LDG Electronics aquires S9 Antennas – prices raised significantly
Procrastination can be expensive. I’ve periodically read the 5.0 reviews on eHam for various verticals from S9 Antennas and had just about decided on buying the 43-foot version for several reasons: omni coverage (no null to my north), a 160m solution and a fair price – all in one package.
Attempting to go to their site gets you redirected to LDG Electronics who now owns the old S9 line. LDG has seen fit to raise the prices significantly.
Under S9 Antennas, the 43-footer was $139 – LDG now wants $199 for the same antenna. A 42% increase!
The 31-foot version was $79 under S9 and is now $99; the 18-foot vertical remains the same price – $49.
Given the price increase of the 43-foot S9, DX Engineering’s DXE-MBVE-1 now serves as a valid alternative at the same price. And for that price, you also get a tilt base and all mounting hardware.
Also for that price, you get a fast-tapered free standing aluminum antenna. The S9 version was a telescoping fiberglass mast with a copper wire serving as the radiating element.
S9′s price was reasonable considering what you would get for it but why would anyone pay for the fiberglass configuration when they can get an aluminum tubing version for the same price? The only reason that comes to mind is that the fiberglass S9/LDG would be more easily portable but I can’t imagine too many people buying either antenna with that in mind, except perhaps for Field Day.
UPDATE: I believe this is the telescoping mast they use.
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Themocracy
Interesting. Any word on an improved warranty? LDG’s tuners seem to be decent from what I hear, but what impresses me is that they are one of extremely few outfits who allow a warranty to be transferred to another owner. That might perhaps balance out the price increase for some- IF indeed this is what happened.