Best Triband 3 to 4 element trapped Yagi?.

[ZENKI]

The Optibeam 9-5 is a very good antenna. Its just very expensive and overpriced in my opinion.

Another antenna that I know  that  works as well as the Optibeam 9-5 is  the   Mosley TA 54XL.

I couple of hams that I know who are both DX'ers and both live in the same suburb,  about 2 blocks apart. One has the OB9-5 and one has the Mosley TA54XL. They are both at the same
height and seem to be about equal. One 20meters there is a slight edge to the Mosly antenna because of the longer boom. The Front To back ratio  on the Mosley is better than the Optibeam 9-5 on 1 or 2 bands.

These antennas would certainly be more reliable than the motorized contraptions that are so popular.

Either one of these antenna will serve you well.

[KC4MOP]

Note that I said the problem was with the A3 40M add-on kit. Did you have a 40M add-on on your A4s and did you try to operate them during the cool early morning hours when there was condensation on everything? At the time I liked to work DX on 40 CW as the sun was comming up.

I'm sure lots of people use them with no issues. Its just that in my particular location in this particular Wx condition I had an issue with it. And yes, the water drip holes were on the bottom of the traps. 

I have the A3S Add-on for 40M and I have been trying to track down a continual problem with this antenna. The SWR 2:1 points moved up on all of the bands. Basically un-usable without an antenna tuner.
We had a close encounter with a tornado, with 90mph winds. Not a direct hit. After it passed the A3S was perfect as the day I installed it. All the bands were where I set them. That was middle August 2012
Oct 2012 it's back to its old ways and all of the 2:1 SWR points went up in frequency. Like the entire antenna was shortened. One example..20M is now 14.400-14.700.
So there may be some issues with A3S's made recently.
A lot of Hams do like the Mosley's
fred

[N6AJR]

I like one of 2 antennas I have had great success with.  one is the hustler MA5B , a nice little beam for 10/12/15/17/20/ and actually loads on 6m here and there.  The other is  my 3 element steppir.  I think they have sales set up in several over seas countries and they work gang busters.

the ma5b works much better than you would expect, and the steppit can be configured to work fro 6, to 20m or add on the40 m  loop.  you can also use 40 and 80 meter "guys " to support the mast and  have lots of options. 

good luck and remember there is always the fan dipole.

[KH6DC]

Mosley.  Stay away from Hy Gain, Cushcraft, MFJ since they're all owned by MFJ and quality control is lacking.  Several friends here had hardware missing or parts that didn't fit correctly (holes not drilled in the exact location).

[KH6DC]

I like one of 2 antennas I have had great success with.  one is the hustler MA5B , a nice little beam for 10/12/15/17/20/ and actually loads on 6m here and there.  The other is  my 3 element steppir.  I think they have sales set up in several over seas countries and they work gang busters.

the ma5b works much better than you would expect, and the steppit can be configured to work fro 6, to 20m or add on the40 m  loop.  you can also use 40 and 80 meter "guys " to support the mast and  have lots of options. 

good luck and remember there is always the fan dipole.

Hustler only makes verticals.  MA5B is a Cushcraft aka MFJ product.

[KA7NIQ]

I like one of 2 antennas I have had great success with.  one is the hustler MA5B , a nice little beam for 10/12/15/17/20/ and actually loads on 6m here and there.  The other is  my 3 element steppir.  I think they have sales set up in several over seas countries and they work gang busters.

the ma5b works much better than you would expect, and the steppit can be configured to work fro 6, to 20m or add on the40 m  loop.  you can also use 40 and 80 meter "guys " to support the mast and  have lots of options. 

good luck and remember there is always the fan dipole.

The MA5B is a Cush Craft product, and was actually owned for several years by "Hex Beam Steve Hunt G3TXQ"
IMHO, the MA5B is about as small as you can shorten/bend a Yagi, and not have a bloody dummy load.
Steve Hunts computer redesign of the Hex Beam IMHO will beat the performance of the MA5B

[W4RS]

just get a mosley 67c and be done with everthing 10 thru 40
jim w4rs

[KA7NIQ]

just get a mosley 67c and be done with everthing 10 thru 40
jim w4rs

I would LOVE to have a Mosley Pro 67C 
IF I had the room, and a tower big enough for it.
A Guy on 40 meters has one in Texas, and always is loud here into Tampa.