[TowerTalk] Antenna Recommendation

[David Gilbert]

I also have a pair of Optibeam antennas (OB16-3 and OB2-40) that have 
been great.  They perform exactly as specified with no extra tuning, and 
they have held up to the horrendous wind gusts that regularly show up at 
my hillside QTH.  I can count on clear sky mid-day wind gusts in excess 
of 70 mph every ten minutes most days from early April to mid-May, and 
gusts in the 80's and 90's are not rare.  The highest I've measured 
exceeded 99.9 mph ... the limit of my recording system.

I do have some reservations about the versions that include the WARC 
bands, though.  The four band antennas like the OB12-4 and 17-4 are 
tanks that will stand up to just about anything nature throws at them, 
but the antennas like the OB13-6 and OB18-6 have "piggy-back" elements 
where the elements for two bands are supported by the element of a third 
band.  That puts a lot of extra weight and (more importantly) wind drag 
on a single element.  The only pictures of storm-damaged Optbeam 
antennas I've ever seen were of that kind of construction.

Other than that, I honestly can't see how you could go wrong with an 
Optibeam if you can afford them.

73,
Dave   AB7E




On 1/31/2013 1:35 PM, Jack White wrote:
> I like many others was in this situation.
>
> After weighing up the pros and cons for what seemed like an age ie: price, performance, wind load, reliability, resale value should I upgrade, longevity and strength etc, I settled for Optibeams.
>
> I'm incredibly happy with the Optibeams , light years ahead of the Cushcraft, Hygain, M2 etc I've had before. There are many Optibeam(s) that can fulfil your needs.
>
> I still like the idea of Steppir and Ultrabeam type antennas, I just couldn't make the financial leap, they're incredibly expensive for what they are IMO (approx $3500 USD for 3L Steppir/Ultrabeam in the UK)
>
>
> 73, Jack G8DX
>
>
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On 31 Jan 2013, at 13:05, Roger D Johnson <n1rj at roadrunner.com> wrote:
>
>> A friend is looking for a beam that covers 40 thru 10 meters. Pickings
>> seem to be slim! Any recommendations pro or con?
>>
>> 73, Roger
>>
>> -- 
>> Remember the Liberty (AGTR-5)
>> http://www.usslibertyveterans.org/
>> http://www.gtr5.com/
>>
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