[TowerTalk] More CC 402CD -> 403CD

[K7LXC at aol.com]

The Cushcraft design appears very similar to the 3 el 40 short beam from the
ARRL Antenna Book circa 1980.  It was 3 elements on a 36 foot boom with the
reflector and driven element spaced 23 feet.  It used coils with a capacity
hat on each element half.   I think maybe it was Joe W1JR that told me in
about 1984 that converting to a 3 el was not really worth the effort.  I
remember the figure of .8Db more forward gain and a sharper pattern.

I did lose one of the capacity hats on one reflector element half.  At first
I noticed that the SWR
changed from mid band (7180 or so) to 7230 but little change in results.
The past few months
I now find the beam has lost front to back with beaming NW/SE its better off
the back by sometimes an S unit.  Europe and VL/ZL are about equal strength
either was.  I can keep the beam between NW and ENE and work about anything.
However I plan on replacing the hat.  I have the actual pieces of metal for
the har.  Just not sure if the clamp is still there (hard to see 87 feet
up).  Ed K4SB says its a 2 meter element to boom clamp.  Gotta crank down
all the amtennas.  Health problems have kept me from doing the work until
now.

I previously used a Mosley 2 el S-402 (the Cushcraft is much better) and a
Create 3 el HB9CV
on a 36 foot boom.  Too flimsy and aluminum windings arced at over 1KW.
Seemed to work as well as the Cushcraft.  The Cushcraft was compared to a
Telrex 3 el 40 on a 29 foot boom at N4RJ and was at least as good every time
(I would win 50% of the time).  Val N4RJ then switched to a 3 el on a 46
foot boom and now he beat me at least 50% of the time.

A number of people told me my beam was a killer and bought their own beam.
K1MM told me his worked well on 17 and 12.  I found the beam works very well
on 17 but on 12 its a cloverleaf pattern so its either boom or bust (S9+ in
JA and S3 in DU).   The beam works on 160 too!  It loads thru a tuner but
having the remote coax switch in line forces me to run 100 watts max.  My
firsdt contact on 160 using the beam was HC8DX on SSB in 1987.  I got a
59+20 and he had me confused with K4JPD.  That was before I ran the remote
switch.  I still use it on receive and the last couple of years used in
during the CQ 160 SSB.

I have not checked out the coil Q (so so according to W1JR).  However it
makes a great 40 antenna for the little/medium gun!
73 Dave K4JRB


73 Dave K4JRB