Diamond CP-5HS antenna / advice needed

Hi guys,

I'm hoping to get my HAM license before the end of this year (better late than never after being on air for 40 years)

Since I'm dealing with some height restrictions over here I was thinking of purchasing the Diamond CP-5HS trapped vertical antenna. Well now... some people say it's shit, other ones claim it's a nice compromise antenna. What to do??

This antenna has a height of 11.8 feet (3.60 meters) and it's suitable for five bands (40m/20m/15m/10m/6m) with trapped radials for each band. It also has a bigger brother; the CP-6 which also comes with 80 meters, but that's not interesting for me since I'm not allowed to work there with my Dutch N-licence.

Does anyone have some experience with this aerial?

Cheers and stay healthy!

Gert 19CT006 / PD0CT (to become)

Yes I've had one, well the CP6.

Dummy load on 80m, never made a single contact so it's maybe not a bad thing that the CP5 doesn't do that. I had a Little Tarheel II screwdriver antenna on my car with a 2 metre whip I put on it and it performed the same as that, S point for S point for 80-10m.

For 20-10m it works well, for 40m it's a compromise but you'll make contacts on it, 1000 miles should be possible with 100W. You'll probably much more than I did when I had mine due to where it was in the solar cycle. Back then conditions were more favourable to 20-10m whereas now they favour 40m-160m. Certainly in my car I've managed 1000 miles on 40m and as I said it matched the CP6 S point for S point.

The main concern is mechanical construction. It is easy to cross thread the ring where the radials screw in and probably rip the threads out so don't overtighten them. If you do a google you'll find that the bottom trap on the vertical section is notorious for going open circuit. The reason is the coil of the inductor is just pop riveted to the mast section and over time that stretches and snaps. Using a self tapping screw fixes it and it's a fairly easy fix but if one day you find the only band that works is the 6m band it's that bottom trap that's the issue. I bought mine used from a ham rally and it was broken when I bought it (didn't know until I put it up) and it was quite weathered so you could be looking at years before this happens.

Following up to my above post...

What is the height restriction? I ask as the Cobweb antenna performs much better for 20-10m and will work quite well from as little as 6 to 7 metres off the ground. You could have the Cobwebb for 20-10m and use something else for 40m.

Hi Conor, nice to hear from you again!

I just replied your comment but in one way or another it completely vanished from the forum

Yeah, I thought the CP-5 would be like this. Too much 'compromise' for my taste... Actually my first choice was the Hustler 4BTV, also a trapped vertical, but with much better specs and proven abillities. It's just that I need a permit for an aerial over 5 meters of height (including bracket etc.) and those guys at the council can really give you a hard time.

Oh well, I think I'm just going to face this battle and give it a try...

I'm running both a 5BTV and Cobwebb at the moment. The 5BTV is ground mounted. The Cobwebb is better at closer distances, especially Europe, but get a few thousand miles out and the 5BTV does better. I did a X/Y test a couple of nights ago on 20m with PY4BZ in Brazil, 5350 miles/8610km away. The Cobwebb was 5/6 signal report and the 5BTV was 5/9 to him. Similar situation for me on receive too. The Hustlers do want a good RF ground and can be quite deaf without one, typically around 3-6dB down just using a ground spike as opposed to 16-32 radials if ground mounted.

Copy that Conor.

Yeah, this counterpoise needed for the Hustler is my problem. It's going to be roof mounted and I really have no options for that, neither a ground spike nor radials. In the meantime I've been chatting with some HAM operators who are using the Diamond CP-series. It turns out that it's not so bad as I thought it would be.

Physically speaking it's the ideal antenna for me, but it does have to work right? Well... I have to say I've changed my mind a bit. I do realize it will be a compromise on 40m but every multibander is like that. Besides that, I don't need a permit for erecting a CP-5 since I will be able to keep the total height under 5 metres.

I've been browsing around for my new radio (to become) and my final choice is the Yaesu FT-991A. At first my thoughts went to the Icom IC-7300, but the Yaesu is a true allbander, including VHF and UHF next to HF. So that's a complete shack in one box! Therefore I'm going to draw a second coax in order to feed a second antenna for 2m and 70cm.

Every day I'm doing some online test exams and every time I graduate. Most of the exams are cancelled because of the corana crisis, but I'm pretty sure I will pass it before the end of the year.

Thnx for your input and excuse me for possible typo's or grammatical faillures. After all I'm Dutch right?

73