|
New to Ham Radio?
My Profile
Community
Articles
Forums
News
Reviews
Friends Remembered
Speak Out
Strays
Survey Question
Operating
Contesting
DX Cluster Spots
Propagation
Resources
Calendar
Classifieds
Ham Exams
Ham Links
List Archives
News Articles
Product Reviews
QSL Managers
Site Info
eHam Help (FAQ)
Support the site
The eHam Team
Advertising Info
Vision Statement
About eHam.net
|
| Reviews Summary for Comet CA-HV HF mobile antenna |
|
Reviews: 12
|
Average rating: 3.8/5
|
MSRP: $159.99
|
|
Description: 40/15/10/6/2m/70cm Mobile Antenna - Model UHV-6
|
|
More info: http://www.cometantenna.com/
|
|
You can
write your own review of the Comet CA-HV HF mobile antenna.
|
KD5XB
|
Rating: 3/5
|
Jun 14, 2008 16:34
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Great for 6 & 2, so-so for HF
|
Time owned: more than 12 months
|
I've had the CA-HV for perhaps 7 or 8 years now. When new, I lost one of the HF coils on the highway, due to the set screws loosening up.
I've operated on 6 & 2 meters with great results, too. Even MS on 6 at one point!
But yesterday, when using this antenna on 40 meters, with my Icom 706MK2G, the 40-meter coil apparently burned up. SWR suddenly went sky-high, and my 40-meter operations were over. Well, at least I made a few 6-meter contacts today with it. It's a great dual-band antenna.
|
|
W8ATT
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Feb 23, 2005 10:23
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Good all around antenna
|
Time owned: more than 12 months
|
|
I bought a CA-UHV used and have loved it since day one. I have the 80, 40, 20, 17, 15, 10 meter coils and have worked each band with good results. Obviously you have to be stationary or have a guy of some kind using the 80m coil but all others work fine mobile on my 2004 Silverado and Yaesu FT-100D, Diamond duplexer, Diamond mount. I've had good reports as far as the Canary Islands from Michigan on 17m. You have to realize that this antenna's trying to do it all so sure it won't work as good as a monoband antenna but for what its made for it works excellent. Only complaint if any would be when running the 17m coil the 6m swr goes high in the FM portion. Comet said this was because the antenna wasn't intially made for 17 in Japan. All other coils or W/O a coil 6m swr is fine.
|
|
KB5BS
|
Rating: 4/5
|
Feb 23, 2004 16:17
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Excellent after minor problems
|
Time owned: more than 12 months
|
|
When I first installed the antenna on my 2001 VW Beetle parts worked loose. I had mutiple problems to resolve. The fist was to stablize the antenna using 20lb. fishing line. The other was static and poor performancec on UHF and VHF. I found that the center pin joining the base and the Antenna had become open. It worked well on HF but static was higher then I liked. After returning the base back to comet/NCG (fixed out of warrenty for shipping cost)The static went down and the UHF and VHF startedd to work well. I have now been using the antenna for 8 months after the repair with excellent reports on HF, VHF and UHF. I am also lowering the antenna daily at work since I park in a parking garage and have had minimal problems.
|
|
G0MJW
|
Rating: 4/5
|
Jan 24, 2004 06:39
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Good
|
Time owned: more than 12 months
|
I have two, one is the UHF version, but I lack the UHF coil. It is great to take on holiday and it has been to many exotic locations.
Since 11/9/2001 I have cut the main pole of one of them in half and made a brass coupler to join it back together. The reason for this is to make it fit in a suitcase now it is not possible to carry as hand luggage.
I usually use it on a boot mount (trunk for the colonials) on the rental car and guy it with thin rope. This is necessary. It works as well as can be expected from a small HF antenna, though interference from the petrol pump is an issue. It is always necessary to ensure a good short ground connection at the base mount of any mobile HF antenna. Not doing this is probably the reason for some of the poor reviews. The capacitance from a magnetic mount is not suficient unless it has a very large contact area.
I have found it best to limit the number of band coils mounted to two. At 80MPH you do not want it to be too heavy at the top, even when guyed.
I disagree with the comment that 3mm screws are difficult to get hold of. They are universal around here. It is the old fashioned imperial stuff that is hard to get!
|
|
KB9WCT
|
Rating: 3/5
|
Jan 18, 2002 19:14
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Nice package for compact cars
|
Time owned: more than 12 months
|
|
I bought the CA-HV used with 40, 20, and 10 meter coils. I have all three mounted. I get good reports every time I use it. I have worked Japan, Ukraine, Estonia, etc. with a barefoot Icom 706. I run an MFJ 945E tuner and the Diamond duplexer. The bandwidth is narrow but that is a result of the coil sizes. 10 meter bandwidth is great and I bypass the tuner. Six meter tuning is tricky. 2 meter performance is good but looseness in the mast base causes static crashes and noise while on the fringe area of repeaters. I thought about getting an autotuner but I think a High Sierra Screwdriver is in the future since I have a full size pickup. I solved the setscrew problem by drilling and tapping the holes for #6-32 stainless setscrews. I added an extra setscrew lower down on the base. I replaced the jam nuts on the coils with stainless hex nuts and I carry a 6mm wrench with me. All of the parts came from the parts bin at True Value Hardware. Be sure to get STAINLESS. I ground a flat area on the mast where the setscrews bite in. No more looseness! I think this antenna will find a home on my wifes car. It will make a good 2 meter antenna and I can add the coils if we decide to take the car on a trip.
|
|
N9IWJ
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Nov 25, 2001 01:02
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Comet CA-UHV
|
Time owned: more than 12 months
|
|
This Antenna is Top Shelf, I've used it for about 18 Months now and it's just Fantastic, interesting reading on some of the other comments , here's what I found . Yes with all Antenna's after You tune them put threadlock on all screws to keep it tuned and with this antenna You MUST tune the UHF coil, slide it up and down, and a good idea to mark it with a small piece of tape and the coils (all) must be tuned out of the box they are terrible, but and hour with the bird meter and tuning coils on am side, this antenna is better than excellent. If I can hear them I can talk to them and excellent signal reports, By the way make sure You don't put threadlock on the fold down threads, I put a litle silicone paste on this, because I have to fold it down to get it into the garage, and I Guy it with a small piece of fishing line to the window, glue on a wiring cable holder with silicone glue to the window for this, This antenna is heavy and this eliminates the strain on the mount, Happy Dxing, Bob
|
|
KQ6YQ
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Jun 16, 2001 12:41
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Great After Market Support
|
Time owned: 3 to 6 months
|
|
Haven't used the antenna that much in the past but when I started installing it on a new vehicle I couldn't find the instructions needed to remind me how/where to mount and tune the coils and stingers for optimum SWR. I wrote an eMail to the people at Comet/NCG and received a nice eMail back from Mike Stwertnik within 24 hours and the instructions in the mail three days later - no charge. Good Company to deal with when you need help! As for the problem other folks seem to have with keeping the allen screws tight; use a tiny drop of Lock-Tite before you torque them the last time after tuning/assembling them. I do with all of my antennas and I've never had a problem with loosening/falling apart.
|
|
N8CH
|
Rating: 5/5
|
May 17, 2000 13:21
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Great antenna for mobile use
|
Time owned: 6 to 12 months
|
I have had mine mounted and attached to my FT-100 since September 99. I have never had any of the problems discussed here. I use the 10, 15 and 20 meter antennas. work any DX I can hear. Have worked a bunch. Only time I had to retighten is when I whacked it on a tree going down a street with a low overhang. Have it mounted on a three magnet mount. As good or better than my Hustlers that I had for several years and I don't need to guy these to the cab of the truck. I think it does a fantastic job in the environment it is designed for. It ain't no beam. Not suppose to be.
N8CH
|
|
KM5N
|
Rating: 3/5
|
Apr 4, 2000 10:26
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Works fine, but regular maintenance is needed
|
Time owned: unknown months
|
I have this antenna mounted on the trunk lip with the Comet quick disconnect mount. Overall, I have been happy enough with it, always keeping in mind the limitations that are imposed by the design compromises. I mostly use it for HF, with a little bit of local 2M repeater chat. I have had QSOs with most of Europe, Central and South America, Japan and points in between. It's an adequate performer. Usable bandwidth (SWR 3:1 or less) on 40 meters is about 50 kHz, on 20 meters about 70 kHz, on 15 about 300 kHz, and on 10 it's around 1.5 mHz.
The real problem is in the mechanical frailty. Before I realized that weekly checking of ALL connections is necessary, I lost the 10 meter coil while driving on the freeway. I have had to replace three set screws (and at 3mm x 3mm, they are tough to find!) There is no problem if you check your connections frequently and retighten them, but it's distressing (and expensive) to shed pieces of the antenna while driving.
Generally, I am pleased with the CA-UHV - but then again I bought it used for less than half price. It will do for a multi-band HF/VHF, but I cannot recommend it glowingly. However, it will fit my needs until I can build a good screwdriver antenna.
|
|
KB9UPV
|
Rating: 4/5
|
Apr 3, 2000 22:29
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
More than expected for its size
|
Time owned: unknown months
|
|
I was looking for an antenna to use on my wife's 2000 Imapala for trips. After using it for a couple weeks I have no complaints about this antenna for its size so far. The 2m/70cm works as well or better as my mag mount 5/8 wave. Granted the antenna is a large compromise on the lower bands, but I get about 40kc of usable bandwith on 40 and 120kc on 20m. I have used the antenna on 40m on a short trip and the antenna worked fine for its size on 20/40m. I also tried some DX on 10m and it works very well. This antenna along with a duplexer and a 706mkIIg is a very good compact system. I am not going to compare it to dedicated large antennas but I am quite pleased with its size/performance ratio and it looks well built.
|
|
If you have any questions, problems, or suggestions about Reviews,
please email your Reviews Manager.
|
|
|
|
|
