[TowerTalk] Need help identifying an old tri-bander

[Rroger (K8RI on TowerTalk)]

On 1/16/2011 11:23 PM, Jim W7RY wrote:
> Sounds like a Cushcraft ATB-34. They were just discussed at length here on
> the reflector. Including a link for the manual.
>
> Do a search at the tower talk archives and the manual link should pop up. Or
> Google ATB-34 and you'll probably find it.
IIRC my ATB43 had 3 elements with traps and a single 10 meter reflector 
with no traps.

I do remember the driven element went into a phenolic tube which was 
held in place by two 1/4-20 SS round head screws.  These screws also 
served as the electrical contacts to the driven element from the balun. 
  The leads from the balun (bout 1/4" wide Al strap) were held between 
two SS nuts on those same 1/4-20 SS screws.

I remember that driven element well as that was a weak point for bad 
connections.  About once every two years the antenna would get flaky. 
All I had to do was tighten those screws and it'd go back to working find.

73

Roger (K8RI)
> 73
> Jim W7RY
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------
> From: "N6FD"<n6fd at hughes.net>
> Sent: Sunday, January 16, 2011 8:05 PM
> To: "Tower Talk"<towertalk at contesting.com>
> Subject: [TowerTalk] Need help identifying an old  tri-bander
>
>> I bought a tri-bander used from a silent key's estate.  His wife did not
>> have any documentation for the antenna.  Given the state of the antenna
>> and the tower that I got with it, it was probably put up some time in
>> the 70's or 80's.  No markings have survived on the antenna. The
>> following are the details of the antenna.  I don't have the original
>> spacing between the elements.
>>
>> Boom length:  278 inches, in three sections
>> Reflector: 382 inches with one set of traps
>> Driven element:  317 inches with two sets of traps, center insulated,
>> fed with balun
>> Director 1:  209 inches, no traps
>> Director 2:  293 inches with two sets of traps
>>
>> Details:
>> Elements are mounted on rectangular aluminum plates, these are attached
>> to the boom with U-bolts.  Element sections taper out from the boom.
>> Each section is attached by slit tubing and a clamp.  The clamps are
>> galvanized steel sheet metal with the clamp nut secured by a small tab
>> of the clamp.  The clamp screws are perpendicular to the element.
>>
>> The traps have covers that appear to be fiberglass with plastic end caps
>> (disintegrating in the environment).  The trap cover has a small weep
>> hole in it.  The trap coil is bare aluminum wire secured to the
>> fiberglass insulator at each end with a screw.  The wire is covered and
>> held in place with a thick black paint.  The 10M trap is 10 turns space
>> wound 1 wire diameter apart.  The 15M trap is 16 turns.  The reflector
>> has only the 15M trap.
>>
>> The driven element is a dipole with a phenolic center insulator.  This
>> is clamped to the boom adaptor plate with a couple of U-bolts.  I have
>> not had a chance to check the performance of the balun yet.
>>
>> If anybody knows what this antenna might be, and where to get a manual,
>> please let me know.  I will try to get some pictures up tomorrow to help
>> out.
>>
>> 73, Erich
>> N6FD
>>
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