AA5AU Antenna Page
Updated 10/04/2011

Home Up Higher Tower '05 Lower Tower '05 PVRC Mount Page SteppIR Installation High Winds 3/29/11

 

February 7, 2011 Update

Yesterday I completed the installation of a KT34M2 at 40' on my lower Rohn 25 tower in preparation for the 2011 CQ WPX RTTY Contest.  I installed the antenna using a temporary PVRC mount on the tapered top section of the tower.  I then ran SWR scans and determined the antenna was good enough for now.  The SWR is best on 20 meters where it is nearly perfect across the entire band.  I then moved the antenna up on the mast.  I'm not happy about the SWR on 15 and 10 meters but they are workable for now.  I hope to take the antenna down in the spring and try to make it better on those bands.  Complete SWR scans of the antenna can be seen here.

February 1, 2011 Update

I have completed converting a KT36XA "killer" tribander to a KT34M2 tribander.  The KT-series antennas were originally manufactured by a company called KLM.  They are now made by M2 Incorporated.  The KT36XA was given to me by a fellow ham in New Orleans who was retiring and moving to the Gulf Coast in 2004.  It sat dormant in pieces in my backyard until 2008 when I put it together on sawhorses in the backyard and tested it - it worked!  After seeing the size of it, I decided it was too big for my Rohn 25 tower so I disassembled it.  Last year, after relocating my smaller tower off the back porch and to the rear of the backyard I was thinking I needed a better antenna for this tower.  I did a search on the Internet for 4-element tribanders and the first site listed was the M2 site for the KT34M2 tribander.  After comparing the specs of the antenna to the KT36XA, it seemed like I could convert the KT36XA to a KT34M2.  I called M2 and spoke with Mathew who said it could be done.  He sent me the instructions and I proceeded to resize and readjust until I came up with what appears could be a working KT34M2.  On 2/1/2011 I performed SWR scans of the antenna as it sat on sawhorses in the backyard.  The results of those scans can be seen here.  I am encouraged by the SWR scan results and hope to replace the Cushcraft A3S on the lower tower with the KT34M2 before the CQ WPX RTTY contest in less than two weeks.

January 2011 Update

On January 2, 2011, I finished the installation of an A3S on my 2nd tower.  A few weeks earlier, I had dug a 2.5'x2.5' hole in the back yard and poured 1200 lbs of concrete by hand (by myself).  I used part of a 10' section of Rohn 25 that was cut from the tower that fell during Hurricane Gustav and stuck it in the hole before pouring the concrete.  I then added two more 10' sections and a 9' top section.  The tower is right at 35 feet.  I originally planned on installing a KT34M2 antenna on this tower, but I could not get it to tune on any band after spending many hours building it from an old KT36XA (found out later a wire came loose inside the balun and it has been repaired).  Since it was so close to the RTTY Roundup, I took the KT34M2 apart and put together my "Katrina" yagi (an A3S rebuilt after Katrina).  I put the A3S together and tested it in less than 30 minutes on New Year's Day 2011.  The next day it was on the tower.  I used a 7' steel mast that I placed into the top section when the top section was raised.  I then used a temporary PVRC mount, mounted to the tapered top section to build the A3S on the tower since a tree and a 6' privacy fence are in close proximity of the new tower and would have made it very difficult to raise with all the elements on it.  I raised the boom with the driven element attached at one time and mounted it on the temporary PVRC mount.  After the antenna was built and tested on the tower, I turned the antenna vertically on the PVRC mount and moved it from the horizontal mast of the PVRC mount to the top of the 7' vertical mast coming out of the top of the tower.  I then lifted the mast with the antenna to the bottom of the tapered section so there would be room for the rotor.  As I was raising the antenna, I was shocked to look out and see the end tubing piece missing from reflector.  I lowered the mast back down into the tower and decided what to do.

I really didn't want to have to move the antenna back to the PVRC mount in order to get to the element.  A cold front had blown in the night before and the wind was blowing 15-20 MPH easily with gusts and it was a bit cold.  So I turned the antenna vertical and determined that I might be able to reattach the end piece if I could pull the element toward the tower.  The boom of an A3S is only 14' long, so the element was only 7' at the most away from the tower.  I took a broomstick and taped a coat hanger to it.  I was then able to snatch the element and pull it close enough to me where I could stretch out and reattach the end piece while still strapped to the tower.  I found that the hose clamp was loose when I went to clamp the end piece down.  I hadn't checked any of the connections because the antenna elements were never disassembled since I took it down in September and I was rushed for time.  Luckily it was an easy fix on the tower.  Once the reflector was repaired, I raised the mast and clamped it.  On Sunday, January 2, I installed an M2 rotor I purchased from Silvano KB5GL.  Sadly, Silvano became a silent key a few days earlier.  I decided I would dedicate my 2011 RTTY Roundup effort to Silvano.  I surely will miss him.

The antenna sits at 40'.  Monday morning before going to work, I did comparisons between the A3S at 40' and the SteppIR at 58' with EU signals on 20 meter RTTY.  There is no comparison.  Signals that were barely audible on the A3S were loud and perfect print on the SteppIR.  I wondered how in the world I ever had the success I did using A3S tribanders in the past!  I'm disappointed in the KT34M2 not working, but vow to get it working before WPX in February.

On Sunday, I also installed my new SixPak antenna switch at the base of the main tower and terminated all the cables.  I ran brand new rotor control cable for the M2 on the second tower and finished everything as the sun was going down.  I tested everything in the shack and everything appears to be working.  I also tried to test my Cushcraft D40 rotatable dipole but it does not tune.  I ran out of time so will work on the D40 as time allows.  I want to install the D40 under the A3S and 90 degrees out so the antenna is in parallel with the A3S boom.

2010 Rebuild

On October 9, 2010, I completed the installation of my new 3 element SteppIR yagi with the 30/40 meter dipole loop.  I built and installed the antenna by myself using a PVRC mount on my Rohn 25 tower at about 58', with only the assistance of my wife acting as an observer while I was on the tower (OK she did untie a few ropes for me on the ground - thanks honey!)

I purchased the SteppIR antenna immediately after my trip to the Dayton Hamvention in 2010 where I was inducted into the CQ Contest Hall of Fame.  My previous antenna setup on this tower was a Cushcraft A3S where the SteppIR Is located now.  The mast extended 8 feet above the A3S where I had a Cushcraft D40 installed.  Hanging off the opposite side of the horizontal mast of the PVRC mount, was a D3W WARC dipole for 12/17/30 meters.  And it was very ugly!

My next project is to re-erect my 2nd tower.  I have a KT36 antenna that is too big for my small towers so I am converting it to a KT34.  This antenna will go on the second tower along with my rebuilt D40 rotatable dipole.

2005 Rebuild

I have completed the rebuilding of my towers and antennas.  I lost two towers in Hurricane Katrina.  All my HF yagis were destroyed.

I completed rebuilding the lower tower to 40 feet on November 6, 2005.  On November 20, I started rebuilding the higher tower and it was finally completed on December 20.

Both towers are now completed.  I've installed a new Cushcraft A3S and D40 atop the 65' tower.  The A3S on the 40' tower is my "Katrina Yagi", built from pieces and parts from three different A3S antennas that fell (two at home and one at my office).