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Reviews For: Tran-Max BF2M3

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

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Review Summary For : Tran-Max BF2M3
Reviews: 1MSRP: 129 AUD
Description:
2m 5/8 wave mono band vertical 7.8db gain
Product is in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0014
VK6JON Rating: 2007-08-11
Incorrect Element Length Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This antenna is the same as the Diamond F-23 with different packaging.
I purchased the antenna at the local ham fest brand new from a supplier.
After I eventually work out how it went together, as there are no instructions, only a cutting chart which is printed on the cover of the plastic sleeve, I bolted it to the top of the mast, went to the radio and checked the SWR, it was 4:1 on 144.000 MHz and 2.5:1 148.000 MHz. Not a good start for a brand new antenna. So after getting it to the top of the mast, I now have to get it back down to pull it apart (not happy).
After pulling the antenna apart and dismantling all the elements, I measured each individual element to find that the middle element was the same length as the top element 1225mm long, it should have been 1455mm long. This accounts for the high SWR. so after extending the element to it's correct length with an electrical connector and a piece of silver solder rod, I reassembled it and took it back to the top of the mast, checked the SWR and it was down to 1.5:1 at 144MHz and 2.5:1 at 148MHz (at least usable at the lower end). That night it rained almost continuously, checked the SWR in the morning to find it again excessively high. So back to the top of the mast and pulled it down to find it full of water, the top fiberglass section doesn’t fit to the middle section properly and therefore leaked, so dried everything out, wrapped self amalgamating weld tape over the fiberglass joints, trimmed the elements to the 147MHz scale and put it all back together AGAIN!! and took another trip back to the top of the mast.
Checked the SWR and it is 1.2:1 on 146 MHz, 1.3:1 at 144 MHz and 1.7:1 at 148 MHz, around 146 is where I mostly work so it's ok.
Since the antenna was put up (1 week ago) we've had about 25mm rain and the SWR hasn’t moved (yet).
Apart from all of the above dramas it's a great performer with excellent signals reports, I had a 4el yagi up before this antenna, and this one is 1-2 s-points better.

73’s