I’ve been looking at the Cubex Quads for quite some time. It was time enough for the company to move from Michigan to Oklahoma. What I like about quads are their short booms and solid gain. That, and way back in the 1970s, my Dad WB0JPN and I built a few quads for two meters. They had wooden frames and plexiglass for the driven element to coax connection. They worked pretty well, and I had so much fun with my Dad.
Cubex Quad Scorpion II
The Scorpion II has eight elements and claims to have 14 dBi gain with a 25 dB front-to-back ratio. The boom is fiberglass at 90 inches. The spreaders are also fiberglass with plastic tips to hold the wires. The weight is 7 lbs, but my use of a quick-connect boom to mast plates is probably a bit lighter than the large boom to mast plate provided.
Putting it Together
The instructions are very well done. Everything fit together great. You can see some of the assembly steps in the slide gallery below. It takes a while to pull everything together and rig the wires. But the instructions couldn’t be more straightforward. Most everything is also color-coded, so you’re sure you’re putting everything in the right place.
Testing
I got out the RigExpert AA-600 and ran the SWR sweep. The goal of the antenna is to cover the entire 2-meter band from 144 to 148 MHz, and it does just that, as you can see from the image below. So my target is 144.200, 144.174, and 144.150. The SWR there is right at 1.6.
There are no actual adjustments to the antenna. However, the directions offer some wire cuts to the driven element to get it from 146 to 147 for better repeater coverage. It isn’t really necessary.
On the Air
I can hear a nearby beacon just fine. The real test will come when I get my new 2-meter amp operating. First, I need a 7-pin DIN plug to get the PTT keying working. Then I’ll put this antenna to the test. It will be a solid improvement over my current Directive Systems 6 element Rover Yagi (10.1 dBi) and do it in roughly the same boom length. And that’s important in my small backyard and on top of a push-up mast. The alternative was a 17-foot boom that wasn’t going to work at all.
I hope to add more grids to my 2-meter total via meteor scatter and tropospheric bending. I’m also looking forward to the upcoming Meteor Scatter Sprint next weekend. Hope to work you then.
Update September 2023 — See my adventures with antenna modeling software for more insight into this antenna at EZNEC Antenna Modeling — Always Learning Something New.
HI Jim:
I used a 4 el quad for portable work on 2M. It worked well, though I made it with heavy wood spreaders. I was on with it portable with a old KLM 100 amp on 2M November 17, 2001. I ended up with over 100 SSB contacts on 2M from coast-to-coast.
https://spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=18&month=11&year=2001
N0JK
Excellent results, Jon. I hope this antenna can do as well!
73, Jim, K5ND
Thank You for the review. I would like to get a pair and try some EME or some FT8 on 2M.
Hi Jim…..I also have the Cubex Scorpion here in the UK. It’s a superb antenna wish I had bought 2 of them and phased horizontally. Theyre now too expensive to import here into the UK now. I have my antenna between 30 and 40ft above ground . It works so good I think the equivalent yagi antenna for performance is 14 elements !! Ken G4VZV
Hi Ken, thanks for your note. Yes, I really like the quad, too. I was getting ready to order the second quad and phasing kit but did a bit of investigation of the gain figures for the antenna. I’m certainly no expert but you can find the results of my antenna modeling at https://k5nd.net/2023/09/eznec-antenna-modeling-always-learning-something-new/
Good luck with your efforts and have fun.
73, Jim, K5ND
You mention “my use of a quick-connect boom to mast plates”. I have googled, but can’t find this. Can you share what you made or purchased for a quick connect to a boom? Thanks! Will – k9oo
Hi Will,
You can find them here https://directivesystems.com
Scan down the page until you reach Rover/Portable Quick Release Boom-to-Mast Plate.
Good luck and have fun.
Jim, K5ND