| KJ6RPR |
Rating:  |
2023-10-17 | |
| 5 continents and counting... |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| Picked this thing up used (15+ years old when I got it), was given to me by my Elmer. I downloaded the manual from the website, assembled and tuned it in an afternoon. Erected it without needing radials or guying. It's been in my small backyard here in SoCal for 12+ years now. Haven't touched it since it was installed. It's worked North America, South America, Australia, Europe and Asia on 100 watts. When the HF bands are short, I've made local contacts with it. With an MFJ SDR RF switch, it also doubles as the RX antenna on my SDR receiver. Picks up everything from medium wave to 1-1/4 meters. Cant imagine a more versatile antenna that takes up so little space (it's 27 feet tall, and the lower capacitance hat is about 7 feet in diameter). Yes, it picks up a bunch of QRM when the bands are noisy, but then so does any vertical antenna. This has exceeded every expectation I had for it. Still waiting to make contacts in Africa and Antarctica on it. I expect I will, when band conditions finally allow. If you have the opportunity to pick one up, don't hesitate. |
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| K3RW |
Rating: |
2022-05-07 | |
| Its a no-radials antenna, not a miracle-worker |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I picked up an older style R-7 and a spare one for parts off the local swap boards. Having used this as my primary antenna for the past couple of years I finally decided to give a review. I built variations of dipoles, OCFDs, and trap dipoles previously, but lost a large tree that gave me reasonable height. Going vertical made sense for takeoff angle and overcame the way-too-low horizontal antenna problem.
Many seek out the R-7 because it is a 'no radials' antenna, its reasonably resonant 40-10 including WARC bands, and it can be an inexpensive find provided all is in working order. True for an older R-3 or R-5 as well.
For this, it does not disappoint. Find one that is all there, with a working matching network, and it should perform. How well is really a function of what you may be comparing. Its a vertical, you'll have a takeoff angle lower than most dipoles, but you'll struggle close-in. On digital, you'll appreciate this as a DX antenna.
If you have a tall tree, run a wire up the tree and run 3-4 elevated tuned radials, and I'll practically guarantee you this is a better antenna at a fraction of the cost. Bust the R-7 and you'll have a large pile of bent aluminum and a very difficult time repairing it.
Its based on a half-wave design rather than a more typical quarter-wave design, hence the need for more mechanical complexity. This is one significant weakness to the antenna. There are many points where water and ice may enter and there are many points where seals, dielectrics, and other things can go wrong. I bought a second R-7 cheap to farm for parts. I did notice some icing this winter in western WA. Soon as the thaw came it was gone.
A common failure besides the stubs is the matching network. Rebuilding the matching network is certainly not difficult, but sourcing a rebuilt unit is quite expensive. The antenna may handle decent power, but don't get carried away on high duty cycles. You may get your tuner to 'load' this antenna on 80m, but consider that is a quick way to burn out the matching network if you do.
A main gripe I have about the antenna is how 'floppy' it is. Unlike the Hustler 5BTV I have (not a no-radial antenna), this one is no way self-supporting. Hustler uses sections that are larger, then smaller, then larger again. For whatever reason Cushcraft used sections that start way large and taper way down towards the top of the antenna. Think about it being a severely tapered fishing pole. Not guying this antenna will lead to a catastrophic mechanical failure. I built a swivel onto a basketball goal post so I could tilt it over in very high winds. I can push the antenna almost 15deg from vertical before it even starts to lift off the ground. It almost snaps up after that. I had to add a lever to the base of it to tilt it up. This mast butt, or whatever you may call it, is an odd design. The antenna is supposed to be DC-grounded but there is no simple way to connect to a mast with the 3 bolt circles on surrounding the mast end. Saddle clamps on the outside would make much more sense.
Even guying the antenna present with a challenge. There is really no good place for it but it does actually need it. I use 3 insulated guy lines and that still produces a little movement. Part of that movement also means the joints twist ever so slightly. Over the past winter I noticed that the 20m section was well above the 20m band. It took some tightening and adjustment to nudge it back into band.
I recommend a drip loop at a minimum for the coax connection. Its very much exposed to the elements in its location.
In performance, this is a shortened vertical and you should adjust your expectations accordingly. It is a compromise of all compromise antennas, but it does work. Its takeoff angle is good, and you accept that it is a vertical and not a beam. Its very narrow for 40m, and it gets better on the higher bands. It won't outperform an elevated radial 5/8s monoband vertical. But if you operate it reasonably, you'll likely not need a tuner either.
Newer designs of the Cushcraft no-radial designs added 80m, and later 6m. Who is running 6m vertically polarized, except for FM?
I see no reason to drop $400-650 or more on the new designs that appear fraught with problems. If you find a R-7, by now you already know this is an older antenna and you take your chances finding parts, making difficult repairs, etc. But if you find yourself in a position needing something, just anything, and you get a good deal, you will likely be happy. Just don't expect miracles.
Am I happy for my purchase? Yes, because I added WARC bands that other verticals do not. I paid a small sum for it and it works for what I need it to. |
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| WM5M |
Rating: |
2016-01-10 | |
| GOOD! |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| I just got a R-7 from a fellow coworker that needed some work for $20. I did it, and did it right. And how can I complain working stations almost 6,000 miles away with my HW-16 barefoot...thats 25 watts on CW. I mounted it 6 ft off the ground. I have owned many verticals in my 40 yr ham time cushcraft, Butternet and this thing does work well! 559 back and forth to Argentina today. And Alaska as well, both on 15 mtrs. 40 is comparable to my dipole, but higher bands this R-7 wins hands down. WM5M |
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| AI6J |
Rating: |
2014-02-26 | |
| Good antenna- no radials |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I have used and R5 and an R7 and both have worked very well with no radials, ground mounted and up on a 10 foot mast. While 40/80 are ok...they are not great for those bands. It will work but a dipole will usually out perform unless maybe you get it way up in the air and add radials.
Currently my R7 is on a 10 foot mast, I run it into a tuner, and do not have any of the capacity hats. For WARC bands and 10-15-20 it works very well. One note- about 2 years ago I tried to get parts from Cushcrat (MFJ) and they were pretty stupid. Took me 3 months to get parts and had to call multiple times. Once I finally got the parts they were not what i ordered...I fabricated the rest and gave up on them- but the R7 worked well anyways... |
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| PP8DA |
Rating: |
2014-01-03 | |
| rebuilding a R7 |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| I just rebuild my Cushcraft R7, that I own since 1996, to put it into an other location. Disassembled and cleaned it as most parts where dirty and black. Assembled all components by the assembly leaflet up to the exact measurement. Retightened all the trap and capacitor fixture components, most of them had loose screws. Changed the 80 Pf capacitors with one doorknob capacitor 50Pf 6 KV unit and put the vertical in the new position, 2.4 meters high above the ground. SWR from 7 to 28 Mhz on all bands are nor higher than 2:1. To my great joy, the Cushcraft R7 is in very good working conditions. |
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| KE3WH |
Rating: |
2011-05-09 | |
| Too much maintenance |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I had this up for a few years. Replaced traps 3-4 times. Running only 100 watts, so not a QRO issue.
Eventually the traps were bending, and causing instability. So down it came. I gave it away as I had no plan to raise it again.
Its performance while in operating order was great. |
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| ON4LDU |
Rating: |
2011-05-09 | |
| Very good antenna |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I have my R7 since 1998, move it 2 Qth's and still alive !
I've bought it secondhand and worked about 280 DXCC's with it.
Now she's little older but sure can survive 5 years more.
The signals are not so strong, but always worked.
In 40 meters, she gave me total surprise with 180 countries confirmed.
Great antenna, if you can find one, take it ! |
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| VE3TMT |
Rating: |
2011-03-19 | |
| Excellent vertical |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I used one for years at 15' before finally getting a tower and beam. I still miss it. The beam is nice but the R7 worked very well.
I posted a review here a few years ago but I see it is gone. I guess eHam deletes user reviews at their own discretion. |
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| KG4COQ |
Rating: |
2011-03-18 | |
| Great !!!!! |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
Have had this antenna for a couple of years. First location had it 3 ft above ground. 40 meters was very hard to set to the voice section of the band. Was only able to get SWR on 40 down to 1.7 to 1 in the middle. All other bands fell into place very nicely. Most contacts S-7 or higher all bands. Worked well on 6 meters too.
Now I have it mounted on a tripod with a 10 ft. pole on top of my 12 ft. high carport roof. 40 fell into place real nice as did all other bands as did 6 meters again.
Also have a R-8 Vert. which worked well at the first location but not as well as the R-7 and was mounted 3 ft. off the ground as well. If you find a R-7 this is a great antenna,ENJOY IT !! |
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| K6SDW |
Rating: |
2010-02-14 | |
| Seriously!! |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
We took R7 camping over the weekend in Northern California and honestly I was seriously in doubt this thing would actually perform...well....after putting a used R7 in the air ten feet off the ground first station my friend Norm worked was a ham in Paris, France on 15 mtrs............DAMN!! He continued to knock 'em out 40/20 and 15....not bad for a compromised antenna and I was seriously impressed!!
73 |
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