I used a modified Spiderbeam for Field Day and this year, we did use the
NN4ZZ HexLock. Worked like a charm. We used it on ~30 feet mast in a
Penninger mount with a Yaesu rotator at the base. Guyed at 2 points with 4
guys each using glow-in-the-dark cleats. :) Pulled one set of guys up and
over a 10 foot ladder using the front loader of a tractor. Zips right up
without heartburn.
We took a video of the raising with a Chroma-copter drone. I have it in
Dropbox right now - it's rather large and I haven't had time to compress it
yet. But it is sharable if you would like.
Way better than the complexity of an AB-577, which I also have. We used to
use it with a F12 C4S. Just a lot to do for FD. We're now old enough that we
actively look to lighten and simplify ... everything !
73, Jamie
WB4YDL
-----Original Message-----
From: TowerTalk [mailto:towertalk-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Joe
Subich, W4TV
Sent: Monday, July 18, 2016 3:03 PM
To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Any thoughts on spider-beams?
> And since I'm toying with getting it up an AB-577 military mast, the >
spider-beam minimal weight and size might make the process easier.
Erecting a Spiderbeam on an AB-577 is not easy. The antenna would need to
be built from a 6' - 10' step ladder or work platform/scaffold - the
"spider" sets three to four feet above the rotator and the minimum height of
the AB-577 is about eight feet. A Spiderbeam can not be assembled on the
ground and then lifted into place on top of the rotator either. I gave up
on trying to install a 20-17-125-12-10 HD Spiderbeam on my AB-577. The only
way one might make it work is to use a device like the N4ZZ Hexlock
<http://www.nn4zz.com/hexlock.html>
to assemble the Spiderbeam with the AB-577 base horizontal, winch up and guy
the AB-577 base then raise the mast normally.
> I'm especially curious if the shipping cost is going approximate the >
cost of the antenna?
Not even close ... contact the US distributor for Spiderbeam. They ship UPS
from Tennessee. I'd be surprised if the shipping amounts to even 10% of the
cost of the basic triband kit.
> Eventually I will want a light-weight 40 meter 2 element.
> But that may be more than I can chew as my first attempt.
Due to the longer spreaders, the "WARC" Spideerbeam or a 2 element 40 meter
antenna will be even more difficult to raise with the AB-577.
73,
... Joe, W4TV
On 7/18/2016 11:31 AM, dw wrote:
> I'm toying with the idea of making my first lower-band beam a
> spider-beam.
>>From what I can see on their web-site, the lowest band they support is
> 30 meters.
> Eventually I will want a light-weight 40 meter 2 element.
> But that may be more than I can chew as my first attempt.
>
> So I'm toying with the idea of starting out with their 30 meter beam
> kit because its only 28 pounds and turning radius of 20 feet.
> And since I'm toying with getting it up an AB-577 military mast, the
> spider-beam minimal weight and size might make the process easier.
>
> Does anyone have any experience with the Spider-beams?
> I'm especially curious if the shipping cost is going approximate the
> cost of the antenna?
>
> Thanks
> N1BBR
>
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
|