ME-QBC Quad Band Base Colinear

[Auldgeek]

I see a new antenna designed for base station use is now available. Claims to cover 10/6/2/70 yet it is only 1.2m long.
To me, this seems to be just a clone of the Diamond 8900 mobile antenna shrouded in fiberglass with 3 radials to provide the counterpoise. Certainly on 10 & 6 it will be very inefficient. Might be useful for a wideband scanner but cannot see it being a great performer, even on the higher bands.

http://uk.picclick.com/Quad-band-ME-QBC ... 29206.html

Anyone tempted to try or has already?

[GeeFull]

I see a new antenna designed for base station use is now available. Claims to cover 10/6/2/70 yet it is only 1.2m long.
To me, this seems to be just a clone of the Diamond 8900 mobile antenna shrouded in fiberglass with 3 radials to provide the counterpoise. Certainly on 10 & 6 it will be very inefficient. Might be useful for a wideband scanner but cannot see it being a great performer, even on the higher bands.

http://uk.picclick.com/Quad-band-ME-QBC ... 29206.html

Anyone tempted to try or has already?

Have a read of this, someone bought one, and posted this elsewhere, and confirmed what you suspect you might find, especially on 10 meters!

G0* * *

Post Re: quad band co-linear new off fleabay
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/191776303059? ... EBIDX%3AIT

Just found this on e-bay, seems to fit the bill on what I want from a co-linear just wondering if anyone else has used one in the group ? and what your thoughts were ? ( I know from its length its not gonna do much on 10m)


Ok ... mine arrived this morning and was put up by midday packaging was ok and all hardware included with no issues or missing parts with the exception that the so 259 was a little tight (not to much of a problem at all, just needed a bit of welly to get it done up )

antenna is on a 15ft mast and 20 ft in the air, and no more noisier than the Watson duel bander that was there before

standing waves
70cms 1.6 -1. across the band
2m 1.2 -1.1
6m 1.2- 1.7 across the band
10 m 2.3-1.8 28 mhz only (not tested on 29 mhz as I'm not interested in FM portion)

as expected forget working anything on 10, local test proved it was not the best for ground wave
on 6m test I found I was picking up some RF through microphone /audio on TS-2000 resolved issue with ferite and now fine ( so you might want to think about an RF choke)
2m and 70cms seem no different than my old Watson duel band that was there originally

so until I can use it when there's more activity on 6m or some sporadic E I can't really comment, station 5 miles away said I was end stop with just 5w on that band but inaudible on 10m with the same power
my intention is to use it for 6m data JT65 and JT9 and as a uhf /vhf for local nets

so to conclude seems to cover 2/70 and 6m ok but a on 10m

[Auldgeek]

Thanks for that and confirms my suspicions. I'll leave well alone!

[Auldgeek]

To confue matters more, there now appears to be one that covers 6M/4M/2M/70cms!

Now this is more interesting as I own a Quad Band Wouxon that covers these 4 bands and currently have a 4M Watson up in the air for FM use.
I'm puzzled how they manage to get the 4m side to resonate properly mind you. I wonder if there's a seperate resonator inside the tube.

I'm kinda interested in trying this one TBH.
Possibly.....

[GeeFull]

To confue matters more, there now appears to be one that covers 6M/4M/2M/70cms!

Now this is more interesting as I own a Quad Band Wouxon that covers these 4 bands and currently have a 4M Watson up in the air for FM use.
I'm puzzled how they manage to get the 4m side to resonate properly mind you. I wonder if there's a seperate resonator inside the tube.

I'm kinda interested in trying this one TBH.
Possibly.....

Again I can only quote a thread I read somewhere else, can't find it now, but some enterprising soul had contacted Diamond antennas to ask that very question, "why" they didn't produce a 6,4, 2, and 70cms mobile or white stick type antenna.
He published a very polite e-mail he had back from their design engineers, saying they had looked into it, and from antenna modelling alone they felt it was a "no go", and would not be for the foreseeable future venturing in that direction.
Maybe someone else has "cracked it", but somehow I doubt it will be what its is cracked up to be if a major antenna player thinks it all too much trouble!

[Auldgeek]

I remember reading that thread myself. I've sent an email to the seller asking for more information around the 4m side. As you say, if a major manufacturer like Diamond haven't brought something to the market, it does make you wonder. Mind you, it may well be the R&D costs for larger companies make it prohibitive given the likely return whereas smaller companies can do this without too much overhead.

Anyway, much more likely to be a reasonable performer if it resonates correctly although a colinear it ain't. 1/4 at best on 4m if it works!