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Reviews For: W-300 Watson 2m/70cm Base Station Vertical

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

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Review Summary For : W-300 Watson 2m/70cm Base Station Vertical
Reviews: 3MSRP:
Description:
* Bands 2m/70cm * Gain 6.5/9dB * Power 200W * Type 2x5/8, 5x5/8 * Length 3.1m * Weight 1.46kg
The Watson base station antennas have earned themselves an enviable reputation, offering both value for money and excellent performance. The W-300 is fibre glass encapsulated and pre-tuned for the appropriate bands. All the hardware is rustproof, comprising mainly alloy materials. The mast brackets are also included, as is a weather protector shield to cover the SO-239 base socket.

Product is in production
More Info: http://www.wsplc.com/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0033
GM4UBJ Rating: 2021-07-31
Poor mechanical design Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Well this antenna has been up for over ten years and it is being replaced by a Diamond.
Performance wise its worked fine but swr has started to rise on 2m, 70cms seems fine.(water ingress I think at the PL connector)
Mechanically the issue is with the mounting , the bottom tube which acts as a cover for the PL connector is clamped to the supporting mast which is fine but the antenna slides into the mounting tube from the top and is secured by a single retaining nut. There was a very slight amount of play in this which was hardly noticeable but after the first winter I noticed the antenna leaning slightly to one side (the leeward side of the wind direction) Gradually this has increased as the mount begins to wear (round off) , The antenna now sits about 30 deg off the vertical and will only be vertical when I have a North Easterly so compared to a similar Diamond I believe its inferior. So if you live in a windy spot it may give you issues.
M0NST Rating: 2013-11-17
brilliant Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had this antenna since 2008 non problems at all with it installed as supplied 8 m on the side if the building brilliant antenna can open up gb3 vt ob n half a watt some 50 miles away no real issues installed and and left alone. In this period it has had quite a few of 100 mph winds in fact had the wind try and. Pick me up but the antenna still there
GM1FLQ Rating: 2010-11-21
The Poundshop would be about right for this level of quality Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Actual RF performance was fairly good with low swr and what seemed like decent gain. This is a two piece aerial and the first thing I noticed was the sloppy fit of the centre join. Before installing the aerial I took care to seal all joins (centre,top,coax connection) with self amalgamating tape. Aerial was installed about 8m high on a 50mm dia pole and I am not at an exposed seafront or on top of a hill. Less than 2 years and the antenna has snapped near the base (just below the radial collar) - it just seems typical of modern day junk made by organisations only capable of designing in maximum profit for their cloned leaders.