Monday, March 07, 2011

What's the point of the Diamond F22A antenna when you can buy the CP22E ?

I have two Diamond F22A antennas. Both are fiberglass tubes with a lame, thin, split rod in them as the driven element. It is then united using set screws and slid back inside as the halves of fiberglass are screwed together.

Now, the F22A at $100 is supposed to give better wind resistance at 112 MPH than the Diamond CP22E at 70 MPH.

After dozens of pulsating HAARP generated and PAVE PAWS augmented windstorms here on Cape Cod, the F22A has done a veritable Humpty Dance in the middle where the sections join as the CP22E has stood still ! It's still working fine with no damage but it isn't fun to watch if the government and Merck maimed you and you can't get at your antennas.

Fed with new LMR-400 coax, the CP22E which is 15 feet away and 10 feet lower is doing the same job signal-wise as the F22A.

Wrap the CP22E screws and use Trinity College's own Loctite on the all aluminum CP22E and they won't back out.

Similarly, if you want a one piece 2 / 440 antenna consider the X-50. I have an X-50NA here at the same height as the CP22E and see just slightly weaker signals on the same repeaters.

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