OPEK AM-1043B mount

[paperclip-kc]

Have anyone ever used OPEK AM-1043B mount.? Is Opek any good?

 

[mmckenna]

I've found their stuff to be lower tier hobby grade.
My concern with most of these Chinese brands is that they skimp on the coax connectors. They use plastic overmoulding to hide the crimp connectors. When I've disassembled other brands (Tram/Browning) I found that the coax crimp on the connector was exceedingly poor quality, basically someone smacked it with a center punch to hold it in place before the overmoulding process.

There are much better options out there, and if you shop around, you'll find them at better prices. After 30+ years of doing this stuff, I've found that sticking with the known name brands really pays off: Larid, Larsen, etc.

 

[paperclip-kc]

I've found their stuff to be lower tier hobby grade.
My concern with most of these Chinese brands is that they skimp on the coax connectors. They use plastic overmoulding to hide the crimp connectors. When I've disassembled other brands (Tram/Browning) I found that the coax crimp on the connector was exceedingly poor quality, basically someone smacked it with a center punch to hold it in place before the overmoulding process.

There are much better options out there, and if you shop around, you'll find them at better prices. After 30+ years of doing this stuff, I've found that sticking with the known name brands really pays off: Larid, Larsen, etc.

What is the equal to OPEK AM-1043B mount that Larid or Larsen make. Magnet mount for Comet B-10 NMO?

 

[mmckenna]

https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=264_265_273&products_id=7517

There's really not much to screw up on an NMO mount (although some manufacturers can do it), so it's not so much about the mount or the magnet, but the overall quality and the connector. Laird is a reputable company.

This one is a bit more money, but has a nice rubber boot around the magnet. Can help protect the paint when installing/removing.

https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=264_265_273&products_id=1096

Ideally, drilling and installing a permanent mount is the way to go, but that isn't for everyone.