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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
K3MAW Rating: 2017-06-01
Great general purpose antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I purchased this antenna after a friend recommended it. The difference was he has the JR and I have the SR. I really wanted something that would fit in my lot that would get me on 160 and would be easy to put up and maintain. In the three years or so the only problem with the antenna system was a broken dacron rope that caused one end to come down, this certainly was not the antenna's fault. I found that my tuner will find a match from 6m to 160m. I have DXCC phone and cw on several bands using 100w with this antenna from the east coast. I have been very pleased.
KC8HXO Rating: 2016-10-03
Great choice Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I used "Goop" to seal all connections, and it might even strengthen them somewhat. No issues in about 18 Months of Michigan weather. Performance as expected. It's a doublet. Nothing more. Don't expect miracles. It does allow me to use 160M occasionally, in the length of an 80M Dipole. I like it.
KC2RKR Rating: 2016-04-17
so far so good Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
just put up the senior today just have a few bands that are fighting me trying to tune but i like it easy to put up
K8CPA Rating: 2015-10-28
Still working 3 years later! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have the senior version and It's been up now for 3 years.

It is still working just fine.

I highly recommend it.



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Earlier 5-star review posted by K8CPA on 2014-12-03

Wish I has bought this antenna 10 years ago! I have the Cobra Ultra-Lite Senior at 40 feet with a homebrew "ugly Balun" and it works excellent.

I've had it up since the summer and it performs flawlessly.

If you have 140 feet to spare, get the senior model.

Works on 160 well too, really works on 80 too. Plus all the other bands.

Just get one, you won't regret it.

W4SKB Rating: 2015-09-15
Great Antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've had the Cobra Ultra-Lite Senior up for several years now and it is the best antenna I have ever used. Other antennas compared against include an 80-meter full-wave loop at about 40 feet, 40-meter dipole at 35 feet, B&W TFD at 30 feet, trap vertical.

I highly recommend this antenna, just spend the extra money and get the senior model.
AB3ME Rating: 2015-06-13
not durable Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had a cobra ultralight up at 50 feet at my new home for two years. It has worked wonderfully, except lately, I am not able to tune 75 meters at all. It tunes up just fine on all bands other than 75 and of course 160. I reasoned that because the other bands tune fine, there must be a bad crimp on the last leg of the wire on one or both ends. Took the whole thing down and re-crimped all wires with new terminals and checked all wires with my ohm meter and all was fine. Put it back up and still having the same problem. Spoke with Joe and he felt it might be the 450 ohm twin-lead..??? if so,a why does it tune up so easy and operate on all other bands but not 75M. This seems to have happened in the last few weeks. I suspect one side or both of that third leg has a broken or ready to break wire. Thus my summary of a NOT DURABLE antenna.
I like the antenna so much, I ordered full sized 160M version. Have a tower to put up with a TA33 so, will still need something for the lower frequencies. Wish this antenna was more durable, as it really works well when all things are good evidently. Thinking I will re manufacture the new 160M version...throw away that cheap three conductor rotor cable and replace it with some insulated 14GA THNN. this should cure this problem.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by AB3ME on 2013-05-29

I have just retired and about 5 months ago purchased my little retirement bungalow in the Pocono mountains. Well, I had up a TA33 jr, and a home brew 12/17 meter Yagi. I thought I had a pretty good station. Needless to say, at my new home I did not have a tower, so could not put up anything to get on the air with. I checked on the Cobra antenna, and finding nothing but good reviews, decided to purchase the 80 thru 10 version. A couple of fellow hams helped me get a few lines up in the tree's at about 70 feet which put the antenna at about 60 feet. I can not believe the performance of this antenna. Easy to tune with my Palstar AT2K, and loads up beautifully with my AL572 linear. Without the linear, receive and transmit is terrific, and tunes easily on all bands. This has fit my needs and then some to the point, I am considering not putting up my beams!
I highly recommend this antenna in all ways. No trimming required, light, does not need a center support, and WORKS LIKE A CHAMP.
NC1T Rating: 2015-02-03
Works Great after 3 years Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Just love the antenna and the customer service. Modest station and have 220 countries confirmed, DXCC on CW and mixed. Just got K1N Navassa Island. love it you can't go wrong.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by NC1T on 2012-10-05

I live in central NH, lots of high winds and usually bad winters. My first ant was put up a year ago as a flat top at 60 ft. Works like a champ, worked over 200 countries with no amp. I wanted a second one installed on the chance that if the original failed during a severe mid winter storm, I would hopefully still be able operate. Joe, Chris and Roger arrived and put the second up at about 50 feet. At Rogers suggestion it was installed as an inverted L. Both work great the L has a lower noise floor especially on my favorite Boston news and sports channels. It also really flattens out the swr (internal tuner) at the low portion of 10 meters, I do mostly cw. Very will built and tough. Highly recommend.
KC4DCA Rating: 2014-11-06
Super antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've had the Jr. up for about a year and it has been an absolute first rate performer. I have it about 40 feet up at the mid-point and the ends are about 30 feet pointed east-west. I get great signal reports up and down the east coast on 80 and 40. It works very well to EU and west coast on higher frequencies. I have used it without the 4:1 balun going into a elderly but healthy Dentron Super Tuner from the 80s or earlier and recently re-installed the balun to work through an LDG autotuner. Can't give enough kudos to this antenna. Just wish I had the room to put up the Senior version.
W1KQ Rating: 2014-10-22
The Best! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I'm used to home-brewing my own wire antennas and even built my own Cobra using Romex 12 AWG, I call it the Anaconda* since before they were commercially available at HRO...I worked at HRO in Salem, NH at the time the Cobra was first carried there.
I bought one of Joe's Cobra Sr's; just because... for a long time Joe thought I was using one of his. LOL It's a great antenna for me to take portable along with a hyper hanger sling-shot and Dacron rope. Yeah, Joe has access to those pneumatic tennis ball launchers, I use my Anaconda*, a Cobra with 84 foot legs, as my primary dipole at home. A: I have it up at 70 feet. B: Solid conductor AWG 12...kind of cheating when compared to the original design. I occasionally use the Cobra itself, Joe's version, and it has got to be one of the best dipoles I've used in 33 years as a ham. Sorry Joe, my design is better...well has more scrote and yes it is heavier, not as portable as yours; that's what I like about yours. Home-brewed 1/2 wave doublets, G5RV's don't come close in my experiences having lived all over the U.S...moved around a lot due to USMC and USAF. Yes there are better but simplicity and performance puts the Cobra at the top of the dipole class. Just ask Special Forces.
One of my end insulators on Joe's Cobra design broke on very cold and very windy New England winter day. When I next saw Joe and mentioned it he handed me a replacement insulator. I can't believe those who say they get no support from Cobra; of course I live close enough to K1JEK that I could drive to his house if I needed to or better I could wait and see him on Thursdays at HRO in Salem, NH. I've never had to drive to Joe's. I've had lunch with him and crew many times over the years...if YOU ever do...never wear a hat indoors; you'll hear Joe's mother's voice telling you to remove it. Semper Fi Joe.
KF5FHV Rating: 2014-09-14
Solid performer for what its designed to do Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have a 4 band OCF Dipole that I've been using for a year or so and was looking for something else that could do multi band but better performance than a G5RV and this is what I decided on. I am pleased with my purchase after using it for a few days all over the bands from 80-10 on SSB and digital modes. I use an LDG AT100 Pro 2 tuner and switch back and forth between the OCF and the Cobra and notice about 1 S unit better on the recieve and the transmit I can go back and forth and the reports seem to be about the same on the other end. I am able to tune up no problem from 80-6 meters and easily get less than 1.5:1 match. In my unscientific "seat of the pants" feel for this antenna has been good. I only give it a 4 because the ladderline is a pain to deal with. I'm going to try switching to 300ohm twin which will be easier but hopefully doesnt degrade performance.