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Reviews For: Optibeam OB10-3W (high performing Yagi for 20, 17 and 15m)

Category: Antennas: HF: Yagi, Quad, Rotary dipole, LPDA

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Review Summary For : Optibeam OB10-3W (high performing Yagi for 20, 17 and 15m)
Reviews: 14MSRP: 1.300 US $
Description:
Performant Yagi designed as interlaced monobanders for 20/17/15m with patented feed system. Optimized computer designed German Yagi without traps and with full size elements. High gain and f/b ratio due to 25 Ohm design technique. High quality 1 : 2 balun included, design by WX0B. The OB10-3W has 3 el on 20, 3 el on 17 and 4 el on 15 meters on a 5.88 meter boom. A winner performer !
Product is in production
More Info: http://http//www.optibeam.de
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00145
WV2I Rating: 2021-12-02
Outstanding performance Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Have had several Optibeam antenna over the years. Decided to focus on the bands that have produced the most DXCC countries for me.
Spoke with Tom at Optibeam about available options. The OB10-3W was the antenna chosen.
As always, the assembly was very straight forward with good assembly indicators on the antenna parts.
My signal reports on the 3 bands have been outstanding. The front to back and off the sides makes signals actually disappear.
This is the antenna for ops looking to pick up DX countries in a hurry.
K5RR Rating: 2021-04-18
Outstanding antenna Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have had most of the well known brands of HF beam antennas in my 70 years in amateur radio, and this antenna tops them all in the mechanical design and quality of construction. l especially like the square boom and the fact that almost all of the components are clearly marked, such that no measuring is required to assemble the antenna. It would be very hard to make a mistake.

The VSWRs are good: 20M: 1.0:1; 17M: 1.5:1: and 15M: 1.4:1. The front to back ratios look good, but I couldn't make any accurate measurements, and I couldn't make any gain measurements.

If you want a triband beam for 20, 17, and 15 meters, I think you'll have to buy this one. I don't think anyone else makes one.


























































W3NP Rating: 2021-02-04
An excellent perfomer & beautiful construction Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I replaced my old KT-34A that had finally become unusable (repaired in 1997) with the OB10-3w. The KLM antenna was a good antenna with decent performance but the 10-3 more closely imitates a mono-band antenna on each of it's 3 bands. I used to have a 204BA at one time.
The top notch quality construction and the lack of traps were my main reason for getting this antenna.
I still have a Cushcraft A3WS up on another tower and the 10-3 outperforms it on 17 with direct A/B comparisons. The 10-3 is also quieter. BTW - the A3WS is a good antenna for 17 and 12 - mine is pre-MFJ.

Since I have lost 10 meter yagi capability, I have already ordered the Optibeam duo bander for 12 and 10 and that will replace the Cushcraft giving me monoband performance on 20 through 10 with a minimum of 3 full size elements per band (3 on 20 & 17, and 4 on the others).

Since my existing tower is a Rohn HDBX-48 I was concerned about the large amount of torsional mass of the OB. The HDBX-48 is only rated for a 10' boom. With a Hygain Ham IV I was not comfortable with the start and stopping of the large antenna on the riveted tower, so I opted to use a Spid RAK with a Green Heron controller and that did the trick. Smooth speed ramp up and down and the big (to me) 10-3w does not try to twist the top of the tower at all and there is almost no noticeable element wagging on start and stop. I had my XYL move the antenna while I was up at the top of the tower to observe and feel it up close and personal.

I am totally pleased with the Optibeam antennas - very high quality antennas. After 61 years as a ham, I have assembled and used many commercial antennas, so I speak from experience.
73, Dave
G0TSH Rating: 2017-05-01
Quality construction Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Having used Cubical Quads for many years, the time had come to find an antenna that required less maintaenance.

I hate traps so any trapped antenna was out, i looked at the Steppir, but was put off with the items that could fail.

In the end Optibeam was my choice. Contacted Tom DF2BO ordered the antenna. I must say the communication was superb with Tom a pleasure to deal with.

Antenna arrived very well packaged, with in my view excellent instructions. The quality is superb
every part labelled for ease of construction, which probably took 4-5 hours over 2 days. SWR is well with in tolerances

Now to the main thing did it work? Oh my goodness it certainly does, FB is superb. I used it first on 20m looking for stns that had pile ups, first call into a pile up on VU2, KL7, HZ1 and a few others, despite the bands being poor i was working the DX with no problems , receiving excellent reports.Worked some nice DX on 17m as well.

All in all a superbly engineered antenna, made by people who care, who communicate clearly.
DL7AT Rating: 2013-07-25
OB10-3W Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Hello,

I bought the OB10-3W about two years ago. Best multiband antenna I ever had on 15/17/20m. The performance is like a monoband, solid made.
The description how to mount the antenna is perfect. SWR bandwith on 15/17/20 below 1,8 !
Good investment if you are looking for an antenna
for many years or your whole live with very good customer service guaranteed.


VE6DC Rating: 2010-10-09
jewel in the sky Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I call it a jewel in the sky because this is a very good antenna.

Previously I used a Hy-Gain Explorer 14 which was for it's size and price a well performing antenna but after about 12 years of use in which it endured several major storms and
taking it apart and putting it back together several times due to relocating QTH the elements started to sag. I also did not like the traps because there is always a chance of moisture built up, bugs etc. and then they to get lossy or change the SWR.

I wanted no traps and certainly no maintenance.

This eham review website led me to the Optibeam website.

After a few inquiry emails back and forth with Optibeam I decided to buy the Optibeam 103W an antenna for 20, 17 and 15 meters.

A few weeks later I picked the package up at the Calgary airport where it arrived directly from Germany.
The antenna was well packed and because of the easy to follow manual it only took me about 4 hours to put it together.

I have been using this antenna for over 2 years now.
The first thing I noticed how quiet my receiver became and I decided to check if everything was hooked up right. But yes it was, it is just that good of an antenna. The F/B is just excellent and also the SWR, rain or shine.
I literally receive more weak stations because of this antenna. It is only 15 meters above ground level but I find it a super DX antenna with gain (compared to a vertical) from 3 to 40 degrees take off angle with the highest gain at 19 degrees. (12.7 dBi on 20)
Often I get compliments about my signal strength and I know now first hand what a good antenna does for your station.

Also mechanically it is a very good antenna. It went through a couple of major wind storms but not a problem.
This Spring we had freezing rain and the ends of the 20 meter elements where literally facing Z 0 but as the temperature rose during the day they went back to normal as if nothing had happened.

I am very happy with the Optibeam 103W.

Regards, Renze VE6DC

PA3GOS Rating: 2009-05-10
Second to none! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
After having this great antenna up for six months now it is time to write a review.

To start at the beginning, this antenna is very well packed and all parts are clearly marked. This, together with the clear manual, makes it as good as certain you can't make a mistake.

It took me quite a while to assemble because I did it partly in the garage and partly outside in dark, wet weather. Also, I have a very small backyard and had to mount some elements with the antenna on the mast (with the tower tilted over of course). But I am glad it could be done. And if you happen to drop a bolt, nut or washer in the grass, no worries, just grab another one.
Talking about bolts etc. everything just fits perfectly. You don't have to measure but if you do you will find the sizes to be correct within a millimeter.

On many places you can find that OptiBeam antenna's are built like a tank and they are!
A big advantage is that there are no moving parts. My estimate is that I won't have to do any maintenance to this antenna in many years to come.

When it comes to performance I can tell you to expect a broad SWR-bandwidth on all bands as well as a great radiation pattern across the bands. This is particularly important to supress local- and HAM-made QRM. The bands are less noisy and signals are as strong as can be expected or even stronger.. (I am already spoiled I think)

Tom and Diana's service is outstanding. Before and after the sale. Statements made in other OptiBeam reviews are certainly not exaggerated.

Below is a copy and paste from my homepage which is under construction...:

"When I hooked this antenna up for the first time, it seemed like a whole new solarcycle had kicked in. Of course, the tower was new for me as well but was still at the same level as my previous trapped tri-band Yagi.

The electrical winch lacked the power to crank the tower up… Then, after listening for a week or so, it was on Saturday December 13 2008, I had about 10 minutes left before I had to leave.

I decided to call CQ just one time and did not expect anyone to come back. Imagine my surprise when ZL1BOS answered with a booming 5/9 signal! And the tower was still not cranked up…

Even after six months I am amazed by this great antenna."

73, Tjalling PA3GOS

I7WXB Rating: 2007-10-13
Finally NO TRAPS ! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
After 30 years of experiences with good antennas with traps,I decided to have monoband beams but any change with tower and rotator.Last traps antenna has been TH7DX,good antenna but I love 18 Mhz band.The bands are more clean than before,the forward gain is ok but the ratio Front/Side and Front/Back is excellent.
The assembly operations are easy and no setup is necessary.GREAT PRODUCT and finally I don't need to use Antenna Tuner.
G3SVD Rating: 2005-10-14
A well designed ant, performs well and straightforward assembly Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have recently changed my monobanders for 20 and 15 to this single antena to get the advantage of 17m. Its performance is outstanding, I can work stations now using just 100W when even with the Cushcraft monbanders I was using before I needed the linear. Assembly of the antena was very straight forward and everything fitted first time with no adjustments required. It has a good narrow beam width and often I just cannot hear stns off the back that are S9 off the front. The Support from Thomas DF2BO has been faultless, quickly supplying replacement parts when an accident with the tower damaged some element tubes.
IZ5DKJ Rating: 2005-05-04
SUNSPOT? NO PROBLEM! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Having to disposition as well as space they are forced to having
a single tower of 15m, therefore the OB10-3W is appeared
like the best solution between space and performances.

Now that finally it is in summit to the tower I can confirm
that my choice to the OB10-3W has been perfect.
Perfect mechanics and superlative performances!
It turns out correspond perfectly to those declares from Thomas,
now with single 100w I amuse myself to pass over the pile-up!!!

The mechanical assembly of the antenna is fastest why all it is preassembled,
the antenna is completed in less than 4 hours.
Optimal communication with Thomas, ready to clear every doubt fastly.

I augur to all of having one OPTIBEAM!


73 Simone IZ5DKJ