[CQ-Contest] Quad Antennas performance for Contesting

[Uwe Könneker]

Renner,

in an older book of W6SAI "All about cubical quad antennas" he writes about 
"waterpoof your bamboo arms with fibreglass". Basically he suggests to cover 
the arms with fibreglass, which is typically used for car- or boat repairs.

However I would probably directly replace the arms with fibre and not try 
the bamboo at all. Unless you plan some "portable style" contesting I 
believe the slightly higher cost will pay out.

Vy 73
      Uwe, DL8OBF


> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Fri, 27 Jun 2008 17:13:40 -0700 (PDT)
> From: "Renner, PY7RP" <py7rp at yahoo.com.br>
> Subject: [CQ-Contest] Quad Antennas performance for Contesting
> To: CQ-Contest at contesting.com
> Message-ID: <815593.81142.qm at web33208.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
>
> Hello Guys
> I intent to assemble what i will call a "simple & cheap" contest station.
> My plans are to build a reasonable competitive station to SOAB LP
> efforts using cheap stuffs.
> I have thought on many options for the antennas. I would like to use
> wire antennas instead of traditional yagis with aluminium due to the
> facility on building it and price, sure!.
> So thinking on wire-made antennas i stoped my eyes on a multiband
> quad antenna. A 2 element 10-15-20 quad seems to be a great choice,
> since the gain seems to equal a 3 elem monoband yagi and the price
> in comparison to 3 differents monobanders is really a bargain.
> I found a store that sells Bamboo fishing poles for a good price here.
> They are 9 meters tall and costs only ~ 5$/unit. They seems to be
> strenght enough and well straight bamboos.
> I haven't bought it yet. I began to search on the internet articles about
> cubical quad antennas made with bamboo. My interest is to find something
> about the treatment they must have to keep in a well shape for
> a reasonable time up on the air i.e. passing through bad weather 
> conditions.
> Does anyone have any idea about why kind of treatment they should have
> before going up on the mast?
> 73 Renner
> PY7RP?
>