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Reviews For: Cushcraft MA5VA

Category: Antennas: HF: Verticals; Wire; Loop

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Review Summary For : Cushcraft MA5VA
Reviews: 6MSRP: $270.00
Description:
5 band vertical with radials
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.cushcraftamateur.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
1562.8
VE2HS Rating: 2024-09-03
Great antenna on the 20m band!!! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I traded this antenna with Johann-Sebastian, VE2YOW. I truly LOVE it! wow....

It is suggested in the instructions that it should be mounted at least 12 feet from the ground. I am renting here so as not to scare the landlord, I mounted it only 6 feet above ground. Without fiddling around with it, on 20m, I get an SWR of 1.3-1.4:1. Of course, the SWR increases as the band wavelength decreases but eh... it's only mounted at half the recommended height!

I heard a spanish station calling on 20m, he was booming in. Wasn't I shocked when I heard 59. Spoke with a few other stations in the USA (USB / J3E) and had very good reports: FL, TX, even in France. Received 53-54 from a DL station in France. I was ONLY running 40 watts and he was running 800 watts and still, I lost him in QSB!

Not convinced, check my QRZ.com logbook as of september 3rd, 2024 as a proof. I wonder why everybody is bashing this antenna. It might look a bit odd but it works great! Nothing bad to say about this antenna at all!

Thank you.

Pierre, VE2HS

VA2DV Rating: 2018-12-21
Shame on Cushcraft Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Ordered this antenna to run some test on wspr from my space challenged location. Box arrived in good shape but the rest is a nightmare. Missing parts like mounting brackets, bolts, nuts..
Extra large bolts probably for another model. Holes misaligned. Aluminium tubing grinded on some places.Last but not the least, the 10/12 and 15/17 coils assemblies look like they have been put together by monkeys.
Butched soldering with every critical parts not weather protected. What a downfall since original Cushcraft quality.
I’ve pack that pile of junk back in the box for a return to the dealer. Hope that DX Engineering will stand up to their excellent reputation.
N0AH Rating: 2014-10-18
poor QCx2 Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Recently purchased/returned 10/2014- First antenna had enclosed two 10/12 meter traps, but not the 15/17M trap- Second antenna had a 10/12 meter trap with out RF connection to the antenna-Enclosed coax feed line was poorly constructed with both antennas-poor soldering and improperly cut to fit +/- connection feed points- (two short) I agree with previous comments made by many on this antenna- It appears to be a great product for filling a much needed niche, but disappointing QC-
W1DLA Rating: 2011-09-11
Works Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Well, dunno what the problem is with the first couple reviews here. But, I bought one used and had it up for a year...finally replaced it because of the limit on power and to play with a beam.

Bottom line...the one I bought was pretty well made. I replaced the coax, threw it up and worked near WAS and a lot of DX on a few bands on it.

Construction quality was not a problem...as good as any I've tried...and it handled weather well. Tunes and goes up easily.

Just wrote the review because I felt the earlier reviews are misleading here.
VE2JKA Rating: 2009-04-12
I like it! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Hi Friends,

wow after reading the two other reviews I kind of debated whether to post my review or not...Please note that this is my first omni hf antenna and bearing that in mind you might find my review totally out of contrast with the other(s) bellow, however this is my review un-edited.

------```------------```------------```

I bought my ma5va antenna from durhamradiodotcom about one Month ago and waited for the weather to get a little warmer before I install it.

I know it's Easter Sunday today but, what ya gonna do! ..

Okay it took a whole two hours from unpacking, assembly, installation.

Excellent job on the manual as usual for most Cushcraft antenioums.

All instructions and measurements were followed as per the manual, I was feeling lucky so I did not fire up the antenna analyzer I went straight to the roof and up she went (approx 30').. (careful with the radials I installed them on the roof and had to go back down twice to pick up the fallen radial..it's tricky)...

Ok the moment of truth SWR! ... I am feeding this antenna with a LMR-400 and crimp connectors..

80' of lmr-400 @ 100W FM ts-2000x

20 Meters 14.168 ~ 14.300 1.1:1 avrg.
17 Meters 18.100 ~ 18.168 flat
15 Meters 21.150 ~ 21.350 1.5:1 avrg.
12 Meters 24.900 ~ 24.990 flat
10 Meters 28.250 ~ 28.700 1.5:1 avrg.

Bellow and above the described freq. swr starts rising above 2:1

20 Meter Band was quite, however I did manage these 2 qso's

First contact: Slovenia 5/3
Second: Georgia USA 5/9+

In closing.. No problems here.. 5/5

I took some pictures if you want to see them follow the link bellow.

http://radioquebec.net/ve2jka/forum/showthread.php?t=1508

73'


N5IVZ Rating: 2008-08-24
Not the Old Cushcraft i knew Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Bought this antenna about a month ago. Instructions were confusing but i got it built. Very tricky on settings for the bands.

Not satisfied with the quality of the components. Balun was to be wrapped in cheap coax that was crimped.

I owned an R5 vertical that lasted me 12 years. My A 3 kicked butt.. this antenna does not measure up to the same quality...