20m – 10m
Bands
7.3 dBd
Gain
1.5 kW
Rated
Frequency14-30 MHz (20/15/10m)
Bands20m, 15m, 10m
TX power1500 W (Mosley rates 1.5 kW CW / 2.5 kW PEP SSB.)
ModesSSB, CW, AM, FM, RTTY
ConnectorSO-239
Year1965
Connectors
feedpointSO-239
Factory gain ratings 7.3 dBd (20 m) / 8.1 (15 m) / 8.5 (10 m) - Mosley figures; independent modelling of 3-element trapped tribanders typically runs a couple of dB lower 3-element trapped tribander (10/15/20m) 6 physical elements (4 active on 10m, 3 on 15/20m) ~18 ft boom (5.49 m) Mosley trap design + Classic match current model CL-33-M; WARC version adds 12m/17m conversion kits for 30m/40m 2-year warranty, made in USA
Strengths

Mosley's bread-and-butter tribander. 3 elements on an 18-foot boom. A trapped Yagi that has been in production in various forms since the 1960s. Manageable size (~18 ft boom, ~42 lb). The Classic 33 is the tribander for operators who want gain and directivity without a tower engineering project.

Weaknesses

3 elements on a moderate 18 ft boom is still a compromise versus larger monoband arrays. Gain and front-to-back ratio are modest. Trapped design. Mosley's quality control has varied over the decades. The matching system can be finicky.

Verdict

The workhorse tribander. Not glamorous, not exciting, but in continuous production for decades because it works and it fits on a modest tower or even a sturdy mast. Mosley has kept this design alive because the market keeps buying it.

The Mosley Classic 33 is the full-size, full-power three-element tri-band HF beam in Mosley's long-running Classic line — a 20, 15, and 10-meter Yagi built for serious DX and contest stations that want maximum performance from a three-element antenna. Compared with the lightweight Junior, the Classic uses heavier elements and traps that handle high power (kilowatt-class) and stand up to weather and wind.

Mosley's reputation rests on rugged American construction and consistent performance, and the Classic 33 is a benchmark three-element tribander, delivering solid forward gain and a good front-to-back ratio across all three bands. It is a substantial antenna that wants a proper tower and rotator, but it rewards the effort with the kind of directional advantage that turns marginal contacts into solid ones.

It is a current product and Mosley's mainstream tri-bander. The lighter TA-33-JR is the compact, lower-power version, and the four-element Hy-Gain Explorer-14 is a comparable high-performance tribander.