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| Reviews Summary for Comet GP-9 dual band base antenna |
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You can
write your own review of the Comet GP-9 dual band base antenna.
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N2OEL
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Rating: 3/5
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May 19, 2008 05:20
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Low Power Antenna, do not use over 50 watts FM
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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The package brags that the GP-9 antenna is rated for 200 watts. As an omni-directional antenna, it is obviously aimed at FM Simplex and Repeater users. However, the instruction sheet rates it at 200 watts SSB, not FM. It was my impression that SSB ratings are about 4 times that of a AM or FM rating. I would then assume that a 200 watt SSB rating would give a maximum FM power rating of about 50 watts.
I asked the US Distributor that type of question via email. Their reply email is below. The only change I made in copying this email, was in my changing my email address to protect me against spam.
-----Original Message-----
From: MickStwernik
To: n2oel@aol.com
Sent: Tue, 13 May 2008 2:07 pm
Subject: Re: GP-9 Data Sheet
The FM rating of the GP-9 is 100W FM, 200W SSB.
Depending on the duty cycle, 160W will probably damage the antenna.
Mick Stwertnik
NCG Company
15036 Sierra Bonita Lane
Chino, CA 91710-8901
800-962-2611
909-393-6133
Fax 909-393-6136
www.cometantenna.com
----- Original Message -----
From: n2oel@aol.com
To: sales@natcommgroup.com
Sent: 2008-05-12 07:27 PM
Subject: GP-9 Data Sheet
http://www.visradio.com/dwg/ncg/gp-9.gif
What is the FM Power Handling capability of the GP-9? The data sheet says 200 Watts SSB, which is about 50 Watts FM power. I want to use the antenna with a 160 Watt Mirage amplifier on FM Simplex at 146.58 Mhz. Is this wise, or will I be melting the antenna?
Noel Spears N2OEL
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KB5UIA
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Rating: 5/5
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Mar 9, 2008 01:31
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VERY HAPPY
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Very easy to assemble... only small bit of common sense needed. Very light (~5 lbs.), so easy to carry/install. My only negative issue is one of the three tapped holes for the radials was not threaded properly. Had to re-tap hole to get radial to seat all the way like it should.
SWR Performance:
( @ 50w, 20' RG-8 coax jumper, 3' RG-8 coax jumper, and 100' LMR-400 coax with perfectly soldered connections )
144.000 = 1.4
145.000 = 1.1
146.000 = 1.2
147.000 = 1.1
147.995 = 1.1
435.000 = 1.1
440.000 = 1.4
445.000 = 1.3
446.000 = 1.4
447.000 = 1.2
448.000 = 1.3
449.000 = 1.4
449.995 = 1.2
Current setup is only until I get my tower up. Current setup only has antenna up ~12' from ground (i.e. tip of antenna is ~28.5' high).
Range:
QTH = Huntsville, TX
Can bring up repeaters in Galveston & Tyler... both are over 100 miles away with 50w. Can hit Conroe repeaters (~30 miles away) with only 5w, all day long, any day, no matter rain or shine. Can have simplex ops to mobile with 5-9 report up to ~15 miles out... through mainly forest-type area (i.e. mobile has lots of tall pine trees all around it at all times). Have been labeled as "full quieting" from all our typical contacts (repeaters out 15 to 40 miles out).
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W5SDC
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Rating: 5/5
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Mar 4, 2008 09:31
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Seven years old and still going strong
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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My GP9 has been in and on the air for 7 years and has held up well in the Texas sun and wind. SWR is almost flat at 5W on both bands and around 1.3 at 50W on both which isn't too bad.
If you handle a fiberglass antenna thats been out in the weather for awhile, don't make the mistake of not wearing gloves!
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KB3MMX
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 3, 2007 20:42
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Kick Butt Vertical!!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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This thing works outstanding, as good or better than my 6270-13 Cushcraft beam ever did on VHF/UHF!! .....With less clutter on the tower that saves space for horizontal antennas to use on SSB!!!
This antennna is an exceptional performer for working those distant stations and repeaters!!
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VA3JDL
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Rating: 5/5
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Jul 3, 2007 16:39
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Great Repeater Antenna
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I set up the GP-9 as a repeater antenna for VE3JOP our VHF/UHF repeater system in Toronto.
The antenna has been up since early 2004. From day one performance has been great with flat SWR.
Performance on both bands is nothing less than excellent. Hears just as well as it gets out!
I would recommend the GP-9 over the standard repeater antennas on the market.
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N8EKT
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Rating: 2/5
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May 16, 2007 04:21
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NEEDS MODIFICATIONS
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I JUST PUT MY GP-9 UP YESTERDAY.
FIRST, THE INSTRUCTIONS WERE WRITTEN IN BROKEN ENGLISH AND IT WAS SO BAD THAT I HAD YO READ SEVERAL SENTENCES MULTIPLE TIMES TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY REALLY MEANT TO SAY!!
MY FIRST IMPRESSION WAS THAT IT WAS A LIGHT-DUTY ANTENNA COMPARED TO THE DIAMOND X-510 AND X-500. THE TINY SET SCREWS CAN EASILY GET LOST DURING ASSEMBLY,
THE BIGGEST DISSAPOINTMENT WAS THE ABS SECTION COUPLERS.
MO MATTER HOW TIGHT I MADE THEM, THE SECTIONS WOULD STILL SPIN OR PULL OUT!!!
THE SECTION FASTENERS ON THE DIAMONDS ARE FAR SUPERIOR.
THERE IS NO WAY I WOULD USE THE GP-9 ON A REPEATER OR WHERE I COULDN'T EASILY TAKE IT DOWN FOR REPAIRS.
I MAY TRY TO EITHER EPOXY OR SILICONE THE ABS COUPLERS SO THAT IT DOESN'T PULL APART AND START FILLING WITH WATER.
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WT0P
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Rating: 5/5
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Jul 26, 2006 23:10
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Quality Antenna
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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This is an excellent performer, Great VSWR except right around 144.0 where it gets a little higher than my rig likes. It goes together beautifully and has already withstood some unusually powerful storms that ripped through our area recently. Not exactly cheap but I'm getting too old to get up on the roof so a solid reliable antenna matters to me. Its a winner!
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KB3MMX
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 29, 2006 16:48
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Two thumbs up!
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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Picked up the GP-9 a few months ago and have had great results so far. The 70cm side has a few spots on the band that aren't optimum SWR but it is smokin hot on simplex 440.
2 Meters is virtually flat SWR accross the band and RX/TX performance is A++
Definetely would buy another one of these antennas, very impressed with the performance and not having any tuning required!!
The antenna is fed with 40' of LMR400 coax and is only off the ground about 22-23' putting the tip around 39'. mounting is on a pipe mast attached to my deck in the back yard.
---------------- KB3MMX----------------------
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VE1BXK
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Rating: 3/5
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Dec 2, 2005 11:20
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GP-9 Revisted
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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This is an update to the last post in regards to noise on the GP-9N. To make a long story short, the problem turned out to be the female N connector tabs got bent open from flexing from the LDF-450 heliax/N male connector to the antenna. A combination of wind and flexing to the feedpoint(over a period of time) resulted in the center pin on the N male connector bending the four tabs out on the female N connector on the GP-9N. This caused RF to "make & break" sending noise to the VHF receiver and other link radios at the site.
Lesson learned is to use a 5 foot RG-214 or so pig tail cable connector from the Heliax to the
feedpoint on the GP-9N antenna.
Thanks to Neil VE1YZ for coming up with a fix for the bent tabs on the N female connector on the GP-9N antenna, of which will be re-installed at the site next spring 2006 for further testing and evaluation.
As of this review, the GP-9N has been removed from the sight and a rebuilt TRAM VHF/UHF
(done by Neil VE1YZ) antenna is at the site now.
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KB3RMX
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Rating: 2/5
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Oct 2, 2005 14:09
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NOT WHAT I EXPECTED
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I've had the gp-9 for a little mre than a year now, I'd thought I'd give it some time before I made a review on it. Needless to say this is about the best in its class, but I'm very dissappointed in its performance for an antenna that costs more than $200.
Pros:
Gets out very good
Very good ears
Very sturdy in bad weather
Easy to construct
Cons:
Very high swr's below 146 mhz
High swr's on 50 watts or more
Does not work well on 440
Need an antenna tuner for <146 mhz and high power and 440
Had to solder a cold joint above the inductor
I would have given this a better rating, but Comet 's ad is misleading on this antenna.
Am going to use a quad in place of this in the near future.
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