Larsen 2/70B recent quality/performance

Looking for current info on (Pulse) Larsen antennas. Most of the rave reviews reference antennas purchased years ago, before they were manufactured in China.

I looked at a couple Comet and Diamond antennas with comparable specs, but not interested in the fold over feature.

I still purchase and use strictly Larsen antennas. I have never had an issue. Neither does the agency that I work for.

While yes, now being mfg'd in China is a downfall, I'd rather run a Larsen over a Ham brand antenna.

Same here. I've been using Larsen antennas personally for nearly 30 years, and using them at work for close to 20. I've never had one fail, neither the old ones or the new ones.

I have a nearly 30 year old NMO-27, never had an issue with it, tuned nice and flat (<1.3:1) across the band.
Using a lot of 1/4 wave antennas on VHF and 800MHz at work, no issues.
I have a < 1 year old wide band 1/4 wave on my work truck, as well as a < 1 year old 3dB 800MHz antenna. I've beaten those off road on tree branches, overgrown access roads and low parking garages, no issues.
I have the same wide band 1/4 wave on my personal truck. I went through a parking garage in Las Vegas a month ago and forgot about it. Tall truck, low garage. The spring took a permanent cant back a few degrees but worked just fine. I ordered a replacement spring and swapped it out.

I've talked with the Larsen guys at trade shows, knowledgeable and stand behind their products. Considering the number of them out there in public safety and commercial use, they wouldn't be around if there were issues, even with the newer stuff.

I'd not put my trust in a hobby/amateur grade antenna. Get the commercial grade stuff, it rarely costs more than the hammy stuff.

Sporrt said:

Looking for current info on (Pulse) Larsen antennas. Most of the rave reviews reference antennas purchased years ago, before they were manufactured in China.



I looked at a couple Comet and Diamond antennas with comparable specs, but not interested in the fold over feature.

Click to expand...

Larsen here as well. No use for Diamond, Comet or other hammy antennas(I am a ham). Larsen are a no gimmick, just works antennas. They don’t embellish what they are or do.


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I have used Larsen for both scanning (NMO 150/450/800) and for VHF/UHF mobile work (NMO 2/70) . Both have been stellar performers for several years. While I no longer operate mobile 2/70, I still utilize the antenna in the house as a scanner antenna mag-mounted to an old aluminum cookie sheet. It is a good receiving antenna for my local 800 systems as well as VHF and UHF systems in the area (to include local ham repeaters of course). Never had any issues with the physical construction when utilized on the vehicle and performance always made me happy.

The above said, I bought mine before the Pulse/Larsen deal. Though I would be surprised they would want to make changes in antennas that have always had an excellent reputation. Of course one never knows until they try it out.

I switched to Larsen in 2005, for both commercial and amateur. Never had one problem.

Larsen, Laird, Comtelco, ....all surpass Diamond, Comet, and alike in quality and performance.

Some people can't read very well... Larsen quality from 20 years ago, or 2005 is irrelevant.

I will look at other commercial antennas.
Specifically Laird, and Comtelco.

I've had the same Larsen 2/70B on a couple of vehicles over the last 20 something years and its still going strong. I bought a new spare at this years Dayton hamster fest and its looks and tests the same as my original. I can't tell any difference between them externally except for bugs and dirt on the original.

Sporrt said:

Some people can't read very well... Larsen quality from 20 years ago, or 2005 is irrelevant.

I will look at other commercial antennas.
Specifically Laird, and Comtelco.

Click to expand...

Larsen quality has not changed.


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Sporrt said:

Some people can't read very well... Larsen quality from 20 years ago, or 2005 is irrelevant.

I will look at other commercial antennas.
Specifically Laird, and Comtelco.

Click to expand...

With all due respect, your assumption is that the last purchase I made was when I switched to Larsen. Since then, I have purchased and installed well over one hundred antennas, with the latest purchase a lot of ten last month going into a hard rock mining facility. There has been no noticeable drop in quality, and no increase in the number of antennas needing replacement. This is over several different antenna types. These are placed on mining equipment, going into environments no personal vehicle could withstand (I design, among other things, radio controls systems for mining equipment).

You can purchase any antenna you desire, but you should not blame it on any perceived quality drop in Larsen; the statistics do not support such a perception.

Diamond and Comet have always had good electrical designs but poor construction quality.
......
and the ones with springs tend to corrode causing a bad connection.
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They also use a cheap grade of stainless steel whip that easily bends.
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The Larsen antennas are still the gold standard and most don't figure that out till they have wasted hundreds of dollars on cheap immitations.
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If the antennas i install fail, people die so i use nothing but Larsen.