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Reviews For: Diamond KR-400 Mount

Category: Antennas: HF Mobile & Accessories

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Review Summary For : Diamond KR-400 Mount
Reviews: 12MSRP: 39.95
Description:
Heavy Duty Mobile Trunk Lip Mount
Product is in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00123.9
KF6IIU Rating: 2020-06-30
Best you can do for a lip mount Time Owned: more than 12 months.
After about 12 years, mine failed when the threads on the cone nut and bolt failed. Got new parts from Diamond.

It's about as rugged a lip mount as you can get, meaning it will support a hamstick at near-highway speeds and you're pushing it otherwise.

And then there's the question of ground. It's a decent RF ground at 20 meters, but twitchy at 40, and no good at all at 75. Don't expect great things on HF, and it will be highly dependent on where you mount it.
GI6MTL Rating: 2011-07-07
Very good Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've now used this mount on two vehicles over a number of years with no problems, yes the paint did flake off but all I done was take the mount off the car, take it apart and wire brush it down and respray it, it only takes a day or two to do this. I've used numerous antennas of various lengths and weights with this mount and it's made no difference to the mount at all, it hasn't failed me yet!. I'm now considering purchasing another one of these mounts for another antenna because IMO they're that good. I would recommend this mount to others.
N6CAZ Rating: 2007-05-24
Expensive, but decent mount Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've had the 3/8" stud mount version, and it's been a good strong mount with hamstick antennas. I've even driven freeway speeds with the 40M version as well as a stainless steel 102" whip antenna.

My installation used the Icom AH-4 wire tuner, so I replaced the coax at the feedpoint with insulated wire, and it worked fine for almost two years with no maintenance.

After deciding to move the mount to a new vehicle, I wanted to replace the 3/8 thread stud with an NMO, and found the option to be barely less than a whole new mount. Just as with a lot of radio equipment, I think accessories are often overpriced.

At that point I did decide to go with the lower profile (and lower strength) K-412C mount.
K4IA Rating: 2007-05-24
Happy with mine Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Several years with an ATAS 100 mounted on the top of the passenger side door. Use a little NoAlox type grease on the bolt and connector to prevent corrosion and make a good connection. Also, use a little metal strip between the mount and the car body to help distribute the force of the set screws. Leave one set screw to go all the way into the metal.

It is in a harsh environment so a little TLC once in a while will keep it going a long time.
N4ABA Rating: 2007-05-23
200K+ Miles so far.... Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Hmmm...lemme see....bunch of antennas so far, the ATAS100 (decent HF compromise mobile antenna), a Comet HF multiband (ugh..) and bunches of Hamstik whips (mostly 75m since the ATAS doesn't cover that band)...the two K-400 mounts I've had have performed well. One went thru a wreck when a kid ran a stop-sign and I center-punched his car with my Volvo...the mount w/ATAS100 bent the trunk lid a bit, but did not fail. Maintenance is like any other non-"punch a hole" mount....re-tighten every couple of months and make sure that connections are clean. Better than other mounts I've used. Punch a hole if you can...if not, the K-400 is a good alternative.
AL7I Rating: 2007-05-23
Works Fine in Alaska Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have this mounted to the spare tire bumper on the back right corner of a 1992 Jeep Wrangler. It's been on there since the summer of 2003 and I haven't had a single problem with SWR, corrosion, coax, or anything else. Prior to mounting I marked the locations where the set screw's would go and drilled a very small pilot hole in each to ensure good ground contact. I live in Juneau so this mount has also taken it's fair share of weather abuse, especially in the winter. Good investement as far as I'm concerned.
K6SDW Rating: 2007-05-23
Not reliable Time Owned: N.A.
Along with the Yaesu ATAS 120A, both went in the trash!!

A huge waste of $$$

73.....

----------------------
Earlier 1-star review posted by K6SDW on 2006-08-08

I've been fighting this mount for two years using it to hold a Yaesu ATAS120 screwdriver....when it stays together it works as advertised, but between corrosion buildup between the joints (thus losing my ground connection between the antenna the vehicle frame!!)and the DAMN bolts constantly coming loose, I would recommend staying away from this poor design.

73 All
N0XAS Rating: 2006-08-09
Tough! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought mine several years ago. It replaced a similar Comet mount that failed due to the use of aluminum parts where there should have been steel. The Diamond has been great, rock solid on 2 vehicles now. Yes, the paint flakes off, which is why it gets a 4 and not a 5 from me.

I like the fact that it's adjustable on 2 axes (did I say that right?) so I can get my antenna vertical on pretty much any mounting point. The Comet didn't do that either.
K7VO Rating: 2006-02-15
The best trunk lip/hatchback mount money can buy Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've had my K-400 (that's the correct model number, BTW) for about six years now. No failures, no paint flaking, just a very solid mount that is adjustable in more ways than any other. This will work on any vehicle and work well. The RG-174 coax supplied makes it easy to hide away the feedline and at the short lengths used loss isn't a problem.

I've got the UHF (SO-239) connector version of the K-400. I've used it with some *BIG* antennas including the Diamond CR-224A and the Maldol HMC-6S. I have no idea why others had problems.

I've used this antenna on the hatch of a Ford Escape and on the trunk of a Geo Metro. In either case I could adjust the mount to make my antenna vertical and secure.

I highly recommend this mount. There is none better. It's expensive but it's well worth the investment.
KK8ZZ Rating: 2005-12-21
flaking paint Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Mine have held up well electrically, but the black paint tends to flake off in winter weather (salt spray, probably) and make the mount look REALLY ugly after less than a year's use. I've had 2 that have done this....