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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
WB9QVR Rating: 2009-12-02
Works Well Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have owned three different Cobra Ultralite antennae over the past three years. I have one Senior that is currently up in the air along with a Junior that is part of my portable antenna kit and another Senior that is currently in storage for parts.

Although one can't consider this a 'miracle' antenna (it's just a multiband dipole) but for what it is I feel it works well. I have worked a 100+ countries with the Senior with the center at only 30 feet and the ends down near eight feet or so. During the ARRL Sweepstakes two weekends ago I worked 47 states, six Canadian provinces along with Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands all in about six hours of casual operating. All those contacts were made with 100 watts.

Compared to an OCF dipole I've found that the Cobra 'hears' less noise. Both antennae were mounted in nearly the same position so the OCF wouldn't have been closer to a noise source. I haven't found a good reason why the Cobra is quieter but that certainly does seem to be the case.

My only concern with the antenna is the center and end plastic insulators. They seem to be the weak point in an otherwise good product. I've managed to break the center piece twice. I will say, though, that the first time that the center broke I contacted Joe and he sent a replacement right away. His customer service is exemplary. However, I do think that those components could be redesigned or reinforced for better strain relief.

In summary I've found the Cobra to be a solid performer. Its performance is at least equal to other multiband dipoles that I've used and seems to exceed many similar products. Again, this isn't a three-element beam but for a wire antenna it does work well and is a reasonable compromise.

If you're considering a G5RV you might want to looks at this antenna instead. I think you'll find the Cobra provides better performance while not being much larger.
WA5KPE Rating: 2009-11-20
Great Antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have been using the Cobra Ultralite Senior for about five years. I operate all bands 160 - 10 meters. I use the MFJ 993B Intellituner with a Balun Designs 4115 4:1 balun with about 100 feet of 450 ohm window line which comes directly to the balun which is connected to the radio with three feet of RG213 coax. I normally operate between 50 watts and 100 watts output. I get a 1:1 match on 1.838.000 megaherz. I get similar matches, none above 1.4:1, on all bands. The center insulator is pulled thirty feet up into a pine tree. The ends are pulled about ten feet higher into other pine trees, thus forming a slight vee. The antenna survived 120 mph winds of Katrina only to have an end insulator ripped off by a sixty foot pine falling across that leg of the antenna. The wire and the center insulator held fine. You won't find a better wire antenna.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by WA5KPE on 2005-10-23

I am back to report that my Senior survived the 120 MPH winds of Katrina without a problem until an 100 foot tall pine tree fell across one leg of the antenna 10 feet from the end insulator and ripped the antenna out of the end insulator. The attachment at the center insulator was not harmed. The other leg of the antenna had a 2 inch diameter by 10 feet long pine limb dangling on it without any ill effect to the end or center insulator. I had to let the antenna down to get the limb off. The center insulator is tied at 50 feet in a pine tree with the ends tied in pine trees at lower heights.
KA0JMO Rating: 2009-11-19
Does not work on 2MHz Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have worked with this Cobra Ultralite Senior (140 feet)for a couple months. I have used a 9 to 1 balun on it with some success, but not down in the 2 MHz. I tried the MFJ913 per Joe's advise and it did not help. The 9 to 1 balun works better, but with placing ladder line rolled up per instructions, it still will not load 2MHz. The Bazooka works fine with YAESU 897D and FC40 tuner, but won't work with the YAESU 2000 and LDG tuner. Will send it back to see if they can fix it so it will work. John Halladay..KA0JMO
KI6EQW Rating: 2009-10-09
Easy to install, but you better have a good tuner. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Easy to install in an inverted V 25 ft above the roof. Used a 4:1 DX Engineering balun as recommended. Ran the ladder as recommended, at the length recommend, and coiled as recommended. Hooked it up to an LDG 200 pro tuner. got good swr on 10/15 meters, could not get anything to match within the tuners range above 15. Swapped in a Palstar AT2K, cut off the coiled ladder line, lead in is now about 40 ft. in length, and can get 1:1 on all bands up to 80. As this is the Jr. model I could not get below 2.5 on 160 meters.
W5WAA Rating: 2009-09-27
Not as good as G5RV Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have been making an A-B comparison for just over a year, the G5RV 80-10m (D&G version) is one to two full "S" units stronger on receive and transmit. The Cobra 160-10m is hard to tune, the G5RV is easy to tune. I have tried 3 different transceivers during that time and the results are exactly the same. Although the Cobra does perform better on the 160m band it is very difficult to tune (the G5RV is not cut for the 160m band). I'll be taking the Cobra down shortly, a years test is long enough, going to replace it with a Single Wire Beam as per QST July 2009 issue.
N1WBD Rating: 2009-08-09
Still runs great!! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Still run Joe's original prototype here made out of 14-2 romex housewire after about 5 or so years and still works great!! May someday upgrade to the current Cobra Senior Model. But it might be awhile cause this one still works great.
KB1PJM Rating: 2009-07-09
Disappointing Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I hung this antenna at about 35' between the trees in my front yard and ran it to my Johnson KW matchbox. I was never able to make contact with anyone on a local Net on 75M. Whatever contacts I did make always reported that my signal was weak and barely readable. The SWR on 40M was never better than 2:1 and contacts on 20M were far and few between. The noise level on this antenna was hellacious! I recently put up an inverted V with the apex at 44' fed with ladder line and the difference between the two is astounding. Perhaps I received a "dud" from the manufacturer, but based on my experience I wouldn't recommend this antenna to anyone. Oh and as far as it's ability to survive the cold ice etc. mine couldn't stand up to Winter in VT.
W5LXG Rating: 2009-06-17
Still outstanding after all these years Time Owned: more than 12 months.
My 3rd review/comments on this fine antenna, mine is the Jr. version.
KI4MCW opines not to diddle with the ladderline or let it lay on the roof (or words to that affect). I won't disagree with the premise of not letting ladderline "touch" things, but in my installation, it doesn't seem to matter. A fair amount of ladderline lays in sloppy coils on my slanting roof before it enters the attic. A passing hurricane actually sucked some of the excess ladderline out of the attic and caused it to coil on the roof! My physical situation precludes climbing on the sharply slanted roof, so the LL has to stay put, coiled as it is. My antenna performance seems to be the same this way versus when the LL was neat and proper.
KB1JXU Rating: 2009-05-31
Cobra Senior Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Hello
I recently purchased a Cobra Senior designed and built by Joe [K1JEK]. It was installed at my camp in Orwell, Vermont. Given my previous difficulty working ham radio from this location, I had pretty low expectations. However, I was pleased beyond my wildest dreams. First it was very easy to put up . In just a few hours I was QSOing on most of the voice bans with very good signal reports.I really am very satisfied with my new Cobra Ultralite Senior.
WA1GZY Rating: 2009-04-29
Small antenna -Big Sig! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Using the Cobra Lite Junior in attic due to antenna restrictions. Plays like an outdoor windom and with Palstar AT5K tuner, delivers a perfect match on 160, 80 60, 40 and 20 meters.

17, 12 and 10 are a bit more tricky with the AT5K which is really designed for the low frequency bands. (In point I use an attic mounted 2 element Steppir Yagi for 20 meters on up).

Being attic mounted presents no strain on the Cobra Junior (though it does appear to be a bit flimsy for outdoor abuse). The design is unique with its linear loaded reverse "s" wire pattern.

Most stations are quite surprised to hear I'm operating within the attic. The Cobra has no problem with full legal limit "fire in the wire" from an Alpha 87A linear.

Try it! You won't be disappointed.