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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
N6EMS Rating: 2001-12-20
Very good 2m/440 base antenna Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I have installed 3 of these little gems over the past 6 months (a hospital, my house and a friends house). Easy install, good quality construction, and swept just fine all times (fed w/ LMR 400 to a polyphaser and 9913 near the rig for flex on the residential installs).

If your looking for an average (IMHO) price, excellent quality dual band antenna, you need look no further.

73
Darrell
N6EMS
N3RIK Rating: 2001-09-22
Tough, simple, works great! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
8 years of flawless service from this little gem. Normal signs of aging on the fiberglass, it still works as good as new.
KD6EUH Rating: 2001-08-27
Excellent Antenna! Get your own!! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
This antenna is excellent. (Did I already say that?) I have mine in my attic right now, and it still gets out like a champ! I've been able to hit repeaters on the other side of hills with only 10Watts that I had to use 25Watts to reach before! It's sturdy, rugged, and all those other superlatives!

Like I said, run out, and get your own!
KC2GOW Rating: 2001-08-26
Exelent Antenna... Can't be beat. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I love my Diamond X-50. I can hit repeaters 70
Miles away and still get in. I don't use much power 50W max. My X-50 has been in use for over 5 years and is still in great shape (working well of course). It is an antenna that fits anywhere and will work without a problem.
N8TDB Rating: 2001-07-04
Hard to Beat Time Owned: more than 12 months.
My X-50 has been up since May 14,1992 and suffered -17 to +/- 100 degrees,+60mph winds, ice storms and a collision with a Canadian goose. The SWR is still 1:1 on both bands and hits all the repeaters within abt 60 miles. I've been really pleased with it.
W2NJS Rating: 2001-07-03
Great antenna! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I just put up my second X50A, this latest one being on my home QTH in DC. My first was/is on my condo at Wintergreen, Virginia, where it sits on a TV mast about 50 feet above ground and 3,900 feet above sea level. I feed the Virginia unit with RG8X but I went whole hog on the home unit and used Belden's RG8 half-inch cable. The antenna is so simple to install that I have no trouble imparting what is required to the tree guys, in one case, or the handyman, in another. In Virginia I can hear a repeater all the way up in Columbus, Ohio, and so far I've worked direct well over into West Virginia, which is not bad for an omni antenna fed with about 55 watts from an Icom 2100H. I haven't yet tried any DX'ing from DC, but judging by the DFQ signals I'm receiving from the local, and some distant, repeaters the antenna should do very well. I am able, on 440 mHz, to key up (but my 5-watt VX-5R's signal is too noisy to actually work the machine) one of my group's linked repeaters on a mountain 'way down in Madison County, Virginia, which is a good 80 mile haul from the house. Diamond's quality is first-rate, including the mounting hardware.
KB3CDF Rating: 2001-06-05
A Diamond for the Rough Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I chose this antenna for three reasons: functional size (5'6"), durability, and pre-tunned plug and play.

It was my goal to set something up that would not require constant attention and lots of play time.

I am satisfied my requirements have been met. The SWR out of the box was as advertised in both bands. It was a breezo to install. I had help with the 30 foot ladder. It would be too early to accurately comment on the durability in a long term sense. However, immediate observation of the construction left absolutely no question of quality. I am comfortable in saying, I won't have to replace it for a long time sans direct hit lightning. Cross-fingers!!!

Installation Description:
Gable mounted circa 35 feet, N-type connector, 50 feet of belden 9913. {LMR-400 is a little more efficient but less flexible and more difficult to manage.}

Usage 2m/70cm: 50w/35w respectivily. This is well under the maximum limit of 200w but enough for my needs. I have room to grow, if FM Simplex buddies move further away.

I don't think it wise to comment on "how far it talks". A tuned, 12 gauge wire would be fine, but I would have to replace it more frequently. I was interested in a realistic, good quality, fixed station 2m/70cm antenna. In those terms, this would be an excellent choice.

KB3CDF/4
73's

W7MGC Rating: 2001-02-27
Great construction, built to with stand the elements Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I did not want a long or cumbersome antenna due to installation space problems. This small,(about 6') long antenna does a great job. Can work most all repeaters I hear on the 706 mkIIG. Really appreciate the recessed coax fitting. A snap to install and no tuning. This is a rugged antenna. I don't expect to have to replace it for years!!
DU-1-CPM Rating: 2001-01-17
really whips! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Had my antenna mounted on a 20-foot pole over my 15-foot garage roof. It can pitch as far as 130 miles w/o a repeater on an Alinco DR-605 @ 35W - that is over hilly places in the Philippines and 40 miles on 5W. My buddies said that my signal can step over(jam) thier 50W on F23. Great wind hadling too, not even bending when F23's and X510's are almost twisted on typhoons.

It really whips!
K4III Rating: 2000-10-12
Agree-great antenna Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I agree that the antenna is great! I helped set it up on a local 100ft high repeater in FL. The only dilemma I have come accross in this state is lightening hits. However, all fiberglass rods seem to attract lightening down here. (NOTE: Although the first was struck by lightening, the coax and repeater were undamaged!) The antenna was in shreads with burn marks on the remaining shreads. Otherwise, it does a great job!