4 Element Beam & HyGain AV640

[TheRealPorkchop]

I'm going to be putting up a tower, 50 foot, sometime soon. With the tower I got a HyGain AV640 and I'm wanting to put a beam up along with it, probably a Sirio 4 element for 11m.

I'd like to put the beam on, with a rotator of course and the run the AV640 on up above the beam, naturally. Is this a good idea or a bad idea? The AV640 is about 25 foot tall. Would the beam and the AV640 be too much on the rotator, and no I don't know yet which one I'll be using but I'm sure it'll be stout enough to handle the load of both antennas.

Should I scrap the idea of the beam and just put my trusty, raggedy A99 out to the side at the top of the tower? Or is that also a bad idea? I've never owned a tower before, it'll take me until next Chinese New Year to dig the hole for the concrete probably, haha, so I'll have plenty of time to figure this out and plan ahead.

Ideas, suggestions? The tower is a Universal Towers. Should I just put the AV640 on it and forget the other choices? I'll be using my Yaesu FT897 for awhile, looking for a 756 Pro 2 or Pro 3.

 

[sp5it]

AV640 over a rotator is bad idea.Too much stress.
Mike

 

[RT431]

I've always seen the AV640 ground mounted or on a stand alone mast/tower. I guess you can try it and see how it works. You'll have to do the math to get the proper mast, bearing, rotor combo.

If anything maybe put the beam and a99 on top and side mount the AV640?
Not sure how well that would work.

 

[TheRealPorkchop]

The guy I bought the tower and antenna from only had the AV640 mounted on it. I’ve just came up with idea that I need a beam, I probably don’t.

It’s already been said it was a bad idea, that’s not a good sign, haha. Maybe I’d be better off side mounting the A99?

 

[RT431]

You can do that too. I've seen the a99 side mounted on a tower, don't know how well it works I'm sure tx would suffer to some degree, but you'll never know till you try it.

 

[TheRealPorkchop]

This is starting to sound like I need another tower! Hot dog!!

I’ve seen an A99 mounted over a beam before, I assume that would be alright?

I’m sure my wife will suggest I utilize the pine tree for the A99 but I believe another tower is in order. And I think it’s a good idea to buy a Gain Master or an Imaxx, and a beam, oh and another tower too.

 

[oldtymer]

IMHO if you are looking to use the av-640 for DX mounting it too high on a tower would
not be the best option. Elevated on a short mast on the ground, better low angle take-
off.
Height is better for local work if that is your goal.
I have had better results with verticals for DX when ground mounted or on short masts.
Just my thoughts, YMMV

 

[TheRealPorkchop]

I bought the entire setup from an Extra class ham, an older gentleman. I don't guess that necessarily makes a difference or means much but that is how he was running it, said he's made contacts all over the world with it. I personally don't know, I've never had an antenna much over 30ft off the ground and that was a raggedy A99.

So I'm open to suggestions, opinions and anything else... Thanks!

 

[RT431]

Yes you can mount the a99 over a beam with no issues. Ran a 3 element yagi with an a99 over the beam , it was about 2" above the beam @ 50' , with 100 watts I talked anywhere I wanted. If I could hear em I could work em.

 

[snow bird]

When I was still in the Mountouns of VA. I had my Big stick A99 over my flat side Beams element about 6 incs above the boom worked great .Now that I am in eastern N.C i put then on 2 poles. Its a Wind thing around hear a lot of High Wind. Both about 30 ft above the earth. Talk around the world at times. Talk local good to.

 

[BJ radionut]

RPC: Couple thoughts. First the tower you are getting. Model number#? material ALM/Steel?
The specs will determine, what can be mounted safely and securely!
Next: The Hy-Gain vert, will do nicely mounted on GOOD H/D mast(see specs) at say 30 ft.
I would suggest...something about 5 ft above roof line, with a tilt base like DXE sells as they require periodic maint. IMHO every 6 months to a year. This means checking clamps, insulators...etc. to keep them in top performance. The antenna should get a very thorough inspection, checking clamps, spreaders...etc. Anything that may need required replacement before reinstall. A good cleaning and recoat all joints with NO-LOX. Then good feedline like 9913 or equiv, as long as it's not 150ft or more to reach antenna.
Once the tower specs are known then, you can decide what can be safely mounted and installed on it.
Pine tree mounted Antenna: Not a bad idea, but something like a AR10 Ringo tuned for the lower section of 10m (28.000 MHz) should have wide enough bandwidth to cover the high end of CB band and to 28.500 with 2:1 Vswr and the internal tuner of radio to clean it up for both bands...MHO.
Get the info on tower and then go from there! Second tower yes if practical would be nice!!!
Many options, once budget considerations are realized...
I would be shopping around for like a used 3 element Tri-band beam(20/15/10m) which would serve multiple platforms if tuned correctly
All the Best
Gary

 

[BJ radionut]

https://raleigh.craigslist.org/ele/d/cary-amateur-radio-tower-hf-vhf/6804030357.html

 

[TheRealPorkchop]

Yeah I saw that roof mount thing but I’m not crazy about it.

I bought this tower from a guy in Pittsboro, not too far from Raleigh. It’s aluminum and it was a smaller tower but he called them and got the pieces directly to make it taller. I believe it was originally a 30ft tower, now 50. He had the 640 on top and by itself, that’s how I figure I’ll do it too, just had the brain fart to add a beam for 11m.

I don’t really talk on 11m, don’t talk much on anything actually but figure now is a good time to start. I think I’ll just add the A99 out to the side or possibly the tree top. Maybe I’ll call Universal Towers and see what they say about my genius beam idea.