Yaesu: Ft-8900

[KK4JUG]

It's messed up everywhere.

In the specs for the antenna, Comet listed one of the frequencies as 44 mhz instead of 144. Anyhoo, two letters is the older model. Three letters is the improved model. The eHam reviews were created when the original "2-letter model" was sold. That was almost 10 years ago. I don't know when the "3-letter" model was actually introduced but it's the only one sold by dealers now.

 

[KK4JUG]

I received the Comet SBB-14 antenna yesterday. I removed the Diamond CR-8900A, not because it was a bad antenna but, rather, because it required more than I was willing to give it and had more than I needed. The antenna is mounted on a luggage rack cross member and is not grounded. The Diamond required grounding for 6 meters which would necessitate running a separate ground wire from the mount across the cross member (to a point I never determined because decided to switch antennae). In addition, the Diamond would handle 10M which I can't use yet. Also, the antenna is tall and can't be folded down.

Out of the box, the Comet antenna worked like a charm. SWR on VHF and UHF was 1.2 & 1.3, respectively. The 6 meter SWR was 2.6 so I have some work to do. The antenna will fold down. (The height to the tip of the antenna is almost 9.5 feet. The Diamond was an even longer antenna.)

The Diamond was not a bad antenna but I prefer the Comet in this case. The Diamond antenna will go on sale shortly,

 

[wrath]

It's good that you don't use the Diamond 8900a everyone I know that uses that thing fries there 8900 ! It's a demon of an antenna with a serious hunger for ground plane .

Sent from my SM-T810 using Tapatalk

 

[KK4JUG]

I've was giving some serious consideration to going back to the Diamond antenna. (Well, I'm having second thoughts about that now.) I'm using a 3-band Comet and I can't get the SWR below 5 on the 6 meter band. Nothing I do to the antenna seems to help. I'm using a MFJ-864 meter to check it.

I really don't want to put two antennae on the car and use a diplexer if I don't have to.

 

[jhooten]

It's good that you don't use the Diamond 8900a everyone I know that uses that thing fries there 8900 ! It's a demon of an antenna with a serious hunger for ground plane .

Sent from my SM-T810 using Tapatalk

UH NO! The two main problems with the CR-8900 are people don't read the instructions and they try to go cheap and order from some seller on the internet who is in Asia.

The instructions clearly say the antenna is designed to be mounted on the side of the trunk with a trunk lip mount. Mounted as the instructions specify the antenna matched to the radio just fine and the combo works. Mine is in its third vehicle in the last 5 years. Still makes full output and receives as good as the day it came out of the box.

The problem with going cheap instead of buying from a US dealer is you get a version tuned for the Far East bands not the US bands. You will get high reflected power and poor performance. Make sure the package says US band plan on it.

The antenna does need some occasional PM. Even it you don't fold the antenna you need to unscrew the the fold over, clean and lube the hinge, tighten it up if it has come to have slack in it, and check to make sure the weep hole has not gotten plugged.

 

[KK4JUG]

UH NO! The two main problems with the CR-8900 are people don't read the instructions and they try to go cheap and order from some seller on the internet who is in Asia.

The instructions clearly say the antenna is designed to be mounted on the side of the trunk with a trunk lip mount. Mounted as the instructions specify the antenna matched to the radio just fine and the combo works. Mine is in its third vehicle in the last 5 years. Still makes full output and receives as good as the day it came out of the box.

The problem with going cheap instead of buying from a US dealer is you get a version tuned for the Far East bands not the US bands. You will get high reflected power and poor performance. Make sure the package says US band plan on it.

The antenna does need some occasional PM. Even it you don't fold the antenna you need to unscrew the the fold over, clean and lube the hinge, tighten it up if it has come to have slack in it, and check to make sure the weep hole has not gotten plugged.

Isn't the recommended mounting designed to assure grounding? That's important in the 6 & 10 meter bands. I have an SUV and the construction of the tailgate will not allow lip mounts. If I reverted back to the Diamond 8900, I was going to run a separate ground wire along with the coax.. With all the special treatment required for the Diamond, I may just sell it.

 

[jhooten]

Isn't the recommended mounting designed to assure grounding? That's important in the 6 & 10 meter bands. I have an SUV and the construction of the tailgate will not allow lip mounts. If I reverted back to the Diamond 8900, I was going to run a separate ground wire along with the coax.. With all the special treatment required for the Diamond, I may just sell it.

I have used it for a while in the truck with the trunk lip mount on the hood before I upgraded to an 857 in the truck. It worked almost as well as on the trunk of the car. I did run a heavy ground strap across both hinges to make sure the hood was grounded as I do with the trunk.

All equipment requires some periodic maintenance to keep it working at its peak.