Spring time is here, Time to plant the tower.

[Grogan]

Have several projects started and nothing finished. Was going to buy an amp and figured it was time for other projects first. I bought 3 sections or Rohn 25g tower and one top section cheap on Craigs list. 38 ft aprox. I need to buy a mast and I just bought a bottom section with the legs that tilt to lay the tower over. Plans are to put the tower up soon. with a fixture at the base to raise and lower the tower with a winch. I am tring to decide what antenna to put up.. Vertical or horizontal Beam 5 element or maby a 2 element quad. Maco has a nice 3 element for both horizontal and vertical. I want a beam and need some Ideas. no monsters please I think a 5 element is about as big as I want to go.Was also looking on ebay at the guy who sells used rebuilt rotors also.your thoughts and Help please.

 

[Road Squawker]

put up a 4 element quad,... feed it with 2 coaxs's one for horizontal, the other for vertical,

or,..... just feed it from the bottom with one coax,......and forget the vertical idea

YMMV

as far as used rotors,... go to Norms Rotor Service

 

[Grogan]

put up a 4 element quad,... feed it with 2 coaxs's one for horizontal, the other for vertical,

or,..... just feed it from the bottom with one coax,......and forget the vertical idea

YMMV

as far as used rotors,... go to Norms Rotor Service

Thanks RS was looking at a quad. and reading too. Quiet and good rejection. Got the bottom section of the tower today and will post pic's soon. Was also looking at beams 4-5 element and was reading about a 4 element being afected when you use a steal mast. or metal too. what should I use for a mast was planing of going to but not over 10 ft just and what dia. etc. and thanks for the tip on the place for the rotor.

 

[wavrider]

going to use the yagi for local talking or is DX your main objective?

 

[Needle Bender]

I loved my Quad, but I hated life when I was without an omni, spinning the beam this way and that way and THIS way and THAT way...
- and even then, often times I couldn't hear BOTH or more sides of a QSO... Ya GOTTA have an omni unless you live far away in one direction from everyone else, like on an Island in the South Pacific.

That being said, an Imax is a very good 2nd antenna, especially if you plan to run it up thru the top of the beam mast.
At least an A99 (as much as I hate the antenna) will still provide omni performance for local talking, (but the Proton99 beat my A99 hands down).

If you have a 2nd mast possibility then look real hard at the metal full-size 5/8s on the market, Vector4k, Penetrator, I10K, Shockwave US, Shockwave Australia, Mr Dollars... uhm, I mean, Coily, etc.

- Even the Maco V58 with the Sigma64 upgrade kit is a great performer for ~$225 after upgrade. I'm testing one right now and it's better performing than both my Penetrator and my Vector4K.

One 3 element beam I had decades ago and actually liked, though a Quagi not a Quad, was the Comet.
Small but packed a good punch. Don't bother with a 4 element, either a nice compact 3 element, or make it worth the larger size and go 5 elements.

IMO, a correctly built 5 element Quad will put you in the top 5%-10% of the world's best performing stations.

Looking forward to adding you to my log!
73

 

[Grogan]

I have a Sirio New Tornado about 32' to the base of the antenna now and it's going to stay up where it is now,along with the other antennas.Thats why I am looking at a beam.

not my tower buy was going to build a fixture like this to raise and lower the new tower.Looking at the Maco M105C and mounting Horizontal But wonder what other Horiz. 5 elements are available.