This is a well-produced and very informative video. Your very precise narration is helpful and much appreciated. Thanks!

I put up a Diamond 510 GP in 2006. I haven't touched it or the LMR 400 coax since and still has 1:1.2 -1.3 swr. Great video.

I recommend the Comet GP-9. Mine has been installed on my two story brick chimney for a long time - 8 to 10 years probably.

Awesome video. I have just purchased a GP-9 and it will be doing up soon.

Very nice. Congrats on the tower and new antenna!

love the install. Looks really neat and professional.

Hi Tracy nice review good to hear from you again.

Very good review. We are going to be using some of these antennas for commercial business repeaters, and definitely going to be using your recommendations from this video.

Great Honest Review there Tracy. Big help for my next upgrade. Barnie M7PBX.

Great video, Tracey. Always informative. I have a non-optimally placed Arrow OSJ 146/440 (j-pole) and managed to hit a repeater at about 90km according to Google Maps using 30W (FT-2980). At 80W it was all-in no problem. Great antenna for the price. I find the 2m repeater traffic either non-existent or 'disappointing' ! But for sure there are also great people you meet there.

Thank you very much for your input it is greatly appreciated.

I bought a GP-9 from one of the big 3 ham gear outlets in the US. I decided to check SWR before installation and it was crazy. I thought one of the retaining screws became loose between the elements. I disassembled the antenna and that's when I discovered the bottom element was loose. Yes, the cold solder joint at the UHF connector failed. I took photos and sent an email to the store. They forwarded my email to Comet. Comet said to resolder the joint and the antenna should be fine. I did and the antenna works great. Comet also said if I wasn't comfortable doing the repair, to send the lower section back to them and they would repair it. I opted to fix it myself because I have soldering tools and skills, and I didn't want to wait a weeks for the turn-around time from Comet. It's a great antenna and I also give it a guarded recommendation. Caveat Emptor.

Great to see you posting content again Tracy. I dont have any VHF here yet. At my old QTH I used a Diamond CP32e. It was excellent and I was able to work a repeater over 100 miles away via sea path. Unfortunately it had no 70cms. Stay sage and look forward to future videos. 73 de Colin.

ive got one its been up in the air over ten years now and still working fine no problems with it at all

I love my GP-9 - Wonderful antenna !

Tracy, THANK YOU for this excellently narrated video. Well done!. I run the smaller brother of the Diamond X500, namely the X300N.( I have the Diamond X510N here as well but have never installed it (yet). I note with great interest the point about the ABS couplers on the Comet, instead of the metal shells used by Diamond. Interesting point. I was delighted to see you using Coaxseal..... an absolutely brilliant product. when properly applied.. no water will ever get into a properly coaxsealed joint. Been using it for over 20+ years on all my external cable joints and connectors. Unfortunately, It does not seem to be very well known in Ham circles.

Since our other large Amateur dealer I have found customer service at the other no longer exists. Call them and they almost act upset you had the nerve to call and disturb them! When there was competition you always got free delivery on anything over $200. I dropped a little over $2000 last year for a new radio, and was shocked when I got charged for delivery., When I called I was told to take it or leave it. If it wasn't for the difference in the dollar, I would have ordered it from the US in a heartbeat. Now I don't care. after a few very frustrating calls, I now order it out of the US.. I pay a bit more, but at least when I call to talk t them they are friendly and accommodating.

Thank you for in depth information on this antenna and of the way to safe guard the fittings With extra precautions on sealing the joint like you I need to put up a better antenna for 70cms and 2mtrs and will now ask about the cold solder joints at the base and about warranty from our local ham store here in the UK

Nice installation. It is always a thrill to have a new antenna work so well on simplex. Enjoy-73/W6VPS

I like the look of this antenna and have had another tri-bander from the Comet brand which has let in water and the solder joints have degraded at the base. I have took apart 3 similar antennas and water ingress has been an issue. I think I will buy a GP-9 as it has plastic joints. Incidentally water ingress on the three tri-banders I have worked on for myself and others have had water ingress which has affected the coax seemingly allowing water through the PL259 and into the outer braid of the coax. I am in England and it seems to have hardly stopped raining in 4 months. The length of antenna also seems beneficial on 70cm. I will try one out!