Manager


Manager - NA4M
Manager Notes

Reviews For: Diamond X-200N

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

eMail Subscription

Registered users are allowed to subscribe to specific review topics and receive eMail notifications when new reviews are posted.
Review Summary For : Diamond X-200N
Reviews: 7MSRP: 80
Description:
Antenna Type: Colinear Vertical (2*5/8ë 2m, 4*5/8ë 70cm) Stated Gain : 6.0dB on 2m, 8.0dB on 70cm Max Power : 200 Watts PEP Length : 2.5m Weight : 1.2Kg Max Wind : 50m/sec Connector : N
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.rfparts.com/diamond/base2.html
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0073.7
M0KZX Rating: 2021-04-12
Don't make them like they used to. Build quality pretty average Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've had an X-200 50' up on the chimney for the last 3 years and it has performed well. This three year old version is built to Diamonds excellent standard.
However, last week a bought another X-200N for another project. In the last few years the quality has really taken a nose dive. The centre join is now slack and wobbles significantly. I always us self amalgamating tape on this joint, but this really was way too much movement. To compare I took down the three year old one and the joint on that one was nice and snug just how it should be.
I decided not to install the new antenna as I can see it failing on the joint after a few months of wind.
Another point of interest is that the capacitor has now been removed from the antenna (which used to fail with a little too much power) so I guess that's a positive.
GONWX Rating: 2017-04-16
Problems on 2mtrs Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have had the antenna for a couple of months and its worked great since having it with some great reports. However I have noticed today that it won't accept anything more than 30 watts on 2mtrs when it previously was fine with 100wts.

On 70cms it will accept the full 50watts. I have checked another couple of 2mtr antennas to prove the radio and that's fine so it appears the 2mtr component of the ant has a fault

Apart from the small issue which I hope will be resolved by the supplier I find its a nice antenna and well worth the money
9A7PJT Rating: 2011-01-30
Perfect antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have this antenna 10y . in my roof .
In FM 1457/438 mhz - superior , no problem with SWR,
serving up to 200W. PEP and never repaired .
What impressed me most is 21 new DCXX on 2m during sporadic , and my ODX record is 2347km !
DH4SC Rating: 2010-03-12
Good vertical, but..... Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I Own this vertical for almost 2 years now. And in my 2nd QTH. I always got good results with the X-200N. When there are band openings, I can work repeater-stations up to 180km away in FM mode on UHF.
The construction of this antenna is tough and the materials are very good like all Diamond products.

But the X-200 has 2 problems: The connector in the middle of the antenna should be sealed with neoprene tape or shrink tubings. Water can get through the connector and cause a bad SWR.
Another problem is that I sometimes have strange reflections or phase cancellations on the X-200. I tested a X-50 antenna at the same place where the X-200 is mounted. The X-50 has no problems. It seems that the multiple stacked 5/8 wave antennas like the X-200 are a little too sensitive to reflections etc.
A good antenna at all, but you have to find the right place where to mount it to avoid reflections and phase cancellations.
DL7ISA Rating: 2008-11-18
Should be better Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Not very well build and needs Help: In the middle there is need of extra silicone to make it Waterproof. On Bottom the Antenna Cable is going through a Tube with a sharp Edge and when Wind is moving back and fort the Cable, the Cable gets damged from that Edge. That Problem is easily solved too, simple use a Rasp to rasp off that Edge. The Reports I had with this Antenna werent good either, compared to a HB9CV. The user Manual was unfortunatly not in English or German but in chinese something, nothing against Chinese but People in Europe or America dont understand Chinese. Forget about the User Manual, for the 100 Euro (about 150 US Dollar) I payed for this simple Vertical Antenna, I had expected a bit higher Quality.
DM7IC Rating: 2004-03-08
Reliable Time Owned: more than 12 months.
My 1st VHF/UHF Antenna. I never had Problems with that Antenna. No Rain can come into it. It is outside in my Garden on a Tower and does the Job now for about 3 years; Good chance this X200N will be the last Vertical for 2m&70cm I bought.
GM1EXK Rating: 2004-03-08
Great all-rounder duel-band Vertical Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This antenna is just like the X-200A but with an N-connector instead of SO239. The 200A version has several reviews so check them if you're interested in the antenna.
I didn't see any point in buying the SO239 version… when you're talking UHF the connectors do start to make a difference.

The antenna is simple to build, gives an SWR <1.4 throughout both 2m/70cm. Seems to be well built and has lasted 2 years so far with no problems. The design of the antenna allows the connector to be shielded from the weather so water getting into coax/antenna shouldn't be an issue.

The performance is as expected for a 2*5/8ë on 2m and 4*5/8 ë for 70cm. Seems to have a nice omni-low angle pattern and benefits from being as high as you can get it. I recommend this as an easy to install, well designed good performing Vertical for 2/70. To get a noticeably higher performance vertical you need to be adding quite a few more collinear elements and that starts to make a much longer and therefore less structurally sound vertical.

Watson also sell the same antennas as diamond from the same supplier but typically 10% less. However Diamond have a fuller range and I don’t believe they do this model.