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You can
write your own review of the Cushcraft 617 -6B.
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XE1VE3OQC
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Rating: 5/5
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Jul 13, 2007 11:18
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Great the way it is!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Well,after 8 years with this antenna and a short time as a 7 element I converted the antenna back to it´s original configuration as a 6 element.I stretched the boom another foot to improve the front lobe but making this into a 7 element is not worth the time.Instead of the stepped boom diameters I have one length of 2¨for 35´which makes the antenna play really well.As for the comment about one reviewer saying the performance is mediocre I doubt it.In it´s original design the 617 is designed for minimum bandwidth with more gain,hence 11.5 dBd and 400Khz at less than 1.5:1 more elements with the same boom would give you equal gain but more bandwidth.Yes it is a monster antenna with good gain,I have had the best comments on this setup from every person I´ve worked these past two years,¨Loudest out of Mexico¨. Nothing more to say there eh?
I wanted to go with a M2 6M11 but with my location I don´t want to push it with the neighbours.
Ideally I would like to go with a boom length of 60´...we´ll see.
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WD8OST
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Rating: 5/5
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Jul 15, 2001 14:35
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plays-fine
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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folks, had mine up since june 1998. was not easy to get on tower. it is a ssb 50.00 to 50.100 ant. that is what it is made for ssb. have put 1000 watts to it I use no tuner at all 1.1to 1.3 max on 50.125-50.250 above that swr climbs fast then you start to need tuner have had 0 trouble with it it am using it now spent most of time on 6mssb. thanks
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VE3OQC
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Rating: 5/5
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May 23, 2001 10:11
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Excellent
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I found the antenna worked excellently!The front to back was about average(22db) but the forward gain was excellent and the bandwidth is around 600khz as to be expected. Front to side is great,signals that are s7-8 are next to zero when i turned the antenna.
Electrical specs for the antenna are above average,now for the bad part.
The tuning straps where not formed properly and i had to make my own units.I received no reply from Cushcraft on customer service which was disapointing.
The boom truss is not designed properly and there is too much sag at the front and the back,i redesigned my own boom using two pieces of 2"o.d. by 17' and a small wire truss.
The stainless u-bolts once assembled will gall and if you try to take the antenna apart you may have to replace the bolts.
Other than that the elements are heavy duty and if you get greater bandwidth than specified then you have a problem!Gain i measured was in the order of 11.5 dbd!To bad they stopped making it.
Now i am using it in my new QTH in Mexico!VE3OQC/XE1
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GJ0NYG
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Rating: 3/5
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Aug 24, 2000 08:51
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Long boom, Wide bandwidth, aveage gain
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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The beam works well, but gain is sacrificed for bandwidth. The SWR is low on parts of the band that I never go. It certainly worked well from the club at 40' AGL on the edge of a 150' cliff. Tropo to the UK compared to a 5el Tonna was much better, but when up at 20' it was too close to the ground.
If I had to buy again I'd go for the M2 6M7JHV, since this one's a monster size for average performance.
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