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Reviews For: OptiBeam OB2-40 high performance 2 element 40m Yagi

Category: Antennas: HF: Yagi, Quad, Rotary dipole, LPDA

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Review Summary For : OptiBeam OB2-40 high performance 2 element 40m Yagi
Reviews: 26MSRP: 1.200
Description:
2 element 40m Yagi, 49 foot long elements, highly efficient due to computer designed air coils, direct 50 Ohm feed point
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.optibeam.de
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00265
K4IQ Rating: 2021-10-25
Excellent electrical performance Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Two year update: While electrically a great performer, the OB2-40 needs a high wind option for boom-element attachments. Such an option is in the works and Will revise again shortly.

Original review: When I set up the seaside QTH in PEI, I worked many EU stations using Optibeam antennas with my 40M doublet. They were invariably louder than any stations other than mono-banders. When I put this one up, I was rather astonished at the improvement over the doublet - on the order of 15-20 db! Obviously the doublet was "working," but not very well!
Two things have stood out: the engineering design and execution is top rate, and Tom's service is without parallel. The antenna goes together logically and easily, with everything pre-marked and fitting perfectly, and all hardware is first class. If you have a question anywhere along the timeline from initial research to final install, it is rare to wait more than 24 hours for an email reply from Tom!
Optibeam includes decoupling stubs to decrease interaction with typical tri-bander shared installations, but I left it off my install, which slightly raised the resonant frequency (I selected CW/Eu as I wanted mainly low phone band operation.) The beam is resonant around 7150 and fully usable from CW up into about 7250. Expect a fairly narrow band of coverage if you want SWR under 1.7:1, perhaps 150 khz. I don't mind using a tuner for excursions outside the frequencies of highest interest, and it seems to retain gain and F/B when doing so.
Do not underestimate the demands this beam will place on your rotor! The sq. ft. rating is not as important as the torque moment transferred by the long elements - so triple (at least) your ft2 for the rotor. I thought a Ham IV would hold this, but it lasted two months! The Yaesu G2800SDX is doing better.
Top recommendation! Unless you can swing the Optibeam 4 el, which has dual driven elements and covers the whole band easily!
DJ3ABC Rating: 2021-09-05
Top antenna, very good quality Made in Germany. Thx to OPTIBEAM Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
The antenna is easy to assemble thanks to the detailed description. You immediately notice the clean workmanship and the good quality of Optibeam. It takes two days to set up if you do it conscientiously. We then attached the antenna to a large lifting platform and then mounted it on the 60mm stainless steel mast at a height of 14.50 m. The antenna delivers impressive performance and so far I am very satisfied. Due to a lot of work at home, I haven't had very long connections over 3000 km yet, but that's only because of my time management. The 40m band is of course not particularly open for long DX connections between 2100 and 2300 lcl. Now that all the big garden projects have been completed, I will again have plenty of time to thoroughly test the antenna, even under good DX conditions. Tom DF2BO from Optibeam is extremely committed and takes care of the relevant issue very quickly. You will receive an answer and a remedy from him within a very short time. The service from Optibeam is exemplary and a prime example. Many thanks to Tom and the whole team, you are great and deliver top-notch products. At the same time, I also ordered an OB9-5 which was sent by Dachser forwarding at the same time. The test report can be found under the heading OB9-5. All the best, greetings to all readers, have fun and GOOD DX with the antennas from Optibeam. 73! Marc DJ3ABC
ZL3CW Rating: 2020-03-05
Fantastic performance! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
If you are an avid Contester and DX Hunter, you realize that without a good 40m antenna in this poor solar cycle you are going nowhere! 40m is really the "money" band in contest.
So I decided, after few months of research, to order an Optibeam OB2-40. It did not take long before I received it and it was installed in no time! Its all made of very good quality aluminium and very easy to assemble.
After just over a month up at 25m, I am still amazed by the performance of this antenna.
I can highly recommend this antenna if you are looking at a 2el Yagi on 40m!
G0FWX Rating: 2019-12-29
Fantastic High Quality Yagi Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Installed the OB2-40 3 weeks ago and it works great (really don't think I've called anybody more than twice before being heard), i had a few queries of Tom and his service and prompt replies must be commended. I did lots of research prior to purchasing this antenna and the build quality / performance as met my expectations. Will use Optibeam again for future projects. 73 Gary G0FWX
K2QMF Rating: 2018-11-17
Outstanding Antenna Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
The OB2-40 2 element 40 Meter Beam is a great performer!!
I replaced a Cushcraft 402CD with this antenna!
The difference is outstanding!
Foward gain and front to back of the OB2-40 is much superior.
I can't say enough about this performer and the construction is remarkable as well...
73, Ted K2QMF
ON9CC Rating: 2018-03-19
Quality made in Germany! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have this beam for about 1,5 years and it is mounted about 4m above an OB11-3. Usually the tower is crancked up so that the OB2-40 is at 1/2 wavelength (20m above ground). This thing is a real pile-up buster :)

Put it together as per manual and it covers the full band as advertised. Also mechanically this is what I expect from "Made in Germany" :) The traps are build to last: solid material and construction used that will last long time!
Sure, you do pay more than other "comparing" products but the Optibeams are high quality and worth every cent!

I can only recommend this antenna and would certainly buy it again! Thanks Tom for another excellent product!
OZ1LO Rating: 2016-01-01
Another excellent yagi from Optibeam Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I agree with all the positive remarks in previous reviews and see no reason to repeat them.
Compared to my previous 2 el. 40 m yagi it covers the whole 200 kHz with no higher than 1,6 SWR at both ends so I do not need my antenna tuner any longer and the 40 m decoupling stubs allows me to stack a yagi for the higher HF bands above it without any interaction.
I could not do that with my previous 40 m yagi without mounting it 90 degs. out of phase with the 40 m yagi, which was often leading to mistakes when I got tired e.g. towards the end of a contest.
I enjoy watching how stable the yagi reacts to strong windgusts of 30 m/sec with little movement when pointing the boom against the wind and along the elements as recommended by Optibeam.
73 de OZ1LO
Leif
W3DIY Rating: 2013-10-19
Another Optibeam Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Installed the OB2-40 at 120',the OB 11-5 is mounted on a second tower. The 40M Optibeam has the same outstanding build quality and performance. I have tried a variety of 40M antennas at this QTH...Bobtail Curtain, L, OCF and the Force 12 linear loaded dipole. With the Optibeam directed to Europe calling CQ often results in a pile up, a new experience on 40M.
VE6AMI Rating: 2013-09-18
Another Winner from Optibeam Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Using this antenna in a contesting SO2R environment, exceeds my expectations for what a 2 element can do for perfomance. Mounted at 30 meters height, listening reception is excellent. Stacked above a OB16-3 unit, can be seen on QRZ. Top quality construction, you will not be disappointed.
S53BV Rating: 2012-02-03
TOP PERFORMER Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
After testing OB2-40 couple of months on the air, I have decided to put together a couple of words about this beauty. This antenna is simply the best what I have ever put on the tower.

Last 3 years I was building my own 2 el full size 40m beams and there is no gain difference btw. OB2-40 and full size - at least I can not feel any differernce. OB2-40 is even better if we discuss about F/B ratio and for sure better when we are talking about strenght. My last 2 homemade fullsized beams haven't survived one winter (strong wind and snow). OB2-40 survived last week wind with over 140km/h, yes elements are a little bit twisted but not much arr 5cm difference at the element ends.

If I compare OB2-40 with other antennas at my home, result and gain is as follows:

- full size GP (6radials, arr 5m over the ground) + 2S units
- dipole antenna, 20m up the ground +1S unit

The difference becomes even greater if I work long pass. With above antennas usually I have never heard Hawai, Alaska due to the high Alps close to my location. OB2-40 helps me to hear and actually go over the pile-up very fast (ACOM is helping me of course :-) ) also in this direction.

So, over all great performer, really strong construction, surviving wind, storms, snow and heavy pile-up :-).

You can see this beauty in the air on QRZ.COM...

73 DE S53BV