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Reviews For: Comet CSB-7900 / CSB-790A

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

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Review Summary For : Comet CSB-7900 / CSB-790A
Reviews: 12MSRP: 115.00
Description:
Comet's BEST DualBand Mobile Antennas
2M/440MHz high gain antenna
Gain& Wave:
2M 7/8 wave 5.1dBi
440MHz Three 5/8 waves 7.7dBi
VSWR: 1.5:1 or less
Max Power: 150W
Length: 62"
Connector: Gold-plated PL-259
Threaded collar fold-over hinge included
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.cometantenna.com/products.php?CatID=1&famID=4&childID=4
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00123.8
VE9ASN Rating: 2021-10-12
Excellent!!!! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I humbly have to retract my previous poor rating due to a complete oversight on my behalf.
This antenna is exceeding my expectations and I can fully and wholeheartedly recommend it, 6 stars!
73.
WV2NY Rating: 2019-05-24
3 strikes and your out Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This is my second review of this antenna: I've now purchased 3 of this same antenna total and all 3 have broken. When they stay together they work great, however if they are on a vehicle I believe the stress of moving causes them to break. I was able to fix this 3rd one thanks to the fact that I had kept the pieces from the other two. Makes a great stay at home on top of the fridge antenna.
N4SRN Rating: 2018-08-26
Maiden 500mi Voyage A-OK Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Having read all of the disclaimers, I did a Loktite Blue ritual on all of the set screws and cranked it tight on my Subaru Forester hatch lip mount. My 2015 has a sun roof so an NMO hole is less feasible. The mount is bonded to the hatchback well and the hatchback bonded to the roof by a ground strap. My 500mi RT SoNH to Utica, NY and back worked just fine. Excellent RX/Tx and APRS.
ZL1BHD Rating: 2018-02-02
not repairable Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Grub screws must be checked regularly or parts go missing.

Plastic base a little fragile - not for off-road use.

DOES NOT COME APART and go back together again!! You CANNOT repair this antenna. NOT for marine or emergency use, because if it stops, it's going in the trash!! Big hammer, pliers, and angle grinder required to get apart!!

K5HM Rating: 2016-07-23
Meh Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Antenna worked OK but the locking cover on the fold over hinge would not stay tight. I replaced it with the Diamond CR320A. It has a spring loaded hinge that locks in place. Comet should look at redesigning the hinge.
W1ZZK Rating: 2015-04-15
Good as it gets! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Radio is a IC-706MkIIG in a 2005 GMC truck. All metal panels are well bonded. Antennas mounted on the bed mounted tool box.

I just replaced a Comet CA-2x4SR (Search & Rescue) with the CSB-790A. Checking with my antenna analyzer show acceptable SWR that was lower than the CA-2x4SR.

I live in one of the lowest elevations in the Charlotte area, next to a feeder tributary. The elevation rises sharply around me. I say "I live in a hollar".;) RF fights hard to escape my QTH.

For testing purposes, I called a friend 11.6 miles away that lives with all of the Charlotte metro area between us. Absolutely worse conditions given my QTH.

On 147.505 SIMPLEX, I A/B switched antennas more that once between the old CA-2x4SR and new CSB-790A. Each time I came up on him a full 2 S-Units. Because he was zero S-Units receive on my CA-2x4SR and bouncing about 0-1.5 S-Units on the CSB-790A, I had him transmit while I listened on the CA-2x4SR and set the squelch until I just blocked him. After switching to the CSB-790A, he broke the squelch very cleanly and absolutely solid.

I have not tested the 70cm yet, but expect similar results.

I was happy with the CA-2x4SR, but the new CSB-790A just blows it away in performance. I have the CSB-790A and a Little Tarheel II w/cap hat on a aluminum truck bed mounted tool box. Both perform great and both are about 11 feet to the tips from the ground.

At this point, I would recommend the Comet CSB-790A to anyone that can live with a 5 foot antenna and wants a solidly built antenna that performs the best I have experienced to date.

N4QCV Rating: 2012-05-15
GREAT ANTENNA FOR 2 METER/440 Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I BOUGHT THIS ANTENNA AFTER READING THE REVIEWS IN E HAM. I HAVE A 2007 JEEP WRANGLER WITH A FIBERGLASS 3 PIECE TOP....I HAD BOUGHT AN ANTENNA MOUNT MADE FOR 2007 JEEP WRANGLERS ANTENNA MOUNTS BEHGIND THE SPARE TIRE WITH THE STOCK BOLTS ITS VERY NICE MADE OF IRON AND IS PAINTED BLACK..ITS FROM ARIZONAROCKYROAD.COM ANYWAY THE ANTENNA WAS 1.7 1.5 ON 2 METERS AND 2.0 1.5 ON 440....I ORDERED SOME 1.5 WIDE COPPER TAPE FROM THE TAPE DEPOT.COM
I PUT ON THE TAPE TONIGHT ON THE INSIDE OF THE ROOF A 2 FOOT BY 3 FOOT SQUARE SWR NOW IS 1.1 TO 1.2 ON 2 METER ACROSS THE BAND AND 1.5 TO 1.2 ON 440 ACROSS THE BAND....SO THIS WORKS GREAT FOR MY JEEP WRANGLER!!!!! IF YOU HAVE SWR ISSUES WITH A NON METALLIC ROOF PICK UP SOME COPPER TAPE IT WILL SURE HELP!!!!!OH ANOTHER THING THE COMET IS BUILT RUGGED BUT IM GONNA CHANGE THE BOTTOM ALLEN SET SCREWS TO SAME SIZE SCREW BUT WITH A BOLT HEAD
AA1ET Rating: 2012-03-24
csb 790a Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I live in an apartment,and the csb 790a is on a good mag mount,but it is sitting on top of aluminum siding!I got a 3'by 2' piece of sheet steel and put it under for a better ground plane,IMMEDIATE increase in receiveability and output.Excellent quality .
AA8XR Rating: 2012-02-08
excellent Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
This is an excellent performer, best mobile receive antenna I have ever had. Beats the Diamond SG7900, which broke 3 times and was given up on in favor of this antenna. Hope it holds up in the long run, as it sure is the nicest mobile antenna I have ever had the privilege of owning after 23 plus years in hamming it up. 73!

To add to my previous review: make sure you have a strong enough mount to hold this antenna in place, as it very large and will load up quickly going down the road. I am running mine with the Comet HD5M mount, which works very well with it.
KA7JUN Rating: 2010-01-14
OK performace/Awful service Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
So up until this point I thought the 790a was a good antenna have had no problems with it.

I have had it for a little over 6mths and we had some really cold days here in WY recently and the lower phasing coil just snapped as I was driving down the road. In falling off the truck the upper coil was damaged as well. In my phone call to NCG (US distrib for Comet) I was informed that they would not be replacing the coils because it was normal wear and tear and they were "maintenance" items. The rep said if the SWR was good before it broke then there was nothing wrong with the antenna and would not warranty the coils that broke. But they would sell me the coils at $12(lower) and $9(upper)and charge me $8 to ship it to me. So at a 1/3 of the cost I could use it until it breaks again and in the reps words I "should be lucky they offer replacement parts and don't have to buy a new antenna". Well you can bet it wont be another Comet ever again!

So be aware that the warranty is non-existent unless it is electricaly wrong from the start. I am really dissapointed with CS and would not spend the $$ again.