KD8NIV
Member
I'm sure I'm not the only person who don't have room for a bigger beam, but was wondering if any of you guys have tried one of these antennas out ?....
If so, how does it perform ?...
If so, how does it perform ?...
Rotatable dipole antenna ?..
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prcguy
Member
Are you talking something like the larger ones from M2 and Create or small ones like a pair of Hamsticks?
prcguy
prcguy
KD8NIV
Member
The Mosley rotatable dipole, and the hamsticks.....
I have a Cushcraft D-40 (40 meter) rotatable dipole and it works great! I have it up at 62 feet (19 meters) and have worked the world with it.
prcguy
Member
Size is everything so the larger, nearly full size trapped ones work fine but the Hamstick dipoles I've used on 20m and below were not very good. On 10m a Hamstick dipole is nearly full size but on 20m where a dipole is about 33ft across, its shortened to about 14ft across on 20m with Hamsticks and it suffers.
Here is something to consider. I've run lots of different wire antennas at my home over the last 20yrs like G5RV, ZS6BKW, end feds, OCFDs, etc, and although they all work fine for me on 80 and 40m, I was always looking for more on 20 through 10m. These wire antennas all tuned fine but there are so many lobes and nulls on the higher bands you never know if the station you are trying to get is in a null, and you cant' turn the wire antenna to compensate. I suspect that's why you are looking for a rotatable dipole.
After a lot of research and limited space, I settled on a Hexbeam from NA4RR at $570 delivered to my door. Its got a 10.8ft turning radius and if you can fit a Mosley dipole you can probably fit a Hexbeam.
Bottom line is I'm completely blown away with this antenna. On 17 and 20m its always a good 2 S units better than my 80m OCFD and when there are no signals to copy on 10m on my OCFD I'm talking to Brazil and Argentina on the Hexbeam. Since I'm on the west coast I usually leave the Hexbeam pointed east and it gets most of the US without moving it.
Lots of companies make Hexbeams and they are all very similar, but the NA4RR had all the good quality parts, covers 6 bands 20m through 6m and shipping was included in the price. It also went together in less than an hour and has a great match on all bands, full band and I don't need a tuner with this antenna.
Did I mention I'm blown away by this antenna?
prcguy
Here is something to consider. I've run lots of different wire antennas at my home over the last 20yrs like G5RV, ZS6BKW, end feds, OCFDs, etc, and although they all work fine for me on 80 and 40m, I was always looking for more on 20 through 10m. These wire antennas all tuned fine but there are so many lobes and nulls on the higher bands you never know if the station you are trying to get is in a null, and you cant' turn the wire antenna to compensate. I suspect that's why you are looking for a rotatable dipole.
After a lot of research and limited space, I settled on a Hexbeam from NA4RR at $570 delivered to my door. Its got a 10.8ft turning radius and if you can fit a Mosley dipole you can probably fit a Hexbeam.
Bottom line is I'm completely blown away with this antenna. On 17 and 20m its always a good 2 S units better than my 80m OCFD and when there are no signals to copy on 10m on my OCFD I'm talking to Brazil and Argentina on the Hexbeam. Since I'm on the west coast I usually leave the Hexbeam pointed east and it gets most of the US without moving it.
Lots of companies make Hexbeams and they are all very similar, but the NA4RR had all the good quality parts, covers 6 bands 20m through 6m and shipping was included in the price. It also went together in less than an hour and has a great match on all bands, full band and I don't need a tuner with this antenna.
Did I mention I'm blown away by this antenna?
prcguy
Kind of pricey, but SteppIR makes a very small 40 to 6 meter rotatable. It gives you all bands between 7Mhz and 54Mhz.
Search results for 'urban beam' | SteppIR, Inc – Antennas for Amateur Radio and Industry
Search results for 'urban beam' | SteppIR, Inc – Antennas for Amateur Radio and Industry
KD8NIV
Member
Good morning guys, I have been able to work most areas, just not getting into Europe very well, in which this is to the NE and East directions from my location.....these directions, are looking a long the side of this mountain, I tend to think this is why, and my G5RV is on this mountain hanging between 2 tree's....
Still haven't got it moved, hoping to soon tho....
I'm not knocking this dipole it has talked really well, where it is, just curious if a small beam would help a little more into the NE and E directions, looking at a compass, it shows the NE just about runs a long the side of this mountain, not sure if a beam would help.....be nice to be able to work those countries over in Europe...
I like the 20, 40 and 80m bands....have a Imax 2k for 10-17m bands, haven't heard much there...
But I have been able to work the states in the NE, hear them all good here, thats about all I can get tho...
Still haven't got it moved, hoping to soon tho....
I'm not knocking this dipole it has talked really well, where it is, just curious if a small beam would help a little more into the NE and E directions, looking at a compass, it shows the NE just about runs a long the side of this mountain, not sure if a beam would help.....be nice to be able to work those countries over in Europe...
I like the 20, 40 and 80m bands....have a Imax 2k for 10-17m bands, haven't heard much there...
But I have been able to work the states in the NE, hear them all good here, thats about all I can get tho...
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wb6uqa
Member
I also have the na4rr hex. The new version is heavy duty.
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