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Reviews For: Diamond A144S5 2M Yagi

Category: Antennas: VHF/UHF+ Directional (Yagi, quad, etc.)

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Review Summary For : Diamond A144S5 2M Yagi
Reviews: 14MSRP: 59
Description:
Base Station Yagi Beam - Special Features:
+ High Gain
+ Easy Assembly
+ Great for base or portable use.
+ Quality Construction
+ Factory adjusted - no tuning required.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.rfparts.com/diamond/a144s5.html
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00144.1
NB5R Rating: 2020-09-15
A144S5R Too flimsy to use Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Our club bought this yagi new for use on a repeater site, but it is so 'lightweight' you can actually bend the elements with your fingers. The plastic housing snapped off the boom merely from the weight of the LMR400 connected to it. My TV antenna is actually better built. I doubt it would survive much wind. I've owned several Diamond antennas including a 6m yagi which was well built and performed great. Very disappointed in this particular product!
KC2YRJ Rating: 2017-07-06
Perfect for me Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I needed to hit a repeater over 40mi. away and my discone just couldn't do it. The antenna on the repeater end is compromised and there are many hills in the way. I wanted something that didn't have a very long boom and the A144S5, w 9.1 db gain seemed like a good choice. Took me about 15 minutes to mount to a PVC pipe and a vent-pipe mount. Used a compass to aim it at the repeater and now getting full quieting. SWR is 1.1:1 at center of band and a maximum of 1.3:1 at the edges. All this for $60.
G4VEC Rating: 2016-04-29
Well Made BUT. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Only installed it a few days ago (28 April 2016) A club friend had moved some 30-miles away and I was only just able to make contact using my Diamond F23a vertical antenna,3x 5/8 in mono config. 8dbi.My first impression when unpacking from cardboard box was that it was well made and very lightweight,as this was to be used vertically polarised I was disappointed to discover that the stand-off support bracket was not included, all illustrations of this antenna give the impression that it was an integral part of the antenna but on enquiring was told it was an extra item KB144 £15 plus p&p and 8-weeks delivery, not stocked in any of the UK emporiums.I have installed it in my loft suspended using cord,SWR flat from 144 to 146 MHZ.
Not had time to carry out full tests,but is performing as well as can be expected. However I will not use it outside,in my opinion this antenna is ideal for portable use or inside a building, and was probably not intended to be used as an outdoor base station antenna.
W4JTB Rating: 2015-12-16
Great quality product Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased the yagi because a buddy of mine moved 20 miles away and the attic x-50 just wasn't cutting it (not the x-50's fault, another great antenna). We were only able to simplex if conditions were very favorable.

I live in an HOA so I quickly push this yagi up after dark and several of us have a simplex group every night around 7pm.

It's only up about 15 feet, and I'm able to talk with them 20 miles away with ease. In fact they only use 15 watts and I get 3-4 bars and full quieting. I'll also mention they are in HOA's as well and only have their antennas up about 12-15 feet.

I also use it for a central Alabama simplex net on Sunday nights and it can be heard 60 miles away with no issue.

Great antenna. Very happy with the purchase.

It has surpassed my expectations.
AA7LX Rating: 2014-11-19
High Quality from Diamond Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Brought for better city/area coverage than 1/4 Groundplane. Hits all repeaters(with lower power settings) 100% even pointed 45-90 degrees away. Needed for Apartment balcony. Attached to PVC and slotted PVC into small tripod. No problem! 1.2 or better SWR. Replaced wing nut with regular nut. Recommend Silicon coating on Yagi ends. Otherwise, Buy it! Excellent product and high quality from Diamond. Have brought other products from Diamond though DX Engineering--extremely good quality products!
W6VMX Rating: 2012-11-07
Great antenna - easy to assemble and install - works excellent Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Recently moved 30 miles from club repeater, so I decided to get a yagi. Mounted it vertical on a metal pole, just below my Diamond x50a. It works great, good F/B and side rejection, and forward gain is excellent as well. VSWR is flat at 2.5 watts, and less than 1.5 at 50 watts. I am VERY happy with this antenna, and will soon be picking up another for use on portable cart system to be used for our WAMO! remote nets. Visit us at www.wa6bgs.us and see whats up.
N6TFL Rating: 2012-04-24
Excellent Buy and Compact Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I use this antenna on a tripod with non-metallic 1.5 " PVC pipe for a mast for portable use. I now have a stacking arrangement with two of these antennas mounted on a Diamond SB144R Support Beam and a Diamond SS770R Stacking Harness Kit. Performance is significantly improved over a single. Photo at http://www.tfl.net/HamRadio/ Note: I added weights (40 pound bags of salt pellets) to the TriPod legs for added stability. Diamond Technical support (Wayne) was exceptionally good when I consulted them on the stacking arrangement.
M6AIU Rating: 2011-09-05
Good value for money Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
If your on a budget then this antenna will suit you - does what it says on the box!

I have used this on field trips and got good results when using repeaters and for Sat contact... Ok, the build quality isn't like a £200 unit but it easily packs down for portable use and is dead easy to set up again, what more do you want for the price....
SM6XUN Rating: 2011-08-17
Great product! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is surely a great antenna for portable 2m SSB work, there is no other beam on the market being this portable, lightweight, easy and fast to set up.

It does not have the ruggedness for being mounted to your 30 foot tower for 20+ years but it is not really intended for that purpose either, there is alot other antennas suitable for that purpose.

I use it on a 16 feet glassfiber pole, running HFX50 cable, a gel battery and my FT-857, a great way to activate 2m SSB from hilltops :)
KD7QDG Rating: 2010-11-15
Very Functional - Quick Assembly Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This antenna does very well, good directivity, Low SWR thru the entire 2 Meter band. Had it built and in the air in 20 minutes, most of that time mounting it to the mast.

Gain is good, pulls in those far away repeaters, the marginal ones are now full copy as long as I am pointed in the right direction!

Came with the mounting bracket, 1.5 inch, and of course I have a 2 inch mast... oh well. Drilled for horizontal or vertical polarization. Quick and easy to change. Happy with the product, very portable.