Pat,
If I were you, I think I'd forget about a log-P antenna.
Personally, I'd forget about the locally made one too. If
the 'TH3JR' is still in the unopened box, it sounds like you
don't really care much about having a beam up in the air and
in use. And to be painfully honest, it also sounds like you
just don't have the room for one. Keep shopping for that
gravity defying, invisible, super-duper special only 3 feet
wide with the built in de-icer...
'Doc

Doc,

I hear you loud and clear, I know it's tight up there, and with Rocky &
Bullwinkle guarding the upsiedasium, there won't be any invisible Al-Ti-Up
alloys anytime soon...

But seriously, I know it's limited, and I knew that when I put the tower up
a month ago. It was the only place in the yard available. (big pool, two
decks, hot-tub, pool-shed, and oodles of beautiful trees... again,
everything is a trade off with suburban living.)

I have read Log-Ps are not the be-all end-all antenna, but are good
solutions when you want 'one' multipurpose antenna with some steerable
directivity and an assortment of bands. And yes, any specialised monobander
will outperform most multipurpose devices. (what was that we were saying
about trade-offs??? Darn near everywhere aren't they?)

So, with all that said, I'm looking for the best compromise. The house next
door is 12 feet from the centre of the tower, so if I can keep the turning
radius around 15', at the 42' height, it won't look to bad at all, AND I can
park the beam pointed either directly toward, or directly away from the
building. That way, with a total boom length under 18 feet, it will be
entirely in 'my' airspace when not in use.

So the search continues for a something with a 18' or shorter boom, with a
longest element no greater than 30', and won't droop too much with moderate
ice loading. I know the 'droop' of an element is a non-linear function based
on its length and the total ice load, but from a practical standpoint, on
the longest element, how far down will it bow? I'm guessing if I paint the
topside of the elements flat-black it will help with shedding the ice when
the sun hits them.

Thanks again for sharing the wisdom of the group...

Pat, VE3PMK
(please respond here as I am slowly getting the spambots under control.
Thanks.)

With the space limitations you describe, your best bet might be a 2-el
5-band quad...Take a look at GemQuad (fine Canadian product), and ask them
about ice loading. They're pretty tolerant.

- Mike KI6PR
El Rancho R.F., CA

"Pat's Sympatico" wrote
But seriously, I know it's limited, and I knew that when I put the tower
up
a month ago. It was the only place in the yard available. (big pool, two
decks, hot-tub, pool-shed, and oodles of beautiful trees... again,
everything is a trade off with suburban living.)

I have read Log-Ps are not the be-all end-all antenna, but are good
solutions when you want 'one' multipurpose antenna with some steerable
directivity and an assortment of bands. And yes, any specialised
monobander
will outperform most multipurpose devices. (what was that we were saying
about trade-offs??? Darn near everywhere aren't they?)

So, with all that said, I'm looking for the best compromise. The house
next
door is 12 feet from the centre of the tower, so if I can keep the turning
radius around 15', at the 42' height, it won't look to bad at all, AND I
can
park the beam pointed either directly toward, or directly away from the
building. That way, with a total boom length under 18 feet, it will be
entirely in 'my' airspace when not in use.

So the search continues for a something with a 18' or shorter boom, with a
longest element no greater than 30', and won't droop too much with
moderate
ice loading. I know the 'droop' of an element is a non-linear function
based
on its length and the total ice load, but from a practical standpoint, on
the longest element, how far down will it bow? I'm guessing if I paint the
topside of the elements flat-black it will help with shedding the ice when
the sun hits them.

Thanks again for sharing the wisdom of the group...

Pat, VE3PMK
(please respond here as I am slowly getting the spambots under control.
Thanks.)