[HCARC] Hex beam Antennas

[Gary and Arlene Johnson]

Don, et al

What I didn't add to my note was that both the yagi at 93 feet and the Hex Beam at 22 feet - were 5 by 9, just the Hex was 5 by 9 +10 (measureably louder to me) so I doubt either was skipping too much over my head (although many people think most things are skipping over my head  :-) ).  I just figured that for an antenna to be at 22-24 feet (using the 4 foot military surplus masts) it seemed to be a viable Field Day antenna - something different from the traditional dipole.  Come to think of it, you are probably right about a 40 meter antenna - it would be approx twice as large as the one for 20 meters and that might be unwieldly in any kind of breeze, let alone a thunder shower.  At 20 meters, each of the 6 spokes of the Hex are approx. 13 feet making the antenna approx 22-24 feet in "diameter".  As designed, these antennas will do 20/17/15/12/10/and 6 anyway and can be Homebrewed using extendable fiberglass fishing poles or 1/2 inch PVC with the white cutting board plastic for the center insulator.  Making one would seem to be a neat Field Day type adventure.  I emailed the guy (Jerry Jones  WA4CQ (no relation to the dallas Cowboy JJ) at WA4CQ at yahoo.com and he responded that he would gladly send us the plans he used.  The Hex Beam antenna looks like a giant umbrella turned inside out.  JJ indicates that his antenna is wide banded and is 1.3 or less across the bands.

Gary J
N5BAA
HCARC Secretary 2013
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: W4wj at aol.com 
  To: qltfnish at omniglobal.net 
  Sent: Friday, August 30, 2013 1:25 PM
  Subject: Re: [HCARC] Hex beam Antennas


  Gary...

  Unfair comparison...

  On the 93 footer, that signal was probably skipping right over you.

  A better comparison would be with both antennas at the same height.

  A hex beam with 40 meters included would be very difficult to handle
  mechanically.

  73
  Don
  W4WJ


  In a message dated 8/30/2013 12:28:58 P.M. Central Daylight Time, qltfnish at omniglobal.net writes:
    Was listening on 20 meters while trying to take a knap while pain meds were kicking in and came across a QSO discussing Hex Beam Antennas.  The guy talking about them would switch from his  Yagi at 93 feet to his Hex Beam at 22 feet and his signal would get +10 stronger on the R-1000 receiver I am getting from Fred W0LPD.  The antenna on the R-1000 is just a random wire at about 8 feet.  References given were http://www.qsl.net/wy3a/G3TXQ_Broadband_Hex.htm and http://k4kio.com/index.html

    These are broad band at 20 meters and above.  It would be nice to see if it could include 40 meters.  If they work as advertised (5.0 out of 5 with 85 reviews on EHAM) it would seem to be an outstanding antenna for Field Day.  22-24 feet is easy enough to do with the fiberglass or aluminum military surplus mast sections.

    Gary J
    N5BAA
    HCARC Secretary 2013
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