[PVRCNC] [PVRC] Hex/Spiderbeam advice?

[Robert Katz]

Hi Will,

I brought a home-brewed SpiderBeam to C6 for portable operation in ARRL DX this March.  I considered both a HexBeam and the SpiderBeam, and I finally decided on the SB because it has a bit more gain and, mechanically, it is a 2D antenna rather than 3D (except for some truss supports on the spreaders).  The downside is that the gain comes from being bigger, with 32+' wingspan, and I think it's a few pounds heavier.

I was very pleased with the performance.  I think we may have placed 1st in M/S LP.  Running LP, we were loud on every band and had few problems holding our run frequencies.  We were also right on the edge of the ocean, only a couple hundred miles from FL, so I can't say how much of that was our location and how much was the beam.

Mechanically, the SB takes some work to assemble the first time.  After that, re-assembly is straight-forward and pretty simple.  I home-brewed all the pieces, including using "Crappie" fishing poles for the spreaders.  They were much too flexible, and the tips of the spreaders pulled up almost like a hex beam.  Until they flipped down in the breeze, like an umbrella.  The good news is that the SB is a yagi (with bent elements), which means that it is very forgiving of bends and droops.  I am going to replace the fishing poles with more sturdy fiberglass spreaders.  The official SB beam (and the kit of parts) looks well engineered with light-weight but sturdy components.  You're welcome to come over to take a look at it all, if that would be helpful.

Do I think I made a good choice?  For me, absolutely.

GL es 73,
   Rob  K4OV


On Jul 27, 2015, at 9:20 AM, Roberts, Will wrote:

> I need to purchase a hex/spiderbeam type antenna for portable use. I am considering the pros/cons of several different models and wanted to get input from owners and users.
> 
> Primary consideration is for portability. It must be able to be configured in a nylon bag as checked baggage on airlines. It must cover 6 bands - 20m through 6m. Secondary consideration is ease and speed of construction. It doesn't have to be super rugged, as I intend to use it only for portable operations, so hopefully it will not be subjected to high winds/ice, etc.
> 
> I would appreciate any feedback from the club.
> 
> 73,
> 
> Will AA4NC
> 
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--
Dr. Rob Katz, Director
Legacy Center, Inc.
919-678-6000
rob.katz at theLegacyCenter.com