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Reviews For: Kenwood MA-5

Category: Antennas: HF Mobile & Accessories

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Review Summary For : Kenwood MA-5
Reviews: 8MSRP:
Description:
Mobile HF antenna for 80/40/20/15 or 10m
Product is in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
1584.9
W7CG Rating: 2023-01-26
Well-built excellent performer Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Used it on and off since 1988 for fixed and now mobile operations. Mounted it at the recommended 45 degree angle off my 30th floor balcony railing in Singapore for years and it worked well.
Now using it mounted to the rear stake pocket of my PU truck for 10m-20m. Can be set up as a resonant antenna or use a tuner to trim it up and work multiple bands without changing elements. Either way it works great. I'm lazy so I set it up for 10m and use an LDG auto tuner to match it on 12, 17 and 20m. Be sure to bond your vehicle well using short braid straps to the frame (including exhaust system) and use a nice ferrite choke near the antenna feed to reduce common mode. You'll have solid results. Working better than expected.
SP9HZX Rating: 2022-06-11
A great performer Time Owned: more than 12 months.
My MA5 tunes and works flawlessly.
A lot of DX stations working mobile and portable.
Very light and easy to transport.

The same opinion after 2,5 years.
VK3TQ Rating: 2022-06-11
The Best Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I used this antenna, directly mounted the tow bar, I used to live when I was a young bloke in the 80's in the Riverina area of VK2
I used to travel to Melbourne to see friends and family, a 1000km round trip. I ran HF in the car and this antenna worked extremely well on all bands, very efficient and tuneable. These antennas will kill an auto tune antenna on performance. If you see one at a hamfest BUY IT. You can't go wrong. These days only the Diamond centre loaded come close
Well Im back in NSW Call VK2LD I was at a hamfest 2 years ago in Adelaide and YES I found one, almost 35 years to find one and YES its in schmick condition, havent installed it yet but will be in a couple of months, cant wait to test it on my next trip to Adelaide 800Km mobile trip
Pete VK3TQ ex VK2AAD Leeton NSW
VK4KX Rating: 2014-02-21
One band at a time, but great performer Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought mine in 1982 and it's still going although I have lost one of the band tips and I've had to re do the heatshrink.
It was a great mobile performer for many years and worked well even on 80m and I recall an occasion when a blue corona appeared at the top of it while talking and driving. It gets less use these days but for high power mobile 400w or so it's good. Replaced it with an Autotune so I don't have to get out and change bands. If you see one at a hamfest buy it, it's a good antenna.
VK2CCJ Rating: 2012-04-29
Have Used this for many years mobile and now at home. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Have had great success with this both mobile ,portable and currently on a Tripod behind my Villa a mere 3 meters high , enjoying both SSB and more recently JT65 . Well made built to last , mine is well over 20 years old.

Yes it is basically mono band but great performance.

73
Cliff
VA3PWC Rating: 2006-01-06
Excelent Mobile Antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have one of this antenna since 1997 and it's still doing good.By the way... if you enjoy DX QSO's at your car you should by this antenna. PriceXPerformance EXCELENT. You can run 500 watts on it and to hear the other side giving to you very good reports. I've been using this one on BPSK31,SSB and specially CW ..both of these modes the antenna works really good. There is only one bad thing... When it's raining the SWR goes crazy on 20 mts but just for a few minutes until it gets good again. I rated 5 because the antenna is very solid and strong on the bad weather conditions. I recommend this.
73 from Rick PY2EL/VA3PWC
PA9NL Rating: 2004-04-01
Great mobile antenne, much better than former Hustlers I use. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I is a great antenne, works very wel on my car and on my mobilehome.
Use it on holidys all over Europe and at home for 80 meters.
Because my normal vertical home-antenne (GPA-30 Fritzel) only works from 40 to 10 meters.
VSWR is perfect on all bands.
Only you have to switch for every band, you must see it as a monoband-antenne.

Great antenne for me the best a ever use. PA9NL
ON4MGY Rating: 2003-11-18
I like it a lot Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I've used this antenne when I went to France for a holiday. While parked I used the antenna with a magnet mount on the car. The VSWR was not good on any band until I made a good ground connection. Then VSWR became OK and I could easily work all over Europe on 40 and 20 meters although I didn't spend all of the time on the radio. It was a holiday trip, not a DX-pedition. You can see the log here : http://users.skynet.be/on4mgy/logboek%20frankrijk%202003.htm

Unfortunately, I left the 15m and 10m radiator at home.
The antenna has a good performance but only receives a 4 because you can't use it on more than one band without changing the radiator. You should see it a monoband antenne. These day's nearly all mobile HF-antennes are a lot easier to switch to another band.
When it comes to performance, the MA-5 really is worth a 5++.
Thanks Kenwood for this great antenna. I'm sure I'll work some great DX with this antenna.