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Reviews For: Comet CAA-500 Mark II

Category: Antenna Analyzers

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Review Summary For : Comet CAA-500 Mark II
Reviews: 38MSRP: 449.00
Description:
The Comet CAA-500 Mark II antenna analyzer is a professional class instrument for measuring SWR, resonance and impedance. It features a highly sensitive, high precision Yokogawa meter for measurement accuracy in seven ranges covering 1.8 to 500 MHz. Impedance is 12.5 to 300 Ohms. VSWR 1:1 to infinity. Digital readout accurate to 1 kHz.

Product is in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
25384.7
VK5CQ Rating: 2016-09-19
Cf QST Sep '16 Lab Test Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
We bought, then Sep.'16 QST arrived, w/ hints of issues above a given freq. 'might have waited for price-drop or got another model.

Issue: Antennas w/ known excellent 70cm SWR curves (apparently) changed to have awful SWR curve, due to
loss of contact with centre lead of unit's N type (Female)
connector (4-piece "fingers" found to have spread away
from N type to (antenna's lead-in connector type) adapter.

Comet's choice of panel-mount N type Female conn'r
(on top of unit) could have been better, IMO.

We had trouble changing 70cm's sweep bandwidth, ie,
after successfully changing 2m's to + / - 2 MHz fr 146 MHz.

Still, when the (reported) measurement inaccuracies (above
a given freq.) are fixed (eg, in Mark III), this will be a useful
tool for our Antenna Lab kit

Use it - with an Ohmeter (or continuity checker) - to test antennas (incl antenna + transmission line systems).

Select optimal length(s) for adjustable & telescopic antennas
eg, for portable & mobile VHF (&, to some degree UHF) gear.

Photograph (auto or manual) SWR-by-Freq. Graphs, for
inclusion in station or repeater site Antenna Perf. records;
compare orig. to, eg, post-storm or -earthquake, to find
damage to Antenna systems.

To some extent, make more informed guesses about
the freq. / band of an unknown Antenna system.

Only the absolute value of the systems Reactance (Z) is given.

Sorry, but Remarks text box won't scroll in an iOS device (running iOS 10.0.1). Couldn't edit after previewing. :-(

I gather that such Graphs would be most reliably if
N4DWS Rating: 2016-09-15
Good -- One Missing Feature Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This is a good instrument. It is solid both physically and electronically (outside powerful fields as explained elsewhere). The one feature it lacks is a USB connection to a PC. If the data could be moved off to a computer for storage and further processing, this would be truly a 5+.
W7SEN Rating: 2016-09-13
Easy to use, very accurate Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought this analyzer to supplement my Bird 43. It's very easy to use, fast, and accurate. Accuracy, as measured against my Bird, is spot on. My only gripe is the nylon case- I wish it were a bit better padded, and a little larger.
KQ4BX Rating: 2016-08-22
Very nice if it works for you Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
It might surprise many to know that this Comet Analyzer has one serious limitation. I had bought it, and had to send it in for a problem. It never came back, so they shipped me a new one. The new one did the same as the old one, and they finally admitted one limitation of this meter. No matter how well it works when it works, it will not work in a hi RF area, such as a repeater site, or if you have a radio station near by. I tuned my GP-15 fine, but when I put it on my OCFD it would go bonkers and not do anything. The second one did the same, and that is when they took it back and refunded my money. Other than this, the meter is of great quality, and ease of use. They only need make the meter hold up under hi Rf fields, and I would easily give it 5 out of 5. Unfortunately, RF is part of our working conditions, so if you can understand that you can't build a boat that can't get wet, then you know that this is a serious flaw in this meter. Shame on QST for not finding this flaw in their testing.My Array Solutions Analyzer needs a computer and is not as handy as a postable device like this, but the Array Solution Analyzer works in situations where this meter goes bonkers.
N0HAN Rating: 2016-08-04
time saver Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
OK I have had and or used the AEA products and MFJ's this is by far the most cost effective unit, solidly built and low currant draw fairly stable and when compared to my spectrum anal. dead on as for accuracy I would put it against a bird! Good test equipment at ham prices is hard to find, buy this one with confidence! I have used it for a signal source as well for go no go stuff! Keep in mind these are a poor mans tracking generator with a spectrum display unlike the MFJ's that read erratically and do tons you dont really need this gets to point and tells imp. and resonance ....
KC7YRA Rating: 2016-07-11
Nifty meter Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
After having an MFJ unit fail after 10+ years of service (my fault on the failure), I decide to look at new market offerings. I was never stoked on the UHF accuracy of the MFJ unit, nor did I like the user interface.

I borrowed a few other units and tested them, but all were crude at best. Monochromatic displays, tacked on UHF coverage with less than stellar accuracy.

I decide on the Comet and could not be happier. The giant analog meter is AWESOME. I work on mobile installs frequently and can set the Comet in a location I can see and then visualize the meter from 10-15 feet way.

The color display is equally as awesome. It is quite a bit smaller and would be better if it were bigger, but it easily conveys the needed data. When you do sweeps on an antenna, it will display each sweep with different colors overlapping, one on the other. All of the menu and setting are easy to access via the display as well.

The knobs roll smoothly and accurately. I don't find any problems with frequency resolution. If you need to know the resonance within greater detail than a couple khz, you probably need to step up to a professional analyzer (think Anritsu).

Overall, this is a great bit of kit which should satisfy 99% of ham needs including 220mhz.
K4ZVO Rating: 2016-05-18
A Power Pack for the CAA-500mk II Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
A very nifty tool. But,for the money spent, Comet could have included a power pack instead of a cable. This limits where the instrument may be used remotely. However, I found a solution at Northern Tools. They market a "NPower" AC Charging Adapter rated @ 500 mA, Item number 24740, priced at $9.99 plus tax. The coaxial connector fits the receptacle snuggly so there are no intermittent connections. The adapter remains cool while charging the batteries. I hoped that this helps you. John K4ZVO
AJ1W Rating: 2016-04-15
Fantasic Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Comet CAA-500MARKII Antenna Analyzers SWR analyzer.

I ordered from DX Engineering on 8 Apr 2016 and it arrived on 13 Apr 2016
Being new to analyzers, I had to sift through the reviews and determine which was best for what I wanted to cover.

As in the other reviews here,
Cons:
Price, needs rubber feet on back, varible freq. adjust is REALLY sensitive! Especially trying to get to your exact frequency. Heavy.
Lack of storage of results. Instructions had the typos. Talk about speedbumpsintheroad... HI HI
Pros:
Very easy to use. I read 95% of instructions before I even installed the batteries. (with the cost, I didn't want to kill it).
Option is the NANUK case, worth the extra $$ to protect an investment.

A local ham had an antenna that had EXTREAMLY HIGH SWR. I had spotted one potential problem(due to marking on inside back cover)
BUT biggest the analyzer showed me was lowest SWR was at 152... mhz. After adjusting radiator (UP/DOWN) and opening/closing the space in the coil, I decided to move the tap to see reaction, WOW going to the second turn from the third, the SWR came down to where it sould have been.
It had good SWR under 146.000mhz where he will at mostly.
This took under a 1/2 hour to find, no doubt without it, it would have taken a LOT longer to discover.

Finalizing.... WORTH the money (to me) and I'm sure it will be put to good use with other hams when they find out HI, HI.
Note to self to dig up all those rubber feet I've bought over the years.
P.S. I also found my 20+ yo hf antenna had seen better days and where it tuned... amateurs are not allowed to xmit.
Conclusion.... worth the cost.
73,
Richard
N4UE Rating: 2016-04-12
Awesome! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I've been playing with my new CAA-500 MKII. I can't add anything that the other reviewers haven't already mentioned.
I've had a MFJ 259B for years and it's performed well. I wanted newer technology and something that covered 432 mHZ.

Just to point out:
- The build quality IS excellent.
- Yes, it's expensive. For this aspect, I recommend you purchase the Nanuk hard case. I bought this 'combo' from DX Engineering. The case is almost bulletproof. Worth every penny. All kinds of cool colors.

One last comment.... before the unit arrived, I printed the manual from the web. I was surprised that the manual that came with the unit was FULL of typos. The downloaded manual is fine.

have fun
ron
N4UE
K6AJY Rating: 2016-04-03
k6ajy Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
it works great it is the best