Full watch and a Thumbs Up! I bought the Diamond K-400 for my 01 Jeep XJ for use with my Shark Distributing Whip that Gigaparts has just started stocking. I am amazed by its quality. This was recommended by Gary at Wolf River Coils as I am a cheap *** and looking at putting a Silver Bullet 1000 and a 102" whip. Right now I am using the Shark Distributing 20, 40 and 75 meter whips with the quick disconnects. I eventually will get the Tar Heel or the Scorpion if I win the lottery. Wait! I see Diamond has a screwdriver antenna as well...SD330. Hmmm, If they build good mounts maybe they make a good screwdriver antenna.
Thanks you. Useful advice. The K400 mount looks good. Have seen a few US hams scraping the paint off the rear of door seams. However, in UK there is no way I would do this. Exposed steel rusts very fast in UK - overnight fast! Reckon I would run a ground strap from the mount to a bolt or screw connection that I could cover in paint/sealant. Also, I would take similar precautions with door to chassis bonding strap.
Diamond mounts are great, but the connections of the coax are fragile, unprotected and they corrode. Consider filling up the underside with clear GE silicone and letting it dry overnight.
Diamond 400C lip mount is rated for heavier duty. I've used it for couple of years with my ATAS-120A. However, it too is slightly inadequate as I noticed that I constantly had to adjust the angle as the loading would push toss it around the pivots. I now use a Diamond 400C equivalent Comet mount which I feel is slightly stronger. But it too probably won't be enough to withstand wind loading. I am willing to try just a regular stainless steel lip mount and not mount it other than on a door.
picked up a Lil Tarheel II used for $150 off a fellow ham, It needed a new control cable and mount. All that came today so i eagerly went out and got it installed, I didn't think about getting a ground strap though. Once i got it moving up and down I hooked up my 891 and experimented with the tuning until i got it figured out. I ended up getting a 1.5 SWR on 6M thru 20M, on 30m i got 2 SWR but from 40m to 80m i couldn't get below a 3 SWR. I'm going to get a Ground strap from Universal Radio and hopefully that'll help my SWR's. But even though i didn't ground it i did make contacts with New Hampshire on 25W and Italy, Cuba and Cayman Islands on 75w. Needless to say I happy as a clam. de W8MJL
Good info Eric! I have been using the 'Comet' RS-840 along with Hamsticks that seems to be holding up nicely. I do like the Diamond K-400 as well. A very good mount!
I have been using Diamond K400 mounts for years and they are really GREAT quality. No other mount lasted like the K400! Also using it with the Little Tarheel for about 3 years now and no issue. BTW I can tune 80M as well and I think I have the short whip :) Maybe its not really tuning :)
Got this mount today.. wanted to put a WRC SB 1000 w/ 102 inch whip on it but honestly I’m not sure it’ll hold up. The sb1000 + 102 inch whip is rather large in my opinion and mount just doesn’t seem substantial enough to hold it at highway speeds. I did put a 102 inch whip alone on it and took it up to my regular highway speed, and it did fine. Just not sure about adding the coil into the mix. Think I may wait for my hamsticks to come in for day to day and then put the SB1000 on when activating or when I don’t have to be on the highway.
Great video and good objective advice. Thank you. I'm a MFJ Fanboy but you do have to do your research to know what you are buying. A lot of their gear is solid but some may not be up to a premium standard but it is up to the consumer to do their homework. In this case - you were probably speeding and MFJ only designs/builds for the law abiding citizen ;). Thanks again for the great vid.
I am buying exactly what you have. Using the K400 mount for the Tarheel Antenna and swapping out my Icom 5100 and putting in the IC7100. Will use the 5100 for a base station with my IC7300. Cid I mentioned I am hooked on Icom's?
Great video on an exceptional mount. I have used both and you are right on with your assessment. The MFJ has it’s uses and it’s place. Why copper strap and not tinned copper braid for your door, hood, and hatch connections? You did bond all those parts and the muffler pipe didn’t you? At HF that’s a must to reduce auto generated noise and improve output.
When I got my K400C the antenna mount and the antenna connection and wire were not connected. I was hoping to see how to disassemble the mount to get it together. I got two of these and not happy at all!
No matter what mount you have they all require regular maintenance . ie monthly cleaning and yearly replacement of the coax. Not cheap but not for the lazy.
I'm on my THIRD K 400 after whacking tree limbs with my Comet quad band (also on the 3rd), which has no give at all. I now have it mounted lower on my door and it survived the summer last year. Think I'm onto something. lol 73
I'm doing some research prior to getting a Yaesu FT-891 to go mobile (2002 Nissan Pathfinder). Seriously looking at the Little Tarheel 2 as well as different mounts, thought about the Model 75 but that won't cover 6 meters. So how many vehicle locations (and where) do you have bonded with straps? Flat copper strap(s) or braided? Thanks and 73 de N5NUK. (I'm good on QRZ).
Eric... What is that multi-band vert of yours I saw in the background? Are you happy with it? I also see close electrical lines. Do you suffer from too much noise? Eli, New Orleans. Ki5ADM
I'm not sure which multi-band vertical you mean.. Maybe the Comet SBB7 dual band in the background, mounted on the other door? THat is for VHF/UHF... The power lines are very close and I made a recent video showing the sparks from the trees touching them. Huge noise problem. I have a ticket in with the power company, waiting for them to stop by.
Made 3 contacts across the US from the driveway today no issues, California, Wisconsin QSO party on 20m and Puerto Rico on 17m.... If it was VHF UHF i would say yes, but for HF it should be ok
Hey Eric just a quick question I am currently in a apartment what's you thoughts about using a tarheel on the belconey as far as performance goes with my space limitations I was also thinking a mag loop but from a little looking around very heavily leaning towards the tarheel
I have same setup, K400 & little tarheel II. I believe that red ground coil is ONLY supplied with the MFJ mount. He just added to the K400 as an added measure.
Which model Tarheel do you have? Is there any way you can get 160M to work? How does the Tarheel work? Can you just push a button to manually tune it up / down? Could the Tarheel work with a radio that has a tuner like say a XIEGU G90?
I have a programmable tuner, it tuns the antenna up and down for different frequency bands. You do not want to use this antenna with a tuner at all.. leave the tuner off, just tune the antenna up and down instead.
@@HamRadioConcepts which tuner do you have? If I wanted to manually tune the antenna is there a button for up and down? do you have a video showing all of the components that you use and how it works?
Nice vid. Thanks. I think on top of the cab of my pickup I'll just mount a 102" stainless steel whip.. on thop of a home-brew loading coil made from 3/8" copper tubing. Just like a CBer in the 1970s! Change bands? Sure... all I'll have to do is find a Walmart, park, and watch people fight over TP whilst I change bands manually while standing in the bed of my truck. DON'T FREAK OUT PEOPLE - USE YOUR SOCKS. My anti-viral remedy can be found if you look for '40 EFHW @ 2’ - My Anti-Viral Drug - STOP FREAKING OUT PEOPLE, IT’S GONG TO BE FINE - WIPE WITH SOCKS'.
the MFJ appears to be lighter duty and not made for an antenna as heavy or with as much wind load as your antenna has. now, I'm sure if you strapped a 40 meter 3 element Yagi on that Diamond mount, you wouldn't make it to work with everything intact. MFJ mounts have a place, Diamond has its place as well. just sayin' PS... mike needs some neosporin
Agreed. Of course this Diamond mount wouldnt hold an antenna like you said. And I have plenty of MFJ stuff and have used it quite frequently... It just happens that the Tarheel needed a bit more strength. I wil repurpose this MFJ for a dual band or a hamstick, with no issues.
Second comment because I suck I guess. Oh well. PEOPLE, use your socks. Wipe, rinse, repeat. It's pretty simple and it's not the end of the world. It's just a cold, folks... nothing to see here... move along now... you'll be fine...
@HamRadioConcepts i meant a 102" too many scotches lol. I played around with it yesterday and made several contacts. Was able to hit texas Arkansas Illinois new York and into ontario on 38 LSB.
I still have mine from 1999. It's been on 3 or 4 cars. I have a truck now so it's boxed up. GREAT mount.
Full watch and a Thumbs Up! I bought the Diamond K-400 for my 01 Jeep XJ for use with my Shark Distributing Whip that Gigaparts has just started stocking. I am amazed by its quality. This was recommended by Gary at Wolf River Coils as I am a cheap *** and looking at putting a Silver Bullet 1000 and a 102" whip. Right now I am using the Shark Distributing 20, 40 and 75 meter whips with the quick disconnects. I eventually will get the Tar Heel or the Scorpion if I win the lottery. Wait! I see Diamond has a screwdriver antenna as well...SD330. Hmmm, If they build good mounts maybe they make a good screwdriver antenna.
Thanks you. Useful advice. The K400 mount looks good. Have seen a few US hams scraping the paint off the rear of door seams. However, in UK there is no way I would do this. Exposed steel rusts very fast in UK - overnight fast! Reckon I would run a ground strap from the mount to a bolt or screw connection that I could cover in paint/sealant. Also, I would take similar precautions with door to chassis bonding strap.
Diamond mounts are great, but the connections of the coax are fragile, unprotected and they corrode. Consider filling up the underside with clear GE silicone and letting it dry overnight.
Getting my diamond mount today for my atas 120a so thankyou for doing this video mate it's helped loads :) thanks Eric 😊
Great video, Eric! Thanks for your time and effort in educating us in the masses.
Diamond 400C lip mount is rated for heavier duty. I've used it for couple of years with my ATAS-120A. However, it too is slightly inadequate as I noticed that I constantly had to adjust the angle as the loading would push toss it around the pivots. I now use a Diamond 400C equivalent Comet mount which I feel is slightly stronger. But it too probably won't be enough to withstand wind loading. I am willing to try just a regular stainless steel lip mount and not mount it other than on a door.
picked up a Lil Tarheel II used for $150 off a fellow ham, It needed a new control cable and mount. All that came today so i eagerly went out and got it installed, I didn't think about getting a ground strap though. Once i got it moving up and down I hooked up my 891 and experimented with the tuning until i got it figured out. I ended up getting a 1.5 SWR on 6M thru 20M, on 30m i got 2 SWR but from 40m to 80m i couldn't get below a 3 SWR. I'm going to get a Ground strap from Universal Radio and hopefully that'll help my SWR's. But even though i didn't ground it i did make contacts with New Hampshire on 25W and Italy, Cuba and Cayman Islands on 75w. Needless to say I happy as a clam. de W8MJL
I have had a diamond k400 mount that I've used on 4 different cars now still the best one I've used
Good info Eric! I have been using the 'Comet' RS-840 along with Hamsticks that seems to be holding up nicely. I do like the Diamond K-400 as well. A very good mount!
I have been using Diamond K400 mounts for years and they are really GREAT quality. No other mount lasted like the K400! Also using it with the Little Tarheel for about 3 years now and no issue.
BTW I can tune 80M as well and I think I have the short whip :) Maybe its not really tuning :)
Nice video my friend. Nice to see a video about a mobile antenna. Well thought out.
Got this mount today.. wanted to put a WRC SB 1000 w/ 102 inch whip on it but honestly I’m not sure it’ll hold up. The sb1000 + 102 inch whip is rather large in my opinion and mount just doesn’t seem substantial enough to hold it at highway speeds. I did put a 102 inch whip alone on it and took it up to my regular highway speed, and it did fine. Just not sure about adding the coil into the mix. Think I may wait for my hamsticks to come in for day to day and then put the SB1000 on when activating or when I don’t have to be on the highway.
Great video and good objective advice. Thank you. I'm a MFJ Fanboy but you do have to do your research to know what you are buying. A lot of their gear is solid but some may not be up to a premium standard but it is up to the consumer to do their homework. In this case - you were probably speeding and MFJ only designs/builds for the law abiding citizen ;). Thanks again for the great vid.
I'm revisiting the mobile antenna on my truck as well. Thanks for the video! KY4BDP LCARA
I am buying exactly what you have. Using the K400 mount for the Tarheel Antenna and swapping out my Icom 5100 and putting in the IC7100. Will use the 5100 for a base station with my IC7300. Cid I mentioned I am hooked on Icom's?
Great video on an exceptional mount. I have used both and you are right on with your assessment. The MFJ has it’s uses and it’s place.
Why copper strap and not tinned copper braid for your door, hood, and hatch connections? You did bond all those parts and the muffler pipe didn’t you? At HF that’s a must to reduce auto generated noise and improve output.
I have the k400 and it’s a great mount 👍
Thats what I have on my plow truck, and the wifes car. Very nice. ( the mount )
When I got my K400C the antenna mount and the antenna connection and wire were not connected. I was hoping to see how to disassemble the mount to get it together. I got two of these and not happy at all!
I'm amazed that, by now, the Florida salty air hasn't rusted up where you scraped the paint off the door.
No matter what mount you have they all require regular maintenance . ie monthly cleaning and yearly replacement of the coax. Not cheap but not for the lazy.
I believe it’s an aluminum body.
I'm on my THIRD K 400 after whacking tree limbs with my Comet quad band (also on the 3rd), which has no give at all. I now have it mounted lower on my door and it survived the summer last year. Think I'm onto something. lol 73
I decided to get a scorpion 680. I work in metal fab so I’ll be able to make a beefy mount for it.
I'm doing some research prior to getting a Yaesu FT-891 to go mobile (2002 Nissan Pathfinder). Seriously looking at the Little Tarheel 2 as well as different mounts, thought about the Model 75 but that won't cover 6 meters. So how many vehicle locations (and where) do you have bonded with straps? Flat copper strap(s) or braided? Thanks and 73 de N5NUK. (I'm good on QRZ).
Do you know of a good computer software app used for scanning RF. Basically turning a laptop into a scanner?
Great informational video. I also run a Diamond. KE4MAP.
Eric... What is that multi-band vert of yours I saw in the background? Are you happy with it? I also see close electrical lines. Do you suffer from too much noise? Eli, New Orleans. Ki5ADM
I'm not sure which multi-band vertical you mean.. Maybe the Comet SBB7 dual band in the background, mounted on the other door? THat is for VHF/UHF... The power lines are very close and I made a recent video showing the sparks from the trees touching them. Huge noise problem. I have a ticket in with the power company, waiting for them to stop by.
Great choice for the Diamond mount! 73! KM6EHD
That tiny wire doesn’t effect tx seem a bigger coax would be more efficient?
Made 3 contacts across the US from the driveway today no issues, California, Wisconsin QSO party on 20m and Puerto Rico on 17m.... If it was VHF UHF i would say yes, but for HF it should be ok
Hey Eric just a quick question I am currently in a apartment what's you thoughts about using a tarheel on the belconey as far as performance goes with my space limitations I was also thinking a mag loop but from a little looking around very heavily leaning towards the tarheel
@@terrymckenna4278 you would probably be better with a mag loop honestly.
I think it better behind the cab or in The bed.
My tarheel doesn't have that little coil to ground?! Makes me wonder
I have same setup, K400 & little tarheel II. I believe that red ground coil is ONLY supplied with the MFJ mount. He just added to the K400 as an added measure.
Which model Tarheel do you have?
Is there any way you can get 160M to work?
How does the Tarheel work? Can you just push a button to manually tune it up / down?
Could the Tarheel work with a radio that has a tuner like say a XIEGU G90?
I have a programmable tuner, it tuns the antenna up and down for different frequency bands. You do not want to use this antenna with a tuner at all.. leave the tuner off, just tune the antenna up and down instead.
@@HamRadioConcepts which tuner do you have? If I wanted to manually tune the antenna is there a button for up and down?
do you have a video showing all of the components that you use and how it works?
Ernest G. Wilson II this what I use for my antenna www.ameritron.com/Product.php?productid=SDC-102
Just curious, what antenna do you use for SARNet? You sounded good on Friday on our QSO on your way home.
Comet SBB7
Nice vid. Thanks. I think on top of the cab of my pickup I'll just mount a 102" stainless steel whip.. on thop of a home-brew loading coil made from 3/8" copper tubing. Just like a CBer in the 1970s! Change bands? Sure... all I'll have to do is find a Walmart, park, and watch people fight over TP whilst I change bands manually while standing in the bed of my truck. DON'T FREAK OUT PEOPLE - USE YOUR SOCKS. My anti-viral remedy can be found if you look for '40 EFHW @ 2’ - My Anti-Viral Drug - STOP FREAKING OUT PEOPLE, IT’S GONG TO BE FINE - WIPE WITH SOCKS'.
the MFJ appears to be lighter duty and not made for an antenna as heavy or with as much wind load as your antenna has. now, I'm sure if you strapped a 40 meter 3 element Yagi on that Diamond mount, you wouldn't make it to work with everything intact. MFJ mounts have a place, Diamond has its place as well. just sayin' PS... mike needs some neosporin
Agreed. Of course this Diamond mount wouldnt hold an antenna like you said. And I have plenty of MFJ stuff and have used it quite frequently... It just happens that the Tarheel needed a bit more strength. I wil repurpose this MFJ for a dual band or a hamstick, with no issues.
I use an l mount for mine that I have bolted to the bed of my truck
Second comment because I suck I guess. Oh well. PEOPLE, use your socks. Wipe, rinse, repeat. It's pretty simple and it's not the end of the world. It's just a cold, folks... nothing to see here... move along now... you'll be fine...
My mom read your comment and loved it. I as well HAHAHAH
Thanks Eric - 73 KI5FRK
Anyone run a 102" whip on one of these?
102" whip. With a spring, it's under 107", with a spring it's not resonant with 11 Meters.
Where did you get 107"?
@HamRadioConcepts i meant a 102" too many scotches lol. I played around with it yesterday and made several contacts. Was able to hit texas Arkansas Illinois new York and into ontario on 38 LSB.
All from my front yard in Ft Pierce,Fl
The economy tanked...I won't be buying anything