| W4MEH |
Rating:  |
2007-09-07 | |
| Wonderful Antenna |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
After having waited for 13 years for the Code to go, Now was the time for the HF antennas. I had decided I did not want beams, Long wires would do. But I wanted a good vert. This I got with Comet, After checking all bands the highest SWR I get is around 1.5 midband on 160 meters and 1.1 for all the rest. This antenna is running clean, no tuner, no amp, only 100 watts from Yaesu 897 and also 150 watts from Ranger 2995, using LMR240 coax at 100 feet. The antenna is mounted on a 40 foot ROHN tower at 35 feet to tower leg and the receiving and transmitting capacity is unbelievable. Tis a shame Comet does not have a way to condense this antenna to a mobile version.
I hope this post helps anyone else new to the HF bands and in search of a great verticle antenna--W4MEH |
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| WA2B |
Rating: |
2007-08-26 | |
| Mixed Review |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
This antenna on paper has everything to offer. It works all bands, light weight, easy to assemble, no ground radials, and easy on the eye. However, when comparing it to my Alpha Delta dipole DX-EE it receives LESS signals and More noise.
I have the comet 25 feet above the ground which is the highest point on my house on a 5 foot mast. During this time, I am tuning around on 20 and 40 meters and hear very little. However, my friend around the corner is also listening on his radio and informing me of stations that can be clearly heard from his dipole.
The positive point is that when I work 30 and 80 meters CW I receive a RST of 589. I am not really sure what I expected but assumed that an antenna with a price tag of $400.00 and the name "comet" would certainly out perform any dipole. It is possible if it was higher in the air MAYBE it might hear better. However, we can only use the parameters that we are allowed as home owners.
At this time, I have only had the vertical a few weeks and will give it more time to evaluate. However, if it becomes a struggle to get on the air and find stations to work I will be putting my Alpha Delta back up and selling the comet. |
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| W6GA |
Rating: |
2007-07-27 | |
| Very Usable Antenna |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| This antenna was a gift from the XYL as a back-up/portable antenna. Having spent much of my 48 ham years as a QRP/simple antenna enthusiast, I have always believed that you can put 100 watts to anything and work DX. My experience with the CHA-250Bx was no exception! I operate 95% CW, and was able to work 40 countries with the antenna in very few hours over a few days mid-July, when propagation numbers were dismal (e.g. SFI=69, A=29), on 40-30-20-17-15 meters. The antenna is only on a 10 foot pole at this point. Also had solid stateside skip QSO’s on 80 and 6 meters. I was surprised at the ease with which I am working central/eastern Europe on 20 mtrs.at night, and Asia, the Pacifc, and S.A. are easy QSO’s. The antenna out-performed these portable/mobile antennas: PAC-12, Superantenna MP-1 screwdriver, Miracle Whip, Pro-Am single band hamsticks. Signals were 1 – 2 S-units down from full-size dipoles, with the difference more pronounced on lower frequencies. A high-priced, compromise antenna with signal losses, ruggedly built, that exceeded my performance expectations after reading other reviews! |
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| KD6QFO |
Rating: |
2007-04-27 | |
| Very please with performance |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
As with any Internet review, this product has the extreems opinions. As a relativelly new General class operator, I don't feel qualified to give a comparison but I will add the following for what it's worth.
The quality of the antenna is very good. It is very simple to assemble (15-30 minutes). The performance for is awesome. Receives very well even though some signals seem lower on the S meter, they seem to punch right through with less noise.
Not the instructions recommend 33ft above ground level which I have it install at.
No radials and seems to blend into the sky without being an eyesore. SWR is as publuished or better across all bands. It's not a beam antenna and should not be compared to one. Call it a dummy load if you wish but it's one heck of a RX/TX antenna for me.
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| K3DLB |
Rating: |
2007-04-07 | |
| Still working great! |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
The antenna is still working great after one year. On air reports have been fantastic, even with the poor propagation conditions. I have it mounted at 25 feet with an eave mount.
It’s easy to assemble and is made of quality material. It withstood very high winds this winter along with snow and freezing rain. It tunes great on all bands.
This antenna is perfect for condos and townhouses.
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| K5TXX |
Rating: |
2007-03-05 | |
| 7-Countries 3-islands in 2-days |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
Contest this weekend in maybe the worst month of a bottom of the cycle year.About 3hrs on the air all together.Arg,Chili,Brz,Aruba etc.7 countries and 3 islands. The 5/9s were more like 5/3 - 5/7s.
SWRs 1.5 or less, this was all on 10 meters by the way. 20 min set up around 15' off the ground.
3/3 - 3/4,07. Not bad for a "Dummy Load". |
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| W6LMJ |
Rating: |
2007-02-28 | |
| Better than expected |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
This has got to be the antenna to hate - if it doesn't work. Happily for me, though, it does work. I have been looking for a good portable antenna to use from my trailer. I have tried several. First random wire antennas with antenna tuners. They work, but have RFI problems. Rotatable dipoles, with hamsticks and hustler resonators - they work well, but can be ungainly when setup for multiband use.
I have also simply run coax to the Tarhill screw driver antenna on the suburban. That works - but the wife has a tenancy to drive off, sometimes in the middle of a QSO. Very bad form.
Enter the HA250B. Mike, at Mike's Electronics in Fort Lauderdale, Florida was the first to recommend I consider this antenna. He knew I was looking for an all band portable antenna for a trailer and thought the Comet vertical would fit the bill. After reading all the reports I could find I decided this antenna had to be functionally a dummy load. So instead I tried a wide variety of other solutions. All worked - but none were very convenient.
Finally, at the Hamfest in Orlando, with a discounted price, I decided to take the risk. I bought the antenna on Saturday, brought it back to the trailer and assembled it. Assembly was very easy taking all of 10 minutes - but could have been done in 5 minutes. I put the antenna on an A/B switch and compared it to my other antennas.
The CHA250B was mounted on a a 10 foot pipe clamped to the trailer tongue jack. At 7.1 lbs it was very easy to install. The first thing I noticed was that it seemed to listen well on all bands. Nice. I checked into the RV net with good resulst the next moring. And SouthCars several times. Always with good results. From Deland, Florida I worked myself in West Palm Beach, using N4OLT, an Internet Remote Base. The path was noisy - but worked.
Sunday I worked the MicroComputer Net on 14.325 at noon, and later the ASCRA net at 14.287 at 4:30 PM East Coast time. Both nets preferred the CHA250B over the other antennas. The Deland location was less than ideal - with the vertical below the top of the trees and down in amongst some large oaks. I was surprised and pleased.
Terry
I participated in |
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| W5CRY |
Rating: |
2007-02-04 | |
| Reasonably Pleased |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
I have operated the CHA 250B for about six months, it is mounted approximately twelve feet off the ground and being driven with an ICOM Pro 3. The ICOM auto tuner readily tunes all bands to minimum VSWR.
Based on eHam.Net reviews, I had grave reservations after purchasing the antenna. While it is not the absolute best, it has performed beyond what I had may have been led to beleive.
I have worked coast to coast with the CHA 250B and received some excellent reports, but one has to take in propogation at any given time.
My only complaint is it is limited in RF Power, a bit pricey and wish it was capable of full legal power. |
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| K3MKB |
Rating: |
2007-01-27 | |
| Pleasant surprise |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| I live in Florida in a retirement village where high profile antennas are taboo. I was using a super loop antenna that worked well but only covered 10 thru 30 MHZ and had to be retuned everytime I moved more than 20KC or when I changed frequency. Always looking for a better setup I'd check and recheck the reviews on the Comet CHA-250B and the Diamond BB7V. I was surprised at the wide variety of opinions on these antennas. Two weeks ago I discovered the Comet on E-Bay and decided to take a chance and bid and I won it for about 75% of the price of a new one. I have it about 25 feet in the air and I've managed to work Europe and most of the U.S. I'm satisfied with the performance and love the instant QSY capabilities. |
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| K7JF |
Rating:  |
2007-01-08 | |
| P O S |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
The prior reviewer was right on the money about PT Barnum; and boy was I his intended victim on this antenna.
Mounted on roof to vent pipe. Base of antenna (if you want to call it that) is 20 feet above ground. Short run of coax. SWR readings observed per manufacturer specs. Hear a few stations, work even fewer.
Totally useless. |
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