[TowerTalk] Antenna quality and support for M2

[Roger (K8RI)]

Pardon the spelling, I'm not using my usual system or mail reader.

<snip>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> I originally planned on using SteppIRs when I got out here.  I  couldn't 
> and
> wound up getting the antennas you described.  KT36XAs and the  4 el 40 
> (light
> duty)
>
> First, the light duty ain't so light duty and it ain't your daddy's  KLM. 
> It
> weighs in about 65 pounds heavier than the old KLM version.   In addtion, 
> the
> old negative mechanical issues have been elimiinated.
>

My daddy wasn't a ham, but I had the full KLM line up "in the old days" when 
I had a lot more room<:-))
Actually in the late 70's I sold KLM and Wilson antennas, but that was in 
another life.

> The same is true for the KT36XA.  It's not much heavier, but the 
> mechanical
> issues have been addressed.

I had a feeling they were very sturdy looking at the construction and 
reading the specs.
>
> I have had three XAs in a stack and the 40 up since around February.   I 
> am

I'm jealous!

> totally pleased with the products.  I had several issues (missing  parts 
> and
> one XA that loaded up kinda funky)  All the missing parts  were sent out 
> to KH6
> quickly (within a couple of days).  Mike held my hand,  even giving me his
> home phone number in resolving the XA issue.  No  mechanical defects on 
> that one.
> It turns out that when I was building the  elements on the ground I water
> got into the cap before I sealed it up.   Builder dumbness.
>
> I solved the WARC band problem with a A-3WS....nice and light and a
> servicable ant for those bands.
>

I might eventually have to add something like that, particularly with the 
SO2R set up.

> I am totally happy with the customer service and the performance of the M2
> antennas.  10 out of 10 for a review as far as customer service, quality 
> and
> bang for the buck.
>
> As far as the wait.  I can think of two other items sold to hams that 
> have a
> long wait...K-3s and SteppIRs.  Both are quality items in their own 
> right.

And the expensive stuff is usually built to order and although popular none 
of these are big factories that can support a huge inventory on which they 
have to pay taxes.
>
> Bill KH7XS/K4XS
Thanks for the input and 73

Roger (K8RI)