AMEN Robert! As I roof mounted my HT on a 40 year old metal barn that has
survived tornado alley its whole life except for the two 14x14 doors being
blown off, I chose to give it a 4-way Phillystran guy at the top of the
tower section rather than build a rooftop structure strong and stiff enough
to let it free stand. I don't know how much wind it will survive now but it
should be more than 75MPH and if it should fail I am pretty sure it will be
the round aluminum tubing above the triangular tower section that folds and
most likely at the point where the largest diameter tube exits the
triangular tower part. The tubing should be imminently replaceable if that
happens. I'm not sure how much wind the tower section will take safely with
the guys I have on it but it should be significantly above the county's
70MPH standard listing.
I have a a very good long time friend who has 35+ years of hands on
mechanical engineering experience who visits me for a week or two each year
and who demands I have projects for him to work on. The custom HT install
was one of those.
I too have the 160 meter kit, the one with the 40M trap and long piece of
aluminum coated steel wire. Mine needs tuning as well. We can't do
everything first, can we?
Patrick AF5CK
-----Original Message-----
From: r miles
Sent: Thursday, September 05, 2013 2:39 PM
To: towertalk
Subject: [TowerTalk] HyTower vs other verticals
I can only state my experience. I can't give charts , numbers or some
esoteric computer software predictions. I chase DX. Mostly CW. At this
location I've had a Hustler & a Hygain trap vertical. Modest radial
system. Two yr.s ago I put up a used HyTower. With a better radial
system. 25 buried radials each apx 80' long.
The HT is far & away the better on 40m. It's primary usage band. On 75m
where I do go chasing DX it's a very good performer. The only better 40m
ant. to me would be a gain ant. such as a yagi or quad. I have an 80m
1/2 sq. wire array too. The HT & it are pretty close in performance on
80m. In the directions the wire array is broadside. The HT is better in
the directions off the ends of the wire array.
I can't imagine removing the band stingers. You never know. I always try
to have a back up ant. for each band. I try to be prepared for some
rare one if my primary ant. is out of service. A modest ant. is a lot
better than NO ant. or a dead one.
I also had a 30m monoband 1/4 wave vertical up. With a good radial
system. It was better than the wire I had up. Three yr.s ago I replaced
the 30m vertical with a 2 ele Moxon yagi. A world of difference. Half
the stn.s on 30m use verticals or tune their 80m or 40 wire ant. The
Moxon is head & shoulders above that. Built from RL Cebiks data it's
only the size of a normal 2 el 20m monoband yagi.
My HT is rated to be selfsupporting in up to 75 MPH wind. I had a
stronger gust just before last Christmas. HT folded at the base & broke
the insulators. It is now repaired & vertical again. I'm using 4000#
t/strength 5/16'' non metal guys. I noticed no change in performance. I
just added the Hygain inverted L 160m add on. Not cut properly yet so
this winter season it'll get a try out when I get it tuned.
I've always wanted a HT. It was beyond my means. Rarely are they for
sale. Like a good radio, guys don't part with equipment they are happy
with. They go used for $400 to $500. I'd rather spend that than $250
for some 24' modern trap vertical if I could afford it. I brought my HT
from Fl to NW Tn on my car roof racks. Not ever been sorry I finally got
one. It's a pain putting in a yard of concrete for the base but the
performance on 80/75m & 40m is great. It tunes FB with excellent SWR on
the other bands but I have yagis on those bands so I don't use the HT
there.
If I could only be able to have 1 antenna for all bands I'd want a
HyTower.
K9IL
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