CUBEX QUADS- Welcome Cubex Quads

Testimonials

Client Testimonials

Very happy with the Mk IV quad antenna. Bought it back in 2010 and has been up with no problems, even with several snow storms. Also have a 3 element SteppIR Yagi but doesn’t compare with the 4-element 5-band quad. If you like to get pile ups go for a Cubex Quads antenna, it happens very often. 🙂

73 de LA4UOA – Torgeir (TOR)

After many years of using a modified Lightning Bolt quad for 20-15-10 meters, I upgraded to a Cubex 5-bander. I’d heard good things about the Cubex models from other hams and Norman at Cubex was tremendous at answering my many questions and helping me to decide on the best model. In the end, I stayed with 2 elements, but got 5 bands in their MK-II-PT5 model. I opted for the continuous spreaders (standard one piece arms—-cubex) and pre-configuration of this over one of their less expensive Skymaster kits. I believe it was worth every extra penny. Below are some shots of the quad during construction and up on the tower with a few pictures of construction details

NA7U’s Cubex 5-Band Quad

“The Quad is up and it was very easy to build and install, SWR very good and a big difference over my 3 ele yagi tnx I’m very pleased with it. I did do one mod to it were the wire passes through the spreaders I covered it with heat shrink to stop it chaffing on the glass fibre on a windy day hope to get you some more customers when all my friends have been round to view it.

73’s for now, your friend in England-”

Bob M1BEG

On the 29th of January 2002 our town, a suburb of Kansas City, was receiving sleet that affected the streets of the city only slightly, but I was concerned what the effect would be on my newly erected five band (CUBEX) cubical quad, an antenna type I had avoided because of its vulnerability to ice. No ice accumulation was noticeable that afternoon but the sleet turned to a super cold mist that evening and the next morning the quad was bowed with inches of ice. I was convinced it was total junk. The icing conditions worsened on the third night of this unprecedented monster storm. At the peak of the storm 370,000 homes were in the dark and remained so in most cases a week or more. We were declared a disaster area. Back to the quad. By that time it was reduced to about a six foot square of ice on a fifty foot pole. Over the next two days as thawing set in I watched, with disbelief, as the quad began to resume its shape and soon its full spread, unscathed. In the six months of operation before the ice storm I had become convinced it was the best DX antenna I had ever had in my sixty four years as a ham. A five bander too.

Wade H. Williams W0BC

More Testimonials

Maybe you heard that our community was hit by 80 mph winds two different nights this last week. The damage is widespread. Whole rows of power poles are down, cemeteries are flattened, un-guyed radio towers are crumpled over, barns were blown into the fields. It’s a hideous sight around here.

But you know what? Your ungainly looking 4 element 5 band Skymaster took it; riding the storm like a big ship in high seas! This was perfect timing (I can say that because, thank God, nobody was hurt). The administration was very skeptical over the safety of that antenna. It doesn’t look that strong and sturdy. But is obviously *is*.

I haven’t mentioned that we’ve been able to make contacts to parts of the world we never even heard on the air before. Last week I helped a new member reach 9K2RA in Kuwait! That was through a pile up on SSB.

You have a fantastic product there, Norm. It sure is serving us well at W8GVU.

Grand Valley University Radio Club

Just a quick line to let you know your quad performance was just great this Field day.

I will send you photos from our field day setup from the home QTH. The antenna was easily to setup.

I mounted the antenna on a 3 section 35 foot aluminum mast with a guy thrust bearing @ about 27 feet. I have a homebrew wooden rotor plate and rotor at the bottom of the mast. The rig used was a Yaseu FT 840 running 100 watts. Our first pre-field day contact was with a west coast San Diego station. We were 20 dB over S9. Contacts into Australia were made with signal reports on our station running S7-S9 barefoot. We found the 10 meter band open through almost 11 PM on Saturday night.

Your antenna also showed good wind survival as at about 1 PM on Saturday just before the start of operations a thunderstorm blew through our site. We lost one of the tents as gusts were estimated at about 50-60 mph. Your quad seemed unimpressed by the winds.

I think in summary you have a killer 10 meter quad. It enabled us to beat the 20 meter station even though they had band openings all through the night. Bob N4CU wants a 20 meter quad for next field day.

Thanks again,

Harold KT4XK

Motorola Amateur Radio Club – W4MOT

Dear Cubex,

Dear Cubex, I have finally received the film from my photos of the new five band quad that I purchased from you

I had the quad several months prior to installation awaiting my tower erection. A ham friend helped me assemble the quad. While unpacking the box my friends comment was “this is sure better quality than others” — he had helped anther ham assemble a name brand quad several years ago. He told me that there was no comparison with the other quad he had assembled. Cubex was far superior.

After placement on the 50ft. tower, my first reaction was how quiet the bands were. My noise level had greatly diminished over the 17 meter mono-bander and I heard more signals with greater strength. I also now had four more bands in one antenna!

My main praise to Cubex is that as you’re aware, Illinois is and has been noted for its snow and ice. Three weeks ago we had a 2 inch ice build up from a winter storm that had our town shut down for four days. ————– Just one week ago we had another. This time ice built up 1/2 inch. If I would take a photo of your quad today, after our winter storms and compare with the photos I have enclosed, you would see no difference in the quad.

I am definitely sold on the Cubex Quad. From other hams commenting on the fine quality and performance to making it through our Illinois ice, you need to be commended on such a fine product.

Cubex MK-II PT5 survives heavy ice storm

Last Wednesday, cyclone “BETI” blew over New Caledonia. Winds where 60 to 70 knots with gusts over 85 knots. My telescopic tower was ——-?, my 3 el. quad was 9m over ground (for the boom). While we thought to protect house and already had in mind to get a new aerial, the morning after. I was amazed to see my quad in perfect condition! During the cyclone I could go on using it all the time on emergency net – most OM’s have broken beams, my quad is living!! Your wind kit seems to have been efficient.

Skymaster II handles Pacific Cyclone

Maybe you heard that our community was hit by 80 mph winds two different nights this last week. The damage is widespread. Whole rows of power poles are down, cemeteries are flattened, un-guyed radio towers are crumpled over, barns were blown into the fields. It’s a hideous sight around here.

But you know what? Your ungainly looking 4 element 5 band Skymaster took it; riding the storm like a big ship in high seas! This was perfect timing (I can say that because, thank God, nobody was hurt). The administration was very skeptical over the safety of that antenna. It doesn’t look that strong and sturdy. But is obviously *is*.

I haven’t mentioned that we’ve been able to make contacts to parts of the world we never even heard on the air before. Last week I helped a new member reach 9K2RA in Kuwait! That was through a pile up on SSB.

You have a fantastic product there, Norm. It sure is serving us well at W8GVU.

Grand Valley University Radio Club

Just a quick line to let you know your quad performance was just great this Field day.

I will send you photos from our field day setup from the home QTH. The antenna was easily to setup.

I mounted the antenna on a 3 section 35 foot aluminum mast with a guy thrust bearing @ about 27 feet. I have a homebrew wooden rotor plate and rotor at the bottom of the mast.

The rig used was a Yaseu FT 840 running 100 watts. Our first pre-field day contact was with a west coast San Diego station. We were 20 dB over S9. Contacts into Australia were made with signal reports on our station running S7-S9 barefoot. We found the 10 meter band open through almost 11 PM on Saturday night.

Your antenna also showed good wind survival as at about 1 PM on Saturday just before the start of operations a thunderstorm blew through our site. We lost one of the tents as gusts were estimated at about 50-60 mph. Your quad seemed unimpressed by the winds.

I think in summary you have a killer 10 meter quad. It enabled us to beat the 20 meter station even though they had band openings all through the night. Bob N4CU wants a 20 meter quad for next field day.

Thanks again,

Harold KT4XK

One more Quad wins

From Jim in PA, K3WU –

Well, Just had my first real test of the quad in the WPX CW contest. Despite the fact that the high bands were great, the antenna performed like I hve never seen (personally). I only operated for about 18 hours, but had over 730 contacts using only 100 watts. Some highlights:

1. Was able to hold a frequency low in the 20m band for over 4 hours without being pushed aside by the BIG SIGNALS!

2. With only one exception, in the search and pounce mode, I was the first station called by the DX. This included some fairly rare and very sought after stations.

3. Actually able to operate on two frequencies concurrently (with filters of course). I was operating two rigs.

You make a great antenna. I wish I had discovered the power of a quad earlier in my ham career.

More Results- MK II

Dear Cubex:

This is mail is to tell you how well works your antennas. I get better performance from the 4 el.Cubex quad than from my 5 el yagi (12.5 meters boom). The Cubex quad has an excellent f/b ratio and a high gain.

The only thing I have changed is the feeding system, the matching with the 75 ohm lines is not good in my opinion so I decided to feed with a gamma match, I use vacuum variable capacitors 2-250 Pf. and 12Kv. I’m going to send you some photos of the quad in diamond configuration and also from the gammas.

The quad is still ok and we had here winds about 100Km/hr. Congratulations your building excellent quads.

MK IV – Big Signal from EA3 land

Dear Cubex

I ordered a 4 ele 6 meter quad Monday morning and was surprised to see to arrive today, Wed.

The antenna was very easy to assemble, and works great, tests with locals show excellent front to side and better than expected front to back. I was using a dipole before and thought I had success with it. However this evening, we had e-skip into 6 land (I am in NC) and I could not even hear some of them on the dipole and they were S 5-7 on the Cubex. The antenna is only around 40 feet off the ground.

All in all your product meets, if not exceeds, your claims, and your service is fantastic!

For anyone needing directivity on 6 and lacking a tall tower, CUBEX is the only way to go!

Thanks again.

Bill/W4VD

The “Magic Band” 6 Meters

Dear Cubex,

We received our antennas about a month ago and assembled them immediately.

We are very happy with them and they perform so well that everybody in South America is wondering. We think you could make a very nice work in this part of the world, specially Argentina and Chile.

We will be your best advertisement.

73 de HK3BZO

6 Meters – “South America”