My CX-333 has been up more than 25 years, with absolutely no problems whatsoever. No moisture problems at the coupling - I check every five years. And, ?of course, ?using 9913 cable. It is a phenomenal tri-band performer for California, where we all live in Valleys, looking at our hilltop repeaters. I run 15 W - maybe 20 W - and I hit everything I need to hit.
--
Clint Bradford K6LCS
http//www.work-sat.com
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The CX-333 is two sections - about twice the height - and about twice the price. It's your preference.
I find the two section or more antennas encounter weather problems. The taller you go you certainly get more gain overall but the beam becomes much more narrow like a tight searchlight. The smaller GP-3 is manageable to mount at just under six feet. It has a broader beam to manage filling coverage holes due to terrain. It's at a price point good for average users.
The CX-333 is a mighty antenna but it costs as much as a basic mobile rig. If you want penetrating gain you could also try a Arrow 4 element Yagi and a rotor. It has a fairly tight nose and it is very effective and directional. An omni wastes power radiating eveywhere instead of concentrating on your target. I just had a ?700 mile QSO with my 4 element mounted indoors!?
The reason that all these models are offered is that everyone has different personal goals and preferences. I suggested the GP-3 as a good basic antenna for a beginner and not for a all guns drawn contester.
Respectfully offered.... ? Karl ?N2KZ
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On Oct 31, 2023, at 5:30 PM, Chris Smart <ve3rwj@...> wrote: ? Actually, I think the right Comet vhf/uhf vertical is the CX-333. Decent amount of gain and a nice pattern on 2M, 1.25M, and 70CM, and it can handle 100 W on all three. Perfect for the ARRL VHF contest FM-only category. ?
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Re: radio shutting off when I press PTT
Wouldn't that depend on what you mean by "testing", and how to go about it.
SWR tests certainly are generally useless, due to "ground plane"issues.
Christian, KD2LIN
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----- Original Message ----- From: Clint Bradford via groups.io <clintbradford@...> To: [email protected]Sent: Tue, 31 Oct 2023 13:17:58 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: [Yaesu-FT-60] radio shutting off when I press PTT <html><head></head><body dir="auto">Testing HT antennas is a total waste of time.<div><br /></div><div>I know: I've done it.</div><div><br /></div><div>As we all learned during adolescence: longer is generally better.</div><div><br /></div><div>And purchase only from respected amateur radio dealers - NOT ebay.</div><div><br /></div><div><br id="lineBreakAtBeginningOfSignature" /><div dir="ltr"></div><div dir="ltr"><br /><blockquote>On Oct 31, 2023, at 10:15, Clint Bradford via groups.io <clintbradford=mac.com@groups.io> wrote:<br /><br /></blockquote></div><blockquote><div dir="ltr">Diamond - that's genuine Diamond from legitimate ham equipment dealers - makes fine antennas. Like the SRH-320a ...<div><br /></div><div>BUT a better performer than that '320a - and HALF the price - is the Smiley 270.</div><div><br /></div><div>See ...?<a href=" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer"></a>?</div><div><br /></div><div>... for some antenna ideas.?</div><div><br /></div><div>Clint</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br id="lineBreakAtBeginningOfSignature" /><div dir="ltr"></div><div dir="ltr"><br /><blockquote>On Oct 31, 2023, at 09:57, Chris Smart <ve3rwj@winsystem.org> wrote:<br /><br /></blockquote></div><blockquote><div dir="ltr"><style>@font-face { font-family: "Cambria Math"; } @font-face { font-family: Calibri; } @font-face { font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji"; } p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; } span.EmailStyle19 { font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: windowtext; } .MsoChpDefault { font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; } @page WordSection1 { size: 612pt 792pt; margin: 72pt; } div.WordSection1 { page: WordSection1; }</style><div class="WordSection1"><p class="MsoNormal">?</p><div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:18pt">Pray tell, why? My SRH-77 is just fine and has been since I bought it with the FT-60R, new. I guess I'll have to buy the competing Comet product and compare them.?</span><span style="font-size:18pt;font-family:'segoe ui emoji' , sans-serif">🤷</span><span style="font-size:18pt"></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:18pt">?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal">Yeah. A quarter wave is a quarter wave. <span style="font-family:'segoe ui emoji' , sans-serif">😊</span></p><p class="MsoNormal">?</p><p class="MsoNormal">I use their tri-band whip on my Kenwood TH-D74A without issue…</p></div></div></div></div> </div></blockquote></div><br />-- <br />Clint Bradford K6LCS<br />http//www.work-sat.com </div></blockquote></div></body></html><br />-- <br />Clint Bradford K6LCS<br />http//www.work-sat.com <div style="color:white"></div>
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Good evening? We seem to have wandered to base antennas. All of my HTs use the appropriate SR77 Including my FT60.?
I have used I think it is the RH77 mag mount for about 16 years. I went to antenna 2 on vehicle 3 because the first was getting rusty.
I had a X30 vertical that is still in use with owner 2. It was replaced by a X300 because others could pull in a station 70 miles away on 2m simplex and I struggled.
If I could not get a Diamond, I would buy a similar Comet.
In 16 years have never contacted Diamond for parts or service.
I don’t run over 75 watts on 2m though and mostly it’s 50.
In short I like Diamonds. And based on my Comet HF vertical I have no complaints.
73 Frank KB3PQT?
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Actually, I think the right Comet vhf/uhf vertical is the CX-333. Decent amount of gain and a nice pattern on 2M, 1.25M, and 70CM, and it can handle 100 W on all three. Perfect for the ARRL VHF contest FM-only category. ?
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My exact problem too!
In my case, the long mobile 2m monoband whip they offer. One day it simply died. All the componentry is sealed in-so no repair possible.
Similarly, poor performance with friend's Diamond base antennas. Either blows up or dies from water ingress.
Comet is sweet. I highly recoomend the GP-3. One piece construction and the beam isn't so flat like the GP-9. I think the GP-3 comboned with a 50 watt Yaesu mobile is the perfect combo that should last forever. Make sure to use black goop seal on the outdoor connector. You will be all set for the long run!
IMHO ?Karl Zuk ?N2KZ
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On Oct 31, 2023, at 12:40 PM, Chris Smart <ve3rwj@...> wrote: ? Avoid Diamond! Interesting. Can you elaborate? ? I bought a diamond X510HDM dual-band vertical, their version of the Comet GP-9, specifically because they claim it could handle 330 W FM on 2 meters, an 250 W FM on 70 CM. I wasn’t going to run quite that much, and quite a bit less power than that immediately fried the little capacitors in the antenna. To say I was annoyed is an understatement. ? A friend took the antenna apart and replaced the caps with larger ones, and I have had no problems since. But still, I would be wary of their power-handling specifications. ? Chris ?
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Re: radio shutting off when I press PTT
HOORAY! I love it when a good plan comes together!!? Enjoy the ragchews.
In a message dated 10/31/2023 9:31:45 AM Eastern Daylight Time, jayne.rising@... writes:
?
Well, the new battery came off of the new drop charger at 8.6V. I hit the local repeater easily and clearly, and I'm looking forward to chewing the fat with the local hams again! And I'll have to smudge the ink on my new ticket eventually. I'm studying for my general so when the time comes, I'll have to cross out Technician and replace it with General. I'm not passing the practice tests yet but I'll get there!
Thanks again! 73 and clear.
Jayne
KD9WLM
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Re: radio shutting off when I press PTT
In fact, I bought this collapsible J pole from Signal Stuff and it works very well. Of course the instructions weren't the greatest but a YouTube video from K7SW saved the day.
My Tx is turned to Low but I have work in-house so not much time to play with it until later. I was going to try hitting other repeaters further away until Brother Murphy interfered.
My study strategy is to use a combination of Ham Radio Prep and hamexam.org The former is a nice video with written backup and practice quizzes/tests to reinforce the information. They very much teach to the test however, so augmenting with hamexam.org really helps. They have practice tests and flash cards. Both sites give scores by section, so my basic strategy is to take a practice test, review the material for the section(s) I did the worst on, and take another practice test. It worked well for my Technician exam with a 34/35 score anyway. :)
Jayne
KD9WLM
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Re: radio shutting off when I press PTT
Testing HT antennas is a total waste of time.
I know: I've done it.
As we all learned during adolescence: longer is generally better.
And purchase only from respected amateur radio dealers - NOT ebay.
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On Oct 31, 2023, at 10:15, Clint Bradford via groups.io <clintbradford@...> wrote:
? Diamond - that's genuine Diamond from legitimate ham equipment dealers - makes fine antennas. Like the SRH-320a ...
BUT a better performer than that '320a - and HALF the price - is the Smiley 270.
See ...??
... for some antenna ideas.?
Clint
On Oct 31, 2023, at 09:57, Chris Smart <ve3rwj@...> wrote:
? ? Pray tell, why? My SRH-77 is just fine and has been since I bought it with the FT-60R, new. I guess I'll have to buy the competing Comet product and compare them.?? ? Yeah. A quarter wave is a quarter wave. ? ? I use their tri-band whip on my Kenwood TH-D74A without issue…
-- Clint Bradford K6LCS http//www.work-sat.com
--
Clint Bradford K6LCS
http//www.work-sat.com
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Re: radio shutting off when I press PTT
Diamond - that's genuine Diamond from legitimate ham equipment dealers - makes fine antennas. Like the SRH-320a ...
BUT a better performer than that '320a - and HALF the price - is the Smiley 270.
See ...??
... for some antenna ideas.?
Clint
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On Oct 31, 2023, at 09:57, Chris Smart <ve3rwj@...> wrote:
? ? Pray tell, why? My SRH-77 is just fine and has been since I bought it with the FT-60R, new. I guess I'll have to buy the competing Comet product and compare them.?? ? Yeah. A quarter wave is a quarter wave. ? ? I use their tri-band whip on my Kenwood TH-D74A without issue…
--
Clint Bradford K6LCS
http//www.work-sat.com
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Re: radio shutting off when I press PTT
? Pray tell, why? My SRH-77 is just fine and has been since I bought it with the FT-60R, new. I guess I'll have to buy the competing Comet product and compare them.?? ? Yeah. A quarter wave is a quarter wave. ? ? I use their tri-band whip on my Kenwood TH-D74A without issue…
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Re: radio shutting off when I press PTT
Avoid Diamond! Interesting. Can you elaborate? ? I bought a diamond X510HDM dual-band vertical, their version of the Comet GP-9, specifically because they claim it could handle 330 W FM on 2 meters, an 250 W FM on 70 CM. I wasn’t going to run quite that much, and quite a bit less power than that immediately fried the little capacitors in the antenna. To say I was annoyed is an understatement. ? A friend took the antenna apart and replaced the caps with larger ones, and I have had no problems since. But still, I would be wary of their power-handling specifications. ? Chris ?
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Re: radio shutting off when I press PTT
Pray tell, why? My SRH-77 is just fine and has been since I bought it with the FT-60R, new. I guess I'll have to buy the competing Comet product and compare them.??
Jayne, I'm glad you're in business. Devices that suddenly don't work can be a nuisance.
Avoid Diamond!
Karl Zuk ? ?N2KZ
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Re: radio shutting off when I press PTT
The Comet SMA24 works very well.
It made a big difference for my FT-60.
Avoid Diamond!
Karl Zuk ? ?N2KZ
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On Oct 31, 2023, at 10:44 AM, Will W6SWF <2sheds@...> wrote: ? Hello Clint, et al. Please review/list best HT antennas as I and others would benefit. Thanks, Will W6SWF ???
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Re: radio shutting off when I press PTT
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Re: radio shutting off when I press PTT
Like the attitude. I found "HamTestOnline.com" a big help for my General. There is stuff on the test that is just rote learning, and their system, showing practice questions over and over til you get them, but mixed with others, worked for me.
A great test-taking tip from another thread: the night before, and morning of, go through the question pool; read the question, and *only* the correct answer. Aids short-term memory.
The license is only the "ticket in", the real learning comes after, just as you've learned with the Tech.
Good luck, Christian KD2LIN
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----- Original Message ----- From: Jayne Rising <jayne.rising@...> To: [email protected]Sent: Tue, 31 Oct 2023 09:31:42 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: [Yaesu-FT-60] radio shutting off when I press PTT Well, the new battery came off of the new drop charger at 8.6V. I hit the local repeater easily and clearly, and I'm looking forward to chewing the fat with the local hams again! And I'll have to smudge the ink on my new ticket eventually. I'm studying for my general so when the time comes, I'll have to cross out Technician and replace it with General. I'm not passing the practice tests yet but I'll get there! Thanks again! 73 and clear. Jayne KD9WLM
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Re: radio shutting off when I press PTT
Hello Clint, et al. Please review/list best HT antennas as I and others would benefit. Thanks, Will W6SWF ???
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Re: radio shutting off when I press PTT
Many hams DOUBLE battery charge longevity by improving the stock antennna - and turning TX power DOWN to 2W.
If you aren't communicating at 2W with your FT-60 and a better antenna, you probably won't do well at 4-5W either!
--
Clint Bradford K6LCS
http//www.work-sat.com
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Re: radio shutting off when I press PTT
Great to hear it, and best of luck on the? General test. ?
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Re: radio shutting off when I press PTT
Well, the new battery came off of the new drop charger at 8.6V. I hit the local repeater easily and clearly, and I'm looking forward to chewing the fat with the local hams again! And I'll have to smudge the ink on my new ticket eventually. I'm studying for my general so when the time comes, I'll have to cross out Technician and replace it with General. I'm not passing the practice tests yet but I'll get there!
Thanks again! 73 and clear.
Jayne
KD9WLM
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Clint Bradford
Chris Smart
Will W6SWF