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Reviews For: Pryme RD-98 144/440 HT SMA Antenna

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

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Review Summary For : Pryme RD-98 144/440 HT SMA Antenna
Reviews: 34MSRP: 27.99
Description:
A wonder to behold, the RD-98 is a 17" dualband HT antenna that is only 1/16th of an inch in diameter. The antenna is made of extremely strong and very flexible material -- you can even tie it in a knot without hurting it! This combination of strength and gain (2.15 dBi on Two Meters and 3.2 dBi on 70 Centimeters) has made the RD-98 the favorite antenna of emergency service volunteers and portable packet operators everywhere. The antenna's BNC (or SMA) connector is even fitted with a black rubber guard to keep out moisture. <br>
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.pryme.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00343.5
KB9ZTP Rating: 2001-10-08
Bouncy but more than gets the job done Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I am very new to ham radio, but I know that if you want to buy an HT, you're going to need an add-on antenna because the stock antennas are usually pretty crappy. I bought my pryme antenna with the Kenwood TH-D7A(G) and I am very pleased with the way they work. Comparing the stock antenna with the pryme, I could really tell the difference, especially on distant repeaters and on simplex!
The only problem is that the antenna tends to wobble a lot, so when making a contact especially a simplex one you'll have to make sure to keep the antenna still, but other than that, this is a very good antenna to start with.

Greg M. (KB9ZTP)
WP3GN Rating: 2001-08-31
It does the Job!!! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
As all of you might know, the antennas that come with most HT are no good. Now this one is a good replacement. It adds some extra gain and it folds good so it can be packed. For me and my FT-50R it does the job.

73 de Luis WP3GN
KB3ELG Rating: 2001-08-31
Worst Customer Service Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
The antenna, for the few weeks I had it before it broke, worked fine; altho nothing to write home about. But when my HT fell a foot onto the floor (carpeted), the antennae housing cracked (cheap, weak plastic).
KC7YCL Rating: 2001-01-09
Best one out there Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Most rubber-duck antennas that come with HT's really suck. This one is much better. It's very slim and flexible, and you really can tie it in a knot without breaking it (not a tight one though).

Everything about the antenna is perfect except for one thing that is a bit annoying. It's so flexible and springy that it sways around a lot when I'm walking with my HT. The back and forth motion kinda makes weaker signals fade in and out, so you'll have to hold still if you're working a satellite or a distant repeater. On the other hand, the gain is high enough that stronger signals are completely unaffected by the sway of the antenna.

For my radio, an FT-50RD, replacing the stock antenna with the RD-98 about doubled it's useable range.