[Antennas] Hexbeam with Aluminium Spreaders

[Igor Sokolov]

I have done quick model of hex beam with and without 20mm in diameter
Al spreaders. When spreaders are in place gain drops by 1db and F/B
drops from 15 to 9 db. A bit of retuning allows to increase F/B to 12
db. The magnitude of currents in the spreaders is a lot lower then
that in the elements. To sum it up my answer to the question is YES.
Hex beam can be built with Al spreaders if little bit of gain and F/B
ratio can be sacrificed.

73, Igor UA9CDC
----- Original Message -----
From: "Deon Erwin" <zs1zl at telkomsa.net>
To: "Antenna Reflector" <antennas at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Thursday, October 06, 2005 8:45 AM
Subject: [Antennas] Hexbeam with Aluminium Spreaders


> Some very successful hexbeams have been build in my city using the
standard
> design and method of construction.  One operator built his hexbeam
with
> aluminium spreaders, instead of the usual non-conducting spreaders
and
> several people advised him against using aluminium, but he insists
that his
> antenna analyser shows the correct results.
>
> One would think that aluminium spreaders should not be used, for
the same
> reason that aluminium spreaders are not used in a quad.  HyGain
built an
> aluminium quad many years ago, but they used insulators to
interrupt/break
> the spreaders.
>
> What influence would aluminium spreaders have on a hexbeam?
> Will they upset the radiation pattern, front-to-back ratio and the
> performance?
>
> Your opion will be interesting.
>
> Deon ZS1ZL
>
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