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Reviews For: Tram 1481

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

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Review Summary For : Tram 1481
Reviews: 43MSRP: 150
Description:
Dual band base antenna
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.k1cra.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
10433.7
W6KKO Rating: 2023-01-11
Update: Driftwood Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Update: Well, the 1481 worked for a while and then water ingress. Three other fellow hams I know also had the same water issue with this model. It worked for about four years. Avoid it.

-- Initial Review --
I previously enjoyed my purchase of a Tram 1480 and decided to acquire this upgrade antenna as a replacement, leaving the 1480 for other duties.

As with the Tram 1480, I put it together using the supplied instructions and applied some coax tape around the two joints to help keep moisture out. I did not adjust/tune it at all. Low SWR on 2 m and 70 cm, tested with an analyzer as well as a meter. I TX 5 to 50 watts without issue and the RX is also on par.

It has been deployed for almost three years without issue.
WB5MZT Rating: 2022-01-23
Good price, great reviews, full of moisture, bad SWR Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought this antenna at a swapmeet from a vendor. I was impressed by the price and the claim on the wrapper. After 5 years on my tower, the unit had a SWR of over 10:1! I took it down and found it to be full of moisture. After drying it out and cleaning the base loading coil, I still can not get a SWR better than 7:1! HELP!!!
KD8MA Rating: 2021-08-24
Great after modification Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I assembled the antenna and mounted it on a tripod on the peak of my roof. The antenna worked great for a few months and then the SWR went crazy on both bands. One Ham suggested that it may be water in the antenna. I disassembled it and found that a few of the "crimp" type electrical connectors holding the radiators together were loose and not making good contact. After soldering the crimp connectors, it worked like new again. Still working great!!!
W4ACW Rating: 2021-03-20
So far so good.... Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Gain is really good! I had a Diamond F22 mono band. Construction not as good as Diamond but mine wasn't terrible. I did weather seal areas mention here. Handled some big wind here recently. Price was right!
N5ZR Rating: 2020-09-27
Needs to be sealed Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
When I purchased this antenna I paid attention to the reviews and taped up the antenna. I missed the bottom of the fiberglass though assuming it was glued.

The glue they use hardens and then cracks allowing water in the base of the antenna. There are no drain holes, so it goes into the connector.

best thing for a new antenna is to break that bottom joint and re-glue with a silicone based sealant. Then drill a weeping hole in the bottom of the base for condensation to escape.

Other than the water issues, this antenna performs really well. I can see those small caps in the base explode at some point too but at 100 watts it has been holding up well.
W8LM Rating: 2020-01-24
Lightening never strikes twice. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Original 5 star review-I had one in the air for over 2 years. at the top of my VHF tower above the beams for 6&2. The tip at 55 feet. This past summer lightening hit. I lost a 2 meter rig in the shack and after replacing the rig, the antenna was numb. Other electrical problems arose and I decided to replace the antenna with the same. Actually I had one on hand. I assembled and left it on saw horses in the garage like the last one and sprayed it over a 2-3 day period with FLEX-SEAL SPRAY clear. I notices at the couplings, you can see fingernail thick gaps between the metal coupling and the fiberglass. Making "waterproofing mandatory". Using a weight on the end of a radial and turning a 1/3rd spraying 1/2 and waiting 4-6 hours turn 1/3 and spray again. The new antenna performed as the pre- lightening hit antenna did. The antenna is fiberglass, unlike another who reported it was PVC. It is also DC grounded. As a VE team leader I have helped a number of newbies get on the air. Some with GP-9's at twice the price and Jetstream's just a bit more. A $12 can of Flex-seal clear spay is good insurance as some fiberglass tube to metal joints you can see minute gaps that could "leak" someday. The antenna assembly sheet indicates TRAM is in or near Oklahoma City, OK. I sit on a hilltop and my weather station is 5-6 feet under the antenna. It has indicated 55 mph winds in the past 2 weeks. In the past 2-3 years we have had 65+ winds registered. Since lightening only strikes once... I'll report again in 10-20 years. BTW my mast is 2 inches. U bolts fit nicely.
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UPDATE 24-JAN-2020 - Sorry to report, my Rating has changed!! Last weekend we had a storm. 1/4 inch of ice on my truck parked next to the tower. The next day it was sunshine and over 40 degrees. I checked my weather station and the previous week was lowest temp 17 highest wind 47. I found the 2 top fiberglass sections laying at the foot of my truck. The inside wire hanging out of the lowest fiberglass section and that wire inside swaying in the wind. I wish i could post pictures, as the 1st coupling is sheared at the threads. The threads of the lower part of the coupling are now in the upper 1/2 of the coupling and all of the overlap of the 2nd section fiberglass is shattered, and splintered. The bond between the metal coupling and the fiberglass has failed. It moves now. The Flex Seal apparently did it's job. The antenna lasted basically 2 months. Now 25 feet away, and 20 feet lower on my garage/workshop I have a TRAM 1480 which I use on the workbench for testing/radio repair. The 1480 unscathed. It has 2 fiberglass sections, the 1481 has 3 sections. My engineering savvy concludes that the top 2 sections of the 3 section 1481, with a little ice flexed to where it sheared those fine threads. Then wind and gravity took over. (BTW the fit of the interlocking fiberglass tubes were not snug. Nor was the metal couplings a "press fit") The coupling with the sheared threads can now move on the fiberglass and I slid it to uncover a thin coating partially around the fiberglass of "clear (maybe) epoxy". When I saw it I could chip it with my finger nail. That leads me to conclude that the fiberglass telescoping sections are not the same as earlier ones, perhaps thinner and the couplings are no longer a press fit. The glue/epoxy they are using to bridge the gap is NOT bonding to the fiberglass or metal couplings, flexing and swaying brakes the bond. Causing the antenna to self destruct. Obviously earlier models do not have this problem, and as other reviewers have pointed out, one claimed a section of fiberglass was PVC. So one can only conclude that quality control has gone south. As the antenna price dropped over 2 years. IF pictures are needed contact me via email
KD5PNT Rating: 2019-08-25
Great antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Got the 1481 in 2004 and it has been on a 15' mast attached to a chain link fence post. Has never had water in it and I never taped the joints. I have to give the mount a 0 rating. Difficult to use and it would not tighten down on the mast. Tossed the mounts and used 3 U-bolts to secure it to the mast. Not sure i would get another because of the reviews but this one has been very good.

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Earlier 4-star review posted by KD5PNT on 2011-12-03

had it for 3 years now and has always worked well . never had any water in it . the factory supplied mounting brackets are worthless . the V bolts that came with mine were not threaded far enough back and would not tighten on a standard mast . were not a standard size so could not get replacements at the local hardware store . the mounts went into the scrap metal pile and I replaced them with 3 ubolts that fit tight around the tube at the bottom of the antenna

the antenna gets a 4 and the mounts get a 0 rating .
AE1CW Rating: 2019-08-09
Works great Time Owned: more than 12 months.
These can be purchased in the $80 range if you shop around. Waterproof all joints including the bottom one above the radials. I use sealing tape covered with 3M electrical tape. I adjusted the location of the radial ring to provide a lower SWR in the portion of the 440 band that I operate. The directions are clear on this and on the assembly (sort of anyway). You have to push the segments out of the tubes from the bottom to be able to attach the copper conductor from the adjacent section. It's easy to figure out. This antenna works really well, I would guess just as well as the equivalent length Diamond or Comet. Remember to waterproof the joints and you'll have a great antenna at a great price.
KM4TWA Rating: 2019-04-24
Water ingress Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I read the reviews before purchasing, seeing the reports of water problems I went to great lengths to waterproof the joints during the original install. It worked very well for about a year, then SWR went through the roof. I took it down to inspect (not an easy job) and found that the epoxy holding the fiberglass to the metal at the base had become brittle and failed. I had not sealed over the bottom part thinking that they had sealed it well with the epoxy but that is where it failed. The entire base of the unit was full of water. After cleaning and sealing it I put it back up and is it good again. I recommend sealing over the connections between the sections and the joint where the fiberglass enters the metal.
K9JTV Rating: 2018-06-28
Excellent performer, excellent Price! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I bought the Tram/Browning 1481 to replace a fully functional Tram/Browning 1480 because I wanted the higher gain provided by the 1481 co-linear antenna. I have been very happy with the performance, both on TX and RX. It was a noticeable improvement over the 1480, which didn't do bad for what it was. I have had this antenna up for over six months with no problems. It's mounted about 25' up on our flagpole. High winds and heavy rain have not affected it. For the ~$75 price, I am a very happy camper and would recommend it.