Question about lengthing my beams..

[RedBaron324]

ok.. i have a Maco 103c... i'd like to length it from 11' 7" to 20' and add 2 elements... has anyone in here done this before? i have plans... im more looking for help with parts.. i talked to maco and they wanted outrageous prices and had to get more tubing than i needed... can i just have a friend Tig weld 4 some ft on each end with out effecting anything? and anyone ever use expanding foam in the tubing to help stop drooping? any help would be so apperciated!

324 the red baron around the corn fields of illinois

73's

[MDYoungblood]

You should look for plans to a 5 element beam, use the measurements off it. Parts wise, aluminum tubing is expensive no matter who you get it from, look at ham antenna websites (can’t give a link because they aren’t sponsors but “DX” comes to mine) as their prices were rather reasonable the last time I checked. Don’t worry about the droop and I wouldn’t use expanding foam as it only will add to the weight.

3’s

Greg

[RedBaron324]

I have sourced a set of very good 5 element plans..that's why I'm looking for necked or swaged aluminum.. and was wondering if I just had the footage tig'd to each end to save a little when the place I talked to wanted me to buy twice as much because they only would "neck" one end... Just seems like a waste... Of material and money. Plus tried telling and selling a guy wire brace because they said it'll droop at 20' .. can a person use something stiffer if that's the issue? Maybe a couple 10' wooden dowels inside the boom? That's why I brought up the foam.. and ideas?

[jessejamesdallas]

IMO not only would it droop, it may not last very long in a wind storm...not to mention it may not tune very good at that length...

best option would be to just add a extension to the boom and 2 more elements like you were talking about if you want to increase forward gain...

Or...do like I did and scrap the whole thing and buy a full wave quad!

[MDYoungblood]

full wave quad!

3’s

Greg