Master Chief, do you have a link to your instructions on CB Tricks? Thanks, JPT.
I could tell you, but then I would have to kill you!
I do tower and antenna work semi-professionally. If it is worth saving, I save it.
I have over 100 yagis, 25 rotors, 10 towers, coax, hardline, etc etc etc.
For everyone else, if you live in Southern CA and are working on a serious antenna project and need a 40' 3" diameter boom complete with boom to mast clamps and boom to element clamps, I've got them. I have HyGain, Mosely, KLM, M2, Force 12, Maco, and the list goes on! I have 1.5" booms, 2" booms, 2.5"booms, 3" booms......boom to mast clamps, boom to element clamps, tubing, insulators, etc etc etc.
I'm about ready to scrap out all the aluminum. My original plans were to convert these antennas to 11-meter beams for the locals. Then I realized that they want a $1000.00 antenna for $50.00 and the time was not worth it to me. In other words, I do all the modeling and testing, provide the materials, and then only be able to sell it for $100.00?! :headbang
My favorite project to date is converting the KLM KT-34A to 11-meters. This antenna uses two driven log elements and taps at the 200-ohm position. A simple 4:1 current balun matches it to 50 ohms and gives it all kinds of bandwidth. Robalo has done this conversion with good results. I spoke with the original designer of this antenna (Mike Stahl, the "M" in KLM and the owner of M2) and he said this antenna plays the best on 10-meters. It works well on 15 and 20 but the spacing in more conducive to 10-meters. Its a natural for a 11-meter conversion.
If I ever get off my butt, I'll finsih the paperwork to convert the Maco beams to direct feed which will allow you to throw away the gamma! I've been talking about it for years and need to make the time to finish. The way it is supposed to work is you buy a new antenna from Maco, download my instructions from CB Tricks for FREE, buy a couple of necessary parts from DX Engineering (or roll your own) and convert your own antenna. Its so easy, even a CBer can do it! Just follow the free instructions. It sure beats waiting for Jay and Steve to finish the Crusader Series!
(as a side note, while the converted Maco will also handle 10KW, it will never be mechanically equivelent to the Crusader. This is what you get when you start with substandard materials. Electrically, it will perform with any of the top of the line ham radio antennas! Except for M2 and Force 12, nobody else makes a quality 11-meter antenna.)
So the next time you have an antenna project and need some raw materials, let me know. I'll sell it for the same price as I would get for scrap. The coils are free however. I'll dig them out this weekend.
