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Reviews For: OptiBeam OB1-4030 40m/30m duoband rotary dipole

Category: Antennas: HF: Yagi, Quad, Rotary dipole, LPDA

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Review Summary For : OptiBeam OB1-4030 40m/30m duoband rotary dipole
Reviews: 13MSRP: 833. USD
Description:
Based on the famous OB1-40 high efficient 40 meter rotary dipole which is almost loss free shortened by two high Q air coils. 30m added as a full sized computer designed stub element with highest performance possible. Low SWR on both bands. Mechanically realized in the most robust way possible.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.optibeam.de
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00134.9
OZ1LWT Rating: 2017-03-22
German Quality Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have bought an OB 1 -40/30 meter, and already had an OB 9-5, which I am very pleased with. So I knew the high quality that Optibeam is known for in the world beforehand.

I got it while VP6EU was Qrv, it got mounted a week before he was Qrt, so I started with 200 watt on CW 30 meters, while my PA was warming up. I used CW, SSB, RTTY on 40 meters, and CW and RTTY also on 30 meters.

I am very impressed, and couldn't do that with the antenna I had before.

Optibeam is German quality, and I got a really good service from Tom, so I will rate it 5++.


Good DX and VY 73 de OZ1LWT
GM3YTS Rating: 2016-07-25
Excellent Product Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had this duo band dipole up for over one year, it is mounted above my Optibeam 9-5 beam.
Mechanically it is well made and strong and copes well with the adverse weather we have at times.
It went together easily with first class instructions from Tom DF2BO.
Over the years I have worked over 300 countries on both 30 and 40m (not all with the Optibeam of course)but this dipole helped me work all the recent mega Dxpeditions VK0EK, VP8's etc fairly easily. So it competes.
I highly recommend this antenna.
K4NA Rating: 2016-07-25
Quality Performance Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Two years ago I purchased the OB1-4030 to stack above my Optibeam OB9-5. I spent a couple of weeks familiarizing myself with the instructions so that I knew "what went were" during assembly. If I had any question, I emailed Tom @ Optibeam and always got a thorough explanation that cleared up my uncertainty. My tower guy told me he had put several Optibeams in the air and commended me on my antenna selection.
After two years this setup has been through severe thunderstorms and winds exceeding 70 mph with no issues. 1KW on 40 and 200 watts on 30 with this antenna will give u a lot of punch in pileups, not to mention how much better I seem to hear. Would I buy this antenna again? You bet! 73 > Tom K4NA
K8JPM Rating: 2016-07-24
Very satisfied Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had my OB1-40/30 rotary dipole for almost 2 years. I was looking for a trouble-free antenna that had some directivity. Oh, did I mention rugged too? I must say that I chose well. My OB1-40/30 (manufactured by OptiBeam and procured through Array Solutions) consistently gets good reports and weathered a brutal 2014-2015 winter. It has been through high winds (60 mph) and several northeast Ohio ice storms with no damage what-so-ever. I have not had to touch it since putting it up 2 years ago. It’s like the proverbial Timex watch, it takes a licking and keeps on ticking. Thank you OptiBeam and Array Solutions for a good honest product.
IK2LFF Rating: 2016-07-22
Amazing Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Well I have to say that the optibeam guys here made a perfect job.
I own it since 3 years now, and it perfectly fits between a OB11-3 (bottom) and a OBW4-2 (top).
Apart the perfection on electricals and mechanical point of views, I can add that Tom was so kind in providing me tips and tricks in order to correctly install the system. Fast, precise and very professional.

W7TJ Rating: 2016-07-19
Great However.... Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Performance and VSWR with this antenna are absolutely outstanding...better than I anticipated. The weak point is the 30 Meter element joining hardware, which is too small, and follows an intricate assembly scheme that couples the element tubes. The solution is either use tapered slotted elements or at LEAST slot the coupling tubes and use compression clamps. Basically a simple assembly process was made complicated.
- Randy W7TJ
WV2I Rating: 2014-05-09
Industry leader in quality and service Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Gentlemen; Unfortunatly this is just another review of an antenna product that has far exceeded my expectations. It is a true Cadillac in the antenna world. Not only is the product excellent in design and attention to detail during assembly, it really plays on the air. As some have said,"if you hear it you can work it". This is without a doubt a very credible statement. Tom - DF2BO is always availble to answer any questiions you have. This is a true case where you get what you pay for.
G3XLG Rating: 2014-02-20
Quality Antenna & Top Service Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought this great dipole antenna about 18 months ago through Ron at Vine Antennas the UK agent for Optibeam. Extremely well packaged, good instructions & easy assembly with no adjustments necessary. It has been mounted on top of my mast at a height of about 70 feet and 10 feet above a 4-El SteppIR. There has been no interaction between the two & it consistently has an SWR between 1.0 & 1.4 across both bands.
Performance wise it has been top notch and to use the old cliche, if I can hear them, I can work them.
Last week there were some very high winds here (up to 100mph) & I lowered the mast down so the OB-4030 was at about 40 feet. Due to problems with the rotator, I was unable to turn it end on to the wind so it had to suffer the gale for nearly 24 hours broadside on! It survived with no problem but on Sunday when I brought the tilt mast down to the ground, I found the synthetic truss rope on the OB4030 was frayed but not broken. I emailed Optibeam that Sunday with some photographs and heard back that day from Thomas (DF2BO the owner of Optibeam)that he would send me new truss ropes with a modified fixing to avoid the problem reoccuring. I received the new modified ropes from Germany today, only a few days after reporting the problem. The new ropes were FOC & complete with all new fixings - that's what I call after sales service!
I cannot recommend this Company and its antenna products enough, they always go the extra mile! I'm now seriously considering replacing the SteppIR with another Optibeam!
73 de Ray, G3XLG
K6ELQ Rating: 2014-02-15
Attention getter! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
If BWM made antennas, this is what they would make. Rugged, looks great and works very well! I am easily hearing stations I never heard before and, so far, I have been able to work anything I can hear. It may be “only” a dipole, but a dipole at a decent height is magic. On both 30m and 40m the SWR is less that 1.5:1 at resonance, a value my transceiver or amplifier can easily accommodate.

I ordered my antenna through Array Solutions, the U.S. distributor. The antenna was shipped from Germany and arrived within two weeks. The antenna is not inexpensive, but neither are BMW’s. You get what you pay for, quality and performance.

Assembly was very straightforward with the center section being shipped pre-assembled. I ordered the truss support option that installs a vertical support to the element-mounting platform to enable mounting the dipole at the very top of my mast; this is nice if you’re running out of mast space (see below). Tools (allen wrenches and nut drivers) are provided for those who do not posses the necessary tools, as are extra S.S. hardware just in case you lose or break some during assembly.

My antenna is mounted at 65-feet, a little less than 3m above my 10-element 10m thru 20m Log Yagi with the dipole parallel to the Yagi elements. I was not able to install mine at the factory recommended minimum separation of 3m. There is a slight increase in dipole SWR in this orientation but it is better than with the dipole parallel to the Yagi boom. I will soon be installing a longer mast to allow for greater separation between the two antennas and will post a follow up to this review if less interaction is attained.

I elected to use a Balun Designs 1115dt Maximum Choking Balun at the feed instead of the coiled coax balun described in the instructions. This is just a personal preference; I like things neat and tidy and have used this balun type on several antennas.

Tom, DF2BO, is the owner of the company and answers all emails very quickly, seemingly 24/7. I don’t think he ever sleeps. He answers all questions, provides suggestions and is very easy to work with. Great customer support!

73 de K6ELQ Tony
VE3BW Rating: 2012-09-01
Excellant Product Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I purchased a OB1-4030 this spring all I can say are good things, delivery from Germany was prompt, product support amazing OM Tom DF2BO emailed me a manual prior to delivery so I could familiarize myself with the anteanna, I have probably assembled 50 antennas over the past 40 years and I must say the Optibeams are by far the easiest, all parts labelled and actually extra nuts and bolts for us OT's that like to drop them in the grass(hi hi ) On the air performance very good, beats out a competitors rotatable dipole hands down! No traps to worry about ice,water or bugs. Had a vey strong wind and antenna didnt budge! Keep up the good work Tom. The OB1-4030 is stacked above my OB9-5 which compares to my buddies Steppir in performance...