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Reviews For: Maldol MH-209SMA

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

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Review Summary For : Maldol MH-209SMA
Reviews: 37MSRP: 23.95
Description:
The Maldol Comet MH-209SMA Active Hunter is a tiny HT antenna for 2 meters and 440 MHz. It is 3 inches tall and is flexible. 0 dBi 1/4 wave. VSWR: 2.1 or less. Maximum power: 5 watts. Black color. This antenna terminates to an SMA.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.cometantenna.com/products.php?CatID=1&famID=8&childID=0
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00374.4
K6LCS Rating: 2005-05-06
Best of the Shorties Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is the best of the "shorty" 2M/440 antennas, IMHO. And its "full width" SMA base mates with most HTs extremely well...maintaining good contact (and weatherproofness!).

Clint Bradford, K6KLCS
KB1LXV Rating: 2005-04-24
Performs very well for a 3" duck Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
The folks at HRO suggested this as a "convenience" antenna for my Icom T90a. I've found the performance comparable to the OEM antenna on 2m and 440 (I don't use the radio on 6m). It doesn't have the "strap" of the 17 inch spaghetti antenna I often use, but it makes carrying the radio on my belt a lot nicer.
Let's face it.. any "duck" is pretty much a dummy load that leaks.. this one leaks quite well :-)
KF6DXP Rating: 2005-04-24
Great Little Antenna Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased the MH-209 after reading the reviews on this site. I am using it on a VX5R. I normally use a Pryme/Premier RD-8 6.5" antenna and carry it in addition to the 209. The 209 does not work as well as the RD-8 but it is great when you don't want to deal with a big antenna. With the 209 I can clip the radio up on my car visor. I purchased the 209 that has the BNC connector so I could change atennas easily. I was suprised how well the 209 works. I live in a rural area with a lot of hills. The RD-8 reaches 4 local repeaters very well. With the 209 I was able to reach 3, 1 at full quieting and the other 2 were at about 1/2 on the meter. When monitoring the local gov. channels(154.400) with the 209 the radio receives well. I like the idea of being able to take my radio where ever I go without a huge antenna on it. I would say that this is a great antenna for the size but don't expect the performance of a foot long antenna or you will be disappointed. I use the 209 and if I get in a jam replace it with the RD-8. The 209 is not the best antenna but it does a lot for it's size. I will probably buy another just so I have a spare.
KW5TX Rating: 2005-04-19
a 3" wonder...wondering why i wasted my money Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have a FT-60r and was hoping for ...at least....a shorter replacement for the stock duck. I checked 3 repeaters I listen to and usually have full scale on with the stock duck. With this 3" wonder...I get half scale on all. I have a 17 inch comet that rocks of course. The 209 is not a 0dbi antenna or it would out perform the duck...but it doesnt come close.
Either the FT60 has a GREAT stock duck....or I got a Bad 209...or ... some things ARE too good to be true...IMO

KW5TX
KI4CJJ Rating: 2005-03-14
Nice compact antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought the MH-209 to go on my VX-2R and they made a perfect pair. The performance is about the same as the stock antenna. I have worked a 440 repeater on a mountain 55 miles away using the 1 watt 'high' power mode.

Overall, I really like the antenna and use it with both my VX-2R and Kenwood TH-D7A depending on which I am carrying.
KG4ZIE Rating: 2004-11-16
Pretty nice antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had one of these for a while now. I have been really happy with it and it seems to do a really good job. I now own 2 of them basically for this reason. The first one I bought I ended up getting a small crack in the flexible plastic cover. I super glued that and all was fine. One day I set my HT (VX-5R) on a thin ledge and it fell. In the fall I got another bigger crack in the plastic cover. I did the super glue trick again however the rip was so big it would not hold well. I solved this simply by going to home depot and getting a can of plastidip and dipping the antenna in the can almost up to the metal SMA connector. I then let it dry a few hours and dipped it again. A total of 2 dips in the plastidip. That seemed to do the trick and it is still fairly flexible. I recently bought a new radio and decided since the shipping was going to be free due to the radio I would order another. I may take the old one and pull the cover off and just dip it in the plastidip without a cover.
Other than that problem they seem to be a real nice compact antenna I will say that the repeater I talk on the most is about 1000ft away from my house but other local repeaters I am able to hit for the most without issue. I would buy another and would suggest anyone looking for a good small sized antenna to check this one out.
KD5ZPW Rating: 2004-09-06
Does what I expected! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
One day I realized I wasn't carrying my HT (VX-7R) because I didn't like being jabbed in the side with the stock poker. I had already purchased an SMA24 for those times that I needed more signal. I looked at one of these MH-209SMA's at a hamfest, but didn't buy it there because I wanted to look at the reviews first. I compared these reviews and other stubby antenna's, then went ahead and ordered this one. I live in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and with this 3" antenna I can hit all the local repeaters while in town with any of the power settings. I've even check in with 300MW (2 AA batteries) when I was really close to one of them.

I just worked an LSU football game (GEAUX TIGERS) on 300MW with an in-stadium repeater.

This antenna has done just what I expected it would, and now I get a lot more use from my HT!
KD7GMK Rating: 2004-07-08
Maldol MH-209 BNC Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I lost the original antenna for my ICOM W32 and now use a 15 inch whip. The 15 incher is great to hit those far away repeaters, but wanted something less bulky when I am in close proximity. Decided to get a replacement for the stock rubber duck and saw the MH-209 Dual Band at my local HRO shop. Surely this little 3 inch thing can't have the reach of the stock rubber ducky???
Well, I was amazed at how many repeaters I could hit with a solid signal, some 20 miles away. It is NOT a replacement for my 15 incher, but I will surely use it when I am close to the repeaters (most of the time). A good buy for $23.95
K1UC Rating: 2003-08-21
Best one yet Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have used these antennas for years about 18 hours per day to listen for ambulance calls. I got them because they are very flexible and inobtrusive (no pokes) with the radio on my belt. Our repeater is in the town where I work, so I don't need a long haul antenna. However, it's pretty good over distance, too.

On two of them, I've ripped the soft rubber outer shell with some hard use. I simply slipped a piece of shrink wrap over the antenna, shrunk it, and now have a less flexible, but bullet proof antenna. They just keep on truckin'.

73 Jay K1UC
N9EF Rating: 2003-08-19
Excellent results Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
This is an amazing antenna. If I only need to use 144 or 440 I don't even bother with the TH6 stock antenna. The MH-209 is the same as the stock antenna on 440 and is only about one S unit lower on 2 meters. If I need 220 then I use a Maldol MH-610 - another excellent choice.