ridgescan
Member
Despite how I titled it, the Wellbrook ALA1530s+ is still a fantastic HF antenna. I've had it up there at 50' for 4 years now. Wind around here gets pretty strong and I solved a feedpoint playing hell with signals problem last year. But last week, the loop started acting up again where signals became jumpy with windy days. Like a +30 over 9 signal would jump down immediately to say s9 and back again. I was very confident it was not the feedpoint this time because I know damn well I took care of that-so on a hunch I went up there and checked those two thin long bolts that clamp everything together on that amplifier case on the loop. Sure enough, what it was, was the aluminum loop was loose where each end goes into the amp. Luckily, Andy there at Wellbrook uses some very strong plastic amp casing and stainless bolts that can take a punch. I'm pretty strong and I went a little gorilla on torquing down on those bolts till that loop would not move anymore within that casing. Problem solved. Today, winds are 16 with 24 gusts and not a peep, whereas before even an 8 MPH wind would affect signals.
So just letting Wellbrook guys out there know, apparently these things can work themselves loose with wind over time.
So if your signals are less on the meter one day when you wake up, or if they're bouncy on the meter, check those bolts on that amp!
So just letting Wellbrook guys out there know, apparently these things can work themselves loose with wind over time.
So if your signals are less on the meter one day when you wake up, or if they're bouncy on the meter, check those bolts on that amp!