Cushcraft A3S
Mike B. Allred
I am considering the purchase of a Cushcraft A3S tri-bander. I have
also looked at a Mosley with almost identical specs according to the
manufacturers. Does anyone have any experience, complaints, compliments
or flames about either antenna? I really would appreciate help in this
matter.
Thanks,
Mike KD4SPC
--
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mailto:mal...@fscu.org
Peter Day
Mike B. Allred <mal...@fscu.org> wrote in article
<3354D4...@fscu.org>...
> I am considering the purchase of a Cushcraft A3S tri-bander. I have
> also looked at a Mosley with almost identical specs according to the
> manufacturers. Does anyone have any experience, complaints, compliments
> or flames about either antenna? I really would appreciate help in this
> matter.
The Cushcraft antenna, IMHO, is far better made than either Mosley or
Hi-Gain tribanders.
A year or so ago I replaced my old TH3Jnr with a Cushcraft A3S and I find
it seems to perform better, looks better (less element sag) and does not
blow traps when I hit it with more that 300 watts on 21MHz!! (The TH3Jnr
burnt out driven element traps each time I tried to use my 400w linear amp
on 21MHz ...in spite of the 600w pep rating of the thing!)..........Buy the
A3S now!
Good luck,
Peter, G3PHO
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Editor RSGB Microwave Newsletter.
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Dale Martin
I have two A3's (one A3 and one A3S) on my tower (@70' and @45'). They
work great.
They are easy to fix, too. I refurbished my old A3 last October and opened
up each
trap to check their condition. I only found one bad connection (reason 1
for refurbishment)
and fixed that in 2 minutes (unscrewed the sheetmetal screw, burnished the
aluminum,
burnished the trap coil end, reconnected and tightened down the sheetmetal
screw, and
sprayed with laquer to seal the joint).
Cushcraft is very responsive. All the parts, except for the trap spacers
(inside the trap
capacitor/shield), are available for a nominal charge (e.g., trap = $13 or
so.)
I would also recommend, even though I have not yet purchased it yet, the
40m add-on kit.
I have heard good recommendations for it and I intend to get at least one
as soon as I get
caught up on other projects here.
Enjoy your A3S.....(you ARE getting an A3S, right?)
73,
--
Dale Martin
kg...@hal-pc.org
http://www.hal-pc.org/~kg5u
Mike B. Allred <mal...@fscu.org> wrote in article
<3354D4...@fscu.org>...
>
> I am considering the purchase of a Cushcraft A3S tri-bander. I have
> also looked at a Mosley with almost identical specs according to the
> manufacturers. Does anyone have any experience, complaints, compliments
> or flames about either antenna? I really would appreciate help in this
> matter.
>
Dale Martin
By the way....the other reason I took down the A3 for refurbishment was
to resolve a slightly higher than normal SWR problem I experienced on 20m
for a couple of years. I failed to make one vital connection with the SWR
change
and what I called a near-hit lightning strike that caused a lot of
equipment in the
house to be replaced: It was a direct hit on the A3 out at the end element
segment
of the director. It was not until I got the antenna on the ground that I
discovered
the 3/8" diameter hole burned into the segment. It was obviously a direct
hit the
antenna sustained--how my TS930S and other equipment survived, I will never
know.
(my garage door opener, telephone answering machine, a diode in the
powersupply
of the TV, my 286 computer, TR7950, IC25a, PK232, MFJ1279, a terminal, the
ac-heater thermostat/timer controller, rotor controller, all suffered some
damage--
the 7950 had a 'fried front end' according to the Kenwood tech who worked
on it.)
Yet, the A3 kept on playing, albeit with a 2:1 swr instead of the normal
1.1:1 swr.
It was when the swr on 10m went beserk that I brought it down and replaced
it with
the A3S and refurbished the A3.
The A3 now sits at 45 feet, hardmounted pointing northwest. During
contests, I
switch either one or both for NW and/or NE coverage. It works great.
73...again...
--
Dale Martin
kg...@hal-pc.org
http://www.hal-pc.org/~kg5u
Dale Martin <kg...@hal-pc.org> wrote in article
<01bc4ae0$5eeab0e0$121d10d1@dale>...