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Reviews For: Austin 500C Antenna

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

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Review Summary For : Austin 500C Antenna
Reviews: 28MSRP: 35.00
Description:
The 500C Antenna are an adaptation of the popular Metropolitan Mobile Multiband Antenna. The UHF function is handled by the upper whip portion of the antenna. The element is operational as a ground independent 1/2 wave radiator. It is isolated from the feed line by the resonant cavity, which also produces a 50-ohm match. This isolation, combined with the elevation of the feed point, produces a superior radiation pattern that is on the horizon for maximum range and efficiency. The VHF operation is provided by the overall length of the antenna, functioning as a 1/4 wave element while using the vehicle as a ground plane. This patented technique substantially lowers the typically high radiation angle of the 1/4 wave antenna. Relatively short, the antenna will not bend over at highway speeds, distorting the radiation pattern. These two factors combine to provide performance when at speeds exceeding the typical 5/8 wave design. The 500C family of antenna includes single, dual, tri, and quad band versions in many popular frequency splits.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.austinantenna.net/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00284.7
KA3NXN Rating: 2005-08-16
AWSOME!! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I put it side by side to a Diamond 7900 which is 62" tall and 3x the cost. Believe it or not the Diamond did not hold a candle to the 500C. This is an amazing antenna. I have replaced all my mobile antenns with the Austin antennas. I have also replaced my scanner antenna with a Spectra by Austin. It works very very well in the mobile, from 40-900MHz. I am impressed.
K1DJW Rating: 2005-07-27
I still can't believe it !! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
What great value. At $32.95, it is equal and in many cases superior to antennas 2 to nearly 3 times that price. Driving in Connecticut, you have rolling hills in the east and west, and flat areas in the center and shore. This antenna works everywhere in the state, my 2/70C, C767 or SG7500 do not. I now have 2 of these antennas, soon to be 3 (I have 3 vehicles). I still can't believe it !! I switch antennas around once in a while to prove to myself that this antenna is for real. I still find it hard to believe this 18" antenna is better than ones twice that length, but ears and a meter don't lie.
N3QT Rating: 2005-05-05
Soft Tip Version Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I purchased for a vehicle that would be in parking garage areas a goodly amount of time. The soft tip version is well suited for this environment. If contact is made with overhangs or garage doors, the antenna yeilds to the object.

Performance of the antenna has met my expectations for dual band operation within a large metro area and excursion trips to the outer limits. It is no better or worse than the diamond 770 or Larsen 2/70 NMO. (I drilled the hole for the hole mount NMO.)

N3QT - John
73
WW4JDO Rating: 2004-10-19
Great Dual Bander Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This little antenna talks better than ones twice as tall and it doesn't look bad either. SWR is near perfect across both ham bands. My hats off to the guys at Austin Antenna for a well designed affordable antenna.
KB1KSO Rating: 2004-02-08
Top Notch Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have this antenna truck lip mounted on my car. I couldn't be happier with it. It's smaller low profile is great for stealthy applications. It wideband receive coverage is great as well. We tested side by side with some more expensive anteannas and reports back were the same. In the same parking lot on the fridge of repeater coverage side by side with more expensive antenna's this one performed just as good. I would not hesitate to recommend this antenna to anyone.
KZ1X Rating: 2004-01-13
Been using a 500C since 1988 Time Owned: more than 12 months.
1. Superior field strength tests against antennas costing 2x the price +

2. Superior field strength tests against dual band antennas that are twice the height

3. Superior longevity, demonstrated by my 1988 500C, in continuous use. Machined brass hardware.

4. Design immunity to capacitive detuning (mag mounts, nearby metal)

5. Good in-band return loss and radiation reistance, both bands.

6. Low price, American-made, standard NMO base.

WHY, oh why, do people buy $80 Diamonds and Comets and who-knows-what else, when a REAL antenna is here for the taking?
KD5CFM Rating: 2004-01-13
Great antenna for extreme parking garage use Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Austin makes two versions of this antenna, one of which is similar to a rubber duck antenna. Since I have to park in a parking garage at work, (I wish I could park outside!) I bought one of these to put on the top of my truck. (Full size Chevy) The antenna hits a concrete beam every 6 - 8 feet, and I park on the sixth level. That means I get to hear ting-ting-ting about a hundred times twice a day. A normal antenna would never survive this. The Austin 500c has endured this for 4 months. After about 2 weeks, the rubber cap came off the tip of the antenna. After about 4 months, the rubber covering on the antenna has split about an inch. I finally decided to "re-cover" the antenna using a foot long piece of 3/8 heat shrink tubing.($2.39 for 3 feet) The heatshrink tubing makes the antenna look new again, and actually makes the antenna stand up straighter than ever. For extreme parking garage use I don't think you will find anything better.
Another thing I did was I put some dynamat on the roof of my truck which changed the ting-ting-ting to a thump-thump-thump.
K1ROD Rating: 2002-10-23
Excellent Antenna Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This is one of the (if not the) best dual band antennas I have ever owned. It performs like a full length 5/8 wave on both 2 meters and 440. It is very well built. I bought this on a recommendation from a friend who has had one for years and been very happy with it. I am very happy with it too. For $35, I don't think you can go wrong.