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Reviews For: Diamond V2000 Antenna

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

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Review Summary For : Diamond V2000 Antenna
Reviews: 47MSRP: 150 - $175 Average (2/2003)
Description:
Tri band (6m/2m/70cm) omnidirectional base station antenna.
Product is in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
15474.4
ON4MGY Rating: 2003-08-10
Nice antenna but 6m isn't great Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Because I don't have space here in my QTH to put up my beams for 6,2 and 70 I've placed just a vertical, the V2000. On 70cm and 2m the antenna is doing a great job, but of course it's omnidirectional and not a beam.
On 6m however, I'm a little disappointed by it's performance. The SWR is fine,... but that's at 52MHz. On 50.110 and around the SWR is rather high (2.5 to 3.0) and a tuner for 6 is usefull.
If you can place just 1 (vertical) antenna for VHF/UHF, I'm sure if you place the V2000 you will have great satisfaction.

Best 73 de ON4MGY Nic
G8SBF Rating: 2001-07-17
Results summary - V2000 Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
This is a truly awesome aerial for 70cm. I can get mobile coverage from my home QTH in excess of 40 miles in some directions and access repeaters 60 miles away.

SWR is about 1.2:1 on UHF but unfortunately, the aerial has a strange SWR characteristic on 2 metres which will not help performance - 1.3:1 at 144MHz rising to 1.75:1 at 146MHz. Has anyone else found this? This is despite a recent feeder change to H100 and re-positioning. Maybe I have a faulty sample.

For 6m I also did not know about the slight directional characteristic favouring the longer radial. It has become apparent that 6m performance is very much a compromise on this antenna (its gain is 2.15dBi). A dipole works better and has broader tuning. I have, however, worked some good DX with the V2000 under Sporadic E including Morocco (N. Africa).

The aerial's 6m SWR characteristic makes it hard to get it to tune up on the SSB portion of the band (50.1 - 50.3MHz) whilst maintaining good SWR on the FM portion. Tune it to 51MHz (1.2:1) and the SWR at 50.15MHz is around 1.7:1. It is however usable on both ends of the band if carefully tuned in the final install location or in a clear area of your yard.

Steve G8SBF QTHR
PA3HHO Rating: 2001-07-16
Also works for 6 meter DX! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I moved to a new QTH where I didn't want to (neighbours), and didn't have the time to put up a rotator and beam for six meters. I bought thge V-2000 for local (repeater) QSO's on 2 meters but also for Es and F2 DX on six meters. On six meters, the antenna is a 1/4 wave GP. On this band, it only has one ground radial.

While the signals are booming on six when good Es or F2 is there, I was hoping it would do a good job and it actually does! I was used to work with a 2 element HB9CV, also not a big beam (actually pretty small) but worked fine for me. The V-2000 gave me excellent results with Es propagation. Signals are pretty loud during Es, I was stunned to see that the results were comparable to the HB9CV. Yes when the going gets tuf, you'd wish you had a directive beam, but hey.. I told you it's a compromise (a good one!)

Our famous Dutch football player Johan Cruyf once said: "elke nadeel heb z'n voordeel" which means something like "every disadvantage has an advantage". Johan is right saying that. I never realised it but JA7UDE states that the one radial for six actually makes it a directive antenne. The lobe is in the radial direction. A "normal" GP is doing 0 dBd gain, probably this GP has negative gain (attenuator!) on the "back site" which actually is a good thing! I WILL try to rotate the V-2000 OM JA7UDE! Thx fr the hint!

Antenne is doing great on 2m and 70cm, just what you'd expect from a 2.5 meter long vertical for 2m and 70cm. I also used this vertical for listening on other VHF frequencies and it seems to do an excellent job; comparable to a scanner discone.

This antenna is very versatile and that's what makes it special The 6m feature is a very good compromise for Ham's that don't have enough space to put up a beam but want to enjoy some exotic DX on the magic band. In PA we hardly make local FM QSO's on six and we don't have any 6m repeaters (not allowed) but I reckon that the V2000 will do a great for this too.

The versatility makes it well worth the buy and deserves the 5 out of 5 rating.

Please note that this antenna is a (pretty good!) compromise. If you're hunting for small DX signals on the magic band, better buy (or make!) yourself a BIG 6m beam!
WB9WHE Rating: 2001-06-12
Overall, very good...but Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Mechanically: very good. Well constructed. Direct DC ground. Ruggid, for non-commercial antenna. I give it a 4.8 score on mechanical.

On VHF/UHF excellent gain and surprisingly broadbanded - way beyond the HAM bands. (2 5/8 wave on VHF and 4 5/8 on UHF) No tune SWR of 1.2 across VHF and 1.3 UHF on HAM! I give it a 5.0 on VHF/UHF SWR, gain, and broadbandedness.

On 6 Meters, becasue it is ONLY A 1/4 WAVE, the tuned radial must be resonant to get a decent match. And even then, becasue it is ONLY A 1/4 WAVE on 6 Meters, it is surprisingly NARROW BANDED - less than 2 Mhz. Comet's version (same size) is 5/8 wave on 6 Meters - (more gain and wider bandwith) in about the same size. Moreover, becasue only one of the radials is resonant on 6 Meters, the radiation pattern is distorted - it is somewhat directional - with an enhanced lobe wherever the 6 Meter radial points. So...if you buy this antenna and intend to use it on 6 Meters, make sure you point the 6 Meter radial in a useful direction.

Because of the 6 meter limitations, I give it a 4.4 overall.

N2UID Rating: 2001-06-11
Excellent Quality and performance for a reasonable price Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I had put the V2000 up in January of 1995 and it has performed better than I had expected. When you do install it take time to adjust the six meter radial to get the lowest swr on that band. You will find that six meter dx can be fun.
I have this antenna at the 50ft level and it still performs as good now June 2001 as it did when I put it up. I paid $150.00 for it and I am still getting my money's worth out of it.
de Craig N2UID
JA7UDE Rating: 2001-01-17
Solid! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have never used one antenna for over two consecutive years. However, V2000 is an exception. I have been using mine for 11 years and am very happy with it. It is mechanically solid because of the good glass fiber material. I even could enjoy the satellite communication with it. V2000 has three radial rods but only one of them works for 6m. For this reason, V2000 works as a directional antenna on 6m. If you are not satisfied with the performance, try rotating it.
73 de JA7UDE Oba
VK3JED Rating: 2001-01-17
One for those with limited space Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This antenna performs very well on the 6m, 2m and 70cm amateur bands. I have heard some reports of poor performance on 6m, but personal experience is that 6m is quite good, about what one would expect for a 1/2 wave vertical. 2m and 70cm performance is excellent as well. Two major contests have been worked on this antenna, despite the QTH not being in the best of positions, scores and signals have held up well. DX worked includes VK7 (400km/250 mi troppo) on 2m and 70cm, and VK4 (1600km/1000mi sporadic E) on 6m, all simplex.

In addition, the V2000 also makes a useful scanning antenna, and works well on the aircraft band, and VHF/UHF comercial frequencies. It's also useful (with reduced performance) as a UHF CB antenna (Aussie 476 MHz band) in a pinch.

If you're tight for space, this is an excellent way to open up 3 bands.