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Re: Topband: V160HD Titanex

To: Joe Wilkowski <k8fc@k8fc.com>
Subject: Re: Topband: V160HD Titanex
From: "Richard (Rick) Karlquist" <richard@karlquist.com>
Date: Tue, 06 Jul 2010 19:21:35 -0700
List-post: <topband@contesting.com">mailto:topband@contesting.com>
Somebody correct me if I am mistaken, but the Titanex antennas
are mainly a collection of pieces of tubing.  It would be easy
to reverse engineer the dimensions.  I see that Titanium tubing
is available here:

http://www.titaniumsports.com/TITANIUM%20TUBING%20PRICE%20LIST.pdf

Yes, of course, it is expensive.

Does anyone know the alloy that Titanex uses?

Apparently, high end bicycles are built with 3% aluminum 2.5% vanadium
alloy.  The tubes I mentioned above have 120 ksi ultimate tensile 
strength.  OTOH, 7075 aluminum is 83 ksi and even 6061-T6 is 45 ksi.
Considering that titanium is 50% heavier than aluminum, I don't
see where the strength to weight ratio is better for titanium vs 7075.
It would be a win against 6061-T6.

Comments?

Rick N6RK

Joe Wilkowski wrote:
> Folks, this past winter my V160S was destroyed by the winds in Colorado.  I 
> have been trying in vain to replace this antenna with a Titanex V160HD and 
> nothing has worked.  The manufacturer, Titanex, was extremely slow in 
> responding to repeated requests about the availability and shipping to the 
> US.  Finally they got back to me and said that they were having "trouble" 
> with their export license and could not export to the US.  I then tried to go 
> through another vendor in Europe who indicated that IF they could get the 
> product from Titanex they could export.  Investigating further I found out 
> that it could not be sent via a container in an Ocean going vessel without 
> special handling.  Lastly, the cost to have it flown to the US was virtually 
> the same or more than the cost of the antenna in the first place.  
> 
> I am now wondering how in the world all the US hams who own a Titanex V160 HD 
> ever got the thing in the first place.
> 
> Is there anyone out there that owns a V160HD and wants to part with it ?  I 
> really do want to put up the same antenna or even another V160S.  Or is there 
> a special secret to getting these things over here from Europe ?
> 
> I must say this has been a frustrating experience at the very least.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Joe K8FC
> _______________________________________________
> UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
> 
> 
_______________________________________________
UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK

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