Diamond K-400C

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Brentbba

Brentbba

Former Golfer
Joined
Mar 27, 2003
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444
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11,010
Location
OC, CA
Does anyone know if this ham antenna mount will also work with CB antennas?

I love this mount for my ham antenna on the 80 series hatch.

I'm currently using a Wilson 5000 mag mount on the back center of the roof. Unfortunately, if I tuck the coax down in the hatch channel at the middle of the roof, if I don't pull it out, before opening the hatch, it pinches the coax. I've now done it enough times that I've exposed the inner sheath of the coax and splicing a connector there isn't really an option.

I still want/need to run a CB as well as ham, since some of the guys I wheel with only have a CB.
 
Brent,
It will work if you are able to find an antenna. My K-400C has the NMO mount and others have the PL-237 (?) or whatever it is called. You'll have to get an 11m antenna that will match your mount. I am pretty sure that a 10m antenna would also work for CB if you have to get a stick from the ham outlets.
-B-
 
PL-239. :D ...and yea, it's the mount that's my only concern. I'm not 'married' to the PL-239 mount on the 400C, but I do like the tiny coax cable from it. Fits thru the hatch much better than std coax cable.

I may ask the local HRO about a CB antenna for any of the K400 mounts and see what they've got.
 
I believe the K-400 comes as either NMO, SO-239, or 3/8-24 when purchased in a kit form. The tiny RG316 Teflon coax can be used with any of the mount options, and base K400 can be converted from/to any of the optional mount styles.

If you have the 3/8-24 then you are set to go with just about any standard 11m CB antenna (Firestick, Wilson, Etc . . . ).

If you have the NMO version, I know Larsen makes a fantastic 11m whip with their tried and true NMO base.

If you have the SO-239 then you may be in trouble. Worst case though, you'll just need to switch it over to the SO-239 or NMO and not have to shell out for the whole K400 base.

Good luck!
 
Thanks for this! I'll be purchasing a second base. Gotta keep the one for ham! :D

The 400C is the PL-239 base and none of the std 11m cb antennas have that base from what I can figure out

What the hell is an NMO base anyway? Never have figured that one out. Sounds like the 3/8-24 base is the way to go with a good Firestik 3'

I just know my Wilson 5000 coax is toast given where the coax has pinched thru. No way to put a good connector/patch there.
 
Brent -

There is another option, and that is a SO-239 to 3/8-24 adaptor. I use my K400C for VHF/UHF antennas primarily, but also carry a couple of monoband HF antennas that all have 3/8-24 threads on them.

Comet makes one... p/n AD-35M. Pricey sucker, but a nicely machined piece. Never leave home without it ;)

Cheers, Ron
 
Thanks Ron, but I do need both antennas up at the same time, otherwise your suggestion would be perfect!
 
B -

Ok, here's another thought...

Diamond (and perhaps Comet?) makes a quad band antenna, intended for use with those multiband FM radios (such as the Yaesu FT-8900). The one I'm familiar with is the Diamond HV7A... it has 2m, 70cm, 6m and 10m all in one.

Detune the 10m segment for 11mm, and voila! You have VHF, UHF and CB all in one. The only other gadget you would need is a duplexer, so you can feed both radios (your dual-bander and CB) into a single antenna.

I've used this combo for single antenna, simultaneous ham/CB operations. When it is all said and done, all you have to do is remember which mic to pick up. All the rest is taken care of.

So what about VHF/HF, CB AND HF at the same time? I'm workin' on that one...

R -
 
Stupid question - how do you 'detune' an antenna and only one segment?
 
K400C with a multiband antenna

B -

>> Stupid question...

No question is stupid. That's why Mud is such a valuable resource ;)


Here's a diagram (courtesy of Diamond Antennas) that is a fair representation of what can be done.

1. A single radio with two antenna ports, one for HF (incl CB) and the other for VHF... or two radios, each with a single antenna connection, are fed into a duplexer, from which a single transmission line (coax) goes to the antenna.

2. The multiband antenna is made up of a loading coil (large section at the bottom), resonators (the black tapered cylindrical pieces on the antenna), and the interconnecting stingers (the wire "whips") that do the actual radiating.

The resonators have tiny set screws at either end that allow the stingers to be moved up or down a bit to bring the desired portion (band) of the antenna to the desired operating frequency.

On this antenna, the 10m stinger is the topmost element. Simply loosen the set screw on the upper section of the topmost resonator, and slide the stinger up (lengthen the element) until the resonant frequency is lowered from 28 mHz (10m) to 27 mHz (11m).

Tuning one of these antennas is somewhat like balancing that proverbial three-legged stool and, done properly, one should use an analyzer... but that's a separate matter.

My point here, is to illustrate a convenient solution to using a CB and VHF (2m) ham radio on a single antenna. I would not suggest trying to transmit on both radios simultaneously :eek:

R -
hv3a.illus.gif
 
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Interesting - thanks for the time to post this and the info Ron. For now, I'm going to stick with separate antennas.
 
I ordered a K400nmo and a sbb-1 and it would seem they do not mount together what connector am I missing?
 
thx George I will contact ham city and see if I can get an exchange.
 
ParadiseCruiser said:
B -

Ok, here's another thought...

Diamond (and perhaps Comet?) makes a quad band antenna, intended for use with those multiband FM radios (such as the Yaesu FT-8900). The one I'm familiar with is the Diamond HV7A... it has 2m, 70cm, 6m and 10m all in one.

Detune the 10m segment for 11mm, and voila! You have VHF, UHF and CB all in one. The only other gadget you would need is a duplexer, so you can feed both radios (your dual-bander and CB) into a single antenna.

I've used this combo for single antenna, simultaneous ham/CB operations. When it is all said and done, all you have to do is remember which mic to pick up. All the rest is taken care of.

So what about VHF/HF, CB AND HF at the same time? I'm workin' on that one...

R -
Click to expand...

Which Duplexer are you using to plug your CB into this antenna?

Thanks.
 
RescueU said:
Which Duplexer are you using to plug your CB into this antenna?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Sean -

The one I am using is a Diamond MX62M Duplexer -

Diamond® Antenna ~ MX62M Duplexer

Duplexers of this type are more-or-less generic by design, made by a number of different companies, and they are all basically the same. Just pay attention to the specs: (frequency range, power limitation...) to be sure the one you select suits your particular application.

Cheers, R -
 
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