[TowerTalk] Tower and antenna decisions

[john at kk9a.com]

Doesn't adding a long mast put the antenna out of reach from your roof?

John KK9A


To:	towertalk at contesting.com
Subject:	 [TowerTalk] Tower and antenna decisions
From:	 Avery Davis <avery at mindspring.com>
Date:	 Wed, 23 Oct 2013 21:10:24 -0700

Due to my small city lot and modest budget, and my need to have a tower
I don't have to climb, I have been looking very hard at the short
crank-up towers from US Tower.  My thought is to install one next to my
single-story flat-roofed house, and I could do much of the antenna
installation and maintenance work just standing on the roof.  My dilemma
is over which antenna and tower to choose.  My top choice for an antenna
is the HyGain TH-11DX, but the only one of the short towers that would
hold it safely is the TMM-433HD, which would put the antenna about 34
feet high.  If I got the tallest tower in this series, the TMM-541SS, I
could put a 15' mast on top to get an antenna nearly 50 feet high, but
it would have to be a smaller antenna like a HexBeam.  So, I am hoping
for advice from Hams who have been there, done that.
Which is better:
TH-11DX at 34 feet?
HexBeam at 50 feet?

73,
Avery, WB4RTP