x30 or x50 antenna

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GeeFull
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Re: x30 or x50 antenna

Post by GeeFull »

Crusader wrote:So that is £55 + £11.40 p&p ontop,where as the Sharman's clones are £62.09 delivered,not a lot in it i know,but i would love to know if the Diamond version is any better or not hence why i asked.
Depends on definition of "better".
Out of the packet/box, performance wise, often not much to be seen in it like for like.
Afterall they are all based on tried and tested designs, with internal metal radiating parts cut to pre-calculated lengths, to suit particular design.
Materials used, and construction does vary quite a lot though.
I have had all sorts over the years, from all sorts of brands, some good, some poor in construction.
Diamond have been the most consistant from a mechanical, and internal electrical construction point of view.
On a few clones I have had, whilst the fibre glass and outside metal fittings have held up, failures of internal connections have arrisen, and when stripped you often see why, poor connections between co-linear sections, in one Moonraker example they were simple crimped joints, not a sniff of solder to be seen, corrosion set in at joints and that was that.
On stripping it, cleaning all joints and making good with soldered connections, off it went again for a few more years till replaced, such a pity they couldn't be bothered to do that in the first place.
In others cheapy thinly plated steel rods, as oposed to brass or copper.
In one example these internal elements were actualy rusting!
Some cheapies have actualy leaked, filling with water, through poor joints between fibre glass and the metal base hub, others have had the fibre glass deteriorate and crack, again causing leaks.
Not saying Diamond will last for ever, but of the ones I have had, and still have, they are built up there with the best of them, rather than the cut corners budget end.
Sometimes you do get what you pay for I guess.
Of course these days its buyer beware when it comes to Diamond, just make sure you don't cop for any of the numerous fakes kicking around, emblazened with Diamond logos, and Diamond printed packaging, that are anything but real ones!
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Crusader
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Re: x30 or x50 antenna

Post by Crusader »

Some good points there,cheers for that,ohwell i think i will be using the old self amalgamating tape again as i always do for all joins/ connections on my antennas,thanks again for taking the time & effort to type & explain your knowledge & past experience on the matter :)
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k40
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Re: x30 or x50 antenna

Post by k40 »

Fake and original differences at bottom of page
https://www.wimo.com/omnidirectional-vh ... ond_e.html
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Crusader
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Re: x30 or x50 antenna

Post by Crusader »

Cheers for that,shame it does'nt also show build quality & performance comparison's,like i said earlier brand names are not always the best,as long as the antenna performs well & is made to last then that is all that matters to me,for example...i have a Ten-Tec kit made dummy load here & it still out performs an Antron 99 ;) .
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Crusader
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Re: x30 or x50 antenna

Post by Crusader »

Well the Sharmans x300 arrived this afternoon,all connections look to be fine & to a high standard also it looks to be as water tight as a duck's backside on the joins,so all good,been using it on ground level & good swr on both bands,just need my 100 metre roll of LMR200 coax to arrive in the next couple of days & hopefully get it up in the air for weekend :)
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Auldgeek
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Re: x30 or x50 antenna

Post by Auldgeek »

Crusader wrote:So that is £55 + £11.40 p&p ontop,where as the Sharman's clones are £62.09 delivered,not a lot in it i know,but i would love to know if the Diamond version is any better or not hence why i asked.
I can provide feedback based on the V-2000 triband colinaer I have up here. Currrently using the genuine Diamond colinear that replaced a cheaper clone. The clone lasted just over a year before the bracket assembly started to wear. Vibration of the antenna in the wind had eroded the hole where the antenna to bracket assembly was connected. The bolt was still tight but the cheap thin metal had simply been rubbed away.

My Diamond has 2 bolts and the metal thickness is substantially better. I don't see this ever being an issue.
On top of this, the Diamond has lower VSWR on 6M and the 70cm repeaters I hear are between 1-2 S points better.

BTW, the clone was a Moonraker.
I think at the time, I paid just over £110 for my Diamond while the moonraker cost me £85
If you look about online, there are deals to be had with the Diamond. IMHO, it is a better antenna both in construction and performance.
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Crusader
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Re: x30 or x50 antenna

Post by Crusader »

Hi there,as previously mentioned by GeeFull the Moonraker ones are not upto much,just glad i got this Sharmans one instead as (touch wood) it looks to be made well,to be honest i was'nt going to use the provided bracket anyway as i have a lot more heavy duty bracket here which is made of galvanised steel which i would rather use than the car exhaust clamp thingy that it came with,anyway we shall see how it goes as it will be put to the test as it is being put up in a very exposed to the wind area,best regards :)
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Auldgeek
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Re: x30 or x50 antenna

Post by Auldgeek »

Crusader wrote:Hi there,as previously mentioned by GeeFull the Moonraker ones are not upto much,just glad i got this Sharmans one instead as (touch wood) it looks to be made well,to be honest i was'nt going to use the provided bracket anyway as i have a lot more heavy duty bracket here which is made of galvanised steel which i would rather use than the car exhaust clamp thingy that it came with,anyway we shall see how it goes as it will be put to the test as it is being put up in a very exposed to the wind area,best regards :)
I'll be very interested to hear your comments on performance and overall durability. Yes, the moonraker is probably one of the worst of the "clones".
I also have a small X-50 Watson that has been up in the air for a couple of years and works very well with no build issues whatsoever.

All the best with your antenna.
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user8666

Re: x30 or x50 antenna

Post by user8666 »

hi guys thanks for the reply's I have just bought the sharmans x50 with 13 meters of rg213 I have just tested the antenna swr on 2m is 1.1 to 1.2 70cm 1.3 1.4 that was tested on my handset but the antenna was tested in my living room as the roof is getting replaced so hopefully will be the same results if not better on the gable end as now I am putting it on a 6ft pole not ten as its 13ft with the antenna on the pole now and its going on the peak and I am on a hill
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porky.69
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Re: x30 or x50 antenna

Post by porky.69 »

reds129 wrote:hi guys thanks for the reply's I have just bought the sharmans x50 with 13 meters of rg213 I have just tested the antenna swr on 2m is 1.1 to 1.2 70cm 1.3 1.4 that was tested on my handset but the antenna was tested in my living room as the roof is getting replaced so hopefully will be the same results if not better on the gable end as now I am putting it on a 6ft pole not ten as its 13ft with the antenna on the pole now and its going on the peak and I am on a hill
nice one mate :thumbup:
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StormShadow
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Re: x30 or x50 antenna

Post by StormShadow »

How did that antenna perform? I might get one myself.
Crusader wrote:Buy an x-300 instead,even better gain than the x-50 & not much more than the x-50 costs,I bought one lastnight...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/371213395165? ... EBIDX%3AIT
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Crusader
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Re: x30 or x50 antenna

Post by Crusader »

:lol: give me chance i aint got it in the air just yet,well i can crack open the GB3MP repeater which is 63 miles away as the crow flies & i am receiving it on a S3 & that is with the antenna sat on the deck.
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Auldgeek
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Re: x30 or x50 antenna

Post by Auldgeek »

reds129 wrote:hi guys thanks for the reply's I have just bought the sharmans x50 with 13 meters of rg213 I have just tested the antenna swr on 2m is 1.1 to 1.2 70cm 1.3 1.4 that was tested on my handset but the antenna was tested in my living room as the roof is getting replaced so hopefully will be the same results if not better on the gable end as now I am putting it on a 6ft pole not ten as its 13ft with the antenna on the pole now and its going on the peak and I am on a hill
Congrats m8. Hope it works well for you :thumbup:
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Re: x30 or x50 antenna

Post by TheCaptain »

Crusader wrote::lol: give me chance i aint got it in the air just yet,well i can crack open the GB3MP repeater which is 63 miles away as the crow flies & i am receiving it on a S3 & that is with the antenna sat on the deck.

That's good going :clap:
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Crusader
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Re: x30 or x50 antenna

Post by Crusader »

Yep sure is & that is with 5 watts :)
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