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Reviews For: DIamond RHF40

Category: Antennas: VHF/UHF+ Omnidirectional: verticals, mobile, etc

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Review Summary For : DIamond RHF40
Reviews: 3MSRP: 29.95
Description:
Dual band (2m/70cm, +wide recv), extremely flexible HT antenna. BNC
connector, 16" long
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.diamondantenna.net/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0034.7
K9XXX Rating: 2013-08-31
5 for performance Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This a great-performing antenna and I don't have the same objection to its flexibility because I
use it differently than others may.
I don't use belt clips. I carry my vx6 in a shirt pocket with the bent-over antenna in the pocket next to it.I talk thru the local club's mile-distant repeaters with .3W and never need more,
even talking thru the wall of a motel structure.
The novel design concept is well-suited to my
personal carry preferences.
K7TXO Rating: 2012-12-03
Best HT antenna Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I started out with the factory supplied antenna that KENWOOD supplies with their TH-D72A HT. While the factory antenna is durable and small, it de-senses near your body to a far greater degree than other antennas I have used. No matter how it is used, it's VHF range is ok given it's compact design. Not much to operate on UHF in my area but the factory antenna has been used for KNWD Sky Command and for at least 5 miles, it has served me fine while hiking around the area.

I used a COMET SMA 24 for awhile as it provided very good results but it did not take long for its piano-wire flexile antenna to dissappear from the otherwise nicely machined SMA mount. $25 plus shipping that got used in rather mild service for a couple of months down the drain.

I decided to give the DIAMOND RHF40 a try. The factory specs are even more impressive than the COMET antenna. The whip was noted to be very flexible and that appealed to me since the COMET whip just got in the way a lot whether on my belt or carried in my hand, getting in and out of the car, etc. The RHF40 antenna's flexibility has been terrific. While it droops and flops around more than you might think you would like, it works very well in any position it is in. More importantly is how it works. On VHF I can only say WOW. Outstanding performance. I can operate VHF repeaters inside the house, outside or in the car that I could never do before, or had difficulty maintaining contact in the same locations. UHF requires more testing but I think the range is at least the same as the KNWD original antenna and for me that works ok with my local hikes using Sky Command mode to operate HF remotely on my TS-2000.

How long will the flexible whip last? No clue yet but I have a feeling it will give me a decent life with reasonable use sprinkled with some un-intended abuse.

I switched my KNWD from SMA to this BNC type with a very nice & snug adapter as a personal preference. While the SMA always worked for me and possibly a smidge better for UHF, it just seems like I might damage it too easily. Mainly I switched because I already have and use BNC on everything else I have.
KC2OOS Rating: 2006-04-29
Pretty good. Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
This was the first replacement HT antenna I bought for my Icom IC-W32A. I originally wanted the Diamond RH77CA, which is similarly "high gain", but HRO was out of stock the day I was there.

This antenna works much, much better than the stock W32A antenna. The only drawback is that the antenna is *too* flexible--if you move the radio quickly, the antenna will flop over. If you haven't see this antenna, it has a flexible metallic jacket similar to BX type armored electrical cable, but obviously much thinner.

Of course, because it's so flexible and relatively sturdy at the same time, it can be quickly folded up and stuffed into a pouch for transport. I also use it with my Yaesu FT-817ND, and when the 817 is sitting horizontally, I can bend the antenna vertically and it stays there.

It's quite a good antenna, but I'd give it a "5" if it were just a bit stiffer. I've switched to the Diamond RH205 telescopic 5/8 wave 2m antenna for the W32A's main antenna. Mostly, I keep it near the 817 nowadays.