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Reviews For: OptiBeam OB11-5 (high performance 11el fivebander 20-17-15-12-10

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

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Review Summary For : OptiBeam OB11-5 (high performance 11el fivebander 20-17-15-12-10
Reviews: 37MSRP: 2028 USD
Description:
Performant Yagi designed as interlaced monobanders for 20/15/10m plus high efficient "hidden sleeve element technique" for 17/12m.
Loss free broad band OptiBeam driver feed system reqires only one single 50 Ohm coax.
Optimized computer designed German Yagi without traps and with full size elements. High gain and f/b ratio on all bands.
The OB11-5 has 3 el on 20, 3 el on 17, 3el wide spaced on 15, 3el wide spaced on 12 and 5 el on 10 meters on a 6.00 meter boom.
No switching, no tuning, no flexible parts, an absolute trouble free performer !
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.optibeam.de
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00375
K6AFW Rating: 2023-11-14
Wonderful antenna and GREAT service Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Again, another GREAT product from Tom and his staff. I have been having the best time with my two new Optibeams. I have been a ham a long time but always had sub-standard antennas (at best).....until now.

Special thanks to Tom and crew (again) and my very specialized and talented friend, Denny, K0TT.

Just wonderful. Thank you, gentlemen.
4F1OZ Rating: 2022-11-20
Sturdy, tough, reliable good looking antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I had been using this antenna for four years now. Assembly was easy and support from Tom, DF2BO was superb. Love the square boom most, because it eliminates the tedious part of levelling the elements on the boom. The Philippines receive an average of 10 to 20 typhoons a year and the OB11-5 survived most of them even the 3 almost direct hits with winds of more than 150kph. And most importantly, it is one very reliable antenna. It won't let you down. I installed it only at a height of 42 feet. Nevertheless OB performed so well in most of the dxpedition pile ups. If you can hear it you can really work it in this antenna. I am a casual DXer and a DXCC holder even before I bought this antenna. Joined lotw only a few years ago but still I was able to confirm around 200 entities in this log atm and a few more to complete 100 on all bands of the OB11-5. ...And it is partly because of Optibeam! .....oh one negative though...the balun is attached way beyond my reach on the boom. The plastic straps to hold it snapped after 3 years of UV exposure up there. Make sure to place additional support like tying it with electrical tape. 73
PA8A Rating: 2022-07-11
These antennas are superior! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I am 80 years old and a ham since 1960 and active on all amateur bands.
I have been using almost all available HF-beams on the market during the last 45 years, Since about 8 years I am using two Optibeams OB11-5 and OB4030.
They are superior over every system I ever used.
I managed to complete the last most difficult entities in SSB and I got the HONOR ROLLl #1 ARRL award confirming that I have worked all excisting 340 DXCC entities in SSB.
Both antennas deliver all the specs that are promised by OPTIBEAM something you can’t say of most other manufacturers.

Ing.Peter Jelgersma PA8A.
G3MHV Rating: 2021-06-13
Superb antenna Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have been using this antenna for 9 months and I find the performance outstanding on all bands. I can recommend it very highly. Also, if there are any technical questions, excellent and very quick support is provided by e-mail by Tom DF2BO.
YO9GDN Rating: 2021-05-27
The best choice Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I wanted an antenna made very well mechanically and with high performance and I chose without reservations OPTIBEAM OB11-5. All components were marked and arranged at the factory, the position of the elements on the boom as well. High quality technical realization. A little attention and you can't make mistakes when assembling. Also SWR is just like in the technical documentation and even better in some places. My antenna is at a height of 24m. I have to add Tom's prompt and unreserved collaboration from delivery to destination. All this made me very happy that I made the right choice.
ON9COP Rating: 2018-11-03
Optimal Beam Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I waited one year before writing a quick review.
1. German quality. Very strong antenna.
2. Easy to assemble thanks to the manual. All parts are marked and pre-drilled.
3. Support is one of the best in the amateur radio business. I wrote an email on a Sunday morning I got a comprehensive reply 2 hours later. Tom knows what he is talking about not to mention he has a lot of patience.
4. DX : with 100 watts output power I can contact anyone I hear in the world. The best last year was a contact with a ZL station - QRB +10,000 miles. I used 10 watts and got a real 55 report (solar cycle was to the best in 2017). In a pileup I set the output power to 500 watts and most of the time one or two calls later I got the 59. Antenna is at 20 meter above the ground.
During the initial tests and settings the antenna was at 10 meters above the ground I made contacts with many european entities most of the time 59 reports with only 50 watts output power.
5. On the same tower and on top of the 11-5 I have an Optibeam 1-40, a rotary dipole. I am also very satisfied with this antenna. Will be reviewed in the appropriate category.

The OB11-5 is large and heavy antenna so you will need a strong tower.

Optibeam = Optimal Beam
F4HJO Rating: 2017-05-24
Satisfied Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I used an OB9-5 which is already a superb antenna, but as often we are always looking better! I use for 1 year the OB11-5, I find more directivity, better performance, I am satisfied.
3 meters above the OB11-5 I have an OB4030, no coupling, thank you Thomas for serious advice.
Optibeam is always:
- serious and fast work.
- quality materials and machining.
- intuitive mounting.
- no lies: good swr on all bands
F1RAF Rating: 2017-03-07
A real master piece Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have been using the OB11-5 for 12 months now, and all I can say is that this antenna is the best one I ever owned. I got in contact with Tom, DF2BO in early december 2015 and placed an order with him. Communication with Tom is always prompt and excellent (I already ordered him in the past an OB9-5 for my other station). The antenna arrived at my home safely on the very day (on a saturday) it was scheduled. I started the assembly 2 months later since my 18 m crank up and tilt over tower was not yet ready. It was not an easy task to assembly the OB11-5 because of so many parts, but it is almost impossible to get wrong since everything is well explained in the manual (but you have to read it several times). Since I could not find any helpers, after asking Tom, I built it in 3 separated parts and raised them up together by my own on the tilted mast. No need to tune anything, SWR is low and flat all over the bands. My former antenna was a 6 bander Mosley with traps. Though it gave me some nice results for years, sure I can now say the OB11-5 over performs it. Only one, sometimes two calls to break the pileup.
IZ2DLV Rating: 2016-07-29
Serious and top performer Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
The OB 11-5 is my last system upgrading, that finally was mounted 10 days ago. My QTH is in a 6 floor condo, I was looking for a final antenna solution and Tom assisted me in finding the right one (is the lower one under an OB 30-40). The mounting part takes time and attention, but the pre assembled and marked elements makes it easy. Only be careful on mounting all the element straight. Once up, is a dream come true: I believe this is the top end of what you can put on a condo!
Performance: well, I was coming from an X7 and a A3WS, but the strength of the signals coming in now are another story. Also SWR is perfect, and I ran barefoot on most DX on air these days. If you have the space, the right structure and the budget, well this is the arriving point!
SM5ATP Rating: 2016-06-25
Still going strong Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Yesterday, June 24th 2016, my Optibeam 11-5 celebrated 3 years at my qth 25 m up on a steel mast. It has been brought down once, due to malfunctioning rotator last year(HAM-IV). I took this opportunity to inspect all elements and hardware.
Everything was in perfect condition.
It has been working perfectly since day one.
Truly an amazing construction. What I hear I can work on 100 W.
I have recommended it before, and I do so agin.
BCNU 73 de Conny SM5ATP


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Earlier 5-star review posted by SM5ATP on 2014-12-07

Ref my review nov 19 last year:
I have now run this outstanding 11-5 for 18 months. Overwhelming performance. Time-to-time rough weather hasn't changed the performance at all. The SWR is the same as when I first raised it.
In one word: RECOMMENDED !
Conny / SM5ATP