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Reviews For: Cobra UltraLite Multiband Antenna

Category: Antennas: HF: Verticals; Wire; Loop

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Review Summary For : Cobra UltraLite Multiband Antenna
Reviews: 138MSRP: 89.95
Description:
A complete 10-160 wire antenna constructed to handle extreme weather
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.k1jek.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
001384.6
WM1G Rating: 2022-09-29
Good antenna wrong balun Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Just got off the phone with Joe when I had a problem with my second Cobra senior dipole. I could not tune the dipole. I asked him if I could return the balun (only a couple of months old) to have a new one sent. He disclaimed all responsibility by saying -he has no knowledge of baluns! He told me to call Baluns Designs-his supplier. Bob from Balun Designs said that Joe is selling the wrong balun. Joe supplies the 4113t- a 4:1 balun. Bob from Balun Designs said that it should be a 1171t- a 1:1 balun. Bob will help me get the correct balun.
WB4MOR Rating: 2022-04-03
Great antenna Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I operate QRP from home. Was using an end-fed with fair results. Want to stay stealthy but also wanted better performance. Bought the Cobra UltraLite Jr. and recommended balun, and could not be happier. Quality construction, quick service and prompt shipping from Joe, K1JEK, and much improved signal reports. Glad I got this antenna.
AG7K Rating: 2021-06-22
Update #3 Still good after 14 years! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought this antenna (Ultralite SR) in 2007 for use as a temporary antenna. I tested it at 55 feet in a flat top configuration against resonant dipoles on 75 and 40, 15, and 20, a 260ft windom, and a handful of other antennas including the G5RV. Before I was done testing the Ultralite SR stayed and the others came down. Here we are in 2015 and the Ultralite SR is still up and used every day, 10-80meters including 60 meters. I have it running North-South at 55 feet flat top with only about 75 feet of 450 window line running into a DX Engineering 4:1 Balun. a 10 foot LMR 400 Jumper into the Palstar differential cap tuner. This setup handles 1.5 kw with no problems so far although I usually run 300- 900 if an amp is needed. I used to run the 450 ohm ladder line directly into the tuner but had a bit of rf in the shack, as well as tuning solutions were hard to get in some spots. The outside mounted 5k current balun solved these issues. The only other antenna I use here that works as well is a 240 nonresonant W7FG design fed with 600ohm ladder line that is up in an east -west flat top configuration at 55 feet. I have more room east west but north-south the 140 Ultralite SR fits perfectly!
WD0FIA Rating: 2021-02-07
Bought one, and have bought two more. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought one several years ago. It performed well, but was only 15 feet off the ground.

When I moved, I managed to put it 35+ feet up. Wow what a difference! Then I got a second for our second home, and bought a higher quality 4:1 balun. Bazzinga! I forgot there were different types of baluns, current and voltage are different!

Running the proper type of balun makes a world of difference!

"Cobra presents a balanced load, we recommend installing a 4:1 current-style balun at the station end of the feedline (many external tuners provide a built-in balun)."
F6CBA Rating: 2020-10-05
Steel twin-lead not FB Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have the junior version for about 10 years and I am very satisfied with this antenna.
Today I am ordering a new twin-lead because the original one is made of steel and it has already broken several times when there is strong wind (I live near the ocean). It always breaks in the same place, near the central insulator. I replace it with a multi-strand copper twin-lead which is much more flexible.
WB6UQA Rating: 2019-06-30
Very good for its size Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I live in Santa Monica Ca. My friend moved to Arizona. We had trouble making contact. I bought the Cobra ultralight junior and we are 20db over 9 every day.
KJ7MX Rating: 2019-05-22
Great Antenna! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I've only had the antenna up a week but so far I'm really impressed. I have it up in an inverted vee configuration with the center at 30' and the ends around 15'. I run it through the MFJ 912 4:1 balun located outside the shack underneath the deck. There was about 25' of left over twin lead which I wrapped in a 4' loop underneath the deck. The balun is grounded to an 8' ground rod.

I replaced a GAP Titan that I'd been running for about 7 years, so that is my baseline of comparison. The GAP did well when the bands were better a year or two ago, but the noise level was extremely high - rarely less than S8 or S9. In addition it was sending more and more RFI back into the shack to the point it was screwing up my computer, the cable tv box, and of course my radios. I was no longer able to use my linear or my outboard mfj electronic keyer. I tried a 3kw 1:1 balun on the coax line and it burned it up running 400 watts.

With that said I put the Cobra Ultralite Jr. up in about an hour, came down to the shack, turned on my TS-830 to 40m and crossed my fingers. The first thing I noticed was that I was hearing static crashes from a distant thunder/lightning storm in the midwest. The band just sounded "odd" until i realized my noise level had been so dang high with the GAP vertical that it drowned out the static crashes! I was hearing more stations on 40 than I had ever heard, and for the first time in 7 years I was hearing the band the way it was supposed to be. Next test was to check transmit loading. My MN-2000 tuner was able to dial it down to 1:1 on all bands except 80m below about 3.650, where it will only tune it to 2.5:1. 75M tunes to 1:1. Next was to fire up the AL-80A and check the RFI. Previously 40m with the linear would light up the computer, computer speakers, and lights, and somehow turn my Astron 35amp 12v supply off. I gave it the smoke test with 600 watts and no RFI! I mean NONE! I checked every single band with the linear and found a very slight noise from the computer speakers on 20m. Slight as in if you weren't listening for it, you wouldn't hear it. So the RFI is 99.9% cured.

Next was to check my signal on the SDR stations. I'm in WA State and the Cobra put me 2 s units above the noise in Utah, where my GAP always had me barely readable in the noise. For the first time I was able to hear myself in GA, PA, and DC on 40m.

One last example is that I frequently check into the Noontime Net on 7283.5. There has always been some sort of broadcast carrier that sits on that freq that forced use of a notch filter. With the Cobra, that carrier is gone. Not down in the noise, but gone. The signal strength of the various net control stations are about the same, however the noise level is now between S4-S6 instead of S8-S9+.

So far I'm very impressed with the Cobra in comparison to what I was using. No RFI, noise level has decreased 4-5 S units, and I'm getting as good or better reports than I did with the Titan. The only drawback is that I can't get the SWR down below 2.5 on 80m CW band. I'll be raising the height by 20' at all points, so maybe that will help some. I had to take the Titan down to install the center pole for the Cobra and was going to relocate the Titan to another corner of the yard. Now, it's going to be relocated to the local dump.
KB5RU Rating: 2018-05-28
Very Good for limited space Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have the Sr. model and it allows me to get on 160 in a limited space. It works as advertised and loads on all bands thru 10 with the at-auto tuner by palstar.
N4QEX Rating: 2017-11-15
Four Plus Durable! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had a Cobra UltraLite Multiband antenna I purchased new up at 60 feet for over 8 years. It works well and is easily the most durable dipole I've ever had. Easily a best buy for durability and at least as good as any other of similar length for performance! Highly recommend.
W3JRD Rating: 2017-06-12
Very Nice Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have the junior. It out performs my Hustler 6BTV and my G5RV. It is a great antenna. The customer service is unheard of these days. After experiencing a little issue during installation, I called the phone number listed on the instructions. This was around 5:30 ET on the Friday before Easter weekend. Two rings and the owner/maker answers the phone. He gladly provided some tips and encouraged me to call back if I had any problems. Most importantly, and like I said earlier, the antenna is superior to anything else I own. Highly recommend.