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Reviews For: Diamond SD-330 Mobile Screwdriver

Category: Antennas: HF Mobile & Accessories

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Review Summary For : Diamond SD-330 Mobile Screwdriver
Reviews: 17MSRP: 389.95
Description:
Screwdriver Mobile HF Antenna
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.diamondantenna.net/sd3301.html
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
15174
VE3SSR Rating: 2024-11-02
Performes well on mag. mounts without grounding and coils. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have 3 mobile antennas: SD-330, ATAS-120 and Tarheel-40HP. The ATAS-120 is automatically tuned to low SWR with YAESU radios, but its coil is small and it is not as efficient as SD-330. Tarheel is great antenna, but it requires additional impedance matching coil on low bands, needs good grounding and is too big to be installed on magnetic mounts.

When I travel mobile I prefer using the SD-330 since I can install it on rental cars using MFJ 3-magnets mount which holds it well even on speedy highways. On the mag. mount the antenna tunes perfectly well on all bands without additional groundings and impedance matching coils.
Diamond customer support is perfect. They promptly responded to my questions.
K5JNM Rating: 2022-10-12
decent but not great Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I paired with a TennaTronix TurboTuner-2 and have used it quite a bit. I've done coast to coast with good reports. It's tunes up good and I get great swr on most supported bands.
The only problem that I've had with it is it sometimes gets stuck in 'park'. If the antenna screws down to the lowest height it seems to get 'stuck' and I have to manually put vertical pressure on the base of the antenna for the motor to move. It just sits there and clicks until I give it a push.
When I reached out to Diamond for help I never heard back from them. Now I just send it down to 6m instead of full park and I don't have the issue.

I still consider this a good value and a good screwdriver. I would purchase again.

73
k5jnm, Jeff
WB6AGE Rating: 2020-11-28
Great antenna for the price Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have two SD-330 antennas. The first has been on a Jeep for over two years and has operated with no issues beyond adding lock-tite to the bottom body screws. The second is on a van for just under a year with no problems.

Both antennas are mounted using Breedlove high power puck mounts. Careful attention has been paid to grounding and bonding on both vehicles and both antennas work tune from 80 to 6 meters without a hitch and no shunt coils.

My routine is to wash and clean the antenna each time the car gets washed . This removes the bug carcasses and a coat of wax keeps things moving smoothly. Never have had a motor or gear train issue, and these antennas are on the air almost every day. Never had been a reason to disassemble the antennas or make any internal repairs.

These are not the most efficient antennas or the most robust, but for the price, it's a relatively painless way to give mobile HF a try.

This or any other antenna is not magic. You have to pay attention to the fundamentals of HF mobile to make sure it works with the cars body as a single unit. The importance of bonding all body panels, doors, and frame together cannot be overstated. I recommend visiting http://www.k0bg.com/ if considering HF mobile ops or have trouble getting your HF mobile install to behave.
N5RV Rating: 2020-07-24
No problems Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Have had the antenna for over a year, have had no issues with it on my Tundra, using a Breedlove mount. Just make sure you bond the bed, cab, and frame with some heavy braided conductor.
AD0AR Rating: 2020-07-23
It does work, but not very robust Time Owned: more than 12 months.
First screwdriver antenna I ever purchased.
This taught me the fundamentals of constructing common mode baluns to eliminate RF on control and coax lines.
Proper wrapping of wire is paramount and is useless unless executed correctly.
Antenna efficiency and SWR are directly related to this!
I really don't use this mobile as the screws kept getting loose on the base of the antenna.
If grounds aren't exact, the SWR goes all over place on a vehicle.
Twice I had to disassemble the antenna to repair the motor drive as the gear on motor shaft kept getting loose until I filed the shaft rough and then super glued the gear back on motor. Now good.
Efficiency is not as good as others, when using for digital modes on 30 meters, while antenna is rated for 200W, I am only using 100W, coil gets HOT indicating that the RF is not radiating, but being converted to considerable heat.
I have since purchased some Hi-Q sealed screwdriver antennas for mobile and relegated this one to a portable tripod On-The-Go system for the rest of its working lifespan.
For monitoring of the bands, this antenna is awesome! I am able to hear activity just about anywhere on the dial.
I spent and afternoon and early evening evaluating the transmit capabilities using WSPR and this antenna mounted on the tripod with an elevated/isolated counterpoise consisting of 4 102 inch cb radio whips and a modified 102 inch whip fitted as the radiating antenna.
While I observed acceptable WSPR observations on all bands the antenna was made to operate on, even with the above mentioned modification of a 102 inch whip for radiating, the reported signal strengths were not very strong, relegating this antenna better used for monitoring, weak signal digital modes, and CW most likely because of the low efficiencies of the coil.
If I were in the market to purchase another antenna about the same size, weight, and form factor, I'd go with a Tarheel as the HiQ antenna weighs much more and requires a better mounting.
If you want a beast of an antenna, i.e. offroading, more military quality, higher efficiency, higher power handling, no exposed moving parts, and you can wait long lead times (perfection takes time) I'd go with a HiQ antenna.
WA5RR Rating: 2019-05-05
Poor Design/Quality Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I waited for several months while this antenna was on back order and finally received it in late March 2019. It looked very nice and seemed to be well built. For a mount, I purchased a high-quality Breedlove stake pocket UHF mount and secured the antenna to it. Everything worked fine as I used manual tuning in concert with my Kenwood TS-480SAT.

Every few days, I would check the mounting points for security and it seemed to be doing fine. Today, on May 4, 2019, I noticed that the three screws that secure the bottom of the antenna have worked loose and the paint around them has started to chip off. My truck has only seen highway driving to and from work and no offroad or rough terrain.

Now, I see the same problem another reviewer has experienced. I'm going to try to use thread locker compound on the screws.
SO5BCT Rating: 2019-04-20
Great antenna for mobile Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought Diamond SD330 because I needed a multiband antenna for working on 80-6m bands in my mobil. I made communication on the bands from 6m to 80m. While riding, he holds the handle very well even though I do not drive slowly. Whenever I use it during rain, then I try to dry it well at home. I care for her and she serves me well. I recommend this mobile antenna when you do not want to have several antennas for HF bands in the trunk.
VK3ASC Rating: 2019-01-08
I must have a lemon too Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased this antenna about 3 months ago. In that time only traveled on sealed roads and all the screws and antenna connection to the mount kept coming loose. (This vehicle only gets driven on the weekends). I ended up putting locktite on the screws which helped, but the antenna connection to the SO239 mount still kept coming loose. I would say its because of the plastic insulator at the base of the antenna.
The antenna does not stay in tune when traveling which is a real pain. I also purchased the SDC1 controller with the antenna.
I contacted Diamond in Japan and CC'd the Agent I purchased it from in Australia and heard nothing back from him only Diamond in Japan who said to contact the agent.
Using the antenna when stationary and every thing is re tightened its works great, drive 5 minute up the road and the antenna goes out of tune.
Like WA7ZK unreliable and would not recommend this antenna.

WA7ZK Rating: 2018-12-26
SWR intermittent Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I must have the lemon. My SD-330 developed a intermittent connection and the SWR would change with vibration. Had it apart many times to tighten hardware and then try later to modify it to keep it from vibrating loose. I have given up and scrapped it. I could not sell it to some one else and sleep at night. Too bad, great looking but unreliable.
WW3K Rating: 2018-12-25
Best multiband mobile HF antenna Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Been operating (on/off) mobile HF since the mid 1980's. Mostly monoband hamsticks, and/or Hustler super resonators, and/or VP-1 triband adapter. Recently obtained the Diamond SD-330 and was comparing it to the Lil Tarheel. I went with the Diamond because of fit, finish, and complete 6-80 meter capability (with two different whips included: short whip is 6-40 and long whip is 10-80 meters.) Short whip loads up from just below 6 meters to mid 4 Mhz. Long whip loads from about 32 MHz to well below 80 meters. I have mine mounted on GMC Sierra toolbox, and works FB. If you're running QRO (>200 watts), you might wanna consider something else, as this is only rated to 200w PEP. Running 100W from IC-706MKIIG, and SD-330 performs flawlessly, even at speed. Works well on 40 meters even with the short whip (surprisingly!) I couldn't be more delighted with this antenna. If I had to find a 'fault', I'd have to say it's the antenna screwdriver control switch, which is pretty flimsly. Not to worry however, as I'll probably be upgrading to an automatic screwdriver controller eventually. It was nice of Diamond to include a ferrite on the screwdriver control cable. Works great! Hope to use it roving to give out Texas counties in the panhandle during the next Texas QSO party (2019); will keep you posted!