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write your own review of the Comet SBB-5NMO.
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KJ6MSG
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 6, 2011 17:52
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Solid product.
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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I have the SBB-5NMO installed on my Chevy Silverado on a hood lip mount, attached to a Yaesu FT-7900R. It's a quality product and I have had no problems with it. I consistently receive very good signal reports with the antenna/radio combination.
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KD0NFF
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 24, 2011 09:19
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Works Perfectly
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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Very well-built antenna. No problem reaching and receiving distant repeaters/simplex stations. Great SWR values on both VHF and UHF, no higher than 1.4:1 anywhere in either band. Works acceptably well on UHF GMRS also.
I have to confess that I regularly hit this antenna with up to 140W on FM and it handles it like a champ. This exceeds the rated power handling capability, so it is NOT recommended unless you're like me and don't mind pushing things a bit from time to time. My example has held up to these power levels with no difficulty however.
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AF6AU
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Rating: 4/5
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Aug 26, 2010 07:40
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Pretty decent out of the box. And it really is tunable!
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I have to admit I'm a perfectionist.. The SBB5NMO came to necessity after my old midland dual bander's plastic case came loose from the nmo female bottom and ruined the thing. My installation is dead center through-the-roof of a Ford Escape, using a new Larsen roof nmo-k kit. No paint on the inside, silver pl-259, belden cable. Bought the antenna at HRO Anaheim Calif., for the $55 Aug. 2010 "on special" price ($5 off). Funny, off E-bay it was $49+$9 shipping, so $55+ tax was only $4 more, and no wait.
Out of the package, I could swear that this antenna had NO tip-over hinge, as the paint just glued the joint together. I wiggled it and must have pulled 20Lbs force on it before it broke loose. Out-of-the package installed SWR was a worse-case 1.5:1. For me, that's okay for quick and dirty, but not good enough. I was going to run my Alinco hand-held through it, so I needed to radiate every watt of the few I had. I noted that the SWR was better on the bottom frequencies for both bands so I decided to shorten the whip. Don't try to use cutters unless they have hard chrome or carbide edges. I wrecked my good Klein cutters on that whip, it muse be 17-4 or 17-7 Full or Extra hard stainless. Use a dremel with a cut-off wheel, and remove the paint with Scotchbrite. In total I cut-off just over 1/2 inch (12mm)from the original length.
The results:
144.01=1.3:1, 145.0=1.15, 146.0=1.05, 147=1.1 (no needle motion at all!) 147.995=1.15:1.
440.01=1.02, 441.0=1.2, 443.0=1.4, 445.0=1.5, 447.0=1.4, 449.0=1.2, 449.99=1.2. I could go a bit shorter, but this is okay.
Since you trim the bottom of the whip, and it's really 2 stacked radiators on 70cm, I guess their independent reactions to frequency make the odd middle peaked curve.
I would have gave it a 5 if not for the stuck fold over swivel, and not 1 bit of tuning informaion or suggestions in the package or online. This is why I included my tuning process.
Overall a nice antenna, performance is equal to the others in the 40 inch length range, it's flexible, the built-in hinge joint is handy, and yes by gum it can be tuned.
Jon Lenhert
AF6AU
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AE7QT
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Rating: 4/5
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Jun 22, 2010 18:53
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ssb-5 good times!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I definatly would have to agree with the other reviews. I have had this antenna mounted on my semi truck for almost 2 years, and in the roughly 200,000 miles or so, it has seen everything, as far as weather, birds, bugs, and perhaps a little bit too much power. I run about 110 watts fm through it on regular basis. Not to say that every one of those antennas will do that, but mine seems to just keep chugging right along. I have had some 150 mile plus contacts simplex on ssb and fm, so the gain + amp realy seem to do the job. My band width on 2m= 139meg - 151meg with less than 2 swr. on 70c= 435meg - 456meg with less than 2 swr. This antenna seems to have a big bang with the small bucks you shell out. The only improvement I will seem to be able to get is some how find a much larger high gain antenna, but like most said, this is light and seems to take a lickin and keeps on tickin.
73's
Rod
KE7UTP
p.s. listen for me on 146.52 & 144.200 usb, up and down I-5, I-84, I-80, and I-15. I seem to travel these roads a lot.
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KI5SO
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Rating: 5/5
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Jun 11, 2010 06:29
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Small and powerful
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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This antenna is stealthy and actually looks good on my Prius. It doesn't take a strong mount to hold it in place. I never had to tune it. It has excellent swr everywhere on 2 meters and 440. The reception is really good and it reaches distance repeater. It's every bit as good as a Larson 2 meter 5/8's wave. How can any other mobile antenna be that much better? It's inexpensive. So, if you need a dual band antenna and want it to perform and not ugly up your car, try this antenna.
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W9GSD
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 1, 2009 16:18
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5/5
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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GREAT WORKING ANTENNA FOR BOTH BANDS. LOVE THE FOLD OVER FEATURE. NOT A HEAVY ANTENNA LIKE MY DIAMOND SUPERGAINER SG-7500NMO. THEY BOTH ARE GREAT ANTENNAS BUT THE COMET IS CHEAPER, LIGHTER IN WEIGHT, AND STEALTHY. YOU DO NOT "SEE" THE ANTENNA THAT WELL OUT WHILE DRIVING OR AT NIGHT IN THE PARKING LOTS WHILE SHOPPING. PEOPLE DONT EVEN KNOW YOU HAVE A ANTENNA ON YOUR VEHICLE.
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K0KMP
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Rating: 5/5
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Mar 8, 2008 20:35
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Great bang for the buck!
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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Durable, versatile, and performs extremely well on 2m. 70cm has a bit less gain performance on this antenna. Extremely durable, fold-over is faultless and makes getting in and out of ramps and garages easy. I have forgotten to fold it over a couple times as well and have whacked it on beams and dragged it on ceilings. Still looks and works like brand-new. Also, it has (thus far) survived and extremely cold and snowy Minnesota winter, road salt and all. I clean it regularly, just to be sure, but I have driven through ice storms and snow showers with it, and it keeps on pumping out great signal every time.
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KE5NUC
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Rating: 5/5
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Jun 27, 2007 16:10
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Great antenna, great value!
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Have it mounted on lip of rear entrance door on 2002 Toyota 4-Runner. On 2m average SWR 1.1 to 1. Slightly less on UHF. Use Yaesu 7800R. Works very, very well. Good looking antenna.
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VE5NAT
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 15, 2006 17:39
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great
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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I have this antenna mounted on a sunfire with a K400 lip mount and it works great. I originally had this antenna on a mag mount on the roof but I changed the SBB 7 with this antenna for the ease of parking underground during the winter. Considering the size of the antenna it works fairly comparable to the SBB 7.
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KG6UTS
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 9, 2005 15:18
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Tough antenna
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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I've used the SBB-5NMO on my Jeep and '62 Volvo with A Kenwood G707 and an TH-G71 HT. It has given great service off-road, on cross country drives, and my daily trip to work. I would buy another one.
EdZ
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