On 6/29/02 1:57 AM, David L. Thompson at thompson@mindspring.com wrote:
>Here is what I am considering:
You ought to consider getting the K7LXC/N0AX report on tribanders:
<http://www.championradio.com/cgi-bin/WebStore/web_store.cgi?page=publicati
ons.html&category=yes&cart_id=4490356_23251>
It is $17 (it used to be $60!), and contains some very interesting
information. I have not read it, but K7LXC has hinted at the contents
over the last year or two. He and Ward presented this information at at
Dayton talk in 1999.
>1. A Sommer XP80X. The version I am looking at covers 20 to 10 including
>17 and 12. Its heavy and sometimes hard to work with but N4VZ did well with
>his and I know KM1E likes his as well as a couple of W2's I hear on 17.
>N4VZ was top of the pile on 12 and 17 and the antenna worked well on
>10/15/20 as he did well in the CQ WW. W4KJ has the smaller version.
Sommer antennas have been around a long time, and yet they haven't been
well adopted by contesters. I wonder why? They seem like heavy, complex
antennas that potentially have a lot that could break.
>2. TH 11. K4SB has(or had) one up and said it was gangbusters on 17 and
>12 but weakest on 20 where the KT34X is tops. I hear several Dx stations
> a 5B4 is very loud can't remember his call .. he is a G3 retired) using the
>beam.
>
>3. KT36XA. Several guys tell me the new version really improves 15 and
>is better structurally and they plan on adding 17 and 12 (from K6MYC
>himself). I am using my 40 meter beam on 17 now and it works OK but lately
>I have to bring up my Henry 2K (600 watts out) to be competitive after
>working 340 countries with 100 watts. I have a W9PNE X beam on 12 but it
>messes up 15 and 10 on the KT34X and I have the same problem with now having
>to use high power (that Henry again) after nearly 300 countries with 100
>watts. The 40 meter beam and X beam do as well as the A3WS but I need more
>antenna if I am going to change.
The TH11 and KT36XA are good antennas -- but why not consider something
of more modern (eg computer-optimized) design? There's basically three to
consider:
* Force-12 products (many to choose from)
* Bencher Skyhawk
* Cushcraft X7(/X9)
I know these don't all support 12/17m (you didn't mention 30m), but they
offer excellent performance on the other bands. Perhaps using the amp on
12/17m isn't so bad.
>I have also considered Log Periodic but don't see any gain over the TH 11
>for the 32 footer I have looked at.
There's no way an LP is going to have the gain/Front/Back of a good
tribander of similar boom length. LPs give away on these parameters to
gain continuous frequency coverage.
Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL Mail: aa4lr@arrl.net
Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
-- Wilbur Wright, 1901
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