In this weeks video we setup a comet CHA-250BX2 antenna and see if its any good. Can we make a contact with it?? it covers HF-6M and swr is below 1.7 on all bands. we used a ATU to bring the swr down further.
I have one of these but it's the MFJ version. I've seen articles by others that have measured losses in the matching unit. They are very high. I will say that I enjoy using it for SWLing, but not so good for XMIT below 20 meters. However, when I added a 16 foot counterpoise, the TX performance noticeably improved. More radials might improve it even more. In addition to shortwave listening, I do use it for digital modes (ft8 and wspr) Excellent for All-Band WSPR because I don't really care about the lossy matching unit when using that mode. SWR is more important.
I had the CHA-250B, (not XII) up for almost a year before Hurricane Sally in 2020 destroyed it. (We were expecting the hurricane to go the opposite direction but she changed her course overnight and it was too late to respond.) Anyway, I had good luck with this antenna, but it did have it's compromises as all verticals do. I was happy with its performance regardless of it's compromises.
I had the Comet CHA-250B until last week until the winds of Hurricane Sally destroyed it. (Never listen to the weather service when they say the storm is moving the opposite direction of your QTH!) Anyway, some condemn this antenna, some don't. Personally, I had it mounted on a 30' mast, (guyed appropriately,) and was able to make to make contacts 1,500 miles, (2,414 km) away. I think for a non-radial antenna, it's pretty good. '73 / Steve / K4SRF
I nearly purchased a 2nd hand w50BXii yesterday, but the reviews were hit & miss tbh, was worth the £130 it sold for. Also the manufacturer claims 1.5 or below on all bands, it's more 1.9/2.1 on all bands, still workable.
I've got the CHA-250HD and I must have done something wrong, because I can barely get a signal out on phone on HF frequencies. The antenna is about 15 feet off the ground so by reports I've read, it should be booming out sound-wise.
yes i have been looking for a decent antenna and tonight someone gave me one so im going to throw it up tomoz great video and have you still got it from m7byf ste in skelmersdale lancishire
I don't know if I got a duff one or not but ,I installed my one up on a 25ft mast , SWR checks out ok on all the bands obviously higher on 80 ,but this thing just doesn't receive very well at all .infact my president hymlaya wb revived 90% better on 20 mtrs.i have not tired transmitting as I'm more into listening even tho I'm fully licensed,but I would of expected this antenna to be better than the hymlaya CB antenna.Not very impressed with it ,maybe it's my location or something but it's deff as a post,I used the same coax feed LMR 400 for the test to be fair.. I have given up on the thing and put back in the box ,maybe I'll revisit it again one day .but for such an expensive antenna it's not great or at least for me.
It’s my friends antenna but he can’t use it at the moment as he’s got a new dog and has chewed through the cable before the dog chewed the cable it was working fine
I had one of these on my roof about 10 years ago and it did the trick. Then I replaced it with a GAP Eagle and the GAP had a much better "reach". But for getting on the air and making contacts, the Comet CHA-250B does it.
Great review, keep up the videos. It’s interesting that I see more HAM videos coming from the UK than the states, now if we can only get more youths into amateur radio and away from video games
I've had this antenna up for 2 years. Mounted on the top of an 8ft fence in the back yard. I've talked all over the US, Canada, South America on voice and I've hit the otherside of the world with digital modes. I am replacing it only because I want to throw more wattage down the line and this can only handle 250 watts. If you have restricted space this is a great option.
Tracer Facer we were calling all afternoon and got nothing then had a few contacts from uk to Germany and Italy and my friend has had more contacts on the antenna so far so good
I had this antenna only mounted on a 10 foot mast off my back deck. 15 feet from aluminum siding. It worked great. I wish I was able to get it up higher.
So just jumping around channels looking at reviews of this antenna. Found yours and when you mentioned you live in the same town as me just had to sub. Nice overview, you still using it?
i have one of them in the garden i got given to me wot i don,t use, when i had it on i had it ground level and it was 1.0 on every band without a tuner and i think thats to do with the magic coil in the bottom if thats what you want to call it all it is iS A BIT OF COPPER PIPE and winding but do you think i should put it up and give it another try 73 from m7byf
It’s my friends antenna he has work a few stations on it can’t remember if we had dnr on sorry . It maybe a bit of hassle to keep setting the antenna up each time you go portable would be interesting to see what’s the antenna is like away from the qrm and the shack
I just bought this antenna I am mounting it on a chimney about 40 feet up so we will see what’s the out come is ah the video is awful it should be a unboxing video that’s exactly what it is
Obviously you need to Relearn the Phonetic Alphabet (Nato) q = Quebec not queen it's a much Clearer for everyone to understand for everyone even the American Hams understand it.
Nice vid, I put away this antenna 'cause it's a little betten then a dummyload, I use a imax2000 from 10mhz to 144 and do far better ( icom 706 and ldg atu) more contact then comet even with sota wsprlite with ros make more view then comet... Receptions was quite, no really too silence and I love comet product!!! 73 de IZ3QVB
I have one of these but it's the MFJ version. I've seen articles by others that have measured losses in the matching unit. They are very high. I will say that I enjoy using it for SWLing, but not so good for XMIT below 20 meters. However, when I added a 16 foot counterpoise, the TX performance noticeably improved. More radials might improve it even more. In addition to shortwave listening, I do use it for digital modes (ft8 and wspr) Excellent for All-Band WSPR because I don't really care about the lossy matching unit when using that mode. SWR is more important.
I had the CHA-250B, (not XII) up for almost a year before Hurricane Sally in 2020 destroyed it. (We were expecting the hurricane to go the opposite direction but she changed her course overnight and it was too late to respond.) Anyway, I had good luck with this antenna, but it did have it's compromises as all verticals do. I was happy with its performance regardless of it's compromises.
it would be cool to know what time you are on the air with that new antenna so i could try to hear you
I had the Comet CHA-250B until last week until the winds of Hurricane Sally destroyed it. (Never listen to the weather service when they say the storm is moving the opposite direction of your QTH!) Anyway, some condemn this antenna, some don't. Personally, I had it mounted on a 30' mast, (guyed appropriately,) and was able to make to make contacts 1,500 miles, (2,414 km) away. I think for a non-radial antenna, it's pretty good. '73 / Steve / K4SRF
K4SRF we had a similar thing in the 80s it was said on tv that no hurricane is coming to the uk but it did and took down loads of fences and trees
I nearly purchased a 2nd hand w50BXii yesterday, but the reviews were hit & miss tbh, was worth the £130 it sold for.
Also the manufacturer claims 1.5 or below on all bands, it's more 1.9/2.1 on all bands, still workable.
Should have got an ice cream 😂
Ice cream trucks in Australia use the same music. Wow.
I've got the CHA-250HD and I must have done something wrong, because I can barely get a signal out on phone on HF frequencies. The antenna is about 15 feet off the ground so by reports I've read, it should be booming out sound-wise.
When you change bands do you press the tuner button to tune in the antenna
Top Video thanks! And the sound it calls " Greensleaves"😉
Nice one Jez!👍😉
yes i have been looking for a decent antenna and tonight someone gave me one so im going to throw it up tomoz great video and have you still got it from m7byf ste in skelmersdale lancishire
Greetings from Belgium 73 👍.
I don't know if I got a duff one or not but ,I installed my one up on a 25ft mast , SWR checks out ok on all the bands obviously higher on 80 ,but this thing just doesn't receive very well at all .infact my president hymlaya wb revived 90% better on 20 mtrs.i have not tired transmitting as I'm more into listening even tho I'm fully licensed,but I would of expected this antenna to be better than the hymlaya CB antenna.Not very impressed with it ,maybe it's my location or something but it's deff as a post,I used the same coax feed LMR 400 for the test to be fair.. I have given up on the thing and put back in the box ,maybe I'll revisit it again one day .but for such an expensive antenna it's not great or at least for me.
Have you experimented with mounting height vs SWR? What effects if needing to mount lower due to necessary compromises?
I would like to have seen your SWR for 3.5 Mhz and 3.9 Mhz and make contacts on 75 or 80 meters.
I'd rather see the radiation pattern then match the impedance
How's your mate getting on with the Comet antenna? I was thinking of getting one.
Thanks Gary
It’s my friends antenna but he can’t use it at the moment as he’s got a new dog and has chewed through the cable before the dog chewed the cable it was working fine
Can you give a review after 2 years?
hi jez , how did you get on with the 250 antenn are they any good
Could I put the whole thing up inside my apartment and stick the antenna out my window I don’t have much space outside
Yes
Chimes were covering you up
Danke für das schöne Video. 55 73 de DL2YDX Wolfram ..
7 people tested whether the other button does actually work.
Some times the other button works 2 well
2 x 99’s please 😉
I had one of these on my roof about 10 years ago and it did the trick. Then I replaced it with a GAP Eagle and the GAP had a much better "reach". But for getting on the air and making contacts, the Comet CHA-250B does it.
What is that godawfull noise in the background???
Ice cream van
Great review, keep up the videos. It’s interesting that I see more HAM videos coming from the UK than the states, now if we can only get more youths into amateur radio and away from video games
I've had this antenna up for 2 years. Mounted on the top of an 8ft fence in the back yard. I've talked all over the US, Canada, South America on voice and I've hit the otherside of the world with digital modes. I am replacing it only because I want to throw more wattage down the line and this can only handle 250 watts. If you have restricted space this is a great option.
Tracer Facer we were calling all afternoon and got nothing then had a few contacts from uk to Germany and Italy and my friend has had more contacts on the antenna so far so good
I had this antenna only mounted on a 10 foot mast off my back deck. 15 feet from aluminum siding. It worked great. I wish I was able to get it up higher.
A view of the final unit (tripod +antenna) would be mpost acceptable
So just jumping around channels looking at reviews of this antenna. Found yours and when you mentioned you live in the same town as me just had to sub. Nice overview, you still using it?
It’s my friends he still uses it but has to replace the cable as his new dog chewed it
i have one of them in the garden i got given to me wot i don,t use, when i had it on i had it ground level and it was 1.0 on every band without a tuner and i think thats to do with the magic coil in the bottom if thats what you want to call it all it is iS A BIT OF COPPER PIPE and winding but do you think i should put it up and give it another try 73 from m7byf
I had hoped for more than just watching somebody unboxing the antenna.
What's that music? Is that the ice cream man?
Thx for the effort and upload.. 73s HS0ZOU..
Did you have DNR noise reduction on with that contact.? Would you recommend this ant for portable use? Thanks.
It’s my friends antenna he has work a few stations on it can’t remember if we had dnr on sorry . It maybe a bit of hassle to keep setting the antenna up each time you go portable would be interesting to see what’s the antenna is like away from the qrm and the shack
I picking one up in a few days. Great antenna! Good video, lol. 👍🏻👍🏻 N8XLQ
I just bought this antenna I am mounting it on a chimney about 40 feet up so we will see what’s the out come is ah the video is awful it should be a unboxing video that’s exactly what it is
yes someone gave me a comet cha 250 i never said what it was sorry and there really expensive aswell
Obviously you need to Relearn the Phonetic Alphabet (Nato) q = Quebec not queen it's a much Clearer for everyone to understand for everyone even the American Hams understand it.
Great Video chaps , nice antenna that
Hi what's it like on 80 40 and 30m? Interesting to hear how you are getting along with it on dx that does not include ft8 and whisper modes 73
Hi it’s my friends antenna he’s happy with it and made contacts into Russia not sure if he’s done 80,40,30 I’ll have to ask him
Great Vid.What make was that tripod and where did you find it?
Jon the tripod is a gorilla stand to hold disco speakers .
The Windchimes music drove me crazy starting at 2:44 but other than that, a great video !
if it drove you crazy, why call it music? Wouldn't it be noise?
LOL THOSE ARE NOT WINDCHIMES.....that is the sound of an ice cream truck
@@anonyninja7737 QSL!
You don't need a tuner, just use 50ft to 75ft of coax as per manufacturer's recommendations.
Nice vid, I put away this antenna 'cause it's a little betten then a dummyload, I use a imax2000 from 10mhz to 144 and do far better ( icom 706 and ldg atu) more contact then comet even with sota wsprlite with ros make more view then comet... Receptions was quite, no really too silence and I love comet product!!! 73 de IZ3QVB
I enjoyed your video de VE9POW
Cheers