[TowerTalk] [Bulk] Re: antenna choices for K4XS

Sun Apr 12 10:20:14 EDT 2015

If you wanted it to be new and durable, I don't think you could get it done for $600.

A Cushcraft A3 is $599, but considering how my friend's A4 lost an element due to the cheap element-to-boom mounting (and that was when the company was owned by Laird), as well as other observations about where the tubing should be reinforced, you probably need to put another $100-200 into it. I'm not sure any if the other $600 tribanders are any better.

At that point, you can start to look at better antennas with better designs.

Of course, going up in size for a bigger used beam increases your tower and rotator requirements, which defeats the purpose of saving money on the beam...

For the average city ham with average tower, I'd suggest the F12 XR3,4,5 or 6, depending on how many bands you need or the JK Navassa5 (10,12,15,17, and 20). For a pure tribander, I like the JK Tribander, but they've removed details of that antenna from their website. 

On the Navassa5, for $80, you can add 6m.

73, Kelly
ve4xt 

Sent from my iPad

> On Apr 12, 2015, at 8:56 AM, "Steve Baughn" <baughn at centurylink.net> wrote:
> 
> Hi Joe,
> 
> If you can find one around a used Hygain TH6DXX is a good choice-not overly big and will most certainly compete favorably with others in its class. Going price is usually aruond $200.00 and parts are still available should the need arise. Check out the reviews on eham.net. I had one up for years and it performed extremely well-never laid a hand on it. I still have it to this day.
> 
> 73,
> Steve, WD8NPL
> 
> -----Original Message----- From: Gary "Joe" Mayfield
> Sent: Sunday, April 12, 2015 9:33 AM
> To: TOWERTALK at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] [Bulk] Re: antenna choices for K4XS
> 
> I'm curious what tribander would folks recommend for a budget of $600 or
> less?
> 
> 73,
> Joe kk0sd
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: TowerTalk [mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Bert
> Almemo
> Sent: Saturday, April 11, 2015 11:15 AM
> To: john at kk9a.com; 'Grant Saviers'
> Cc: TOWERTALK at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] [Bulk] Re: antenna choices for K4XS
> 
> Cushcraft A3 and A4S are cheap designs with inferior materials, especially
> boom-to-element clamps, which are basically just a cheap muffler clamp. One
> of my friends A4S lost the reflector as it wiggled its way off the boom!!
> Another ham had a boom section split lengthwise and lost the boom section
> and the reflector. Very expensive for what you get and I wouldn't buy any of
> them.
> 
> 73 Bert, VE3NR
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: TowerTalk [mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of
> john at kk9a.com
> Sent: Saturday, April 11, 2015 11:26 AM
> To: Grant Saviers
> Cc: TOWERTALK at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] [Bulk] Re: antenna choices for K4XS
> 
> 
> 
> I meant to say that the boom crushes from the element clamp on my A3. If you
> leave it too loose the element will spin. The aluminum is very soft compared
> to the 6061-T6 that I use for my homebrew beams however for the price and
> size I have not complaints about the performance. My A3 is 15 years old, I
> wonder how the new MFJ ones are?
> 
> John KK9A
> 
>> On 2015-04-11 10:24, Grant Saviers wrote:
>> 
>> I'm using an A4S for field days that started to show various sags and
> bends after up 7 years in an exposed site, maybe 70mph peak winds. It is
> weak at the boom to mast and at the elements at the boom so cutting and
> double wall sleeving got it all straight. Maybe $30 of tubing from DXE. Trap
> boots now need replaced, available from MFJ (btw mine was original CC). The
> stamped "C" shape boom to element clamps also splay with use so the elements
> loosen. Two 6-32 x 2" SS machine screws on the "C" flanges keep this from
> happening. An enthusiastic FD assembler squashed one element by
> overtightening the through bolts, so some more cut and double sleeve fixed
> that and made it more assembler proof. Overall an ok antenna if tweaked a
> bit. I can't speak to what MFJ "value engineering" has done to it.
>> 
>> Grant KZ1W
>> 
>>> On 4/11/2015 5:17 AM, john at kk9a.com wrote:
>>> 
>>> I also own a Cushcraft A3, but I have only used it for field day type
>>> setups and it's currently in a box in Aruba. The aluminum tubing
>>> crushes when you tighten the element clamps and in my opinion it is
>>> not heavy duty but I have had many contest wins with it so I have no
>>> complaints. I used a different A3 during the ARRL DX Phone contest
>>> last month. It was mounted at 33'. One element fell off a couple
>>> weeks before the contest but it was repaired. Running barefoot I made
>>> over 6200 QSOs in a weekend so it works reasonably well. You can read
>>> more about this contest effort here ->
>>> http://lists.contesting.com/archives//html/3830/2015-03/msg02222.html
>>> [1] John KK9A To: TOWERTALK at contesting.com Subject: Re: [TowerTalk]
>>> antenna choices for K4XS From: Bill via TowerTalk
>>> <towertalk at contesting.com> Reply-to: Cqtestk4xs at aol.com Date: Sat, 11
>>> Apr 2015 07:52:16 -0400 Ed is right about not having to spend money
>>> to have a big signal. Although I bought my M2 stuff new, the four
>>> Cushcraft an
> tennas
> are all used. The A-3 tribander cost me $75. The three high stack of A-3WS
> antennas were all second hand and I think the three high stack for 12/17
> cost me around $500 total and that includes the 30 meter adapter kit for the
> top one. The signal is second to none on 12 and 17....for $500. Bottom line,
> like Ed said...you can spend big bucks for antennas or you can be
> resourceful and do it on the cheap, but still have a good signal. K4XS
> _______________________________________________
> _______________________________________________ TowerTalk mailing list
> TowerTalk at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk [2]
> 
> 
> 
> Links:
> ------
> [1]
> http://lists.contesting.com/archives//html/3830/2015-03/msg02222.html
> [2] http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
> _______________________________________________
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> TowerTalk mailing list
> TowerTalk at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
> 
> _______________________________________________
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> TowerTalk mailing list
> TowerTalk at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
> 
> _______________________________________________
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> TowerTalk mailing list
> TowerTalk at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk 
> _______________________________________________
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> TowerTalk mailing list
> TowerTalk at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk