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| Reviews Summary for Comet CHA250B |
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Reviews: 68
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Average rating: 3.5/5
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MSRP: $469.00
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Description: The Comet CHA250B broadband vertical antenna will amazingly cover 75/80 meters through 6 meters with no gaps! Transmit range is 3.5-57 MHz and receive range is 2-90 MHz. SWR <1.5:1. This 23.5 foot vertical requires no radials and weighs only 7.1 lbs. The antenna consists of five sections of aluminum tubing that slide into each other. The bottom section has the matching network built-in. Only two simple measurements are required during the easy assembly. It can handle 250 watts SSB and 125 watts FM. SO-239 input. Mounts on a 1 to 2 inch mast (not supplied). Rated for 67 MPH wind survival.
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More info: http://www.cometantenna.com/products.php?CatID=1&famID=5&childID=6
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write your own review of the Comet CHA250B.
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K2HVE
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Rating: 4/5
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Mar 8, 2009 18:07
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Surprising results
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I installed the CHA250B as a backup antenna for the ARRL DX Contest and was surprised when half of all the contacts were made with it. For whatever you want to call this antenna it is a 9 out of 10 in my book as far as verticles go. I wasn't expecting such great performance. It is a little pricey though and can handle only 250 watts.
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N4MAW
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Rating: 5/5
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Mar 2, 2009 15:57
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A+ For space restricted areas
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I purchased this antenna about 2 years ago and installed it on the top of my roof (base at about 30ft AGL) and have not touched it since. This antenna has performed very well and definitely AS ADVERTISED consistently over the past two years. If you are looking for an all-band vertical with performance comparable to a resonant dipole of a high quality properly tuned beam - move on. If you are looking for an antenna that will get the job jone in a small space, here's your antenna.
I bought the antenna after reading a number of reviews here and have not regretted it. While there are some who say this is basically a dummy load, my experience has been anything but bad. Here's the skinny...Solar cycle at the bottom, propogation consistenyl in the tank, and many big guns out there. I use 100w max and this antenna for ALL of my DX...confirmed QSOs qwth stations in Cuba, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Ducie Island, France, Spain, Italy, Belgium, and other DX entities. Rig: Icom IC-700 or Yeasu FT-897D, tuner - don't have one in line with this antenna, coutnerpoise/radials - NONE. Key to it working - realistic exopectations, assembling per instructions, and mounting per instructions. I found that if it was mounted with the base within 3 ft of the ground - EXCELLENT RESULTS; base mounted 30+ ft AGL - EXCELLENT RESULTS; base anywhere in between...degraded results. Again...if you're expecting this antenna to perform like a well tuned single band yagi...move on but if you want an antenna that gets the job done in a small space and is lightweight and durable - here's your antenna.
Michael Wright, N4MAW, AAR4GJ
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K3DAV
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Rating: 4/5
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Feb 24, 2009 23:44
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Updated review
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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This is an update from my October 6, 2008 review.
Since I upgraded my license to Amateur Extra, I have had the chance to make my own contacts at different times of day on many bands.
As I said before, this is indeed a compromise antenna. If you have space restrictions and want to get on HF, this antenna will do the job. Keep in mind that all of the following reports are from my Icom 706MK2G with only 100 watts. The Comet is mounted on just 15' of pole from the ground, and fed with LMR-400. That's all. And I live near 3 Mile Island, just a few miles south of Harrisburg, PA.
So far the upper HF bands have not been to active due to the down side of the solar cycle. But there were a few days of limited DX on 10M where I contacted stations in Tenn and Texas. They both gave me an S-6 to S-8 report.
I made a couple of contacts on 15 and 17 meters from Iowa and Kansas with S-9 reports.
But 20 meters is great with this antenna. France had a contest weekend on Feb 21 and 22 of '09. I answered 3 or 4 of them and got reports of S-8 to 10dB signals. And I was heard through one pile-up. That made me smile a bit. I also made contact with a ham in Italy, with a 10dB signal. Not bad for 100 watts on a multi-band vertical.
On 75M, I have been talking with a bunch of guys who take over 3805KHz in the late afternoon and early evening. They are all about 100 to 220 miles from me. Some of them have to crank their volume a little to hear me, but they hear me. The further away they are, they hear me better. One of them up near Rochester NY (171 miles) heard me very well. As did another guy near Wheeling W.VA, (216 miles).
Again, it's not a perfectly cut dipole, or a big bad yagi. But if you can't put up one of those antennas, the Comet CHA250B is a good compromise antenna. You will make DX contacts, and maybe even have a little fun in the process.
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KE5YRF
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 18, 2009 19:33
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Works as advertised
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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I use this antenna as a portable on my motor home, mounted to the rear ladder at rooftop level. On a recent trip, I worked Italy, Germany, several South Pacific islands and all over the US. The SWR was less than 1.5 on all bands and I could literally work anything I could hear. Not bad for a so called "dummy load". I did drive a ground rod in the ground 4 feet since my rv ladder was insulated from ground. We had some 40mph winds at one location and the antenna took it with no problems. Set up is less than 10 minutes with 1 person. This is not a yagi or a ground plane with multiple radials, but it works great as a portable antenna.
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G0KSC
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 27, 2008 05:31
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Excellent
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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OK yes it is expensive and no, thereis not a lot of moenys worth of components but could you build it yourself? No. It is a bit like buying Windows Vista and complaining as the cost of a disc is just a few pence/cents...
I am in a restricted area so wanted something for HF to just get me on the bands. I hada look at what was around and whilst, this only accepts 250 watts, I decided any more than that would most likely cause problems anyway.
The antenna arrived and in general, the build quality is very good. It took just 15 minutes to put it together and you used weather sealer on the joints just to make sure it lasts. I have installed the antenna on a 20 foot pole on the side of the house so the base is sitting at about 30 feet from the ground. Additionally, I attached an earth strap to the base of the 20 foot pole which inturn is connected to a earth rod.
From 80 thru to 6 metres the SWR hardly moves at all. This includes the 5mhz band too for which I have an NOV. So a bonus there. Also, one more bonus. it works fine on 4 metres (70Mhz) Too!!
1.4.1 at one end of the band and 1.6.1 at the other. Fantastic!
The antenna has been up a few hours and I have looked around the bands. 20 seemed alive so I scanned more slowly. Found K4NV in Georgia calling cq so called him. 59 report and a 20 minute conversation. Excellent. Next I found N3EON in Marryland. I called him, first shot, 59 10 minute chat.
I am based in the South East of the UK, working across the pond is what I want to do so it does the job.
In summary at £300.00 it is a lot of money but what do you get? Not $40.00 worth of tubing, you get a single antenna that works on ALL but one of the HF bands along with 50Mhz and 70Mhz too.
Highly recommended.
JJ
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G4VVQ
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Rating: 4/5
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Nov 2, 2008 04:07
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Great Antenna
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Hi all, Fred in England, i have purchased a Comet CHA250B, and was surprised how good it was, mainly used it on recieve so far, but have tx'd twice on 20 mts, got 5-9 back from slovinia, was easy to assemble and erect, seems good on the wind front, but i think it must be carefully waterproofed although the instructions don't say that, but would think water can get into it and stay in the base, i suggest using gaffer tape around the wingnuts and screws and waterproof the sections, possibly some silicon sealer around the ends of the base unit. my vswr is good all over the bands from 80 to 6 meters, 73 Fred.
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KC9LCC
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Rating: 5/5
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Sep 19, 2008 19:02
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2nd review
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I wrote a review a year or so ago. I have since had the opportunity to use the antenna more. I run a run a Yaesu 897d with tuner at 100 watts. I upgraded to a general class license in may. I have made contacts with Eastern Europe to Alaska using this antenna on 100 watts. Great one for the money. Also I had to move it to a new place after the initial setup due to sale of the house. Works great and would recommend this to anyone who is interested.
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WM3L
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Rating: 5/5
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Jul 23, 2008 07:03
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WORKS WELL FOR ME
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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This will be my first review of this antenna and I will do another one at the 6 months mark. I have only been using this antenna for a week but since I put it up with base at about 18 feet off the back roof I have had no problem working anything I can hear. I have made 27 contacts in about 2 hours total of casual operating time. Contacts made were on 6, 10, 15, 20, and 40 meters. I have not really tried it out on 80 meters yet. SWR is flat 1-1 across all the bands from 80 to 6. It is a compromise antenna and if you have the space and desire to put up another vertical with as many radials as you can then go for it. For me that was not possible and this antenna is low profile, keeps the XYL happy, and makes me happy with being able to work whatever I hear usually with 5-9 and 15 to 20 over results. I understand the comments made by some on here but this compromise antenna works for me.
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KE4PTM
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Rating: 3/5
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Apr 12, 2008 19:01
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Pick your battles....
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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The CHA-250Bx vertical from Comet is a decent vertical antenna for 20m and up. In fact, it works very well on 15m as I have worked most of S.America on it using only 100W. With a tuner you can go down to 160m but don't expect much. It is a surprisingly good receive antenna and will pick up everything from LW to UHF and I've had great success on MW/BCB piping it into a Misek phasing box with an aircore loop (gotta pad down the Comet about 10dB here for it to fly).
I have mine up 20' fed with LMR-400 and have a substantial ground sytem. I like the looks and lightness of the thing but am a bit perplexed as to why just a light wind storm in February put kinks into the top two sections. Comet replaced them free of charge and only required that I submit a pic of the antenna as proof.
The older models are prone to bending, especially if you have it on a mast that might whip the thing when exposed to 40+ mph gusts.
Don't get your hopes up for 40 and 80 meters although it will get out and you can make contacts. It doesn't compete even with a very low height dipole on these lower bands though there are times when it might receive better.
The antenna is not really worth the money for a location where you have wire or rotatable dipoles as alternatives.
If Comet optimized the CHA250 for 40m and higher, beefed it up for more power, and sold it for around $325....it would be a real winner.
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W5WSS
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Rating: 5/5
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Apr 9, 2008 13:50
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a performance report
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I operated in the recent CQ wpx contest using the Comet with non conductive support poles and rope the antenna base was at a low height of only 20' lashed to the cabin balcony. A temporary installation indeed. The extent of my participation was a total of 6 hours so I do not qualify to send my log to CQ. Anyway I used 100 watts pep power and the results were 172 contacts. One was with nh6p on 40. Considering that the majority of the time I operated the bands were insanly crowded,(3khz qrm was much stronger than my signal) I am ever more impressed with the Comet vertical. Later During the 4:00am to 6:00 am cst. early morning I listened to zl's and vk's on 40 at S-9 signal strength and s-0 noise level! One in particular called qrz contest repeatedly during the time frame...he made zero contacts,he took no calls yet his signal here was 599. So I think we can become used to our average height horizontal antennas propensities that better hear a different layer of signals than a vertical polarised radon or vice/versa! And more often than not some mistakenly use that as a comparator. The same can be said that the vertical hears better a certain layer of vertically polarised signals(DX) so take your pick! Just a thought When making antenna comparisons we should not compare the horizontal dipole to a vertical radon during a propogation mode that favors the horizontal polarity whether it be a dipole or a beam etc. So you may be asking how do you know when that is the absolute case? There are no simple,absolute answers... I can speculate indefinitely such as(horizontal antenna height and the relationship that is intrinsic to ground proximity as it pertains to its lobe formation, focal points of toa resulting in strong signals yet short distance hops(nvis)etc. So why the vk was S-9 here on my Comet yet for 2 hours he replied to zero calls? The answer is found over time with experience of using your antenna. Careful..when comparing the vertical to a horizontal radiator via skywave remeber that the vertical has a better propensity to DX due to low toa not <800 mile hops using high toa nvis. I am just reporting what I accomplished while using the vertical during a contest environment...the antenna works good. Regards w5wss 73
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