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Reviews For: Comet SBB-2/SBB-2NMO

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

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Review Summary For : Comet SBB-2/SBB-2NMO
Reviews: 30MSRP: 39.95
Description:
20" long 2m/70cm dual band mobile antenna. 1/4 wave, 2.15 dB gain on 2m, 5/8 wave, 3.8 dB gain on 70cm. VSWR 1.5:1 or less. Maximum power 100W.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.cometantenna.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00303.6
K6ITR Rating: 2021-03-06
Works well, pricey for what you get, break it and it's finished. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Right out of the "box", SWR is way under 1.5 on both bands. I have it mounted on a Comet RS720 lip mount on the back of my Sienna. I have the UHF mount, not the NMO. I have a number of friends running the same setup with good results as well. $43 is a little steep. I've played with all manner of mag mounts, silly motorized mounts, and roof rack mounts,and this antenna/mount combination is by far the cleanest, best-performing install I've used. Big problem though, once you drive in the garage without lowering it, there really is no fixing it. Comet should figure out a way to replace the plastic collar that snaps other than replacing the whole thing.
N4KVE Rating: 2018-11-24
GREAT ANTENNA Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just picked up a used one at a local ham fest. I needed a short UHF antenna to use a few times a year. I took a camera tripod, & made a mounting bracket with a NMO mount to use the antenna in the hotel when I travel. The antenna looks like it was on a car for 10 years, but I cleaned off all the dead bugs. Checked SWR with a Bird watt meter, & from 447-467, it was 1.1. Slightly lower on the high end. Didn't check VHF, as I don't need it for that.Best $10 I ever spent.
K5GHA Rating: 2018-06-12
Performs Better Than Expected Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I got this antenna at Ham-Com 2018 just a few days ago and at first I wanted to give it a three star rating for being difficult to tune. However, after going to a less than ideal location to test it out on a few nets, I'm bumping up my rating to four stars because I actually got a few great compliments on my audio. (I never even told anyone about my different antenna!)
KE4WMF Rating: 2016-04-28
Connector Not Quite Right Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I recently had an SBB-5 stolen while parked at a shopping center. I decided to try something lower-profile and chose the SBB-2. I mounted it and torqued it down securely. Totally deaf. Antenna analyzer showed SWR of 6:1. I accidentally saw improvement when I was removing the antenna. Apparently, I works if it's not tightened down. I don't want a loose antenna, so I opted to try another SBB-2. Same deal... works as expected if the antenna is not tightened, but totally deaf if any amount of snugness is applied while tightening. Not acceptable. I don't think it's my NMO connector because my SBB-5, SBB-7, and even a cheap Nagoya antenna all work fine when torqued-down. I will get another SBB-5 or a Lawsen 2/70B.
KA4KOE Rating: 2016-02-06
Works and is Reliable Time Owned: more than 12 months.
My antenna worked so good I gave it to my bro KK4TVR. Still giving him good service. I kinda wish I still have it as I upgraded to an SBB-5NMO, which tends to hit stuff as its on top of my pick-em-up truck roof.
N0FPE Rating: 2016-02-06
Poor at best Time Owned: N.A.
Had one of these a few years ago..found it to be poor at best. SWR was way too high and the thing made my radio deaf!!! Tried everything but it just was no good. replaced it with a regular size SSB-5 and everything has been roses since. Dont waste your money on this thing...

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Earlier 0-star review posted by N0FPE on 2010-09-14

I had one of these things. used it for abt 30 minutes. never could get the SWR below 2:1 on any freq. 2.15 dbi gain really means ZERO gain in the real world. I will never use a "shortened" antenna. Compaired to a real antenna like a Larsen 2/70 this antenna is just a waste of money. It now resides in the junk box along side the radio Shack RG-58 coax. Both are as useful as a hangnail
NS6W Rating: 2016-02-06
Returned back to HRO Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
To echo N7AQQ's review, the base collar is too short to properly engage the standard NMO connector, leaving approx. 3mm of exposed space between the antenna's collar and the roof. Replaced it with Larsen NMO2/70SH for a perfect fit.
KG5FQT Rating: 2015-07-05
Quite Satisfied Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I wonder what some guys are trying to compare this 18" antenna to? I am more then satisfied with this purchase. It is used daily. I have it on a NMO 4" magnet mount on top of a Chevy Tahoe for work connected to a Kenwood TM-D710G. I have no problem hitting any repeaters within a 30-40 mile radius. Full quieting reports. I can hit APRS repeaters on mid-high power at same mileage. I also can hit ISS for APRS when it passes overhead. It has no problem hitting a Baofeng HT, both on low power from about 5 miles out. Since I dont have a VHF rig inside the house, I also use this setup for crossband repeater to be able to hit my club repeater which is about 25-30 miles out while sitting inside my house with the HT and have no issues. I have never measured my actual SWR's, but with my results I am getting, why bother? When I use it with my HT, even at 5 watts, I can easily hit repeaters at 20-30 miles out. I didnt expect these results when I purchased this antenna, but I am quite pleased with the results. If I had to knock off a point for anything it would be that after 5 months, I've had some paint flake off the coil after hitting some leaves one time, didnt even hit the branch. May just have to put some spray paint over it.
N7AQQ Rating: 2015-02-15
Ok, with qualifications Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I use short VHF and/or UHF antennas on all my vehicles for aesthetic and clearance reasons. I had this antenna on the family minivan for several months, and it seemed to perform as expected for a short antenna. My main complaint is the too short NMO base collar that doesn't engage the mount threads very far and leaves a wide gap between the collar and the roof surface. I was using a purchased o-ring to fill the gap, but I have now changed to a Larsen dual band with a proper base.
AI7HL Rating: 2015-01-18
very good antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I guess if the same person is allowed to post two negative reviews in a row, I should give my opinion. I think this is a great antenna. I've used the NMO version for years. It's no half-wave, but then no reasonable person would expect it to perform like one.