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MACO VQ3

These damn rotors aint too sturdy just testfitting made 2 bolts strip out of the housing almost scared to put it up in the air but took some preventitive measures. This big things a bastard to hang onto. 13.5 boom 22 pounds of unruly mess. Still trying to tune atm.
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Its up and installed at about 17.5 feet.
Any higher I discovered was extremely ill advised sans guy wires. This girls heavy.
Shes not your avg 8 pound VQUAD.
Thanks to NightThumper for helping me troubleshoot. We have a problem which is either 2nd order harmonics (low pass will be here Tuesday eve) OR more annoying a defective gamma match as as soon as power is applied match goes to hell in a handbasket.
Or at least the meters think it does.
The oddessey continues.
 

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RT431 said:
How's the rotor holding up?
Click to expand...
Thus far it hasn't snapped and sent the VQ3 through my roof but weathers been good...
I would not recommend loading it like Ive done however. 3 element siro or just the Maco VQUAD at 8 pounds probably a much better match. This things 13.5 foot boom and 22 pounds probably will destroy the rotor In time. I initially planned a VQUAD and then got alligator eyes on gain figures.
 
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freecell said:
so you decided to go with horizontal polarization.
Click to expand...
I did as I have NO locals thus no point for vertical really. Few more days Ill get the IMAX back up far side of the house for that.
Freecell... Any thoughts on this VQ3 / amp issue other than 2nd order harmonics (low pass enroute be here tues night) or defective from factory gamma match?
Appreciate any thoughts or observations.
 
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Hey Hammer.

It is a distinct possibility. I have a low pass arriving Monday or Tuesday. If that doesnt fix it then gamma is all that remains. At some point may consider a tower but wife is not pleased I spent all this money and antenna isnt working.
It would take a salesman indeed to get her to allow for more expense when what Ive just blown money on fails to work.
 
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Lol well if you look around you can find a couple sections of used tower pretty cheap probably less money than the mast pole. The gamma should be under warranty from Maco so that should be covered. If you need help convincing her let me know I will talk to her lol.
 
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But I've already bought and have the masting.
Talking to her would likely prove challenging unless you speak Cebuano or Tagalog.
I am talking to Maco but they seem to think its something else. Unlikely as exact setup and coax works fine with a different antenna.
 
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V Quads are just not worth the effort of keeping them in the air. So much torque going onto the boom from the 13ft arms. Expect to see it hanging on a weird angle or flopped right over before too long. Amazed they only had 2 clamps on the boom to mast plate.
Wait till you see it in a decent breeze!
Good luck my friend!
 
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So got the IMAX back up other side of house its a good 5 feet taller than beam is.
But now I have SWR issues on it too in the new local and new coax. Odd. Now I have two to sort out. Praying its harmonics and filter will solve it. Bout worn out fiddling with these antennas. They have to come down and go back up every time.
With modulation on it drops to 1.5 w box on with the IMAX and 1.8 on the beam not good but least I verified today that the 5 foot lower VQ3 gave me around 3 S units more than the IMAX which is about right I suppose in real world testing.
Now if I could stop wasting watts in reflect
 
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