Hexbeam in Aus?

[VK5MAT]

Hi all,
Just wondering if anyone in Australia sells hex beams? I can't seem to find anyone that stocks them.
I'm not in a position to build one and the only other option seems to be getting one shipped from the US or UK.
Thanks,
Darren

[VK6MB]

Hi Darren,
I don't know about normal Hex beams, but I am getting a Folding Hexbeam from Germany as there are no agents for them in Oz

http://www.foldingantennas.com/gb.html

Cheerz Mike VK6MB

[VK3AV]

Darren,

Unfortunately your only options are to build your own or import a hex. Sadly the exchange rate is not so appealing currently. I like the NA4RR unit.

Regards
Bernard

[VK2ZIW]

Adelaide is where fiberglass rod is manufactured, Look for VROD Australia.
Fiberglass reo-bar for concrete.

Perhaps you can get somebody to build it for you, there in Adelaide.
The centre spider ( or ant, spiders have 8 legs) is easy, get some 25mm angle and bent bolts
to clamp the rod in the V of the angle. Electric fence post spring wire clamps to hold the wire.
Speedrite 13MM EZI CLIP

Google "Improved Hex Beam" for the wire lengths.

The legs being 3+m long makes freight difficult.

I've built one not yet in the sky though, need a team of blokes.

Alan VK2ZIW

[VK4WTN]

hi, give Steve VK4KUS an email, he had some hex bases made up locally for about $60 and there is a supplier in Sydney called Haverford that supply 5 mtr telescopic fibre glass poles. Six cost me $147 including freight.I just followed the building instructions on the net and the hexbeam worked well.
regards Wayne VK4WTN

[VK2AOH]

Earlier in the year I built a four band hex beam to the plans supplied by K4KIO.

http://www.hex-beam.com/


Purchased a ready made alloy hub from NBS Antennas and masts in Victoria.

Brian has a lot of useful aerial/mast items there. Wire and Australian made UV resistant cord also if you need it.

The hub purchase alone saved days of messing about chasing materials, welding and associated fabrication.

Bought 6x 5 metre heavy duty black fishing poles from Haverfords which I cut down to suit. (double check your measurements before you do this as mistakes can be expensive !)

The lowest frequency band wires used S hooks to attach to the spreaders. The S hooks were attached in turn with black cable ties.

The other frequency band wires were attached with black cable ties.

Used 20mm white PVC UV resistant electrical conduit for the centre pole which sits in the top of the hub.

All S hooks, eyelet (top of the centre pole) and nuts and bolts etc are stainless steel. Cheaper zinc plated ones will lead to disappointment in a few years time.

Before cutting your wire lengths good to read the cutting chart on the K4KIO plans as various guages tune differently.

I used some teflon insulated wire I had laying about which luckily tuned well.

The K4KIO hex beam has worked excellently and have made many dx contacts with it including QRP contacts.

Good luck with your hex beam.

[VK3AV]

I am building a 6-band hex. This forum has helped to locate parts locally.

I have an NBS base (it was easy to go with it even though I already purchased the plate from Capral to build one). I have the VROD spreaders which I feel will outlast the squid poles in use. You can use Stauff clamps instead of U-bolts to attach the spreaders to the base. I made a poly tube centre post with the coax on the inside but as it was made up of a number of pieces it ended up slightly bent and that irritated me. I have now constructed an air-cored aluminium centre post. Not hard but you need some metal working gear. I used HDPE rod to fabricate the bottom insulator and the top cap.

I have gone for the modified spacing for the elements meaning that some bands will not reach the spreaders rather they are tied off such that they 'float' inside the spreaders. It is supposed to reduce the interaction between the elements as some are quite close together. I also purchased the multi strand wire from NBS.

All I need now is for a supplier to feel inclined to deliver the 8m tube for my NBS tilt over mast base and I can get it finished.

Regards
Bernard

[VK2AOH]

Sounds like you are well on the way, I only made mine a five bander as did not bother with 12 metres. Perhaps one day will put the extra wire in.

Took the easy way with the coax on the centre post and ran it on the outside. Sealed the coax with liberal coatings of liquid tape which was purchased from Jaycar.

73's, Nick

[VK3AV]

Hi Nick,

I looked at the external coax feed and was worried about water in the coax as well as the local cockatoos etc taking a liking to the sealant material. Then found an amateur in the US who ran it on the inside of the tube which solves the first problem and creates a huge problem getting the RG213 plus screws into the tube and out of the appropriate holes so I cut the PVC pipe and used joiners as the exit points for the screws. That worked but when gluing the sections together, getting the tube to bed correctly whilst the poly adhesive was setting (fast!) was the big issue (the coax tails extended beyond the joiner so pressing the tubing in is a bit more difficult) hence the bend in the resulting post. I still have it sitting in the shed as a reminder of what did not work to my satisfaction.

It was the 12m band that initially got me started with a hex beam as there was a SOTA 12m challenge running at the time.

Regards
Bernard

[VK2AOH]

Ah, forgot about cockatoos, they can be very destructive. Happily they are not about here which is a relief. Must admit I have never paid much attention to 12M even when the SOTA challenge was on.

Perhaps I will have to change my outlook for when the challenge comes on again.

Did think about the internal coax feed but could see difficulties so did the easy external method. So far so good.

One thing I like about the hex beam is its light weight, I can hold mine up with one hand and at the moment have it sitting on a Hills rotary hoist by a couple of U clamps on the vertical pole.

Only about 5 or 6 metres up which makes it unobtrusive from prying eyes and works well.

There is a folding version somewhere which would be really handy for portable operations on a simple pole setup.

Mine is nearly always pointed LP to Europe.

If I could work out how to post a photo would put one up.

73's Nick

[VK6ADF]

If I could work out how to post a photo would put one up.

Just click Upload attachment tab and select the picture but make sure the picture is resized and not straight from the camera.

[VK2AOH]

Hope this works, since the photo was taken the beam has been raised a few metres.

Thanks for the tip, bit of a struggle but worked it out.

73's, Nick

[VK6ADF]

Thanks for the tip, bit of a struggle but worked it out.

73's, Nick

Almost a mirror image hahahaha.

A very apt rotator for it

[VK3BQ]

Just don't invite the cockatoos


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[VK3AUU]

What is so great about the HEXBEAM, modelling in EZNEC says a QUAD is a couple of db better

David

[VK4WTN]

hi David, I think the main attraction of the hexbeam is that it covers so many bands and gives reasonable performance.It certainly doesnt compare to a quad or larger yagi. Its a good aerial for people with small backyards and certainly has been able to get lots of small stations on the air with reasonable signals. The only drawback for me is because of its shape its a challenge to carry up a tower.I had to resort to a cherry picker.
cheers Wayne VK4WTN

[VK2AOH]

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1444729694.682167.jpg

Just don't invite the cockatoos


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Pity we are not allowed to run a kilowatt....cooked cockatoos

[VK5IR]

Earlier in the year I built a four band hex beam to the plans supplied by K4KIO.

Hi Nick

Any idea how much the whole thing cost you to build?

Also, do you have any close-up photos? I'd love to see how you've put it together.

[VK2AOH]

All up it was around $370.00 approx for me to build. Wire and coax I had.

At a quick chase thru receipts

Hub from NDS Antennas $110.00 plus freight (don't think I could make one for that price even if I had an alloy welding rig)
6 x 5Metre heavy duty black fishing poles from Haverfords $149 inclu freight.
Length of 20mm conduit about $15
Liquid tape for sealing coax $15.95 (essential to seal the coax properly, bought from Leading Edge/Jaycar)
Stainless steel nuts and bolts about $60
Bag of cable ties say $20

Prices would vary of course depending where the various items were sourced.

All up not to expensive to build up and sorry forgot to take photos while the beam was on the ground. So no close up constructional shots.

The fishing poles had to be cut short a bit as they were to long.

If the K4KIO instructions are followed step by step there are no real assembly difficulties.

Good luck if you go ahead with building one.

Cheers, Nick

[VK2GJC]

I am very happy with my K4KIO Hex Beam