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Reviews For: Alpha Delta Outpost

Category: Antennas: HF Portable (not mobile)

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Review Summary For : Alpha Delta Outpost
Reviews: 7MSRP: 199.95
Description:
Portable tripod for HF verticals with 3/8 x 24 thread mounts
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.alphadeltaradio.com/ob-01.html
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0074.7
KK8ZZ Rating: 2017-09-19
Amazingly great Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Big, clumsy, and awkward as heck. I found a REALLY large PCD Schedule 40 pipe at Home Depot that was the diameter of the folded Outpost and fastened it to the rear bumper of our RV.. used screw-on pipe caps to keep it watertight.... the Outpost is as ugly as the Wicked Witch of the North, and my XYL curses all the unfolding and wing-nut tightening (God bless her) but it slides out easily, awkwardly unfolds and screws up tight with only a small selection of curses, and then works great while we're camped. Rare to find them used... Bought mine from a retired USAID guy at the final Dayton-Dayton HamVention (the original box had some really AMAZING airline stickers on it !) Great ham radio device... buy one while you can ! de KK8ZZ/m
THEMAJOR Rating: 2015-09-03
Excellent Customer Service Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Although I've had the Alpha Delta Outpost mount for over 10 years, I haven't used it much due to having received it missing an essential part. I just put it in a corner somewhere and forgot about it until a couple of years ago, and decided to get it up and running. I'd contacted the company and, even though it was already ten years old, Alpha Delta immediately and without question sent me the missing angled mounting bracket.

Five stars for customer service!!!

I haven't traveled much since then, and didn't bring the Outpost with me when I did, so I've only been able to try it at my home. The environment isn't very good for such operations (dry sandy soil next to a sizable metal cage) and, unsurprisingly, I didn't get out with my old Outbacker (I don't even remember which one it is). That said, I can't give an honest and worthwhile evaluation of the Outpost's performance.

This is much more a review of the company's performance than the product. I hate giving only three stars in the "official" rating, but didn't want to skew the performance rating one way or the other. That said, when it comes to a company's support of their product, you can't ask for more than how Alpha-Delta performed.
K7VO Rating: 2006-02-08
Outstanding ground coupled tripod; works with many antennas Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have been really impressed with the Alpha Delta Outpost ground coupled tripod. Yes, it's relatively expensive. I think it's gone up by about $50 since I bought mine maybe seven years ago. It works with any 3/8 threaded mount antenna. I've used mine with two different styles of Outbacker, including the little Tri-Split, and even with Hamsticks.

A couple of summers ago I visited Glacier National Park and went to the Glacier-Waterton hamfest. I setup my Outpost with Hamsticks and my Yaesu FT-7 running all of 10W. One ham tried it on 40m SSB and received an excellent report checking into a net. 10W on 40m SSB and a small antenna isn't supposed to be easy but it was that day. That's only one little experience out of many good ones.
N4RAP Rating: 2005-08-04
Amazing System Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Please find my review of the Outbacker antennas, elsewhere, on this website. This is an amazing antenna system. Mine is the Outbacker Outreach 500 and the Alpha Delta Outpost. It works so well, I'm affraid to try ground radials on it!!! I mean this thing works and works, well, with all types of mobile antennas with a 3/8 X 24 stud on the bottom. There is an attachment for the connection of a ground rod or ground radials, if you so desire. I have used this thing many times and in many different states and It is simple to use and works unbelievably well. If you get one, you will love it.

Dr. Wayne Scott
N4RAP
Paris, Texas
AA3LE Rating: 2005-03-20
Well made Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Received my Alpha Delta Outpost and tried it with my Hustler system. Set it up in the back yard and had no problem working and receiving stations. Folds up nicely. No radials needed. Perfect combo for a quick setup antenna system. The whole system up and down in minutes. It works and works well for a small portable system.
K3MOV Rating: 2004-04-19
Unbelievable performance Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I don't have time for a long review right now. Suffice it to say that I have decent antennas for every band but 75. Too lazy to put something up right now. Thought I would give the Outpost a try. Have worked all through Europe, Carribean, South America and all over U.S. using 500 watts. Have scheds with friends in G land. Expensive but you definitely get what you pay for. Tom, K3MOV
AH6RH Rating: 2002-11-30
I love it! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I really enjoy portable operations -- HF, VHF, UHF and microwave -- for fun, emergency communications, DX and contests. So, I was hesitant on spending $200 for an aluminum tripod mount wondering how it would perform and if the money was better spent on antennas. On the other hand, I've experimented with quite a number of portable and hand-held HF antennas and was never really satisfied with the performance. So I figured I had nothing really to lose.

Was I in for a joyful surprise!

I unpacked the antenna tripod, took it to a nearby park next to the ocean, placed it on the ground and began setting up. It unfolds nicely, and requires no tools. Just your fingers to tighten the wing nuts which are used liberally for each joint.

For the first outting I used a loaner Outreach 12-foot antenna, but soon I would be using my Hustler center-loaded HF mobile verticals on the tripod. It was a Saturday afternoon of the North American QSO Party. I unrolled the RG-8U coax, screwed in the PL-259 into the base, hooked up a Yaesu FT-817 with a manual MFJ tuner, an external 12V gel cel battery, and began replying to the mega-stations calling CQ on 10m SSB. It surprised the heck out of the guest sitting next to me that I was consistent worked stations up and down the band as far away as the East Coast with RS reports of 51 through 59 with 5 watts! (They loved getting the new multiplier.)

This was no fluke! The capacitive coupling works wonders. I haven't had the need to string radials. I often go on 40m through 10m, with nothing more than the Hustler mobile verticals and tuned the whips using an MFJ-259B and getting the SWR to practically nothing.

I consistently snag good reports on the FT-817 and the IC-706 MKII G. I've worked Europe from Hawaii on 5W SSB on 15m with this setup, and beat state-side stations trying to work a station on Saipan, again with 5 watts. Running 100 watts, I easily get state-side, Oceania and sought after DX stations during contents. It gets out surprisingly well when you have reasonably clear line-of-sight to the horizon.

Of course, it can't compare with full-sized verticals or stacked beams up 150 feet, but for relatively low cost ($200 for the base, plus $100 or so for the Hustler components) you get a small, light portable package that you can set up in 5 minutes -- something you can't do with full-sized verticals or beams. And, you can probably get by in a lot of antenna restricted settings, especially for stealth night operations. The quick setup and takedown really helps to get on the air quickly on weekends so you get the most enjoyment out of each moment.

I've tried using a marine Spider Antenna on the tripod, and while it works similar to the Hustler, the weight of the Spider begins to exceed what the base can reasonably endure.

I recommend getting a heavy duty quick-disconnect mount to thread onto the tripod and antenna. That way, it's even faster to set up and take down.

So, looking back, the $200 investment in the Outpost tripod was the best portable HF antenna investment to date, as it makes the portable vertical antennas I've already bought come alive! No regrets here. It's a keeper. See you on HF and 6m!