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You can
write your own review of the Cushcraft R-8.
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KG6NID
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 26, 2009 18:39
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VERY BENDABLE !!
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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I bought this vertical after reading as many reviews as I could find. I read about how this antenna needs to be guyed. That is an UNDERSTAYEMENT !! lol. It works great !! I love it !! I feel that the guy kit should come with the antenna though instead of charging an additional $55.00 for the guy kit. When an antenna bends this much in a moderate wind (5-15mph) it should come with it. Even with the guy kit installed as suggested the antenna was still moveing around pretty good. I would suggest this vertical to my friends with the warning about how intolorant it is in the wind.
Like I said, I love the performance, but I hate how it moves in the wind.
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WA2WNJ
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Rating: 5/5
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Aug 13, 2009 15:35
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Good hf antenna
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I HAVE HAD THIS R8 FOR 6 YEARS. Never got it to work on 6 meters, but great on hf. I have a small lot and no room for anything bigger. R8 has always been guided....
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KD5J
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Rating: 5/5
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Aug 13, 2009 07:26
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Great HF performer
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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In 20+ years of ham radio, my purchase of the Cushcraft R8 earlier this year was the first time I have ran a vertical on HF.
It took about two days at a leisurely pace to put the antenna together. It has a lot of parts!
The antenna is very, very top-heavy because of the loading coils at the top of the antenna. Two people can probably put this antenna up but I put it up with three of us and we got it up quickly without any problems. I do not believe a single person could ever put this antenna up by themselves.
I chose this particular antenna because I would not have to put in ground radials. Instead, the R8 has several base mounted radials configured like a contemporary ground plane antenna. They are actually stainless steel mobile antenna whips.
I noticed that in the parts bag were several small yellow warning stickers that the manual instructed you to place on the end of the radials. The manual also states the antenna should be mounted at a minimum of 10 feet above the ground. I figured this part of the antenna manual was written by a lawyer who was worried about liability if someone walking by the antenna got poked in the eye by a radial. I ignored all of this as I had the ideal mounting location of a post concreted in the ground already. This location allowed me to mount the antenna about 4 feet above the ground.
I recommend guying the antenna. The antenna would be a better value if it were to include the guy kit. However, some light duty twine or nylon rope (very small diameter) will suffice. The guy ropes also steady the antenna when putting it up.
I recommend checking the R8 with an antenna analyzer when it is put up. I adjusted the top stinger on the antenna per the instructions for the CW portion of 40 meters. The analyzer had the 40 meter resonant point at about 6.9 MHz. The rest of the bands were in good shape. The antenna was readjusted and it looked perfect on all bands 7-50 MHz.
There is good SWR bandwidth on all bands except 40 meters, where it is particularly narrow.
The first station I worked was UA and have worked many other DX stations since then. I worked ZK2W on the first call with 100 watts on 30m CW and 30m RTTY.
The only problem I have with the antenna is that it is DEAF on 6 meters. Not much of a problem for me because I got this antenna for HF. Not sure, but this may be attributed to the fact that it is mounted so close to the ground.
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KD7HVL
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Rating: 4/5
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Jul 6, 2009 10:34
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Good Vertical antenna
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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the R8 vertical antenna works as described, and like others have stated if you can hear em you can work them. I think this antenna is good for someone on a small lot, someone that needs one antenna for many bands etc. The antenna does not need any radials or counterpoise other than what is provided, seems to work well. I find it has at my location about 3 to 5 s units more noise on 40 then my dipole. Therefore you need to take that into consideration. However this is typical of any vertical antenna. I do have mine guide just above the first trap and it seems to do well there. It will do the job for which I intended the antenna to do, however I did not take into account the increase in noise. Price is up there, and I think its a little to much, but that is my opinion. Rain does not effect the antennas' operation at my QTH. I hope this helps someone with there decision, just remmber the increae noise level. TNX
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N1FDX
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Rating: 3/5
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May 3, 2009 08:33
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Worked well but needed repair often.
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I had the R8 up for about 6 years. In that time while it was working if I could hear I could ussually work them. The performance was maybe 4 or 5 however I rated it a 3 because at least every six or so months I would have to take it down and repair either a trap or a bad conection between sections or something. I am in the process or replacing it with a Butternut HF9V which has turned into a project but does perform a bit better. My website has details.
http://home.comcast.net/~n1fdx
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N7GR
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Rating: 5/5
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Mar 30, 2009 18:25
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Excellent Antenna
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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My antenna has been in the air (un-guyed) for 9 years. It has survived 9 Montana winters and done quite well. So survivability is not an issue. I found the antenna well designed and easy to put together.
I chase DX and have been at it for awhile. The proof of how effective an antenna is how consistent it is with respect to varying conditions. Since I have been a ham for 35 years I ought to know.
Right now, my DXCC totals are 337 Mixed, 334 phone and 332 cw. Not bad for a vertical mounted 7 feet above the ground 8 feet from my house. Another test is IOTA, I am currently at 670 and am waiting on another 20 or so. Again, not bad for a vertical.
The truth is this antenna works and works well. Yeah it can be a bit noisy at times but what vertical isn't. Just the other morning I worked VK9LA, VK9AA, 3B8CF and VQ9LA all in a span of 10 minutes on 40m cw. From here, that is haul any way you cut it.
I am very satisfied with its performance. So much so that I sold a beam I was going to put up on a tower. Sure it takes me awhile to get through the pile-ups than the guys with the big stuff, but I get through and that is all that really matters.
I don't think you will go wrong with this antenna. Cushcraft has done a nice job in designing this antenna for tight spaces that does an effective job for the ham that likes to dx but has limited space.
Good job Cushcraft. Please keep up the good work.
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K1YPB
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Rating: 5/5
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Mar 30, 2009 16:16
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Does what it is supposed to
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have had this antenna going on ten years now with absolutely no problems. It works as it is supposed to operate. I agree that it is a bit top heavy and it does wave around a bit in the wind, but I have never had any issue with it. I live on a small suburban lot, and it is mounted on the edge of our deck about 15 feet above the ground. It allows me to get on the bands. It takes power with no problems and the SWR is reasonable. I believe that careful attention to the assembly specifications are very important for proper operation. The extra time spent on this aspect will be well rewarded with good performance.
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KB3IMJ
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Rating: 5/5
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Mar 30, 2009 09:26
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Works as advertised
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have owned this antenna for the last 4 years.The antenna works as advetised on 6-40 meters.The only thing that I would suggest is to guy this antenna between the two traps-I have mine guyed in two places and it has survived some pretty nasty noreasters here.Rich AB3IY
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PA7KK
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Rating: 2/5
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Feb 10, 2009 23:44
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R8 does not like winds
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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A friend of mine purchsed a R8. Strong winds bend
it. He has not faced a storm yet... He has put
a wooden broom stick inside and hopes for the best. The antenne performs ok when it comes to DX. Aluminum does not like bending so that because of metal fatigue is a major problem.
So the design re. material choice is not good.
PA7KK
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K9AUB
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Rating: 4/5
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Nov 24, 2008 13:55
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Excellent performer
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I've constructed and owned a lot of verticals over the years, both commercial and homemade. Cushcraft does a very good job with their trapped verticals, as good as or better than other all-band verticals such as Hy-Gain, Butternut, MFJ, Gap, etc. All stainless steel hardware is a VERY nice touch. The R8 is an excellent performer provided you do YOUR part... feed it with high quality coax (I like 9913), adjust it carefully for low SWR, then put it up in the clear. You don't need to stretch for height; a couple of feet above your roof is plenty good and much easier to install or take down for repairs. Like all verticals, it's inferior to a dipole for the first few thousand miles. After that, the vertical takes over, and really shines on the long DX paths, 8000-10,000 miles. Don't go crazy pumping power into this - or ANY - trap antenna if you have an SWR higher than 2:1, unless you like repairing and replacing traps. And no, antenna tuners don't fix the problem at the antenna, so watch that QRO power! The only weakness I can say is that it's not as mechanically strong as it could be. It will stand up to typical summer breezes, but expect it to do poorly in winter wind with ice on the antenna. Save yourself some grief and install some Dacron guy ropes tied just above the bottom trap, and tie them off well. This solves all worries about losing the antenna in heavy wind or ice, and doesn't affect performance. Treat it right and it'll last you a lifetime, giving you great performance along the way. An excellent vertical.
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Correction on my previous review. I suggested guying it with Dacron rope a few inches ABOVE the bottom trap. I meant to say BELOW the bottom trap, and ABOVE the first top hat wires. (I should never type when I'm tired!) You want those guys to be about 1/2 way up the antenna for best strength and stability.
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