[TowerTalk] 80m 4-square materials

[Dick Green WC1M]

Dave,

I've seen the Array Solutions verticals at NT1Y. The aluminum tube elements
are very heavy duty. I don't recall the diameter at the base, but they must
be on the order of 4"-6". In any case, they're big enough to be
freestanding. Each element has a heavy-duty base support with a manual winch
mechanism used to raise and lower the element. Undoubtedly, this is a pricey
alternative.

You should check out KT1V's full-size four square. K1RX designed it. The
elements are made of irrigation tubing. I believe several pieces are spliced
together to make each element. Each element has a simple hinged base (can't
remember exactly, but I think it's a couple of 4x4s sunk in the ground with
a long bolt between them.) A couple (?) of sections of Rohn 25 are sunk in
the ground in the middle of the array. There are pulleys on the top and
ropes running to the elements. The ropes are used to haul the elements to
the vertical.

Another option is to use three or four sections of Rohn 25 for each element
base, and telescoping aluminum tubing for "whips" on top of the bases. For
each element, I'd sink a section of Rohn 25 a few feet into the ground, put
insulators on top, and add three sections of Rohn 25. For the whips, I'd use
6-foot sections of telescoping aluminum tubing, e.g., 6061-T6. Simply nest
all the sections, mount to the top of the top section of Rohn 25, and extend
each section in turn, top to bottom. If you start with at least 2" diameter
tubing at the bottom, the whips will be self-supporting. I used an identical
procedure to make a 40m 4-square. BTW, the raised insulators would allow for
either elevated radials or ground-mounted radials. W4AN (SK) had an 80m
4-square built in a similar way. There's still a description of it at
http://w4an.contesting.com/80m.htm. Some of the picture links are broken,
but the text is clear. Bill used fewer tower sections and longer whips.

Hope this helps.

73, Dick WC1M

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mike Fatchett [mailto:mike at mallardcove.com] 
> Sent: Saturday, December 16, 2006 11:16 AM
> To: k1ttt at arrl.net
> Cc: 'YCCC'; 'reflector -tower'; antennas at qth.net; 'reflector 
> cq-contest'
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] 80m 4-square materials
> 
> I believe that Array Solutions also has full sized 80m verticals. 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: towertalk-bounces at contesting.com
> [mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Mirko S57AD
> Sent: Saturday, December 16, 2006 9:14 AM
> To: k1ttt at arrl.net
> Cc: YCCC; reflector -tower; antennas at qth.net; reflector cq-contest
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] 80m 4-square materials
> 
> How about DXE (if I recall correctly) freestanding verticals 
> and/or Titanex V80HD?> 
> 73  Mirko, S57AD
> 
> David Robbins K1TTT pravi:
> 
> >I am trying to decide what to use to build 4 new 80m verticals for a 
> >4-square upgrade here.  My criteria are:
> >1. full size 1/4 wave verticals, no top or base loading.
> >2. must be able to standup to new England winters at 2000' 
> with ice and 
> >wind 3. must be new material, I don't want to go scrounging for used 
> >tower or pipe.
> >4. prefer only 1 guy level, but will do 2 if necessary.
> >5. prefer to stand up complete, but will climb to add top 
> section(s) if 
> >necessary, crane or truck access will be very hard to this spot.
> >6. prefer something that can be delivered to here, truck delivery is 
> >not a problem, I don't want to have to haul long stuff myself.
> >
> >So, what might fit those criteria??
> >
> >
> >David Robbins K1TTT
> >e-mail: mailto:k1ttt at arrl.net
> >web: http://www.k1ttt.net
> >AR-Cluster node: 145.69MHz or telnet://dxc.k1ttt.net
> > 
> >
> >
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> >  
> >
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