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Reviews For: Comet SB15 Triband Mobile Antenna

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

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Review Summary For : Comet SB15 Triband Mobile Antenna
Reviews: 19MSRP: 79.99
Description:
Triband, 6, 2 & 70cm mobile antenna.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.cometantenna.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00194.6
AB0R Rating: 2020-01-22
Really nice tri-bander! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I have this mounted in the passenger side of the rear box on my 2006 GMC Sierra. I mounted it to the inside stake pocket with a Diamond right angle bracket and a 239 barrel connector. I did ground it via wire to the frame and all the way to the battery terminal connection where the radio (Yaesu 8900R) is also grounded. it is wired into the cab with 25' of RG8X.

Performance is excellent with great reports from other on simplex and the local repeaters. I am VERY happy with this antenna.

(I also use the SBB5 in this same installation when I'm not using 6 meters as it fits in the garage better)
KC9NCS Rating: 2015-08-22
Great Antenna 2m/70cm/6m Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Replaced a Larson 150 that I used with an ICOM V8000 with a Comet SB15 and a Kenwood TM-732 and an RCI-5054DX.

Very happy with the performance of the antenna on 2m/440 with the TM-732A. Performance is "acceptable" on 6m with the RCI-5054DX. Compared the 6m performance of the SB15 to a 6m Hamstick and didn't really notice much of a difference.

Not sure if that's saying something positive about the SB15 or something negative about the 6m Hamstick. Either way, that's all I had to compare it to. Either way, it works on the local 6m nets here around the Chicago area.
W7PVA Rating: 2013-02-10
Good Mobile Antenna Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I bought theSB-15 as a replacement for my UHV4. The antenna seemed to be an improvement on 2M and 70CM. The antenna was mounted on a FJ Cruiser on the hinge mount of the rear door. It did not seem directional and TX was as good as RX, if I could hear it I could talk to it.
The only bad thing was I could not adjust SWR on 6M.
Would I buy another? You bet!
The product is very well made. I forgot to tilt it down for garage parking a time or two and the thump reminded me. The antenna also took some abuse while in brush and wooded areas. It held up very well. The only reason I took it off my FJ was I repaired my UHV4!
W6QE Rating: 2011-07-02
VERY good antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I think this antenna is great! Those folks that rate it poorly because they have to clean it every now and then, or that it bangs on tree's, or they have to collapse it for a parking garage...that isn't the antenna's fault.
It is a bit pricey, but you know what? You get what you pay for. If you're looking for a cheap hobby, amateur radio isn't for you. Try bird watching.
If you have an application for a 6m, 2m & 70 cm antenna, this one is fantastic.
RAINS Rating: 2011-02-06
Good solid antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I mostly use mine on VHF but man it works great. I've made contact with the space station with it! I've also cleanly talked into a Canadian FM repeater from SE of Eugene Oregon. That's 386+ miles away! With only 50 watts! Sure there was ducting but still this is a great antenna. It's rather stiff so your signal tends not too flutter much when mobile. The only issues are length and stiffness.Meaning it's not such a great antenna in the brush. A 5/8th whip is better of just fold it over. Still it is a tough antenna. I plan to keep it around for a long time.
KG6BIW Rating: 2009-07-13
Couldn't hardly ask for more! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Have had this antenna for about 9 years now. It has been mounted on the roof rack of my Jeep Cherokee and has seen over 100K miles of on and off road. Have checked it periodically to make sure the set screws remain tight; never had them come loose. It has struck many tree branches, one which broke the mount but the antenna held up perfectly.

Performance is great...but, to be honest, I don't have much to compare it to. On 2 meters it seems to get out better than most. I many times loose the QSO before the other end, in spite of where it is mounted. I only use the UHF for x-band repeat with my HT. I have rarely used it on 6 meters.

It has been outdoors in everything but snow in all those years, including 100 deg plus for at about two months out of the year. The traps are looking rather weathered and I wonder just how brittle they may be getting but they take the ocasional stress of dragging the top element, which has a bit of a kink in it now, under overhangs with no problem. Always seem to forget to fold that thing over.

One of few items I can smile about spending the money on.

God bless
73
jb
kg6biw
AC0Y Rating: 2008-09-05
SB15 over time Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had a SB15 now for about 8 to 9 years. I checked it with my meter the other day and found that it had 2.8:1 on 2 meters and even worse on 70 cm. I have had to replace both upper most coils in the past due to the fact that they are made to break instead of "hurting some one". I found that the entire antenna needs to be cleaned up after a while. It became a pretty good antenna again after a few hours of cleaning.
N4CQR Rating: 2008-07-02
Very Satisfied Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have this paired up with a FT-8900R in a service truck mounted on the left side of the hood. Performance has been excellent. Mobile for Berea KY to the 146.640 repeater in Adair county 65+ air miles is a common occurence.
KD5XB Rating: 2008-06-12
Great antenna! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've owned one of these for some 6 years now, and I've used it on several 18-wheelers. When on the 18-wheeler, the base is usually 9 feet up, plus or minus a couple of inches. Works well on 2 meters, and 70 cm, but I've only rarely used it on 6 meters, since I have a Hustler setup for 20 meters and the Icom 706 puts 6 meters on the HF connector. I used it a bit on 6 meters today, just listening, and heard several stations in 8-land and 7-land, and even a KH6 signing "Aloha" with somebody. Only complaint so far, is one of the insulators/phasing contraptions has loosened up to the point that the top 2/3 of the antenna is about to be lost! But after 6 years on an 18-wheeler and several hundred-thousand miles, in hot, cold, snow, sleet, high winds, and everything else, I'd say this is one tough antenna that works well on our three most popular VHF/UHF bands.

7 3
N1IIC Rating: 2007-02-28
An Awesome Antenna! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had it on top of two successive Yukons for 8 or so years and 100k miles and it has been used with an IC-706 MKIIG and a Yaesu FT-8900 with excellent performance. I have has this antenna mounted with a magnet and also a drilled permanent mount. It has a UHF connector.
I started with an older spring loaded version of the fold over, which one of the tabs broke. After 6 years and being knocked over who knows how many times, and minding the trees and bridges that were hit, that is good longevity in my opinion even with such a poor fold-over design. I did replace the base coil (the new version and a much better design) for a reasonable price from Comet.
I haven't had any problems with the setscrews or hearing the NWS transmitters.
I knew this antenna was tall when I bought it, I don't know how anyone can fault it for being tall unless you have problems with reality.