[SEDXC] Tribanders, etc.

[John W. Harden, Jr.]

Dear Fellow DX-ers,

It's been interesting listening to all of the comments about tribanders,
interlaced yagis, etc. I suppose I have tried just about everything in
my 43 years of DXing that began in 1959 at age 15. I started out with
wires and quickly progressed to a Hornet TB-500 tribander (company later
bought by SWAN) at roof level around 1960. At that time I had no problem
breaking pile-ups with a Viking Valiant, and later a Viking 500. Later I
tried the TA-33, HY-Gain monobanders, etc.

As competition on the DX bands became ferocious I finally decided to go
with Telrex monobanders in the mid-1980's. It turned out to be a
fortuitous relationship as I was able to quickly ascend to top of the
Honor Roll using these antennas. The company is no longer in business,
and I know many of you are knowledgable about their history. Their
antennas were not designed using computer-guided modeling like the
modern antennas are. However, they were designed by engineers crunching
numbers on calculators, and using Telrex's test ranges. They were the
most structurally sound antennas ever made for the amateur market. They
were heavy and expensive. But they work, and they last and last......

I have one tower (a Rohn 45G 100 foot tower), and have a stack of their
monobanders from 93 feet to 112 feet. Some of the antennas I bought new,
and some I picked up used. They are without question the best investment
I have ever made in being able to "crack the pileups". The full size 2
element 40 ( at 106 feet with 66 foot full size elements) is an absolute
rock crusher and a band opener. It has to be the best one along with the
8 element 15 on a 45 foot boom.

I personally think that the best antenna manufacturer at the present is
M-Square (Mike Stahl, K6MYC is the owner). They made the 3 element 75
meter monster used by K4ISV. Their KT-36A is probably the best tribander
made. Their other monobanders are excellent for 10, 15, and 20. However,
their 40 meter antennas use a linear loading configuration. But they
will build you a full size 40 meter beam.

These are only opinions based on years of experience, but I thought I
would add my two cents to the discussion.

73 es good dxing,

John, W4NU
(K4JAG 1959 to 1998)