--------- Begin forwarded message ----------
From: k2we@juno.com
To: dx-list@makelist.com
Subject: [dx-list] Another Force 12 story...
To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Date: Wed, 5 Aug 1998 16:02:25 +0700
Message-ID: <19980805.160226.3342.0.k2we@juno.com>
I've been reading all the Force 12 comments.. Here is my experience with
them over the past 4 years....
For close to 10 years, I had a Mosley Classic 204 (4 elements on a 36'
boom). The antenna was very heavy.. Close to 100 lbs.. Above it, I had a
Hi-Gain 10/15 Duo Bander.. When 10 & 15 started to go out, I replace it
with a Cushcraft 402-CD. The combination worked very well.. Then I was
given a Force 12 catalog.. The antenna's seemed very interesting.. And
the thing I really liked was they were very light... My tower is a Tri-Ex
LM-470D which I believe is rated 300 lbs dead weight... I just wanted to
lighten the load on the tower....
In there catalog was a yagi which had 5 on 20 & 2 on 40.. I
called them and asked if they could make it 5 on 20 & 3 on 40.... I spoke
to tom after 3 or 4 tries (I left messages). He said it could be done and
when he get's a chance he would model it on the computer....Well...
almost 3 years past.. I called several times, left messages..nothing....3
years ago, I had to remove all the antenna's from my tower to re-cable
it... Ah.. The perfect time to replace the antenna's....Still nothing
from them...
I called a friend who sell's and installs alot of there
products.. I asked if he could get them to build me the antenna... He
called and said he would have it in 3 to 4 weeks...Sure enough, the
antenna arrived in 2 very large boxes..Tom told him this was the first
antenna of this type he built and he apologize for the delay....
It was not cheap... almost $1800 including the shipping..I built
all the elements,Installed the boom, and mounted the 5, 20 meter elements
first..
The antenna worked like gang-busters.....Everything game back on 1 or 2
calls.. The reports were fantastic... It went together perfect the first
time... I set it for the upper end of the CW band... on 14.005 the SWR is
1.3 on 14.195 it's also 1.3 going no higher than 1.6 anywhere on the
band....
2 weeks later, I installed the 3, 40 meter elements...The driven
element on 40 meters mounts above the boom on the mast.. You can mount it
anywhere from 3 to 10 feet above the boom... I chose 7'.. The SWR on 40
is amazing... no higher than
1.7 anywhere on the band..... It seems, mounting the driven element above
the boom
increases the length of the boom...I'm not an engineer but it works... I
have 2 friends with the regular 3 element 40 and there bandwidth is much
smaller than mine...
This complete yagi weighs only 85 lbs... almost 75 lbs lighter
than my old combination...This antenna is now in his catalog... It's
called a Magnum 520/340.
It's been up`now for almost 2 years and has worked just fantastic...I
installed a 4BA which is a 12 element yagi for 10,12,15 and 17 meters
this past spring. It's on a ring rotor at the 52' level of my tower...
I'll give a detailed report on that later....
Final comments...When you build a good product and are not
prepared to handle the questions, you just have to sit down and re think
your operation... For every happy customer, you'll always have a couple
for un happy campers....The antenna is well built, works great and has
been maintenance free... What more could you ask for???
73.. Steve/K2WE Dobbs Ferry,N.Y..
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