HP32FHN Name story

< MARC "Quick Clicks": Home | News | Tech Center | Contact Us >

History of the Comet HP32FHN name

(December 2006)

It is not a coincident that the Comet HP-32 now has an FHN at the end, hence Comet HP-32FHN. The story goes like this. Several years ago when we were breaking all of those antennas with the little flimsy bases, the owner of the company that manufactures the antennas for many ham radio antenna companies was visiting Mick at NCG. He (S. Ikegami) was asking Mick why Comet was sending so many broken antennas back to them for credit. Mick explained to Mr. Ikegami that the motorcycles were breaking most of those antennas. So the man asked if Mick could show him a motorcycle that had the antennas mounted on it so he could see what was happening. Mick called me up and I took my 1500 GW up to NCG to show Mr. Ikegami what was involved. After much discussion Mr. Ikegami said that when he got back to Japan in a few days he would design an antenna that we could not break on a motorcycle. Hence the Comet HP-32 was born.

Then 7 or 8 years ago I started to go to the HamVention in Dayton OH and work the Comet booth with Mick & Jim and Mr. Ikegami and his associates were also there in the booth, from Japan. Two years ago Mr. Ikegami told Mick that he was going to add the last 3 letters of my call sign to the Comet HP-32 because we had sold so many of those antennas for him. So about 6 months ago, sure enough here came those antennas with part of my call sign on them.

End of story.

73, Ray KD6FHN
Irvine, CA.