Diamond X510HDM Station Upgrade

[Moleculo]

For many years, I've been using the Gizmotchy 4 element 2 meter antenna along with a Discone antenna for 2m/440 TX/RX. With my back against the local mountains, my 2 meter SSB options were limited and I decided a long time ago that operating that 2m ssb at the QTH was a limited affair. Since most of the repeaters I talk on are on 440, I decided it was time to rethink my VHF/UHF situation and upgrade antennas. Down came the HF vertical on top of the roof, and up went the Diamond XD510HDM 2m/440 vertical antenna.

As far as VHF/UHF antennas go, this things is a beast, but it is supported easily on top of the 30 foot push up mast. It's 17 feet tall and is composed of 3-5/8 wave elements on 2m and 8-5/8 wave elements on 440. Gain is advertised at 8.3 and 11.7 db respectively.

My QTH elevation is about 800 feet, which is good elevation above much of Los Angeles and Orange County. The feed point of the antenna is at 42 feet. With this antenna, I can finally work most of Southern California on both bands with a barefoot radio. The upside is that this antenna will handle 300+ watts on 2m, so if I really want to work someone in the distance, it can handle the 200 watt Mirage amp, as well. This antenna just breathed new life into my VHF/UHF station!

 

[chris schaefer]

what coax cable do you use??

 

[avistar23]

can you sweep the swr into marine VHF area?

 

[Jay Mojave]

This looks like a good choice antenna for camping and doing the Jeep Run communications for the Jeep Club. I have a box type trailer that carries mass quantities of fire wood and unnecessary crap. But all the masts, antennas, coaxs, and ladders are placed on top of the box trailer and tied down. So that antenna would work for me thanks Moleculo.

Jay in the Great Mojave Desert.... "Next Gas 150 Miles"

 

[W4KVW]

I find that the Diamond V2000A is a great Tri-Band Base antenna as well.I had a Dual band Cushcraft yagi with 5 elements on each band at 53 ft & my Diamond V2000A out talked it on both bands & it's only at about 12 ft.Either the Cushcraft is a true POS antenna or the V2000A is a BEAST! I have since replaced the dual band Cushcraft with a Cushcraft 215WB at 53 ft for 2 meter SSB.

Clayton-W4KVW
SIX-SHOOTER

 

[Moleculo]

what coax cable do you use??

LMR400

can you sweep the swr into marine VHF area?

Yes. The antenna SWR increases pretty dramatically outside the ham bands. Marine VHF isn't recommended.

 

[avistar23]

Thanks, commercial high gain antennas are so much more expensive

 

[Justme]

Running the Diammond X 510N here with an equivalent of LMr 600 coax all 50 feet of it with professional N connectors.
real gain is ( measurred at the transsceiver) 6 dBd for 2 meter and 9 dBd for70 cm.
mind you the gain comes from an radiation pattern looking ike a pancake.... so make sure it is perfectly vertical......
Adding this summer dual omnidirectional antenna 2/70 horizontal, done.
Country here is flat as a pancake so in FT8 no problem running 500 miles+ with normal conditons.
Or reaching out 90 miles+ to repeaters