Cushcraft 13B2 / A13B2
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| Frequency | 144-148 MHz |
| Modes | FM, SSB, CW, digital |
| Connector | SO-239 |
| Year | 1990 |
| feedpoint | SO-239 |
Cushcraft's broadband 2m Yagi: 13 elements delivering 15.8 dBi (13.7 dBd) with 26 dB front-to-back across the full 144-148 MHz band. The broadband design covers FM, SSB, CW, and packet without retuning, at 2000W. An UltraMatch balanced feed with a 4:1 balun terminates in SO-239, and it mounts vertically or horizontally. The 15-foot boom has only an 8.9-foot turning radius. It is used for VHF contesting, repeater access, packet, and weak-signal work.
The 15-foot boom needs a rotator. VHF Yagis are mechanically fragile in ice and wind. A 1.8 sq ft wind area. It is not an EME antenna; for moonbounce, longer designs like the M2 2M5WL are the choice.
A broadband 2m Yagi. The A13B2 covers the entire 2m band with high gain from one antenna: FM, SSB, CW, and digital without retuning. It is a proven design from the Cushcraft/MFJ era; availability has been in flux since MFJ's 2024 shutdown.
The Cushcraft 13B2 (model A13B2) is a long-boom, high-gain 2-meter Yagi from Cushcraft's 'Boomer' line, the kind of antenna serious VHF operators point at the horizon for weak-signal work, satellite operation, and long-haul SSB contacts. With 13 elements on a roughly 15-foot boom it delivers high forward gain, on the order of 15 to 16 dBi, with a strong front-to-back ratio around 26 dB to reject signals from behind.
It is a wideband design covering the full 2-meter band with a low SWR, and it can be mounted for either vertical or horizontal polarization, though horizontal is usual for the weak-signal SSB and CW work it excels at. It is a real performer, but its length means it needs a sturdy mast and rotator and benefits from being mounted clear of obstructions. (Marketing sometimes quotes a higher gain figure of around 18.5 dBi; the realistic, modeled figure is closer to 15.8 dBi.)
Its availability has been affected by brand changes, Cushcraft's parent company, MFJ Enterprises, wound down its manufacturing in 2024, and the Cushcraft brand was acquired by ITU Corporation in 2026, so availability has recently been in flux. For a compact multi-band HF beam instead, the Cushcraft MA5B is a stablemate, and the Diamond X300A is a simpler VHF/UHF base vertical.