Manager


Manager - NA4M
Manager Notes

Reviews For: Cobra Ultralite Senior by K1JEK

Category: Antennas: HF: Verticals; Wire; Loop

eMail Subscription

Registered users are allowed to subscribe to specific review topics and receive eMail notifications when new reviews are posted.
Review Summary For : Cobra Ultralite Senior by K1JEK
Reviews: 18MSRP: $125
Description:
140 Ft (70 ft a side) Wire antenna fed with Twin-Lead
Product is in production
More Info: http://k1jek.com/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
25184.3
N4LCD Rating: 2018-02-23
A Premium Dipole Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've had mine up for several years now. It survives better than any other dipole I've had before. I shortened the feed line to fit. I use a 1:1 current balun from Balun Designs instead of the 4:1 balun that K1JEK recommends, because DX Engineering recommends a 1:1 balun. That has turned out to be good advice because my Elecraft KX3 can tune all bands, 160 through 6 using the Balun-Designs 1:1 balun. I use a pulley system so I can adjust the location of each end of the antenna and so I can lower it slightly if there's going to be a storm. I also want to note that some hams have a dipole shootout up in Jasper, Georgia and the Cobra Ultralight Senior wins every year.
K3DGR Rating: 2017-08-30
Just a replacement test-failed! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Installed this antenna in place of my super performing 80m Doublet Vee..Big mistake!..160m swr lowest only got down to 3.5-5.0!!..This is a very high gain doublet which adds 2 or 3 s units to the signals on 80 and 40m, however was totally useless to me and which resulted in destroying my LDG100Pro2 ATU, ..Got replacement and put my trusty 80m doublet vee back up and 1.0-1.1 swr on 80 thru 30m!!- as it should be. Sorry, maybe this will work in your installation, but I don't recommend this antenna for a top band replacement!!. 73's Dave,aa3ej
N4QEX Rating: 2016-11-24
Excellent antenna! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Purchased one new and installed 8 years ago, has been through all kinds of weather including one category I hurricane. Has lasted longer than any dipole I've had in the past 30 years. Can't tell it's better than others re performance, but is easily as good and far more durable!
K8CPA Rating: 2016-09-12
Two Years later still working great! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I put it up in 2014 and it still works great. Better than the guy that owns it! Ha! (meaning me, not Joe...LOL!)

No problems, rope still holding up and the antennas hasn't come down yet!

Get one, you won't regret it.



----------------------
Earlier 5-star review posted by K8CPA on 2015-10-28

In a previous review, I said I had this antenna up for three years. Oops!

It's been up for about a year now. No issues at all. Still works great.

I highly recommend it. 8-D




----------------------
Earlier 5-star review posted by K8CPA on 2014-11-21

In my previous review, I said the antenna will not work very well on 160.

I have egg on my face too! It helps if you use the tuner properly. (D'oh!)

It works quite well on 160 meters. When I did my review, it was still in the summer months; when 160 meters is noisy and basically unusable.

Well, now it is 20 degrees F. and there's snow on the ground! I think that qualifies as winter! 8-)

Anyhow, I use the antenna on 1.895 on the "Everyday net" almost every night. I also use it to check into other frequencies on 160 as well; when the band is good. The truth is, you can be on a full way loop and if the band is band, you'll be lucky to work across the street!

So, 5 stars for this antenna. If you've got the real estate put this up; you won't be sorry!

KD2KBU Rating: 2016-04-22
Good Antenna-works well on all bands Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This is my first HF antenna. I use it with a Yaesu FT-450D. The Cobra Ultralite Sr works with the rigs internal antenna tuner on all bands from 160 to 6. I live in NY and have QSL's from Belgium to Hawaii.
I would recommend installing it with bungee cords or some other means of providing slack. I tied it in a fixed location in the trees and it worked great until another, big tree fell on it in a windstorm. Had it been installed with some give, I could have re-hung it. Instead, I have ordered another.
Also, Joe was fantastic with his customer service- both before and (more importantly) after the sale. I highly recommend this antenna.
NU1O Rating: 2015-09-06
Not very robust Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Somewhere in the advertisement it says this antenna was designed to survive New England winters. Well, I live in New England (Mass) and I've had two Cobra Seniors fall apart during the past few winters.

Last winter the plastic center section split in two. During another winter one of the legs broke off.

I don't understand the need for the folded wire because they claim it brings resonance down to only 2.8 Mhz so it's still not resonant for 160 and a transmatch is needed for all bands.

I bought a commercial product for convenience but it was frustrating see two of these fail during pretty normal New England winters.

I'm in the process of ordering parts to build my own antenna for this year's low band DX season. For the price of this antenna an amateur can buy a lot of copper wire, a few insulators, a center connector, some rope, and some coax or ladder line with the benefit of actually learning something about antennas.

I can't recommend this product.
KB2THD Rating: 2015-06-04
Great for MARS use also Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Love the antenna.
The customer service could not be better.
I am using it for MARS work and it seems to do the job better than any other wire antennas I have used. Joe(K1JEK) takes personal interest when dealing with customers.
NI1S Rating: 2015-05-28
Quick Easy Effective Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Purchased at Marlboro, Mass. flee market just at last minute before he was leaving. After over thinking about purchasing product I'm GLAD I bit the bullet. I put this antenna up with the assistance of a Lazer line approximately 90 feet in the air. I like to operate every thing in the KISS mode. Keep it simple stupid. This antenna is just that. EASY to put up. I have only been concentrating on 20 meters, barefoot. This is only because of all the activity holding me there. My reports are 5/9 from the Netherlands to California with 5/4 into JA land. Plus I'm not working from the greatest locations. I can't recommend this antenna enough. Just put it up and work the bands.