| WS8O |
Rating:     |
2015-05-10 | |
| About what I expected. |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I knew it was a compromise when I bought it but overall am pleased with the performance. Decent bandwidth across all five bands and a huge improvement over the rotatable dipole it replaced.
My biggest disappointment is the quality control of the parts inventory. They tell you in the instructions that if you have missing parts you will need the weight sticker off the box as they use the package weight to verify proper inventory.
Amusing in that my package probably had the correct weight even though it was missing the four 1 3/4" clamps. It did however have a bunch of plastic caps that fit nothing In the kit. Still happy with it overall. |
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| KD7VEA |
Rating:     |
2015-04-14 | |
| decent performance but traps need some help |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| I have had my MA5B for over a year now, and I am starting to see some issues with it. Don't get me wrong, its better than the G5RV I was running, but The antenna is coming down for the second time in 1 year. The first time, there were burn spots on the coils in the 10/15/20 driven element. I do run an AL-80A that on a good day runs about 850 watts SSB on 20 meters, still a bit under the 1.2KW rating of the antenna. I have not pulled the antenna down yet, but I am wondering if I will see the same burn marks inside the antenna this time. with an SWR of 10:1, it is pretty much not usable at the moment. other than that issue, I have been pleased with the antenna I have it on a rotator with beams for 1296, 440, 220, 144, and 50 with about 30 feet of a tubular tower and nothing has broke yet, and we see some pretty strong winds here everyday. |
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| JI1ANI |
Rating:      |
2015-03-21 | |
| 6m mods |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I added 6m to my MA-5B.
The element of 6m was made Pallastic element which makes a radiator of a classic band meet.
An interval of a radiator and 6m element is 13cm.
6m element is 274cm long.
MA-5B+6m has gain like a 3ele yagi, vk and qso, possible. |
|
| K8IDW |
Rating:      |
2015-01-09 | |
| GREAT for 9 years! |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| Bought mine new 9 yrs ago and put up on 40ft tower. FANTASTIC results. I love the WARC bands, and mine is FLAT across both the 12 and 17 meter bands. 10M I have mine set for the CW Portion, so just use a tuner when on SSB, same with 15, and 20. Been through a bunch of really nasty storms in summer and winter. We have brutal winters hr in N. Ohio. Remember it's only a rotatable dipole on 12/17, and 2 3ele on 10/15/20, but it's one of the best antennas I've used since becoming a Novice in 1979. |
|
| ON3IM |
Rating:      |
2015-01-09 | |
| very nice |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
I love this antenna. A bit of work to put it toghether but never made better contacts. Even when I have to put the antenna down to 5 meters beceaurse of the wind it is still doïng the job.
Recommend it.
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|
| VE3PTC |
Rating:      |
2014-11-04 | |
| 5 years on |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
decided to write a follow up review of this interesting antenna. i have had mine for 5 years, with absolutely no problems at all. no wind-milling, no traps gone south etc. the swr plots are the same as when i installed it.
i have no room for a full size tri-bander, so the ma5b fits the bill. of course it is down on a full size antenna, but not by much. even the mighty hexbeam has its issues, like interaction between the 10 and 12m elements, which has still not been addressed as such.
in the 5 years i have had this antenna i have wkd a lot of dx,with 100w. i did briefly run an old sb 200 amp, and with the ma5b it was really good. no issues with traps at that level of output.
so, i recently decided to "improve" the ma5b on 12 and 17m where it is a dipole.
i have fitted a boom extension, and added an extra element behind the 10 15 and 20m element.
because of the spacing involved, i opted for a reflector on 12m, and as a director on 17m.
basically two 7 foot lenghs of 1 inch dia alu pipe, into which i fitted 14 inches of plastic pipe. i wound two coils for each end, in series and terminating with small capacity hats like the tgm antenna.
i resonated the reflector at +8%, and the director at -5%.
and yes, it does work. the normal operation on 10 15 and 20 is unaffected, as regards f/b and gain.
on 12m it performs as well as 10 does with the same f/b and gain.
on 17m, because its a driven element/ director, the f/b ratio is poor at about 1 s unit,but it still works well in the direction its pointed at.
next year, i plan to take the extra element off, and change the coils to make 17m element a reflector too. i think the performance will be similiar to the 20m part, but with better f/b ratio than with the director.
all in all, for a limited space antenna, it really works well!
vy 73 de bob |
|
| KK4QBU |
Rating:  |
2014-07-10 | |
| WHERE ARE ALL THE PARTS??? |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| I bought this antenna with the intentions of installing it over the fourth of July weekend, I took it out of the Box on Thursday the 3rd to put it together and realized it was missing several parts not just screws and bolts but large pieces like poles (WHO PACKS THIS STUFF?)I called Cushcraft immediately to get these parts and the person there was very laxadaisy about the whole thing and didn't even apologize for the inconvenience. I didn't receive the parts like promised the first of the following week so I called back to check on the status and was told they were just shipped. The service of this Company is terrible !! I AM NOT IMPRESSED. Cushcraft will not be getting anymore of my money. |
|
| M0TFO |
Rating:      |
2013-11-15 | |
| MA5B alomst 5 years of service. |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| Just a Quick update from my past reviews of the MA5B, coming up to 5 years of service as still as good as the day I installed it.I service it every 18 mouths or so,apart from that it stays up and works well for a mini beam. |
|
| KA3PCX |
Rating:      |
2013-09-03 | |
| Great Antenna! |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
It is easy to put together compared to quad antennas!
I can only compare this antenna at a low height compared to my vertical Cushcraft R-5.
I work alot of qrp if you use the beam they can hear me in ssb but not always on the vertical.
The 20 meter band part works almost the whole band but tune what you use most! 17 meters is great!
This one came from MFJ & did have all the parts & more & correct instructions that more than I can say for Cushcraft when I bought my AS3S they sent me a 6 meter beam instruction manual!
It is a keeper for me! Ray KA3PCX!
Also built very well!
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Earlier 5-star review posted by KA3PCX on 2013-06-23
I bought mine from Universal Radio, opened package & all the screws & bolts with extra screws & bolts in this package!
Assembly was straight forward, all bands including 20 mters very low to flat swr onlower end of 20 mters, the rest all fine!
Make sure those spokes are at a 45 degree angle & also check to make sure those traps are facing down!
One word on tuning ,The higher the antenna will give you a more accurate tune. don,t tune it close the ground as I did it will change prpbably higher in frequency on 20 meters, I had mine set for 14.0700 but after puuting it on my roof the swr was lower on the upper portion of the band will have to retune a litlle later.!
Does it work? Yes, I made sveral ssb contacts this field day with only 10 watts into Virgin Islands & puerto Rica, but the higher the better!
Comparing it to the A3S it is not quite as good but much better & quieter than most verticals or windoms, so it short, it does what it is supposed to do!
Sure, it is not a hex beam but is simplier & easy to put up. So the choice is yours! |
|
| OH1LA |
Rating:      |
2013-08-31 | |
| The results of one day |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
Yesterday I worked 57 DX connection outside Europe. More than that would have been possible. I had Yesu FT-2000 + Heathkit SB-220 (2x 3-500Z) and MA5B.
15m: JA's (22), K/W's (4), H44, HL, UA0, CM2, P29, DU, HS, VK, Z21, 3B9, 5R8, TU, 7T, YB (4), 9M2(2), V85 (2) and VU, HZ,17m: 6O0, HZ, AH0, P29, 20m: E29, S2, and YB.
Since 2009 has been MA5B and thousands of dx is the log. Overall, 90% of the work outside of Europe. Its size MA5B is a good antenna, and I can recommend. Now, however, I have ordered a new antenna to replace the MA5B. The antenna is G3TXQ broadband hexbeam by SP7IDX. I've read so many good reviews. I have a different view M0TMC, who gave here only two (2) MA5B antenna and said that if the like night and day when you compare hexbeam and MA5B antenna. I look forward to well that the improvement in the antenna after all, it will be bigger, but lighter.
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Earlier 5-star review posted by OH1LA on 2012-10-01
I would like to go a little bigger and better 5 band antenna.
MA5B is good and I've got it all who will hear.
However, I've used a linear amplifier (SB-220) in big pileups.
Suitable for a better antenna is hard to find because the elements are not exceed 8 meters.
Tell me the old MA5B, the owners of which will get a better antenna signal, and supports antenna replacement?
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Earlier 5-star review posted by OH1LA on 2012-04-19
Within three years of experience will tell. The antenna is 45 feet. Figure QRZ.com page. I am DX'er and I want to work all the DX-peditions. I worked in the first power of 100W.
Then I bought the FL-2100Z amplifier, which I got a 600W. Now I have a Heath SB-220 amplifier that provides up to 1kW output. MA5B still condition. Take care and keep only a short QSO's at high power levels. I get easily through DX pileups. MA5B is a good choice if the place is small. I have neighbors just a few feet away from the antenna.
I am missing three countries: P5 (North Korea), VP6 (Ducie Is.) And KH8S (Swains Is.). Not QRV. VP6DX (2008). I put the antenna 2009.
My DXCC is 337/354.
Pekka, OH1LA
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Earlier 5-star review posted by OH1LA on 2009-10-02
In the last four months I have had a surprisingly easy to DX stations, in particular the 20m Band. The antenna is 45 feet. In addition, I have a Yaesu FL-2100Z is a power of about 600W. Rare DX stations work. I had been through a hard time easily pileup. At the log is 3D20CR, FT5GA, TO7RJ, XV3RRC, 3D2GM, T30GM, T2G, 4W6AL, 3DA0JK and many others around 600 DX-station, mainly in 20m band, but also in 17m, 15m and 12m bands. I am surprised MA5B's effectiveness. I had, after all the years 1985-2001 in the same altitude, the Hygain TH6DXX that was a good antenna, but the large rainbow. Thank you for a small and a good antenna Cushcraft.
View images QRZ.com.
73 de Pekka, OH1LA |
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