Manager


Manager - NA4M
Manager Notes

Reviews For: Cushcraft MA5B Mini Beam

Category: Antennas: HF: Yagi, Quad, Rotary dipole, LPDA

eMail Subscription

Registered users are allowed to subscribe to specific review topics and receive eMail notifications when new reviews are posted.
Review Summary For : Cushcraft MA5B Mini Beam
Reviews: 155MSRP: 365.00
Description:
Cushcraft's newest multiband HF antenna provides 5 bands
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.cushcraftamateur.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
001554.6
WA4KKV Rating: 2006-12-14
Great Performance Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
The MA-5b is a great surprize in performance for a small beam. I have worked numerous DX stations with only one call in pileups with 400 watts.

I did have problems with the insulators and clamps. The insulators had holes drilled offset on one end requiring that they be redrilled to run the bolt through. Also I did have several worm clamps fail with very little tightening.

I have had to get help in realignment of the director that twisted in the winds. I replaced the supplied clamps with heavy duty and it seems to hold better.

All-in-all, it is a great little beam for the money. Cushcraft did supply new insulators. I plan to send them one of the clamps for examination. The beams performance is classic Cushcraft, the parts however are not. I have 4 147-11 in array and have had no problems at all with them.

Sam-WA4KKV
VE2JKA Rating: 2006-11-21
Great Mini Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Hi all, yes this antenna is small, does it perform? yes it does as a small beam. Don't expect miracles but, it works a ok on all bands and more..what do I mean by more... try it on 6 meters works great it's even directional and the swr is relatively low on 6 meters as well.

Bellow you will find a link with some photos of the actual install which took from the box to the tower approx.. 3 hours. You will also see graphs of the swr I got running on 100' of 9913 coax.

I also have and use a cushcraft x7 however, I did buy one more MA5B she's still in the box ad she's headed for the country..so yep I like this mini beam lots.


http://ve2jka.com/ve2jka/forum/showthread.php?t=95
F5MVB Rating: 2006-11-21
VERY GOOD ANTENNA Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I'm very happy with my ma5b: small price and good results.
Of course not a monoband antenna performance,but work as indicated by cushcraft, so no bad surprise with this antenna.
73 Phil F5MVB
K2HPS Rating: 2006-11-20
angles of the elements Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I've seen the pictures of the ma5b and ive angled my elements 60 degrees to make it look like the pictures. now I see the elements arent angled at all arent they? So now the question does the 60 degree angle deter from the performace ? I'm having alot of swr problems and was looking at the matching network as the problem now i'm not so sure. can some help me k2hps@aol.com thanks
MM0ODI Rating: 2006-08-18
First Impressions Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought this mini-beam as I have a narrow garden and very 'anti-radio' neighbours so I wanted to avoid it overhanging another garden.
It fits into the garden with a few feet to spare. Building the antenna was no real problem only tools required were a measuring tape, screwdriver and a small socket set 8mm and 9mm. Using the socket on the hose clips, let me get them a fair bit tighter than using a screwdriver and will, hopefully, stop the windmilling although I'll probably end up fitting a couple of self tapping screws later this year.
Performance is a million times better than my previous wire dipoles. First contact was 5/9+ both ways into Texas from Glasgow! A new experience for me! The antenna will shortly be joined by a short 40m dipole and will continue to frighten the neighbours at 40 feet up on the Tennamast.
KI8DD Rating: 2006-07-06
poor quality Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
the antenna work's after you rebuild it and modify it so the parts don't brake! my hollow fiberglass insulators broke in 30mph winds,the windmill problem was real bad on mine!and my loads were marked backwards on 17m&12m and they call that a solidly made antenna. For a compromised antenna it works just like any other mini beam no better and no worse The loads are way to heavy for the light duty elements they need to beef the elements up so the antenna don't look like a bow tie.I have my antenna up 60ft maybe that is to high and windy for the little beam called ma5b. The BB boom tub was only 22.5" and I had to cut the BA tubs 1.5" each to make the boom 88" if they would have sold it as a kit at about 200.00 then at least you would have known that you were going to have to build the parts.But for 400.00 Dollars no way.After this one falls apart this winter I will get the TA53 5 band beam it is built better and it has real gain.Don't get me wrong the antenna works it just is one of the poorest made antenna I have ever put together. And we the consumers are going along with them by saying these antennas are great
VU2ATV Rating: 2006-05-21
MA5B works on 2M - Try it out !! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have this antenna for over 6 months now, and i am a very happy owner.
I recently discovered that this antenna also works on 2M. I am able to work a local repeater about 35 Kms away very easily. I would request amateurs who own this antenna to try this out and put their reviews on here. The SWR is ok 1:1~1.3 from 4-75 watts watts on my 746-pro.
I took this readings on an SWR meter of Diamond SX-600, may be a some one can take more accurate readings and write on the behaviour of this antenna.

I also share the experience of 'windmill' effect on the elements due to the use of hose clips on the boom to element assembly.SWR is ok ,rising to 2:1 at the band edges on 20m and less than 1:1.1~3 over most of the bands elsewhere.

I have heard stations transmitting bare foot using this antenna and it gives a perfect idea of how well the antenna performs.It surely puts up a loud signal even at 100 watts!!

I would recommend this antenna to any one who lives in big cities with apartment restriction or CCNR problems,this according to me is the perfect balance between, size, performance and price.
I must congratulate CUSHCRAFT for a great antenna!!
PH0AS Rating: 2006-04-29
MA5B=great see my site! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
When you are a "little pistol" this is the
mini beam to buy. I now own it for over 1 year and it is great for my solution.
Read all about my doubts, experiences and antenna mast solutions on my website.
And don't forget to take a look at the video's.
www.solcon.nl/arbosiebesma

Good luck with your choice.
N0AH Rating: 2006-04-05
Tuning can be tricky Time Owned: more than 12 months.
After owning this antenna for over a year, I have come to know all well know the high Q tendencies of the MA5B.

High Q simply means that the resonant point of the antenna can waiver around due to a number of reasons. It also means that the antenna has a very narrow bandwidth. Why I use the term high Q here is that the resonant point on most bands moves around a lot. My impression is that weather might have something to do with it even though I have the drain holes on the traps pointed down.

Of course, there are always unknown variables. Ok, with everything but the kitchen sink thrown in, this is what I have encounted.

1. 15M, per the factory, cannot be tuned. What you get, is what you get. I'm at around 21.290KHz but I mostly CW.

2. I can't get the 17M/12M dipole to work out. They have good nulls, but if I get 17M tuned, 12 goes way high, etc.....so what I have today is a 4 band antenna. Also, I cannot get the bandwidth on 12 meters more than 60KHz at 2.5:1.

3. Read the small print. Again, this refers to the 12/17M portion of the antenna being a dipole. They are not part of the beam. But looking at the advertising, I'm not sure if we are informed enough.

4. This antenna sticks out. It might be short, but it is not stealth due to the capacitance rods. This has nothing to do with the performance of the antenna but..........

5. This antenna runs when in resonance. I have enjoyed working around the world with it. It is packed with 5 bands, so I am not surprised about my results.

6. I have never had windmilling and I would not drill a hole into the elements. You will have to move them some day again.

7. Cushcraft has always provided me excellent customer service. I had to order parts to make the 20 meter portion of the elements longer. Had them the next day.

You are investing into a compromise antenna. Be ready for a lot of tweaking and a lot of fun. I have really enjoyed this antenna.
GM0ONX Rating: 2006-04-04
Fights above its weight Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I’ve tried a number of mini beams over the years including the G4MH, ZX Yagi 2000 and a home brew shrunken quad and nothing so far compares to the MA5B. Solidly made, the only problem I’ve encountered is the boom is in several parts held together with hose clips which can cause the elements to ‘windmill’ slightly. The cure is very simple requiring only a small hole to be drilled and a self tapping screw inserted between each of the sections of the boom and the problem is cured. SWR is none to shabby either rising to 2:1 at the band edges on 20m and less than 1:1.5 over most of the bands elsewhere.

It’s survived storms that decimated other antennas at my QTH (not to mention the garden fence) and I would recommend this antenna to any one wishing an antenna with a low visual presence.


Len GM0ONX