Scorpion SA680

I've spent a fair amount of time, money and effort on mobile DXing, I get a real kick out of, however on my regular drive to and from work (120 mile round trip), I rely on my High Sierra Sidekick for quick change multiband operation, if I want better performance then I switch to one of my homebrew monoband antennas, this is a good compromise, but I don't really want compromise, I want it both ways, multiband and efficiency.

Earlier on this year I was working in Gran Canaria and had just ordered a VNA from Wimo in Germany, it had been a big decision which unit to buy and how much to spend, I already had an MFJ269, but wanted to add a two port VNA to my test equipment, it was only just after I ordered this VNA that a Scoprion SA680 was offered for sale on a forum I regularly use, this antenna would have fulfilled my having it 'both ways' requirement, efficient multiband performance, however it was expensive and I'd just spent a lot of money on the VNA, as much as I really wanted it, I couldn't afford it, I had to let it go.

Fast forward to August this year and the very same antenna was for sale, I had to have it and sent the seller a message as quick as I could,  roll forward a couple of days and I'd driven to Derby in order to collect the antenna, finally it was mine.

If anyone reading this has ever seen a Scorpion SA680, you'll know how big and how heavy this antenna is, it presents it's own unique problem when installing one on a European compact car, in fact the chap I bought the antenna from had it installed on a trailer hitch below his rear bumper. I wanted maximum efficiency from this antenna so a trailer hitch was out of the question, however mounting it on my roof was out of the question too. A compromise was sought and a tailgate mount was decided upon, a custom build tailgate mount in fact. I spoke to a local blacksmith who was able to make the required mount, it itself is big, but with reinforcing bar stock inside the tailgate I have no worries about it damaging the tailgate, except for the four bolt holes!