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Reviews For: Cushcraft 124WB

Category: Antennas: VHF/UHF+ Directional (Yagi, quad, etc.)

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Review Summary For : Cushcraft 124WB
Reviews: 22MSRP: 69.95 at HRO
Description:
4 Element Wide-Band Yagi
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.cushcraftamateur.com/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
12224.5
N5LAZ Rating: 2023-03-06
Parts missing and overall rough machining Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This antenna's fit, finish, and packaging did not meet the high expectations I had for a product carrying the Cushcraft name. I guess times have changed. In addition to missing hardware (several pieces) some of the drilled holes are misaligned, have burrs, and overall, the antenna shows a lack of attention to detail and has somewhat of a rough feel to all the parts. I haven't tried it yet as I'm waiting on the missing parts, and I do expect it to work well. It's just for the price and the name, I expected more. I use to get more quality from the old Cushcraft. No excuse for missing parts. A simple check-list solves that problem. Box was not damaged and was fully sealed.
N9GUU Rating: 2021-10-26
Poor Quality Control Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Just purchased the A124WB from HRO. Upon installation I noticed that the mounting holes pre drilled into the boom we’re not square to the plane of the elements resulting in about a 15 degree tilt from vertical. Cushcraft now being an MFJ product I guess I’m not surprised. I called MFJ and explained the issue. They said they would send a new antenna out to me - that was 3 weeks ago and nothing yet. I guess there’s some truth to MFJ Mighty Fine Junk.
VK3LBT Rating: 2014-04-16
Very impressive Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have just put up this antenna, 16 April 2014, whilst I do some much needed maintenance on my 11 element long boom 2m SSB yagi. I tested this antenna out on 2m simplex with a friend tonight who is 100 km (65 miles) from me with no discernible drop in signal with the same power level and running horizontal.
After assembling this antenna exactly to the instructions I found it to be flat on VSWR on the lower portion of 2m where I operate. The antenna has a wider frontal footprint than my big yagi, which is to be expected, the antenna receives very well with good flack and side rejection. The quality of all components are of a high standard and assembly was a breeze.
I am extremely happy with this antenna and as this is the first Cushcraft antenna I have owned I would not hesitate in looking at purchasing anything else from them. Great little antenna.
Cheers Barry VK3LBT.
WA3HVR Rating: 2013-07-24
Good performance in both polarities Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Have owned this for over ten years and it was horizontal for ssb until recently. It worked very well, but ssb has all but vanished here, so now it is vertical for fm and it did not require any retuning for a near perfect SWR! With 10db of gain, my 7 watts of fm makes a lot of signal. I am very pleased to highly recommend this fine antenna.
G8UBJ Rating: 2013-02-28
Ecellent Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Its hard to believe the performance from such a small antenna. The small size and enabled me to mount this very high. I run it horizontal and it outperforms a 7 element long yagi just 1.5m lower down the mast.

The matching system is best in class with a radiation pattern that's very clean and symmetrical.

SWR is set for mid band so I re-tuned the match (Very easy) for the SSB end of the band. I get .3 watts reflected for 330 watts forward.

I would recommend this to anyone with limited space or just wants an excellent antenna.
AI4SU Rating: 2011-11-26
EXCELLENT PERFORMER Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This beam meet my communication needs in the directions I needed t aim it. Its been on my tower @ 64ft. for a year now with no negative issues. The assembly instruction was easy to follow as well as the physical assembly. Also its super light weight. Go ahead and try it out.
K7JA Rating: 2011-04-19
Ultimate DX! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
My best DX on the 124WB was an EME contact with K5GW. I mounted the 124WB on a stick, and aimed it at the moon at high elevation (through 12 kV power lines, no less) from my back yard.

Yes, I ran about 800 Watts out from an amplifier, but K5GW was clearly headphone copy at about 6 dB out of the background noise in 25 Hz bandwidth. We completed the QSO in about four minutes on CW, with no repeats required.

No, this is not a joke. Yes, K5GW could not believe it when I told him what I used for an antenna. I have heard about a dozen EME stations on CW when I have occasionally tried this stunt.

EME from a single 4-element Yagi. . .good enough for me!

73 de Chip, K7JA
NC0B Rating: 2011-03-26
Excellent small yagi Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have mine mounted at 75 feet, 5 feet above a Hy-gain 402BA 40 meter yagi. I am on the plains of Colorado, and my longest contact is 260 miles to SW Kansas on SSB with 100 watts. The rejection off the back and side is well over 20 dB, and it covers the whole 2 meter band. It is fed with 270 feet of 7/8ths hardline. Picture on QRZ.com at NC0B. For casual 2 meter SSB operation, it is perfect for me. The forward pattern isn't so sharp as to make a 3 or 4 person QSO impossible. I have used it at 2 QTHs for over 10 years.
N1FDX Rating: 2009-06-15
Works Great Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've used this antenna in many different applications, FM repeater, packet DX cluster, SSB, portable, and now it's my satelite uplink antennas for the FM birds.Spent many years outside and now resides in my attic. Put it together once and have never touched it again.
Well over 10++ years old.
Great small footprint antenna.
http://home.comcast.net/~n1fdx
KC9LWC Rating: 2009-06-14
Great antenna; highly recommended Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Purchased this antenna as a quick solution for the 2009 June VHF QSO party. The beam performed wonderful. The beam sees fairly wide, it doesn't need to be tweaked and pin-pointed to a tee, but it does have a fairly good F/B.

My previous antenna at home was a copper j-pole. This beam really works everything well. Repeaters that I could not hear before 40 miles away came up S-9+

I just finished a 45 minute QSO on a repeater 110 miles away with this beam @ 15', and Wisconsin isn't as flat as Kansas! Decent topography path or not, this beam gets it done. I highly recommend it!

Tuning it is a breeze, the recommended spacing in the manual gives you a great match through out the 2M band. Even is a 'decent' performer on 70cm.

A+++++++