70cm quad loop beam

[VK2FAK]

Hi all...

I have read a number of times not to use a metal boom for building the quads....but why...

Just for testing purposes and beside the fact I love the simplicity of a quad......and have made a 4 element beam...seems to be working great......so far testing on the satellite HO-68 and was able to continue to hear the beacon to 0 deg and was still able to decode it at that point....so it has some gain..hi hi.. not to bad for just 4 elements....I did a quick SWR check on it and comes up at around 1.2...so again Ok there....Pattern seems to be what I would expect when pointing to the Satellite.....more testing of course needed....

I first checked on the Modeling software by using a standard 70cm quad....and placing a 25cm tube element all the way down the center, this had very little impact on pattern or gain....

You really need the metal boom to make the antennas robust enough....still playing with doing that...

Just a holiday experiment I am playing with...

So why is the opinion, don't use metal in the boom..... same opinion applies with Helix beams , but I have seen commercial beams using an aluminum boom..

John