Diamond X-50 VHF/UHF base antenna

[KD4LEI]

I am getting this antenna shipped to me and was wondering who had one and their thoughts. I was deciding between this antenna and a Comet GP-3 (Similar to the X-50). Looked up the specs for both and the X-50 sounded like the better choice.

[WB2WIK]

The X-50 is a fine antenna for its small size. I've owned or installed many of them over the years, and most are still up and working perfectly.

Only "be careful" issue on this antenna is the connector in the base. When you attach your coaxial feedline, make the male connector finger tight only, and do not attempt to use pliers or wrenches. If you apply too much force, you can "spin" the female connector in the antenna base, and if that happens, the antenna is now a long, white paperweight.

Tip regarding making it work the best for you: Get it up high, in the clear, above everything else around, and feed it with good, low-loss coax like 9913, 9086, 9096, LMR400, Xtra-flex, or whatever. Use something better than RG213/U, and certainly use something better than RG8X or RG58/U, to take advantage of this excellent antenna's performance.

Good luck with the installation!

WB2WIK/6

[KD4LEI]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (WB2WIK @ July 26 2002,15:31)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">The X-50 is a fine antenna for its small size. #I've owned or installed many of them over the years, and most are still up and working perfectly.

Only &quot;be careful&quot; issue on this antenna is the connector in the base. #When you attach your coaxial feedline, make the male connector finger tight only, and do not attempt to use pliers or wrenches. #If you apply too much force, you can &quot;spin&quot; the female connector in the antenna base, and if that happens, the antenna is now a long, white paperweight.

Tip regarding making it work the best for you: Get it up high, in the clear, above everything else around, and feed it with good, low-loss coax like 9913, 9086, 9096, LMR400, Xtra-flex, or whatever. #Use something better than RG213/U, and certainly use something better than RG8X or RG58/U, to take advantage of this excellent antenna's performance.

Good luck with the installation!

WB2WIK/6[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
I just got mine through HRO and UPS dropped it off today. It has a NA type connector so I hope to get this up and running before long.

I won't tighten anything that can be sufficiently tighted with my finger. I did see the element and those will be tightened very lightly with wrench I have. I shouldn't have any trouble getting this to go.

I may try and look at some coax that AES or HRO is selling and get some that will be clean enough for me to &quot;get out there.&quot; The height is going to be one issue and I do have some housing restrictions that will prevent me from getting any higher than the peak of my roof. I can put it up, but only in the back side of my house. However, a fellow ham in an adjacent neighborhood told me that his is up and the restrictions they have set forth aren't even enforced. &lt;--- We'll see on that one though

I plan to get a PVC pipe and attach it to the base of my back porch deck up about 5 ft off the ground and extend it up to about 8-10 ft from the surface of the deck. I will run about 40-50ft of coax that is efficient in getting a signal out with little loss. 9913 I heard is fantastic, but I will probably get something more flexible, since that wire is so stiff. The advantage I have is I am up on the top portion of a hill overlooking downtown Omaha, SW Iowa and south of my QTH. I should not have any trouble and it will be fun!

Thanks for the passon!

73
Chad

[trooper]

I mounted mine on the TV antenna mast, and get terrible intermod on the 400-side. I'm sure it's the refection but just to save time doing it once, mounting high and 'in the clear' is great advice, as the antenna likes to feed back what it hears near-by.


Loren B. Cobb / KD7PLU