FPR1981
Active Member
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2021
- Messages
- 621
After close to 50 years, the last 30 of which it had shed elements and a hub on one side, I am happy to report that the Avanti Astrobeam I rescued from a tower on a rental house is now fully rebuilt and looking as close to brand new as it ever could.
It was rebuilt with tubing from an old Super Scanner, UV-rated PVC Type-T conduit bodies were substituted as a retrofit for the original hubs, has all new hardware and fasteners, a new dual RG-59 matching transformer/pigtail harness (with stranded copper center and copper braid) was created and all tubing carefully cleaned and polished.
It has been making skip contacts all over the U.S. the last couple of days from the test pole upon which it is temporarily mounted. SWR is sitting at 1.2 to 1 across the band.
The often-boasted-about back door of this antenna does appear to be noticeably better than most 3-element beams -- albeit not the 40dB Avanti had claimed. Best estimate is around 25dB.
There are not many of these antennas left in service. It makes me happy to say that I successfully rescued this one. I've had my eye on it for 30 years.
It was rebuilt with tubing from an old Super Scanner, UV-rated PVC Type-T conduit bodies were substituted as a retrofit for the original hubs, has all new hardware and fasteners, a new dual RG-59 matching transformer/pigtail harness (with stranded copper center and copper braid) was created and all tubing carefully cleaned and polished.
It has been making skip contacts all over the U.S. the last couple of days from the test pole upon which it is temporarily mounted. SWR is sitting at 1.2 to 1 across the band.
The often-boasted-about back door of this antenna does appear to be noticeably better than most 3-element beams -- albeit not the 40dB Avanti had claimed. Best estimate is around 25dB.
There are not many of these antennas left in service. It makes me happy to say that I successfully rescued this one. I've had my eye on it for 30 years.
