Hey folks, recently at a hamfest I set up to sell my gear next to a hex beam maker. After 8 hours of listening to him about his antennas, which are top notch construction wise, I'm interested. Is anyone using one? I'm attracted to their physical size considering my location. I've seen a lot of yagi, moxon, and vertical talk, and played with most of them, but never a hex beam. Any closet hex fans out there? If you're not familiar with them, google it. Very interesting. While there is no replacement for a bigger array, it looks cool and will run on a TV rotator. You can make one but I'm wondering if material cost and learning curve may just convince me to call the guy I met that makes them.
-drdx
Hexbeams, anyone playing with them?
-
drdx
- Donor
- Posts: 5,944
- Joined: April 25th, 2007, 12:32 pm
- Handle: dollar-98
- Real Name: David
- Antenna: Many
- Radio: Many-
- Contact:
Hexbeams, anyone playing with them?
Yes it's me, Dollar-98, drdx, the original all maul, shot cawla on workin this no-fade technology.
-drdx
-drdx
-
goofy
- Duckplucker
- Posts: 171
- Joined: July 19th, 2010, 8:46 pm
- Real Name: d sc
Way cool...
I may have to look into that. I'm gathering parts for a Moxon build, but I may have to look into that design at some point
I may have to look into that. I'm gathering parts for a Moxon build, but I may have to look into that design at some point
-
231
Yep...I've seriously considered one here too. For those who aren't familiar with them, [Please login or register to view this link] is what they look like.
Everything you say is true. Some will base mount the rotor (usually a heavier duty like HD-73, AR-40, AR-20, etc.) to a push up pole and turn the whole pole. That'd work too. There are several ways to do them. I thing they are way cool. Although I think I like the F/B numbers of the Moxon better, it also has a wider turning radius. That's where the hex beam shines. I think Traffie is the most popular, but DX Engineering has one too that's quite a bit cheaper than the Traffie. I'm not entirely sure the differences in them other than some parts. But the only thing in my case that would hold me back is mounting my Imax on top. They recommend a fiberglass support bar and I'm not sure I like the idea of having to mount my Imax someplace else. So I keep coming back to a Moxon design like the wire designed OBW10-5 10 Element Draht-Beam (20-17-15-12-10m) by [Please login or register to view this link] and removing 12m to have better performance out of 10m and 15m.
But it's all about what you can do. For me I'd really like to mount my Imax on top. But with my situation here, I might have to just throw my Mosely TA-33jr up and call it good.
I think if you have an opportunity to try one drdx, you should. The reports I read guys are quite happy with them. Allot of the guys I've seen post up were running trapped yagi at one time, too. So that says something about them.
More to come I'm sure.
Everything you say is true. Some will base mount the rotor (usually a heavier duty like HD-73, AR-40, AR-20, etc.) to a push up pole and turn the whole pole. That'd work too. There are several ways to do them. I thing they are way cool. Although I think I like the F/B numbers of the Moxon better, it also has a wider turning radius. That's where the hex beam shines. I think Traffie is the most popular, but DX Engineering has one too that's quite a bit cheaper than the Traffie. I'm not entirely sure the differences in them other than some parts. But the only thing in my case that would hold me back is mounting my Imax on top. They recommend a fiberglass support bar and I'm not sure I like the idea of having to mount my Imax someplace else. So I keep coming back to a Moxon design like the wire designed OBW10-5 10 Element Draht-Beam (20-17-15-12-10m) by [Please login or register to view this link] and removing 12m to have better performance out of 10m and 15m.
But it's all about what you can do. For me I'd really like to mount my Imax on top. But with my situation here, I might have to just throw my Mosely TA-33jr up and call it good.
I think if you have an opportunity to try one drdx, you should. The reports I read guys are quite happy with them. Allot of the guys I've seen post up were running trapped yagi at one time, too. So that says something about them.
More to come I'm sure.
-
drdx
- Donor
- Posts: 5,944
- Joined: April 25th, 2007, 12:32 pm
- Handle: dollar-98
- Real Name: David
- Antenna: Many
- Radio: Many-
- Contact:
Thanks, yeah, I have my imax and my situation is very restricted so it is a take down deal regardless of what I do. My local scene here is dead so I was just thinking a flat directional setup would do the trick for skip. I've got my 101 and FL2100b just sitting here doing nothing. My guess would be that one of those well set up and 600 pep on sideband would be fun to be able to operate from at the house. The dude I was with, and I can't remember the name of his deal but I can find it, they're like $350 or something, kinda pricey, but I'll check the other makers. Like many others, I too have been looking around, trying to shoot holes in the idea by finding some bad reviews, and all I've found are positive realistic reviews. They certainly don't appear to be a magic DX bullet, but a reliable alternative to a monster setup that is out of reach for me.
I'm not sure I'd even use a rotator. For temporary use I could just aim it in my desired path and talk. I haven't checked, but I wonder what the diameter of one is for 11m, it can't be too big.
-drdx
I'm not sure I'd even use a rotator. For temporary use I could just aim it in my desired path and talk. I haven't checked, but I wonder what the diameter of one is for 11m, it can't be too big.
-drdx
Yes it's me, Dollar-98, drdx, the original all maul, shot cawla on workin this no-fade technology.
-drdx
-drdx
-
goofy
- Duckplucker
- Posts: 171
- Joined: July 19th, 2010, 8:46 pm
- Real Name: d sc
I looked around and wasn't able to find a good online calculator for doing one of these on 11 meters..
specifically I want to know what the length of the 2 halves of the radiated element are, and how long each spoke of the wheel is, which would determine how much of the element is on the "spoke" section and how much folds over to the wheel section.
Still seems like a good idea, very compact, symetrical, and easy to support, I especially like the "broadband hexbeam" design, as I'd like to build something on about 27.5, and be able to work 35-40LSB, and up to about 28.4 or so on the 10 meter band.
I'm still going with the Moxon, I think, but it's a very neat design. 350 just seems like way to much money IMHO, for something that could be homebrewed out of 12-14guage wire, and schedule 40 PVC for less than 100$
specifically I want to know what the length of the 2 halves of the radiated element are, and how long each spoke of the wheel is, which would determine how much of the element is on the "spoke" section and how much folds over to the wheel section.
Still seems like a good idea, very compact, symetrical, and easy to support, I especially like the "broadband hexbeam" design, as I'd like to build something on about 27.5, and be able to work 35-40LSB, and up to about 28.4 or so on the 10 meter band.
I'm still going with the Moxon, I think, but it's a very neat design. 350 just seems like way to much money IMHO, for something that could be homebrewed out of 12-14guage wire, and schedule 40 PVC for less than 100$
