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Commscope DB222-A Dipole

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Floridarailfanning

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Does anyone have any insight or experience with the DB222-A? I'm considering going with the 150-158MHz version for a project I'm working on since it has decent gain in the offset config. and 36° verticle beamwidth but I'm curious what feedback others have.

It would probably end up getting mounted around 230ish ft on a 36-inch side arm.
 

prcguy

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There have been lots of complaints about the phasing harness on newer versions going bad prematurely. The old versions can be fine at 30yrs but newer ones can have problems right away. Maybe look at a Sinclair version?

Does anyone have any insight or experience with the DB222-A? I'm considering going with the 150-158MHz version for a project I'm working on since it has decent gain in the offset config. and 36° verticle beamwidth but I'm curious what feedback others have.

It would probably end up getting mounted around 230ish ft on a 36-inch side arm.
 

jeepsandradios

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Just replaced our 30 year old SAR antenna at one of our sites. The actual antenna loop had broken off on both sides. As said 30 years in CNY winters I couldn't complain. We did replace it with the new model. Time will tell, but I installed one at home 3 years ago and no issues as of yet.
 

rescue161

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I replaced an old Phelps Dodge dipole with a Sinclair SD214-SF2P2SNM 4-Element Dipole (1/2 wave). The old PD or Decibel antennas for that matter had an external phasing harness and they are fairly narrow banded. The Sinclair has an internal harness and covers 136-174 MHz. The Sinclair has been in service near the ocean since 2017 with zero issues. The old antenna with the external harness had tons of corrosion at every connection. Just food for thought.
 

KM4OKT

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I replaced an old Phelps Dodge dipole with a Sinclair SD214-SF2P2SNM 4-Element Dipole (1/2 wave). The old PD or Decibel antennas for that matter had an external phasing harness and they are fairly narrow banded. The Sinclair has an internal harness and covers 136-174 MHz. The Sinclair has been in service near the ocean since 2017 with zero issues. The old antenna with the external harness had tons of corrosion at every connection. Just food for thought.

Seems like I remember the Coast Guard using the Sinclair VHF dipoles on the Rescue 21 sites with UHF fiberglass omnis.
 

prcguy

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Several years ago and after the 2nd fiberglass Station Master got blown apart by lightning on a mountaintop repeater site, I was on a crew to replace that with a Sinclair VHF 4-bay dipole array out of USCG stock.

Seems like I remember the Coast Guard using the Sinclair VHF dipoles on the Rescue 21 sites with UHF fiberglass omnis.
 

n4dbm

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There was a period of about 10 years that, as mentioned above, the quality of the phasing harness diminished greatly. I believe this has been addressed, and CommScope has the issue under control. I would have no reservations installing a DB222 in a permanent location that I knew I wouldn't be touching again.

If you really want to get picky, you can loosen the band clamps holding the elements to the mast and coat mating surfaces with no-oxide compound. Even though aluminum and stainless steel isn't supposed to react, it does sometimes in certain environments, and a light coating of no-oxide will reduce or eliminate corrosion.

The second thing - even though I highly respect CommScope's provision to preserve the fiberglass tape to the mast by covering it with foil tape - over the years - 10 or more - the foil tape will begin to deteriorate, sometimes crumbling in the hot sun and then flapping in the wind. Loose foil flapping in the wind causes all sorts of issues, including major duplex noise on your own repeater (if this is for a repeater) or noise for someone (or everyone) else near the antenna on the tower. I usually wrap OVER the foil tape with Scotch 33. This way, when the tape rots off after 20 years, you'll have nice new foil tape underneath ready for another decade of service.

Just a few thoughts. Sinclair and Comprod antennas with enclosed harnesses are even better, but at twice the cost, that's also a consideration.
 
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