[TowerTalk] Any thoughts on spider-beams?

[Joe Subich, W4TV]

 > And since I'm toying with getting it up an AB-577 military mast, the
 > spider-beam minimal weight and size might make the process easier.

Erecting a Spiderbeam on an AB-577 is not easy.  The antenna would need
to be built from a 6' - 10' step ladder or work platform/scaffold - the
"spider" sets three to four feet above the rotator and the minimum
height of the AB-577 is about eight feet.  A Spiderbeam can not be 
assembled on the ground and then lifted into place on top of the
rotator either.  I gave up on trying to install a 20-17-125-12-10 HD
Spiderbeam on my AB-577.  The only way one might make it work is to
use a device like the N4ZZ Hexlock <http://www.nn4zz.com/hexlock.html>
to assemble the Spiderbeam with the AB-577 base horizontal, winch up and 
guy the AB-577 base then raise the mast normally.

 > I'm especially curious if the shipping cost is going approximate the
 > cost of the antenna?

Not even close ... contact the US distributor for Spiderbeam.  They
ship UPS from Tennessee.  I'd be surprised if the shipping amounts to
even 10% of the cost of the basic triband kit.

 > Eventually I will want a light-weight 40 meter 2 element.
 > But that may be more than I can chew as my first attempt.

Due to the longer spreaders, the "WARC" Spideerbeam or a 2 element 40
meter antenna will be even more difficult to raise with the AB-577.

73,

    ... Joe, W4TV


On 7/18/2016 11:31 AM, dw wrote:
> I'm toying with the idea of making my first lower-band beam a
> spider-beam.
>>From what I can see on their web-site, the lowest band they support is
> 30 meters.
> Eventually I will want a light-weight 40 meter 2 element.
> But that may be more than I can chew as my first attempt.
>
> So I'm toying with the idea of starting out with their 30 meter beam kit
> because its only 28 pounds and turning radius of 20 feet.
> And since I'm toying with getting it up an AB-577 military mast, the
> spider-beam minimal weight and size might make the process easier.
>
> Does anyone have any experience with the Spider-beams?
> I'm especially curious if the shipping cost is going approximate the
> cost of the antenna?
>
> Thanks
> N1BBR
>