Posted: 2/12/2010 2:06:58 PM EDT
| Considering a comparable antenna from both. Anything I should know about one or the other or is it six and one half dozen? Thanx, e |
|
Both are good products, seem to be equally well made.
I have the Comet SBB-5 NMO (38" tall, a 1/2 wave antenna) on my pickup, and it seems to do a very good job. Good signal reports, and I'm able to listen to and work repeaters at a good distance. http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/hamantm/3910.html But this antenna is on a lip mount on the upper edge of the "suicide" door driver's side. It catches on overhanging limbs on some of the boulevards around town. It is a simple matter to just change antennas. And I catch it on the edge of a driveway basketball hoop at a friend's house, the overhang at Sonic, etc. For around town I use this Diamond NR72BNMO 1/4 wave (14"). It takes only a few seconds to swap antennas. http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/hamantm/1578.html I can tell the Diamond NR72BNMO does not have quite the range of the Comet SBB-5 NMO, but for around town, the local repeater, it is fine. So, why did I pick these two particular antennas? The Comet SBB-5 came highly recommended. But also, both antennas are rated higher than the 65 watts of my Yaesu FT-2800M (the new 2900R is 75 watts). Many 2m antennas are only rated 50 watts. Both the Comet SBB-5 and Diamond 72 have similar construction and appear to be equal quality items. |
|
Back when I purchased my first Diamond X50A I had originally been looking for a Comet GP3. My local HRO didn't carry the Comet, but they assured me the Diamond was nearly identical. After checking the specs and reviews I was inclined to agree.
From ten feet away you'd be hard pressed to tell those two models apart. |
| After UPS found my Comet GP15 yesterday, I installed it last night. A 70cm repeater about 50 miles away comes in S9+ now, where it used to come in about S1-S2 with my quarter wave ground plane. I used to be able to hit it with 20 watts if conditions were right, now I can hit it with 2 watts. |