Joe N4JBK ...
Don't know where the comments you mention about M2 quality came from, but my
experience has been different.
QTH at W4ETO/W0ID from 1990-2007 was at 10,700 feet elevation on the
Continental Divide in the central Colorado Rockies. On Halloween night, 1997, a
"100-year" windstorm clobbered my old "duo-bander:" six elements 20m homebrew
on a 60' boom -- extended to 100' and end-loaded to resonate on 75/80m. Also
trashed my 40-2CD and a 15m beam.
I'd seen M2's construction at Dayton and was impressed. So I upgraded to an M2
6el 20m/60' boom @ 81' and an M2 4el linear-loaded 40m/42' boom @ 92'. Stacked
two KT36XA's @ 37' and 73' on another tower, turned by an Orion. All worked
like gangbusters & survived numerous contests, DXpedition pileups, and mountain
storms.
>From 1999 until dismantling everything in 2007 for our move to Virginia, I
>never had a significant problem. Joints still were tight. Strong, gusty winds
>are pretty common up there, but never rotated an element or boom mount even a
>little. Took all 4 beams apart just enough to fit in a 20' trailer & hauled
>them to W4. Only maintenance during re-assembly has been routine: clean old
>Penetrox off joints with WD-40 and apply fresh.
Expect to have it all back up at almost 2 miles lower altitude - but with both
towers lengthened a bit and rotating - this spring. After the 20-year-record
snowfall melts. { ;-))
Bottom line: IMHO, Mike's electrical designs and mechanical construction are
excellent and very durable.
Dick W4ETO (W0ID)
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