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What are your thoughts on the VHQ Hexbeam
- Thread starter BenMara
- Start date
Its not just Backed With A Lifetime Guarantee unlike others I've rebuild many times over the years.
What does the lifetime guarantee cover and how much does this antenna cost compared to the competition?
"Lifetime guarantee covers all machined parts from breakage and or factory defects. Spreader arms are covered for 5 years as long as they are painted and installed correctly and or break from loss of integrity of center mast or any machined part. All antenna elements, Fasteners and cords are covered for 5 years. Antenna must be correctly installed and does not cover damage due to abuse or tower or tower mast failure"
VHQ HEX BEAM ANTENNA $1700
NA4RR Hexbeam $660
KIO Hexbeam $821
Radiowavz $826
Sounds like I should just keep shooting for a Ciro Mazzoni Magnetic Loop MIDI instead. $2480
have rebuilt my hexbeam three times since 2019 I bought the DX engineering hub and purchased the fiberglass spreader's some place else. They rotted away due to the Floriduh sun twice. I now have new fiberglass spreaders and have used boat gelcoat stuff on three and have to coat three more and put it back up. I hope the gelcoat does the trick protecting them from old sol.
When I had it up and using it I had really great reports. I have a 100 foot crank up tilt over tower but I have never had it cranked up over 65 feet. The tower nested is 28feet and that is where I leave it all the time.
The next time I have to replace the spreaders I'll look into the Buddy pole Hexbeam. I think their plastic parts are better than the fiber glass spreaders??
17 meter is my favorite band as I'm NOT a contester! And I like to use my God given voice to communicate not a computer generated stuff.
When I had it up and using it I had really great reports. I have a 100 foot crank up tilt over tower but I have never had it cranked up over 65 feet. The tower nested is 28feet and that is where I leave it all the time.
The next time I have to replace the spreaders I'll look into the Buddy pole Hexbeam. I think their plastic parts are better than the fiber glass spreaders??
17 meter is my favorite band as I'm NOT a contester! And I like to use my God given voice to communicate not a computer generated stuff.
A KIO Technologies 6-band HexBeam just arrived here yesterday. I chose it after a fair amount of research on the brands available domestically and one made in the UK. Likely would have ordered the G3TXQ Hexbeam but delivery was 4-6 months out.
I chose the KIO because the $ were middle of the road and the antenna looks well made, especially after a redesigned and stronger center post was added a year or so back. We'll see.
The VHQ looks very well designed and quite stout but I couldn't justify the buck$ since I also had to buy tower, mast and rotator stuff at the same time.
Will be priming/painting the fiberglass spreaders for UV protection before this thing goes up.
7 3
I chose the KIO because the $ were middle of the road and the antenna looks well made, especially after a redesigned and stronger center post was added a year or so back. We'll see.
The VHQ looks very well designed and quite stout but I couldn't justify the buck$ since I also had to buy tower, mast and rotator stuff at the same time.
Will be priming/painting the fiberglass spreaders for UV protection before this thing goes up.
7 3
I gave up on my hex beam. Here in Floriduh the sun ruins every thing. Every year my spreaders would need to be replaced. Cars and trucks all have cracked dashes with pieces missing.
I really liked the way mine worked made many Europe contacts. swing it around in the afternoon every thing West of Floriduh would be strong. But tipping my tower over and replacing the spreaders was a job I would have to throw away my gloves and still have fiberglass poking through into my hands. Buddi pole HEX is my next purchase Even they stated I should spray some coating every so often like a clear coat
I don't have Floriduh sun but I will most definitely be painting the spreaders before this thing flies. I'm anticipating yearly or so repaints.
Sorry yours didn't work out for you but sounds like it did well RF-wise.
BTW, what did you replace the hex with?
7 3
An Alfa delta DXCC wire dipole. for now it works very well but I cant rotate it. the one I have has two traps on each side. The spreaders on the three wire spreaders slide some I used tie wraps but Floriduh sun ruined the black ones. I'm thinking about filling the spreaders full of foam to hold them in place. I have a pully at the tower top and can lower the center which allows me to get to both ends of the three wires and traps
A few years ago (before retirement) I had a good income and bought a Aluma 100 foot crank up tower from a friend who bought it and never installed it. I added 2 heavy galvanized barn door hinges to the plate and can tilt it over and work on everything waist high. The winch cover (plastic) designated due to Floriduh sun. So nested the top is at 32 feet about 5 feet above the metal roof on my shack.
Saving up to pay for the buddi pole hex beam. I have the new spreaders for my hex beam in the shop but just ask myself why put it up now. Just to have them rot to pieces again.
Few years ago I saw an article about using Bamboo for spreaders might last longer??
You would think bamboo would weather well but I wonder about consistent ID's and OD's as far as nesting/telescoping goes. Thinking 10' long, 1" OD pieces of bamboo would be a bit heavy.
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