Comet 712EFC -- no ground plane radials

[WRTC928]

I bought the antenna a couple of months ago and didn't open the package until yesterday. I was surprised to find there were no ground plane radials included. Is this normal, or did I just get unlucky? It wasn't too big a deal, because I bought some 10" pieces of all-thread which should work just fine. The thread size is M5-0.8, in case you're interested. It seems to me that the radials are something which should be included. Maybe mine just slipped through that part of the assembly line.

[Socalgmrs]

11 minutes ago, WRTC928 said:

I bought the antenna a couple of months ago and didn't open the package until yesterday. I was surprised to find there were no ground plane radials included. Is this normal, or did I just get unlucky? It wasn't too big a deal, because I bought some 10" pieces of all-thread which should work just fine. The thread size is M5-0.8, in case you're interested. It seems to me that the radials are something which should be included. Maybe mine just slipped through that part of the assembly line.

You just got a bad box. They may have fallen out ect… comet sent me replacements for my 712efc, 6nc and 9nc for free when I moved I lost the box I had them stored In.    

[MSnow]

2 hours ago, WRTC928 said:

I bought the antenna a couple of months ago and didn't open the package until yesterday. I was surprised to find there were no ground plane radials included. Is this normal, or did I just get unlucky? It wasn't too big a deal, because I bought some 10" pieces of all-thread which should work just fine. The thread size is M5-0.8, in case you're interested. It seems to me that the radials are something which should be included. Maybe mine just slipped through that part of the assembly line.

Mine came with them in the bag. Maybe email them and let them know they were missing and see if they will send you new ones.

[WRTC928]

3 hours ago, Socalgmrs said:

You just got a bad box. They may have fallen out ect… comet sent me replacements for my 712efc, 6nc and 9nc for free when I moved I lost the box I had them stored In.    

Yeah, I figured it was probably something like that. I found an easy work-around, so I guess it's okay. 

[WRTC928]

1 hour ago, MSnow said:

Mine came with them in the bag. Maybe email them and let them know they were missing and see if they will send you new ones.

I thought it was probably just an oversight, but I figured I'd ask if this was normal. I found an easy solution and I don't want to wait on radials. I'll probably email them anyway so I have spares.

[LeoG]

The originals are stainless steel.  Always stinks to have delays.  But... do it right, do it once.

[WRYZ926]

2 minutes ago, LeoG said:

The originals are stainless steel.  Always stinks to have delays.  But... do it right, do it once.

I agree, go with the correct radials made from stainless steel. Cheap all-thread will rust and seize in the antenna housing.

[WRUE951]

10 hours ago, LeoG said:

The originals are stainless steel.  Always stinks to have delays.  But... do it right, do it once.

Hmmm.  As cheap as they sell the Comet i'm thinking the radias are made of threaded aluminium rod or tube. 

[LeoG]

Nope, probably cheap chynese SS.  I still have a 712 in it's bag.  Maybe later today or tomorrow when I'm back at the shop I'll take a look.  95% sure it's not aluminum, too heavy.

[WRYZ926]

Either way, bad things can happen when dissimilar metals are put together and exposed to the environment over time. 

[WRTC928]

11 hours ago, LeoG said:

The originals are stainless steel.  Always stinks to have delays.  But... do it right, do it once.

The rods I got are also stainless steel. I'm going to email Comet, but I'll use what I have until the new ones arrive.

[LeoG]

If you have easy access to your antenna I say go for it.  In my case my antenna is only accessible by bucket truck at my house.  Trying to be one and done but that didn't work because I had water infiltration on my last setup.  No idea how, I waterproofed the heck out of it and when I took it down I saw no signs of water.  Yet since my setup worked at 26ºF and stopped at 32ºF I can only conclude it was water and when it froze it let things be right.

 

[WRTC928]

1 minute ago, LeoG said:

If you have easy access to your antenna I say go for it.  In my case my antenna is only accessible by bucket truck at my house.  Trying to be one and done but that didn't work because I had water infiltration on my last setup.  No idea how, I waterproofed the heck out of it and when I took it down I saw no signs of water.  Yet since my setup worked at 26ºF and stopped at 32ºF I can only conclude it was water and when it froze it let things be right.

 

Access is just a matter of tipping the mast up and securing it to a post with hose clamps. I just now emailed Comet about the radials. In the meantime, I'm going to stand it up and do some tests with the improvised radials. It will be easy enough to tip it back down and change them when the "correct" ones arrive.

[LeoG]

Then do that.  If you have a tipping mast then there is no real down side to using the temp ground plane.

[WRUE951]

1 hour ago, WRYZ926 said:

Either way, bad things can happen when dissimilar metals are put together and exposed to the environment over time. 

exactly what i was thinking  

[WRTC928]

21 hours ago, WRUE951 said:

exactly what i was thinking  

That's true, but the Comet radials are stainless steel, and so are my temporary substitutes. Comet apparently doesn't think the stainless steel/aluminum interface is a problem. It may be a slightly different composition of stainless steel, but I doubt it's enough to cause problems before Comet sends me some. Meanwhile, I'm doing some testing and trial runs. At any rate, Comet isn't kidding when they say "pre-tuned". SWR < 1.2:1 across the entire GMRS band. 

[WRUE951]

2 minutes ago, WRTC928 said:

That's true, but the Comet radials are stainless steel, and so are my temporary substitutes. Comet apparently doesn't think the stainless steel/aluminum interface is a problem. It may be a slightly different composition of stainless steel, but I doubt it's enough to cause problems before Comet sends me some. Meanwhile, I'm doing some testing and trial runs. At any rate, Comet isn't kidding when they say "pre-tuned". SWR < 1.2:1 across the entire GMRS band. 

I have never used a Comet antenna so i can't attest to their product.  I have read good things though.  I do find it odd they would use stainless steel radials compared to aluminum, mostly because of cost difference of material and the low cost Comet sells at. Is Comet also using a stainless steel base for the radial?  if so, there wouldn't be an issue with dissimilar metals.   

[tcp2525]

3 minutes ago, WRUE951 said:

I have never used a Comet antenna so i can't attest to their product.  I have read good things though.  I do find it odd they would use stainless steel radials compared to aluminum, mostly because of cost difference of material and the low cost Comet sells at. Is Comet also using a stainless steel base for the radial?  if so, there wouldn't be an issue with dissimilar metals.   

The stainless steel radials aren't screwing into aluminum. Even if it were, it's a non-issue anyway.  Nothing to worry about. Just buy the antenna, assemble, mount and enjoy for many years. 

[WRUE951]

21 minutes ago, tcp2525 said:

The stainless steel radials aren't screwing into aluminum. Even if it were, it's a non-issue anyway.  Nothing to worry about. Just buy the antenna, assemble, mount and enjoy for many years. 

no arguments on the quality or performance of the Comet Antenna..in fact im a bit impressed they arent taking shortcuts in material quality...  

[LeoG]

44 minutes ago, WRTC928 said:

That's true, but the Comet radials are stainless steel, and so are my temporary substitutes. Comet apparently doesn't think the stainless steel/aluminum interface is a problem. It may be a slightly different composition of stainless steel, but I doubt it's enough to cause problems before Comet sends me some. Meanwhile, I'm doing some testing and trial runs. At any rate, Comet isn't kidding when they say "pre-tuned". SWR < 1.2:1 across the entire GMRS band. 

Mine doesn't go over 1.02 across the whole band including the 467 repeater channels.

[LeoG]

4 minutes ago, WRUE951 said:

no arguments on the quality or performance of the Comet Antenna..in fact im a bit impressed they arent taking shortcuts in material quality...  

The aluminum tube that hides the coax and mounts to their 2 struts is aluminum, so are the struts.  The U bolts that secure the antenna to the mast are SS also.  I assume most masts are some sort of steel but there are aluminum masts out there.  So there can be some dissimilar metal issues over time between the aluminum and SS components.  SS is much better over time in the weather than aluminum is.  Time will tell.

[WRUE951]

4 minutes ago, LeoG said:

The aluminum tube that hides the coax and mounts to their 2 struts is aluminum, so are the struts.  The U bolts that secure the antenna to the mast are SS also.  I assume most masts are some sort of steel but there are aluminum masts out there.  So there can be some dissimilar metal issues over time between the aluminum and SS components.  SS is much better over time in the weather than aluminum is.  Time will tell.

most antennas i'm aware of use aluminum for the radials and it's mouting and use SS for the actual antenna mouting hardwae, wo what you report makes sense.  

[WRYZ926]

Stainless steel and aluminum won't interact as much as carbon steel and aluminum will. Though you do take the chance of galvanization anytime you mix any type of steel and aluminum.

I use to hate working on vehicles with aluminum rims when previous owners/repair shops would not use anti-seize on the rims. The aluminum rims would seize to the steel if one did not rotate tires on a regular basis.