Hi Dave,
No need to buy new.
In my opinion, dollar for dollar, the HG105CA, HG155CA, HG205CA (Now
LJ105CA, LJ155CA, LJ205CA) are the best 5L monobanders ever made and the
only high band antennas in use at my station since 1998. Exceptional
combination of Gain, bandwidth, F/S and F/B rejection and durability to
the most extreme weather - Blizzards, Tornadoes, hurricanes, ice storms.
They make up my 4-stacks on 10 and 15 and my 3-stack on 20.
And if you modify them, as I have with each one, you can improve the
extreme weather durability, bandwidth, and ease of maintenance even
further.
Now, if you want an 8L killer on a 60' boom that, when pointed at
Southern G, nulls out
Northern G and GW, sure, there are bigger and better and way more
expensive antennas. But for contesting when a broader pattern is an
advantage? There is nothing better. And the low SWR across 28.0 -
29.2? Incredible.
Sure, the machining of the MFJ's absolutely sucked and you have to be
prepared to redrill holes and do other initial maintenance to the
antenna and the clamps, but that is also true of most antennas unless
they have already built in machine-shop hourly rates to produce a nicer
antenna with holes that line up properly. But as mentioned by others,
the Hygain element to boom clamps and boom to mast clamps are
exceptional, so good in fact that I have used them on other antennas!
I have 11 of the CA series antennas in use at my station, another 4
already built as spares and a few still in unopened boxes, in reserve.
Best antennas ever in my view and unparalleled contest performance for
that I $ spent.
And my heavily modified T2X's, as flawed as they are, are still in use
after almost 40 years. :-)
But you have to use them appropriately and with the right antennas. You
can't overload them.
73
Bob, KQ2M
On 2026-04-15 00:11, David Gilbert via TowerTalk wrote:
Does anybody actually buy a new Hy-Gain or Cushcraft antenna anymore
when there are more modern designs available?
Dave AB7E
On 4/14/2026 9:50 PM, Jim Brown via TowerTalk wrote:
https://www.lintonnews.com/itu-corporation-re-purposes-linton-armory-facility-to-house-iconic-amateur-radio-manufacturing-free-article/
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