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Reviews For: DIAMOND X-50 2m/440 ANTENNA

Category: Antennas: VHF/UHF+ Omnidirectional: verticals, mobile, etc

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Review Summary For : DIAMOND X-50 2m/440 ANTENNA
Reviews: 122MSRP: 99.99
Description:
Gain: 2m:4.5dB 70cm:7.2dB
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.rfparts.com/diamond/x50.html
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
131224.6
KQ4DTM Rating: 2022-11-04
The X50 is Tunable ! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Received and installed (attic) my Diamond X50A without fanfare. Actually ordered the X50NA but a quick install of an adapter saw me up and running quickly.

After setup it seemed to Rx quite well. THEN I checked the VSWR and saw some interesting numbers.

The 2M band was rock-solid around a perfect reading. Very pleased. Then I checked the 70cm band only to see most readings about/over 2.0. NOT HAPPY.

Contacted seller and Diamond Antennas. Not any help on both tries.

Scoured the interweb for similar issues but really found very little. Either operators do not check these "pre tuned" antennae or don't care. I quickly found info on checking/repairing similar units and decided to take my two-day old antenna apart for viewing.

Easy (typical) dissection. Noticed that there was an adjustment area identical to that of mobile antennae. I rechecked my data on where the readings were the most out of norm and determined that my unit was a bit too long.

Dremel tool in hand, carefully I proceeded.

RESULT: I got the 440 band down to 1.2 or less across the spectrum and my face is hurting from all the smiles.

These antennae are tunable, at least to some extent. Do your research and act responsibly. The results are worth the effort. I am now a very HAPPY OWNER of the X50.

I give it 5 STARS now, but only 3 STARS as it arrived.

73's
W1CDT Rating: 2022-06-14
A Decent Antenna Has Been Improved Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I use several Diamond X-50NA antennas, for packet and FM voice work. I've employed them in various locations for over 8 years. Electrically, they have been about what one would expect for their price and design.

Two of the antennas suffered from the same mechanical problem... The bolt holding the antenna base into the support tube would "work" in the wind, and eventually would strip the threads in the base. The antenna did not fall out, but it was clearly not right.

The newest version uses TWO bolts to hold the base into the support tube. It is mechanically much more sound.
KD2GOE Rating: 2021-11-29
PASS this thing is JUNK! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
had this so called antenna for 5 years. it still looks new! because I had it up for a total of 1.5 months swapping back and forth between 3 antennas well its back up right now and ill be taking it down for the last time and putting it in the trash.

The first one I sent back when I seen my single drop and I though oh well maybe I got a dud. so I returned it as a DOA and they sent me a new one. I ran the replacement and it was the same deal but because I was stubborn I though maybe it was some thing else.
after a few years I E Mailed Diamond telling them about the poor Transmit and receive performance with this antenna. They told me to send it back to them and they will have there tech look at it.
I was excited they would look at it after 5 years.
So after spending $60 to send it out and then have them send it back it is still no good it was the same!
If the techs at Diamond can't even fix this antenna what dues that tell you? my guess is they don't care. I'm willing to bet every one of the Diamond x50 out there are the same and every one that has one has no clue a $20 TRAM-1180 will out perform it.
I built 3 Stub J-pole antennas and they work nicer then the X50.

here are some screen shots of my trying to hit local and distant repeaters. As you can see there is a Huge drop off on just receive strength. The same with transmit simplex with 4 friends. I have 3 runs of LMR400 at 50 feet.
https://imgur.com/a/TbUfqIW
N4DBM Rating: 2021-02-12
Excellent for intended use. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
My first experience with an X-50 was in the early 1990's when my father and I were playing packet radio in NC. He had a space on a large tower to where the antenna needed to be "invisible" to the untrained eye. It worked well for nearly 10 years at 250 feet with no issues. Since then, it has been up and down many places and it works perfectly fine for what it is.

Please note that most ham antennas are rated in dBi, not dBd. dBi is gain, in dB, over an isotropic radiator. A 1/2 wave dipole has about 2.15 dB gain over an isotropic radiator.. So, When the X50 claims 7.2 dB on UHF and 4.5 on VHF, that means 2.3-ish dB over a 1/2 wave on 2-meters and about 5-ish dB gain over a 1/2 wave on UHF.

If you break the antenna down electrically, you can figure it will perform about as well as a 5/8 wave ground plane on 2-meters. The reason the antenna doesn't necessarily need 20 inch radials at the bottom is because some of the decoupling on VHF is done internally and by the sleeve that the coax runs through.

I would never mount this antenna out the top of a tower where lightning would blow it away. I would also never attempt to fully duplex the antenna (repeater use) as dual band antennas rarely ever perform well on a good repeater (although many people I know use them with good results, somehow). Don't use more power than it's rated for. Some antennas are rated in PEP, not FM. The full TX power goes through some small disc capacitors in the base and pushing it will burn the caps for sure.

Unless the antenna was defective upon your receipt, there is no reason you would have bad VSWR. Checking VSWR with cheap RG58 cable is never a good idea. If you don't have the ability to install connectors correctly, buy some pre-made assemblies from RG213 or LMR400 cable according to the length needed.

I have a Diamond X50 at 360 feet freely side mounted on a large public safety tower for general simplex use in eastern NC. I taped it up from bottom to top with Scotch 88 for longevity. I have no worries the antenna will operate just fine for a long as I need it.

I recommend this antenna because it is light-weight, dual band, low profile and it performs satisfactory on both bands with a very good match near the band center.
W9AC Rating: 2020-07-19
24+ Years of Service Time Owned: more than 12 months.
07/19/2020 Update: Time owned 26 years without failure. How long can this go on?

---------------------------------------------------------
Time owned: 24 years and still going strong without any issues. I now use it with an Expert Electronics SunSDR2Pro 2m SDR transceiver.

Antenna is chimney-mounted at 30 ft. The entire antenna and chimney mount are painted with Rustoleum flat-black charcoal grill paint. HOA hasn't flagged it at this QTH in 19 years. A solid performer.
N2DKI Rating: 2020-07-17
Wonderfull Antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have an X-50 on the top of my 35 foot tower and have a UHF repeater on it running 27 watts out at the antenna. I have had plenty of good comments. However, I made one change to the antenna. The radial come at a down ward angle, I flattened them out and have had my comments go from good to great coverage.
I bought a second X-50 and mounted it to a side arm about the 25 foot level. I use it on my Dual Band Kenwood TM-731A. With the radial left in the factory downward angel. I am very please with the performance.
N1AUP Rating: 2020-07-17
Center tunes at 150 mhz. Strange. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
One key with this antenna.

The SO239 socket on the antenna is keyed to the PL259. There are v shaped wedges on the outer barrel of the PL259 that have to match the v shaped notches in the SO239. Your SWR and performance will be horrible if the PL is not seated properly.

At 1200 feet in Central Mass, I can hit Saddleback Mountain on 5 watts, all of the Boston repeaters on 5 watts, Mt Washington on 50 watts, and Greylock on 5 watts.

Antenna performance is very impressive for an omni.

AA4UC Rating: 2020-07-16
Great Antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought mine NEW after all it's not much money. In any event, my antenna has worked flawless in all weather conditions and is still performing perfectly. I'd leave 10 stars if I could!
K7AAT Rating: 2020-07-16
Superb antennas Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have owned several of these over the years and all have performed flawlessly.
WU7X Rating: 2020-07-16
I got taken. Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I purchased this used off a swapnet on the internet. I had planned on putting it up on top of the tower. so had to wait a couple of months for the wx to get better. Things were looking good so finally got around to check the SWR. 3.0:1 on 2 meters. Bah!

It looks like you either get a good one or a bit of junk. Too late to attempt to send it back. Its going into the dump.