[NCC] PROBLEM WITH BEAM

[Jon Kovacs]

GUYS... I'M LOOKING FOR SOME SUGGESTIONS TO A BEAM PROBLEM  THAT  JUST GOT DECIDED TO RAISE ITS UGLY HEAD.    I HAVE TWO, THREE ELEMENT TRI BAND BEAMS, STACKED AT 80 AND 50 FT.  I'M USING A WX0B STACK MATCH.   I ALSO HAVE BALUNS ON BOTH BEAMS...

I HAVE HAD ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEM WITH EITHER OF THESE BEAMS TILL THIS PAST WEEK.  THE ISSUE IS WITH MY BOTTOM BEAM.  FOR WHATEVER REASON, 30 - 50 WATTS OF POWER IS ALL I CAN GET OUT,  ALONG WITH MY SWR SHOOTING UP TO 3:1.    THIS IS PRETTY MUCH REFLECTED ON ALL THREE BANDS.    TOP BEAM IS JUST FINE....

MY ICOM 761 SEEMS TO BE MORE FORGIVING TO THE HIGH SWR AND LETS MY XMIT PWR AT LEAST GET UP TO 75-80 WATTS.    HOWEVER, MY ICOM 756 PRO SEEMS TO AUTOMATICALLY  CUT BACK  MUCH SOONER.  

ALL THIS CRAP ASIDE, XMIT PWR TO BOTH BEAMS HAS ALWAYS BEEN 100 +  AND  SWR AT ITS WORST WAS ONLY 2:1 ON BOTH BEAMS.       I HAVE ALREADY BEEN UP THE TOWER TO CHECK COAX AND TO MAKE SURE NO CONNECTIONS CAME LOOSE.  ALSO SWITCHED THE COAX FEEDS AT THE  STACK MATCH BOX JUST TO MAKE SURE IT WAS OK.   IN DOING SO, I ONLY PROVED THAT MATCH BOX IS OK, BUT BEAM SUCKS!!!!!

ANY SUGGESTIONS ARE WELCOMED....

THANKS

JON K8LY