| SP9HZX |
Rating:      |
2021-01-27 | |
| Outbacker Perth |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I'like to add something to my previous review.
This year I will have been using Outbacker Perth antenna for 23 years.
All this time the antenna is out of doors and works almost daily.Sometimes extreme weather conditions.
Nothing can be spoilt in it!
It still looks smart and works perfect.
I recommend strongly
Very good contact with Terry VK6LTC
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| XE1EC |
Rating:      |
2021-01-04 | |
| Great solid antenna |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
This is a sturdy antenna that will work no matter what.
I keep several of their models in my antenna arsenal, they all work great.
Easy to tune on the field.
I use them on the mobile station and portable for SOTA/POTA operations.
This is the best performance mobile antenna I have used (and have used several different antennas).
Some complaint that you have to park to change bands, yes, it is like having many monoband antennas in a single package, if you don't bother parking to change bands and prefer performance over convenience, this is the antenna for you.
Yes, it is an expensive antenna, but it will survive several other antennas so, at the end it ends up being more cost effective.
73s |
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| KB0ETC |
Rating:  |
2019-01-02 | |
| Low Q, High Price, Zero Support |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| Poor performer and with a price tag off that that approaching the price tag of much better options. This antenna may have had it's heyday many years ago, just not these days. For the price you can buy every ham stick antenna with quick disconnect and perform a million times better on advertised bands. With this antenna, after changing the band tap, you'll have to adjust the stinger every band change. At lower frequencies, expect very narrow bandwidth. No email communications from Alpha Delta, the American dealer or from Terry in Australia. Absolutely no (read ZERO) after sales service or support. For the price of the antenna, mount and shipping you can buy a commercially made screwdriver antenna. Look elsewhere, this antenna is not even worth a look on their 1990's era web page and emails go to a black hole. Wrap wire on a fiberglass fishing pole, glue on banana plugs, solder wires, dip in gelcoat or simply heatshrink it and call it the Bushcomm antenna. Viola you have an Outbacker or Bushcomm. I think MFJ makes a similar antenna if you want to try a cheaper version. |
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| W6ZKH |
Rating:  |
2017-09-13 | |
| No help from NA |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| I have phoned, emailed the NA contact in Ky and phone answer machine says "Alpha Delta, leave message.......". They never returned nor answered emails or phone calls. Also website listed in heading goes to a tree trimming company in VK-Land!!... I am looking for replacement for the Fly Lead in the antenna...guess I will have to fabricate my own. I am attempting to email the VK distributor now and see if that works. Picked this antenna up at a swapmeet and curious to see if it will meet my needs. |
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| K4RCM |
Rating:      |
2016-08-15 | |
| Very good ant. |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| This is a very good ant. bought about 10 yrs ago at a hamfest , At first had a little trouble but found out it is were I put it on the truck , by tailgate no good tail gate caused hi swr , so I bought a cap for the back of my Dodge P/U and moved it so the top of ant was over the roof , and put 2 grounds on it , worked good made a cotact from Frackville,PA to Japan with 100 watts from my Icom 706 mgkII, moved it to my gmc van and it works great , on that van , I used it out side on a tripod too works great , I thank peter Ve3hoh for showing me were I made a mistake |
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| W6VI |
Rating:   |
2015-09-21 | |
| works well but ZERO after the sale service |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| This antenna has worked well for me in fixed-portable usage on hotel room metal balconies using a "jaws" clamp mount from High Sierra products, and on Field Day using the Outbacker Outpost ground mount. However, don't buy an Outbacker antenna with the remotest expectation you can get any after-the-sale service. I've been trying for months to get a replacement knurled locking nut that secures the whip to the antenna body. This is a critical but very small part, and I inadvertently lost mine, without which the antenna is unusable. This must be a tapered metric interior threat inside the nut, which applies pressure to the collet at the top of the antenna body to secure it. An ordinary metric nut of the proper diameter and thread count does not apply sufficient pressure on the collet to secure the whip. I e-mailed the factory in Australia and was promised one by return mail many months ago. Numerous followup e-mails have generated no part and no e-mail reply after my first inquiry, wherein it was admitted spare parts stocks in the USA are in effect non-existent. I've been in e-mail contact with the USA distributor for Outbacker Antennas, but he is unable as of yet to come up with one (not his fault). The absence of this one part has made my investment in an expensive antenna worthless. Let the buyer beware... |
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| W9GB |
Rating:     |
2012-04-17 | |
| FACTS |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
Outbacker Antennas - North America
http://www.outbackerantennas.com/index.html
When properly installed the various models of the Outbacker Mobile Series provide truly outstanding performance with extreme versatility. For example, consider the model STEALTH PLUS. This is a single whip, only 4 feet long, that covers 75 through 10 meters Plus 6 and 2 meters. This antenna is no larger than a VHF/UHF colinear whip and is perfect for the new HF transceivers that also cover 6 and 2 meters. The model PERTH PLUS has the same features in a 6 foot length off eri ng improved performance where this extra length can be accommodated.
For those seeking maximum mobile performance through the HF ranges, the model PERTH offers the highest performance. It has a 4 foot shaft with a 3 foot stinger and its performance from 75 through 10 meters is truly outstanding as it is optimized for HF operation. All Outbacker models are designed for severe weather and mobile vibration applications and offer years of trouble free service.
PERTH PLUS Instructions
http://www.outbackerantennas.com/pdf/PERTHPLUS.pdf
Outbacker North America, Inc.
214 Second Street
Manchester, KY 40962
jfburns@windstream.net
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| KH6DC |
Rating:  |
2010-09-11 | |
| Save Your Money |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| Ok antenna. Low signal out on 2m to local repater with lots on noise on my tranmission. When switched to the Larsen glass mount dual bander, full quieting and high signal. HF it's a waste of time. I get a 22 report checking into the local inter-island net. When I switch to a 40m Hamstick, my signal's changed to 59+20. Convenient band switching but no worth the high price. It's now my son's pretend fishing pole. Now my HQ Screwdriver antenna, that's a different level altogether. |
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| WY3X |
Rating:  |
2010-09-11 | |
| Works well, but pray it doesn't ever break! |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I got one of these in brand new. A couple of months later, the whip flew out on the highway somewhere. You can't buy the correct replacement whip from Outbacker, they simply aren't available. (Or at least that's what I was told by their U.S. rep. a few years ago). I tried a slightly larger whip, and had to pry the lips apart on the collet ever-so-slightly to get it to fit, and one of the prongs snapped off! Basically $350.00 flushed down the toilet. Shipping back and forth to Australia costs too much to make it worth getting fixed. I've held onto the antenna for five years hoping the parts situation would improve, but no joy. Somebody told me the U.S. rep is now Alpha-Delta, but there is no mention of Outbacker on their website. I guess it's time to pitch this white elephant in the trashcan, but I'm going to try one more time to get parts and get it repaired. -WY3X
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Earlier 3-star review posted by WY3X on 2009-04-16
The antenna works well. I honestly have no complaints about that. What I do have a problem with is poor customer service. I called several of the dealers who sell this antenna looking for a replacement whip, and -NONE- of them have one! All of them referred me to the factory, who doesn't answer the phone- they have a ROTTEN ANSWERING MACHINE! I don't know of anyone who enjoys spending an hour on the phone looking for something you can't find! If you can't get a spare whip quickly when the one you have flies off going down the highway (rendering the antenna useless), it detracts from the value of the whole thing! If it employed a standard size whip that you could buy at Radio Shack it would improve the usability of the antenna. |
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| WA2EGP |
Rating:      |
2009-09-27 | |
| Nice multiband mobile antenna |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
Since there is no regular Perth category I'm reviewing it here.
I obtained a used Perth since too many people were hitting my bumper mounted High Sierra with their car. It came without a "stinger" so I got a piece of 3/32 stainless steel rod and used that instead. I mounted it on a ball mount with heavy duty spring on the trunk lid of my compact car.
So far, I've found it to be as good as my High Sierra. SWR is fine on 40 and up, under 1.2:1 across the phone band on 40, same across the whole band on higher bands (not quite all of 10). 75 shows normal limited bandwidth and is not quite in the phone band with the stinger in its present position. Going to use a little "shorted turn" trick to move it up so the stinger will not have to be moved for any band.
As far as those who have SWR problems, it could be due to using the wrong taps (there are two on the bottom) or forgetting to use the ground tap (it has a built in matching section). Changing the number of turns on the wander lead did not seem to change the resonance much.
Overall, it's build very well, having taken a few tree branch hits and a low drive ATM roof with no noticeable damage.
Once you get it set up, it's a great antenna to use. That's why I give it a 5. A little pricy new but I got mine used so it was reasonable for me. Hope to get the Plus soon so I can review that too. |
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