[TowerTalk] Skyhawks on TIC Rings?

[Jeff Blaine]

As a previous KT owner, I can also say there is a lot of wisdom in this 
message on so many topics!

73/jeff/ac0c
alpha-charlie-zero-charlie
www.ac0c.com

On 09-Jan-19 8:54 PM, Tony Brock-Fisher via TowerTalk wrote:
> When working, the KT36-XA is a great antenna. I believe that compared 
> other tribanders on a 32' boom, they are the highest performing 
> antenna you can find. Unlike interlaced tribanders, the XA uses all of 
> the boom length on all bands, and forward gain is related to boom 
> length, not the number of elements.
>
> The trouble with the KT antennas is that they are not reliable. 
> Despite the tremendous mechanical improvements from the M2 revision, 
> water still gets into the capacitors, resulting in skyrocketing SWR or 
> arcing at high power.
>
> I've owned, loved, rebuilt, and hated the KT antennas for over 30 
> years. I've made several experimental modifications. I started a user 
> group for them, KTantennas at yahoo.com. I have been successful in 
> keeping the bugs and debris out of the tubing, but the antenna still 
> fails from moisture getting in. And once the capacitors get wet, they 
> do not dry out by themselves, and the antenna must be taken down and 
> rebuilt.
>
> My last experiment was an attempt to hermetically seal the antenna. I 
> posted a detailed description of this experiment to the KTantennas 
> group. This worked for 3 years, but recently failed with typical high 
> SWR and high power issues. This is the second time that the XA has 
> failed during  a contest season, forcing me to use my 2-element quad 
> 'multiplier' antenna as the main (and only) antenna on the high bands.
>
> So after 30+ years of trying to make this great design reliable for 
> many years of service, I am forced to face the conclusion that finding 
> a way to give it environmental longevity  is beyond my technical ability.
>
> Therefore I too will be replacing a KT36-XA with a Skyhawk next spring 
> when antenna weather returns. I know I am giving up a db or two in 
> forward gain, but hopefully the Skyhawk, with no traps, will be able 
> to give me long term service. The reviews all seem to support this 
> vision.
>
> A 'good' antenna  that works is far better than the 'best' antenna 
> that doesn't.
>
> -Tony, K1KP
>
>
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