"Brian Kelly" wrote in message
oups.com...
I'm mulling the design/homebrewing of a hexagonal 20/17/15/12/10M wire
beam a la the Traffie Hexbeam. The problem with just about all projects
like this is the number of up/down iterations required to tweak the
tuning of the things. Put it up, calculate the required changes in
element lengths, take it down, make the adjustments, put it back up to
check it again, pull it down and go thru the whole cycle ad nauseam.
Pain in the tush.

I've seen suggestions here and there about simply aiming a beam
vertically upward and doing all the tuning at ground level instead.
Which would save an awful lot of time and effort. If it works. Does
anybody around here have any experience with this method and if so how
succesful was it?

Thanks,

Brian w3rv


Another local Ham and I have built two monoband 20 meter versions of the
HexBeam
utilizing info from W1GQLs hexbeam website (one with PVC spreaders and one
with fiberglass rod spreaders). Neither had to be adjusted at all after the
original wire length was cut. Mine has usable tuning at just above ground
level and it's expected to get only better with height, as the other one
did. Granted, we didn't have the other band elements to fuss with. If you
can get element lengths and vertical separation distances from someone with
a working multibander chances are you won't need to do any adjusting on
those, either. W1GQL has suggested, with the finite lifespan of such
antennas and the current lowpoint of the sunspot cycle, that there is no
overwhelming need for 10, 12, and 15 meter elements for at least the next
couple of years. You might try building your antenna as a monoband 20 meter,
but construct the antenna with sufficient spreader tension and bow depth
that you can later add additional bands. The foregoing advice is free and
not necessarily valuable, but is given with friendly intent.(G) My own
fiberglass HexBeam has a 30" bow depth and I may yet attempt to add a band
or two later. Good luck with yours however you choose to build it.

Harold
KD5SAK