HFU HF Underground
Technical Topics => Equipment => Topic started by: Looking-Glass on September 08, 2018, 0316 UTC
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The six metre season is rolling around this way and I have decided to retire my home brew 50MHz vertical after many years of faithful service.
Cannot be bothered making up a new one, been looking at the Diamond CP-62 ground plane 50MHz antenna at one of the southern dealers for AUD$249.00.
Has any of our esteemed HFU members used one of these and can give a frank and honest opinion on it?
Looking at the 50MHz CW sector of the band, and some 52/53MHz simplex and repeater operating.
EHam doesn't give much opinion on it if any, so over to the team... ;D
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I have owned two of these antennas. In both cases the wind eventually destroyed them. However, it is not uncommon for us to have 45 MPH winds for days on end here, with gusts well over 80 MPH.
The antennas did seem to work well, particularly when talking about FM operation, such as repeater or FM simplex. I used them occasionally for weak signal stuff at the lower end of the band, but I have a couple of Yagi's for that, so this was only occasional use.
If I was looking for a single antenna 6m solution I might consider this antenna, keeping in mind the limitations for weak signal work.
T!