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| Reviews Summary for Decibel DB-224 Series |
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Reviews: 10
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Average rating: 4.4/5
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MSRP: $500
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Description: Four Bay Folded Dipole Array - Manufactured by Decibel Products mainly as a commercial antenna but can be ordered for the 2 Meter and 220 MHz amateur bands.
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Product is in production.
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More info: http://www.decibelproducts.com
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WA0VED
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Rating: 2/5
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Apr 4, 2011 07:15
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New ones, not so good
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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The older DB-224 antennas are very good. The new ones have problems. The main problem is water intrusion into the phasing harness. It takes about 6 to 12 months for the harness to fail. Andrew will replace the harness with a new and improved harness. I have had the new one fail in the same manner. I have 35 of these antennas in use for the state I work for and other state agencies are having the same problem. As a group we are moving away from this antenna.
When you have to change the antenna or harness within a year on 200 to 400 foot towers it gets real expensive.
If you can find an older model that is in good shape, use it. It will probably last and perform well for many years. The new ones, well Caveat emptor.
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AI4SU
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Rating: 5/5
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Apr 3, 2011 17:52
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GOOD FOR RECEIVING
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I was warned about using those white fiberglass 17ft. antennas for repeater use, but I was hard-headed. On windy days the antenna would bend over and the repeater had cracking/popping noise in the TX carrier.
Now we up graded to the DB-224 and the repeater is performing as if we added more height to the antenna. I also notice there is no popping or cracking noise on windy days. I've owned several different 2-meter base antennas ranging from 17ft fiberglass design to aluminum base antennas. This DB-224 out performed them all.
One of the greatest thing about the DB-224 is its outstanding ability to receive signals, even the weakest signal.Since up grading to the DB-224 our repeater is now receiving distance stations that it never received with the other antenna.
The DB-224 is made of super strong thick aluminum. Lightening will not harm this antenna. The wind will not fold the DB-224 as it do the 17ft fiberglass antennas. Everything of the DB-224 is heavy duty. It will never rust.
I heard of others having issues with rain water getting into the phasing harness. Most phasing harness for the DB-224 series antennas have the T-connectors inside some sort of water resistant plastic molding. Don't stop there. Continue to apply more water resistant protection to the phasing harness.I'm sure everyone have their own techniques. I went to the marine boat store and got some water/UV resistant tape and wrapped the mold covering the T-connectors and all the places where water can get in.Basically, I gave the phasing harness additional water protection. In other words, water proof your phasing harness as if it were going to be submerged under water and it will do well.
So far we've had many many days of rain, even rain with heavy wind causing it to come down side ways; but no rain water penetrated into the phasing harness. The antenna is still performing well.
If you need a good antenna that receive signals well and transmits a super firm signal, the DB-224e is the antnna for you. 73's
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N5NPO
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Rating: 2/5
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Apr 4, 2010 15:30
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Great timeless design, but a victim of recent cost cutting...
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I work in the land mobile two way radio industry. In the last 8 years we have seen an alarming number of these antennas fail because of water getting into the facory moldings where the sections of the harness come together. Andrew/Commscope is aware of this problem and has re-engineered the harnesses. I have sent them 3 of mine that have failed to keep water out of the factory moldings and they have sent me replacement harnesses free of charge. Problem is, they failed needlessly. I have not seen this issue from the older antennas that were built in the USA, only the more recent ones manufactured in Mexico. This is not an anti-mexican rant. It is a QC problem and at least it has been addressed. Has the problem truly been solved? Time will tell. The newer units have the updated harnesses with obvious revisions and changes.
If this doensnt solve the problems, then we will look into another make/model. The RFS Celewave PD-340's look good. Price is comparable, specs are the same and they come with a 5 yr warranty.
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K5SL
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 15, 2008 17:33
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Worth the effort in longivity and gain
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I just replaced a 21' long H700HNA with a db 228A. With a little work on the loops it tuned to 146.82 nicely. It gave a gain of 6 db over the fiberglass max gain colliner locally and 80 miles out. They are built to last, and take a beating. There is a reason they are used the world over and is the main one you see on commercial installations.
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K4III
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 30, 2006 13:20
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Best there is!!!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I've been working with them for many years and they seem to be the best there is for high-wind and wet conditions. I am using one on my 2m repeater and it has been up 250ft on the tower for at least 25 years along with the old 7/8" spiral heliax cable with 259s. (My repeater has only been up 2 years on it though) And it is still working great!!! I'd be willing to bet water damages the cable before the antenna goes bad. (3 other 20+ yr old spiral heliax runs have become water-prone of the 6 old coax lines currently on the tower)
I am also using a 35 yr old db-413 which seems to work ok but the connector is in bad shape and needs to be fixed. It is up 450ft with old spiral 7/8" heliax. I need to replace it soon as the tower is being painted and all old coax is being pulled. Anyone have any 7/8 or larger (non-spiral) Heliax of 450ft length to donate or sell at a decent price?
These antennas you can put up and forget. If you end up ever replacing these, you must really be a serious operator or in the communication business!
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KD5FX
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 17, 2006 10:39
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The GOLD standard!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Our club here in Northern Okla. has had TWO of these in the air for 20+ years. One for each repeater about 7 miles apart. They have gone through many storms with no problems.
After over 20 yrs we had to replace the wiring harness. That was also after many hail and ice storms and there might have been a few rifle shots too.
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VA3GRU
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 18, 2005 03:50
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"Just won't die" type workhorse...
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I got mine from a bunch of tower site junk someone dropped off at the local scrap yard. I went there looking for a mast and the guy showed me what he had in mind. So, of course, I took it home. The top and bottom element were bent pretty badly, but some light heat from a plumbing torch and some patience, straightened it right up. I took all of the little stainless screws off of where the elements are fed, took some steelwool and cleaned up all of the connections, siliconed them and installed a new N connector, and it blew the doors off of any vhf antenna I had ever owned! It gave my yagi a good run for it's money without the need for rotation! Wind, lightning, weather of all kinds [I live in Central Ontario's "Snow Belt!"] and moving locations a couple of times and it's still going strong! A real rugged workhorse for free. I would never have bought one new because of it's price new, but 10 years later, I sure am glad I found it!
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W9THD
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 8, 2004 06:16
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Simply amazing
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I cannot say for certain my antenna is made by Decibel products, but it is the same style four-element folded dipole. My best guess is this antenna was at least 30 years old when I latched onto it. It was on a tower originally used by a petroleum company that went out of business. When the tower fell over, the current owner of the building let me have the antenna just for getting it off his hands. Picture my mini van with this monster lashed to the luggage rack !!! The top element was bent slightly, but the antenna was otherwise intact despite the 80 foot fall. The dipole elements were modified for 2 meters per KC4FWC's instructions. Thanks Derek. I drilled and tapped the top and bottom of each element (they're solid aluminum!) and screwed in a short section of aluminum rod. SWR dropped from a low of 1.7 to a new low of 1.3. Top reading went from 2.2 to 1.5. The standoffs for the HBX 48 tower were designed by my father, KC9BGK, and are heavy duty. The top of this antenna is now at 45 feet...not very high but I'm amazed at the way this antenna performs. The first evening I had a station located 40 miles away come back to my cq on 146.52 and tell me he lives in a valley and never heard a signal so loud! I'm hearing simplex mobiles out 60 miles and farther. What a blast for a little bit of nothing!
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KB5ZVV
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 18, 2002 01:15
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Quality Antenna
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have been in the two-way radio business for about 24 years, and this is the standard antenna we sell for VHF base/repeater service. It is somewhat expensive for most people to purchase, but you can put it on the tower and forget it. I just replaced one for the local ham club that had been up at 460 feet for 20 years, and it was in pretty bad shape (cracked aluminum tubing on the radiator loops). The current production units have an updated design that should prevent this. The later production units have a molded enclosure on the terminations of the harness where it connects to the radiator loops to enhance the weatherproofing. You can also re-orient the loops on the main pipe to alter the radiation pattern. This antenna can take much more lightning than the fiberglass enclosed antennas that have very lightweight internal conductors.
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KC4FWC
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 21, 2002 01:49
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Top of the Line
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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The DB-224 is a heavy duty VHF antenna which is approximately 22 feet tall (2 meter band) or 18 feet for 220 MHz. It is made out of all aluminum, very heavy (30 pounds) and can mount to the top or side of a tower. It has four folded dipole elements around the mast. Lightning simply can not harm the antenna mast. The gain is a TRUE 6.0 dBd (unlike Comet or Diamond's claims) and is simply the best for serious repeater duty. It costs quite a bit, but the lifetime is 30 years PLUS! They can be ordered from a commercial two way shop for 138-150 MHz or 220-225 MHz. Consider this if you're serious about a reliable repeater/base.
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