Diamond x50A Antenna review

[archjeb]

Hello all.
Been a lurker for a while and finally got registered

At any rate, I upgraded my home made dipole to a Diamond X50A and wanted to share my experience. With the gain increase over the vertical dipole, I've taken repeaters that were weak at 1 S unit and now they are full quieting at S9. I'M running this antenna with 40 feet of LMR240. I tested this antenna at various frequencies because I potentially would buy another for other use cases.

Now on the SWR. I used an MFJ VHF/UHF meter attached in line.
SWR@Mid 2m band 1:1
SWR@Mid 70cm 1:1
SWR@151.820MHz. 1:1
SWR@154.570. 1.2:1
SWR@467Mhz(GMRS1) 3:1
SWR@Marine VHF Band. 2:1


Hope the data is useful.

 

[MustangStallion]

Hello all.
Been a lurker for a while and finally got registered

At any rate, I upgraded my home made dipole to a Diamond X50A and wanted to share my experience. With the gain increase over the vertical dipole, I've taken repeaters that were weak at 1 S unit and now they are full quieting at S9. I'M running this antenna with 40 feet of LMR240. I tested this antenna at various frequencies because I potentially would buy another for other use cases.

Now on the SWR. I used an MFJ VHF/UHF meter attached in line.
SWR@Mid 2m band 1:1
SWR@Mid 70cm 1:1
SWR@151.820MHz. 1:1
SWR@154.570. 1.2:1
SWR@467Mhz(GMRS1) 3:1
SWR@Marine VHF Band. 2:1


Hope the data is useful.

Thanks for the information! I have an X50 that I've been trying to mount to the side of a tower but It doesn't work well like that. SWR goes out-of-whack when I mount it that way. I'm wondering if you've had any experience side mounting the antenna. The antenna, by the way, works well for me when it's NOT side mounted...:sad:

 

[TonyV225]

The antenna needs to be 4 feet awy from any metal if side mouting iff tower ETC

 

[MustangStallion]

The antenna needs to be 4 feet awy from any metal if side mouting iff tower ETC

The weird thing is that at 10-15 ft I can mount the antenna on an arm mount 3 ft away from the tower with no SWR problems. Once I try to mount it at 50ft the problem begins. There are no guy wires on the tower and the antenna is being fed via heliax. Next month I'm going to try mounting it closer to the top of the tower; I'm hoping that I don't upset the repeater antenna (mounted on the very top) pattern too badly.

 

[2RT307]

Hello all.
Been a lurker for a while and finally got registered

At any rate, I upgraded my home made dipole to a Diamond X50A and wanted to share my experience. With the gain increase over the vertical dipole, I've taken repeaters that were weak at 1 S unit and now they are full quieting at S9. I'M running this antenna with 40 feet of LMR240. I tested this antenna at various frequencies because I potentially would buy another for other use cases.

Now on the SWR. I used an MFJ VHF/UHF meter attached in line.
SWR@Mid 2m band 1:1
SWR@Mid 70cm 1:1
SWR@151.820MHz. 1:1
SWR@154.570. 1.2:1
SWR@467Mhz(GMRS1) 3:1
SWR@Marine VHF Band. 2:1


Hope the data is useful.

There are two locals running them where I am at. One has his in his attic, the other has his on the backside of his house so it doesn't show over the roofline from the street (HOA). Both reported great improvement over j poles that they previously ran. Thanks for sharing your results.

73,
Brett

 

[N0NB]

I have the X50NA with the N connector that I put up on May 30, 2016. I have it side mounted on a KF7P standoff that supports my doublet. It is about three feet from my Rohn 25G tower at 40 feet above ground level. I do not have the permanent feedline installation complete from the house to the tower. I do have about 45 feet of LMR-400 running up the tower to it.

It is performing very well so far on both 2m and 70cm. I am hearing repeaters and getting into repeaters 25 to 40 miles away much better than before. I've yet to hook up an SWR meter but perhaps I should do so.

I like its low profile and clean construction. The simple assembly was completed without issue. I give it an A+.

 

[S&W357]

A+ here

 

[Justme]

gain of the x 50 is 2.2 dB over a dipole on 2 meter so the change of S1 to S 9 might be more placement other coax or too light S meter. ( gain 5 dB on 70)
Gain of my Diamond X 7000 N which is 5 meter long or 17 feet or so is 6.2 dB on 2 meter 10.1 dB on 70 and 11.3 dB on 23 cm.
Remember for high gain verticals to make sure to mount them perfectly vertical use spirit level if need be, the gain comes from flattening the pattern to a small disc,opening on my X 7000 is for 2 meter 5 degrees, 70, 3 degrees so keep that vertical......
Factory uses dBi compared to isotropic gives higher gain figures but is not comparable in reality.
On 2 meter every S point is 6 dB, depending on rig and brand 3 dB
I,m using Ecoflex 15 similar to LMR600 all of 15 meter from radio to antenna.
Or 50 feet on the IC 9700, all N connectors.
Yes i used a spirit level on the roof....

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Just a note here about dB gain and FM. Typically on V/UHF using FM you will NOT see the typical 6dB/S-unit like on HF and the usual modes. It has to do with the typical AGC action on FM. A small increase in signal can often show a few S-unit increase in signal strength on the meter. This can easily be verified with a calibrated signal generator connected directly to the radio.