about using coax seal over the electrical tape so it’s easier to remove. I wish I’d done that!
Hope to hear you on Winter Field Day.
Btw nice shack.
Mike K9KMV
Or better, Dont use it at all. Use Coax Wrap instead. Its a self amalgamating tape that is loads better than that tar like mess. It is sold by HRO and DXE etc.
Thank you for your comment, Mike! Every year something seems to come up on WFD weekend that keeps me from participating. This year I am scheduled to do a presentation for the Long Island CW Club on Saturday, so no WFD for me. Next Year!
I removed some coax seal from an antenna that had been up since 2018, just sliced it down one side and easily pealed it off.
@@allanmccullough8550 there is an exception to every rule I guess but the mess that coax seal (not “wrap”) makes is highly talked about.
@@forgetyourlife What I use is like tape but very stretchy and not gooey at all.
Suggestion. I always use copper antiseize on all electrical connections including coax connectors. Will keep moisture and corrosion at bay. Ensures good conductivity with the copper infusion. Works good an aluminum tubing as well like when assembling aluminum antenna elements.
Never thought of using that stuff on the coax connections, Rob. Thank you for the tip!
I have a Diamond X300A and it’s been rock solid.
Glad to hear that!
Thank you for in depth information on this antenna and of the way to safe guard the fittings With extra precautions on sealing the joint like you I need to put up a better antenna for 70cms and 2mtrs and will now ask about the cold solder joints at the base and about warranty from our local ham store here in the UK
You're welcome! Good luck with your new antenna.
I kinda hit the mother load last year. An SK on the island where I live left behind a couple of VHF / UHF antennas that I inherited. A Cushcraft 719B 19 element 70cm yagi, a Cushcraft 124WB 4 element 2m yagi, a Cushcraft A43011s 70cm yagi, and a Diamond X700HA (7.2m/23.6ft tall). I mounted the Diamond antenna on a 6.5m steel pipe. I am located about 150m above sea level, the ocean right below me. My nearest 70cm repeater is over 70km away, with half a mountain on a neighboring island in between, the Diamond antenna does allow me to open the repeater with even my HT. Lots of salt water between me and the repeater. I still have to test out the 719B yagi. The smaller 70cm yagi works, and I can actually carry it on my motor scooter. The 2m yagi is messed up somehow, and I still have to fix it. In any case, I got a couple of good antennas. You should have seen me carrying the Diamond and then the long Cushcraft antennas, one at a time, on my motor scooter. Like a knight jousting. Fortunately, no traffic, AND no policeman saw me that day. People carry crazy things on their motor scooters here, but I think that was really pushing the envelope hard.
I salvaged a mystery vhf / uhf antenna. It is about nine feet tall. Vhf reaches incredibly far. Uhf seems to leave a lot to be desired. The standing wave ratio is wonderful on both VHF and UHF but the operator says that UHF just does not hit much. But it was a free antenna. I recognized what it was when someone asked me to haul out a bunch of scrap metal. The operator is happy with the antenna overall. It can hit UHF repeaters locally. The operator mainly uses the antenna for VHF FM simplex and some repeaters. Although, he does do some UHF repeaters also. I wonder if maybe the antenna is simply a 2 meter antenna that does not radiate a good angle for 70 centimeters. I am not an amateur radio operator so I am clueless on how to determine the radiation angle and I likely do not have the equipment to find the radiation angle either.
Interesting. I am guessing that with a low SWR on 70cm that the antenna was also designed for use on that band.
Thank you very much for your input it is greatly appreciated.
Hi Tracy nice review good to hear from you again.
Hi Terry, thank you very much!
I have a Tram 1481 up for the Yaesu Ft100DR in my office. I thought about water egress into an antenna. I decided to use "Flex Seal" in clear color. It dried after four coats. The swr was reduced to 1:2 and it went up to serve the dual band. It has been performing well ever since, its only neen 14 months but it is doing well. KI5IQE ( I also have a Tram 1480 on the FT100DR in my shack, same performance track)
Thank you for sharing your experience!
love the install. Looks really neat and professional.
Thank you!
I had one of these (GP-9) about 20 years ago, it was a great antenna, I had no problems with it.
Thank you for sharing your experience!
I just installed a Comet CX-333 (2m, 220 and 70cm) antenna at 25ft. I experienced everything mentioned on the video but here’s my experience. These antennas NEED to be free and clear of anything metallic around them. My initial installation was a few feet from my chimney and the SWR was nothing like it was on my 12ft high test mast. SWR was horrible on 2m in some areas as high as 2.5:1. Once I moved the antenna to another location, ten feet away from the chimney, the SWR corrected itself.
Great tip, thank you for sharing your experience!
Great Honest Review there Tracy. Big help for my next upgrade. Barnie M7PBX.
Thank you, Barnie! Good luck with that upgrade 👍
Tracy: I am micway between Matt, K2EAG and Ross, KB2TIN. I run the triband Comet, the GP-15. I check in most every evening on 147.42 simplex with Gary, VA3JYD. He calls up a simplex round table at 1900 local. Maybe I can catch you there one evening soon.
Matt and I are also regularly on 223.50 simplex, and I run a 2 meter SSB net on Wednesdays at 2000 local. The SSB net frequency is 144.210 MHz on USB. All I have is a vertical so it would be a great test for your antenna.
CU on the air!
73, Keith, WB2VUO here near Buffalo, NY
Thank you for letting me know, Keith! Hopefully we can have a QSO one day soon. 73 from VE3TWM.
Nice video, well done. I would suggest you check out the coax calculator on QSL.NET, for 68 feet of LMR400 you are loosing almost 2dB of signal at 450 MHz and 1dB at 146 MHz. You have a high gain antenna, it would be bad to offset that gain with coax loss. And I agree with you on using tape on the joints. In commercial service, we put down a layer of tape, then use 1 layer of mastic, then 3 more layers of electrical tape, each overlapping the previous just a little. Seems excessive, but loosing a cell phone site or commercial amplifier due to water in the joint is not a good tradeoff for saving time!
Great tips, thank you very much!
Excellent review, Tracy! I'm glad you were able to improve your simplex performance by such a significant margin, and that the antenna has worked well for you. 73 de VE3GKT!
Thank you very much, Joseph! 73 from VE3TWM.
I have the Comet GP6 for GMRS a great antenna, my swrs are 1.0.
Wah, bagus tu agar chanel tidak kehilangan lagi
I love my GP-9 - Wonderful antenna !
Nice video narated setup
Could here what whas all the stations height power and setups just give detailed writing and yours as well what is your dailly communication range and whats your best
Apart from the antenna I changed from one of these Yaesu's to an Icom IC9100. A big improvement, though the IC9100 is an expensive rig.
That 9100 is a beautiful rig! Enjoy.
Great video. I love your setup. Please try USB on 144.205MHz, yes I know the polarization is wrong but "they" will hear you. Also, both SSB and FM satellites may work with this kind of setup. You should try...
Yes, SSB may be worth a try. Many hams may just have a vertical and sometimes shifting to different mode/frequency may allow copy where FM wouldn't?
@@Steve-GM0HUU I am sure trying does not hurt. I have heard about hams who use satellites with just whip antennas and it works since they can provide more power. Also, things like APRS, FT-8 or even scatter are on the table. You can say that with antenna like this possibilities are endless ;-)
Thank you, Tom! I've actually done a bit of 2m SSB. I'd like to try it with my friend VA3WBA on that frequency. Talk to you soon, my friend.
When testing on the ground, or near the ground, the swr could be high depending on what its near. Mine low was horrible swr, but put it up on a temp mast 10 feet up and it had a great match. Same as on my tower at the final height.
Great point. I had to move the two metal chairs shown in the photo away from the antenna before the SWR would come down.
Great video, very professional, factual with evidence! Are you a professional broadcaster or storyteller? Nice job.
Thank you very much! I am but a mere hack...not a pro.
Great video, I wonder if the extra sealing adds enough weight to affect its wind load rating?
I wouldn't think so. The wind rating is so high that even dropping the specification a bit wouldn't be an issue with strong winds in my location.
Great Video Tracey.
thank for the review and inf..
73
KC3GHC
Ed.
Thank you, Ed! 73 from VE3TWM.
Really good review Tracy! Thanks!
Just put up a Comet GP-98 for 144/430/1200Mhz a few weeks back.
Did the same treatment to the plastic jointing section (the GP-98 is only a two piece antenna) in the middle.
The incredibly harsh UV down here in VK land would destroy the plastic in no time.
And your GP-9 looks great painted. May do the same before too long!
Please show your tower install from the base up if you don't mind, very interested to see how you had it installed!
73's!
Have one here in TheNetherlands on a 15M tower for over 25 years, still rock solid 100% working.
Thank you! I'll show the tower install from the base up on a future video, thank you for the suggestion. 73 from VE3TWM.
Beautiful shack. Hard to believe ur V/UHF antennas weren't "together." I see alot of 'em there. U hire someone for custom shelving? Do it urself? Very tasteful. I hv 2 SWL rooms in addition to the main radio room. Right now I'm waiting on the availability of backordered Palstars!
Thank you! The shelving is actually a TV stand from IKEA. I really like the sound of your shacks and am a bit envious 😀👍
Comet CX-333 - Tri-Band 144/220/440 MHz is the one i went with thanks for the vid
You're welcome! I hope that antenna is working well for you.
Keep your videos coming. Very educational. I run a yeast ft-2980r at 80watts. Coax is RG8x 75 feet. Hooked to a CP22E antenna ground to tip of antenna is 43 feet. I don’t have a good SWR meter. With that being said. The longest contact I’ve made was only 28 miles. I think I should be doing a lot better than that. Any info you of others can give me to check or try different would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again Greg KC3PMX
Thank you very much! To understand your range, it's important to take into consideration the surrounding terrain If there are obstructions, your range will be limited in those directions regardless of power. However, RG-8x is definitely not going to get the most out of your antenna. There will be a lot of loss in that line.
Replace that RG8 and go for at minimum LMR400, or better. you will notice the difference. especially on 400MHz + RG8 is next to useless.
@@albert7ii yep, RG8x for jumpers and very short runs only. Especially above 30mhz.
Great video! Im researching which antenna I want to mount to my roof.
Thank you and good luck with that new antenna!
I have a GP-1 strapped to a pole that is lagged to a birch tree--I'm going to swap it out for a GP-9 like a maniac.
Loved your video! I would be shocked if a retailer would check for cold solder, mostly all they are interested in is the sale! JohnBoyUtah KJ7TBR. I have a Alinco DR-735t that puppy puts out 50 watts am thinking about the GP9 antenna 73’s🇺🇸📡🎙😎
Thank you for your comment! 73 from VE3TWM 🇨🇦🍻📻
I have a Tram 1481, wonder what the comparison is? Both are 17 feet monsters!
I expect they'd have similar performance.
I have two Comet antennas and both are perfect. I understand that sometimes things don't get done right but a cold solder joint isn't worth the trip back to the seller and there are always two sides to every story.
That's a good point. Thank you for sharing your experience.
My GP9 broke off just above the ground plane after 7 years. It was a amazing antenna while it lasted.
Sorry to hear that! Hope mine lasts at least that long.
Thank you for your video its fun to work vhf and uhf simplex. I did what to say comet is distributed out of California and they are wonderful if you have issue. The ham store did not do the right thing but if you called comet I would be you would have gotten a different story. I have and they always help.
Thank you very much for the information! The one issue we here in Canada face is support across the border. A supportive reseller here in Canada would make getting help a lot easier. Regardless, I will pass your message along to the ham I mentioned in my video. 73 from VE3TWM.
I got a 3 element 21" Yagi 7.2db indoors on a 2nd floor apartment bedroom on a 6' wooden coat stand hitting repeaters 80 miles away on gmrs 462.650mhz while pointing at different repeater 50 miles apart. Tram yagi $54
Nice!
I have a workman vertical, (which is cheap) (but similar to yours) 75 ft in the air, and can work fm repeaters 77 miles away.
Nice!
Hi Tracey, great video and now looking to put up an antenna also but wanted to know what kind of paint you used ? Thanks, Doug VA3DFK Ottawa.
Hi Doug, thank you! I used Rustoleum spray paint and after two years it's still holding up.
I previously had a Comet CX-902, a much more compact 2m/70cm/23cm antenna, would have been happy to have bought another, but such is the power of a mouse button that I ordered a Diamond X510 instead. To be honest I am not yet convinced that it was a wise decision, a very sharp polar diagram, on a very "bendy" antenna, hoping the flutter is not too extreme when it is installed.
Regarding the cable joints etc, here in the UK, for professional stuff we used self-amalgamating tape like you but a layer of "Denso" tape over that. It is a disgusting thing to handle and nasty to wash off your hands but offers great protection.
Thank you for sharing your experience! I am glad I used Coax-Seal and not Denso 😀 that stuff sounds horrible.
@@OutdoorsOnTheAir, Denso is disgusting, not much fun when a reel of it gets out of a tool box and ends up on cloth seats. Very effective at it's job though.
The same goes for a high gain antenna sitting low with the need to reach high up repeaters or local SOTA stations.. If you live in a hilly area you dont want "high gain"
Great point!
all good info very well presented, 73's everyone
Thank you!
Very nice video. Can I ask where did you find the tower as I am prepping my shack. So far I have been happy with the Comet products for my HT's and mobile setup, my shack is next. KN6PWH.. 73
Thank you! I purchased the tower new from a local installer.
I have a Cushcraft A6270-13 I'm planning on putting up at 50' as soon as I can!!!
Enjoy!
Great video, very helpful.
I live in a valley with small hills on two opposing sides, would you recommend this antenna or a different model? Thanks de VK1DON
If you're trying to get above the hills, a shorter antenna with less gain might do better for you due to it's higher radiation angle.
I like the maple leave as "set" fodder.
Me too 😀
I bought a Diamond X50A Nov., 2017. I live up pretty high, 900 ft in NW NJ, with excellent NW reception, and I can get a LOT of the eastern PA repeaters. Still, I can get the NE NJ and NJ Shore repeaters pretty well. I have about 100-200 foot of mountain to my NE-E and I can still get the eastern NJ repeaters. Not sure how far away any of them are, but I believe 50 miles+ ?
NO idea if this antenna helps or hurts, but it works. Only one I ever owned for a base station. TYT TH-7800 50W
I have it mounted, don't laugh at me, on a 3" x 10' external PVC into a 2" x 10' external PVC, secured at the base by a cinder block, and attached at the (facia? board , whatever the board is on the side of the roof... ) Total height, 20' to the radials. Over the peak of the roof by maybe 4". Aluminum siding on the house, so being up that high was a major consideration.
Works well, as far as I know.
Thank you for sharing the details of your installation. I'm interested in what others use and how it works for them. Sounds like your setup is working very well!
Great video! In your opinion, how would this antenna work or survive bad weather or high winds? Thanks for posting!
Thank you! The antenna is rated to withstand 90 MPH winds, so I think it'll hold up fine.
I have only a GP-1, which I picked up
new for only $40.00, at a hamfest 2
years ago. I am in an apartment with
a terrace on the third floor, about 30
feet above ground at about 300 feet
above sea level, so not much blocks
me in the surrounding area for Simplex
and repeaters around here in Nashua,
In Southern, NH.
Have you had any contacts on simplex
with mobile stations a distance away?
W2CH
Thank you for sharing your experience. To this point my farthest contact with a mobile has been about 30 miles.
I just installed a knock off (tram 1481) version of this a week ago....... it's a BEAST!!!!!! Best 100 bucks I have spent.... well and the LMR-400.... best 200 bucks! lol
Good video. I had an x510 for a long time. Gp9 is the same size and design. Cant go wrong. However, for those on a budget, consider the Tram 1480. 1/3 the price. Not quite the performance, but very good.
Diamond F-718 does a better job on UHF though (different design, coco vs wire w/coils)
Thank you for sharing your experience. I had heard that the Tram was more susceptible to failure in bad weather.
No experience with the Comet base antenna line. When looking I also focused in on the Diamond line and ended up buying a used X200A at a tailgate sale. Fifteen years later it's still going strong.
Good stuff!
Thanks Tracy. Great review and info on what to look out for. 73 de N4WLC Bill
Thank you, Bill! 73 from VE3TWM.
Good video Tracy and interesting antenna, thanks. I reckon that using the electrical and self-amalgamating "coax sealer" is a good idea. Really, got to wonder if this should be supplied with base-station antennas like these?
Hi Steve! In my humble estimation, yes it should be included.
Shoddy customer service often degrades quality products. Lesson learned for all of us.
Sometimes, these branded antennas have a quality feel on the outside but, on closer examination, they have obviously cut corners on some of the production methods/components and quality control. Obviously, the various brands are in competition and have to make products to a cost. However, basic quality issues like cold solder joints is not what you expect nowadays from a decent brand. Worse still, suggesting that's it's a consumer problem is unbelievable!
we all had to deal with it at 1 point it sucks and when its your money there playing with :(
GREAT GREAT Video!!!!! From N4TUX Boyd Travis Kingsport TN.
Thank you and 73 from VE3TWM!
I'm glad that you have a good experience with the GP-9. The ham that had an issue with cold solder joints, if you can let him know to contact Comet directly. I personally know the two gentleman that run the company and they stand by their products, if someone finds a manufacturing defect they will work with that person to remedy it. It sounded to me like the retailer for whatever reason was not willing to put in the effort to RMA the antenna with Comet.
Thank you for your comment. I did follow up with him to relate what you told me. He explained further that his first call was to Comet in California and they brushed him off. Sad to hear that.
Hello Thanks for the video and review I'm searching for my 1st 2m/70cm Base Station antenna to use with my Yeasu mobile rig...
I was almost sold on the Comet GP-9, but ive seen a handful of comments about leakage and poor swr...
I have a few questions if you have time.
1st what exactly was that black sealant you used aside from the electrical tape??? Any links? I've never messed with any of this stuff before, so totally new here.
2nd question, you've had this antenna up almost a year now. After all this time, what do you think?
Would you buy it again?
If not, what would you look at?
Lastly, how stiff/bad is that LMR to work with???
I need to do about 35' or so run from the antenna itself to the box I want to put at the bottom of my tower where it will connect to a poly phase lightning arrestor, then a second run from the arrestor into my house/basement down the wall to my radio.
I was thinking of making that cable myself. I need learn to terminate cable myself right.. :)
I used Coax-Seal. If I were to do it again, I would use the Diamond Coax Tape instead as it comes off a lot easier if you need to take it off.
The antenna is still working FB for me. No issues at all. I would buy it again.
LMR400 is about the same as RG-8/U, maybe a bit less flexible. Not too hard to work with.
I went with pre-made cables by ABR. I ended up with a bit more than I needed but not enough to cause a serious degradation in performance.
Good luck with your install!
Height is might. Just beware, speaking from experience always be ready for lighting. I had a storm come and took a hit that blew my antenna apart. I had the RF connectors disconnected but power was still hooked up. I could hear the spark at the connector ends when it hit. Even with surge protectors on the power side lost my power supply. Took out a board on my air conditioning and my televisions. Bottom line it happens.
Great tip! Thank you for sharing your experience.
@@OutdoorsOnTheAir Hope it helps someone. I didn't mention I had gone to a lightning/grounding class which was several days. So with all the grounding I still got zapped by a direct hit.
Great Video, thanks!... from Chile
You're welcome! from Canada 🇨🇦
Excellent as usual!
Thank you!
MONSTER Antenna? I must have missed it in the video? 😵💫
Unfortunately you can't see it in the photos, but there is a cloaked Predator perched on the radials 😀
where i can buy like that kind of antenna? interested.
Nice video im a sw/vhf/uhf listner can i ask is there any way to adjust the swr on that antanna
Thank you! there is no simple way of adjusting the SWR short of trimming the wire elements inside the fibreglass tubing, and that could be problematic. For what it''s worth, I find the performance on the VHF High band to be pretty good, especially if you can get the antenna up high and in the clear.
@@OutdoorsOnTheAir Thanks very much for your reply
Hi Tracy:
Loved your great in depth review on the GP-9 and my only question to you is this, would this antenna work best in your opinion for receiving transmissions made within the 160 MHz range as well or do you think it would be better to go for the GP-6? I'm trying to receive a railroad 8 - 15 miles away, but here in Georgia there are quite a lot of hills and ridges in the way. Plus our location is about 100 ft above where these transmissions broadcast from while the repeaters you could say (a defect detector and the conductors calling) come from pretty deep within some forested woods.
Once again really enjoyed your excellent review and am glad your set up is working great!
Thanks
Hi Joseph, thank you for kind words and your question.
I'm not certain which way to go on this actually. Like you, I enjoy listening to railroad comms and in my area the GP-9 is doing a fine job with giving me a good range on those channels. But the terrain I am in does not feature the hills and ridges you refer to. I'm inclined to tell you that unless you are on top of or at the bottom of 1000 foot or higher ridges that the GP-9 will do fine but truth is that would only be a guess. At the end of the day, I don't think you'd go wrong with either antenna.
Gotcha, thank you so much for your reply! 😊
Great video! Are you still using this antenna? Has it performed to your expectations all this time?
Thank you! Yes and yes.
Well done video
Thank you!
Great video 👍🏻✌🏻🇨🇦
Thank you!
I would treat those ant wire joint/screws with corrosion X while open. Avionics corrosion control.
Thank you for the great tip!
A great antenna
N connectors are far better because they have gaskets and are water tight. I would never use SO-239s on a vhf/uhf antenna where there's a choice.
You also want to put a little flex loop in the coax at the bottom of the antenna before you tape it to the tower. With it pulled tight the way you have it, the solid center conductor in the coax may eventually fatigue and break at the connector as the antenna flexes in the wind and thermal contraction and expansion pull slightly on the coax where there's no give. Also, why bother with such a short tower? For something that low you could have just put a couple of $15 pieces of mast up that high with a wall mount and saved a lot of money.
Good points, thank you. As far as why a tower, I don't trust wall mount masts. Additionally, I climb the tower to do antenna work, including installation of wire antennas for HF. For me, the tower is the heart of my station. The tower is worth the investment to me.
Now I have to buy one and strap it to the chimney.
Shhhhhh, don't tell tell the wife.
Don't worry, she'll never notice 😂
@@OutdoorsOnTheAir I wish, that... woman notices every thing.
@@TheNoCodeTech Believe me, I feel your pain. Mine is EXACTLY the same
Decoding between the gp-6 vs gp-9. Any recommendations that can help me choosing?
If you live in a fairly flat area and want maximum range, and are not interested in working satellites, go with the GP-9. Otherwise, the GP-6 will probably be your best bet. I will say while I am pleased with the GP-9, there are times I wish I had gone with Comet's 6m/2m/70cm product.
Great video thank you. Would you please let me know the contact info on the tower installer. Thanks again. 73
Thank you! Google Miele Satellite Antenna. I was very impressed with the service they provided.
Thank you