I have a C31, a c4 and here. Both perform well. That bit about elements
touching did hit a nerve
Here so a simple fix is to put an insulator between the 15 and 20 m elements
to keep them from touching. Force 12 sells them But they are easily made
from a piece of lexar cutting board and 2 compression clamps. I did this on
the advice Of W2GD B E F O R E I put the antenna up. For some contests
I also pput up the TH-3 tribander.
I consider the TH-3 to be a good antenna and great for grabbing mults in the
Caribbean. The c3E runs circles around the TH-3 in every test I have ever
run. Due to a rotor issue I used the C3E to make 548 q's on 20 M in the
SS last weekend at 45 feet on a rocket launcher. I thought the c3E to be a
bit pricey when I purchased it but considering that I have had zero issues
with either the c31 or the c3E since 2002, I think it is worth the money.
The TH-3 on the other hand has had 2 minor overhauls where I purchased the
hy gain over haul kit which replaces
All the hardware and the trap caps.
YMMV
73
Chet N4fX
-----Original Message-----
From: TowerTalk [mailto:towertalk-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Bill
Parry
Sent: Friday, November 21, 2014 9:57 AM
To: sawyered@earthlink.net; towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] N6BT, Force12inc and JK Antennas
I tend to agree. It has been my antenna of choice for the past 15 years. I
currently have a C3E (with the extra element on 10) and it works real nice.
We do multiop with this antenna our only one for 10-15-20. We consistently
get over 100 countries on the CQWWCW test on all three bands. Must work
fairly well. My current C3E is at 120 feet.
Advantages: Nice small antenna with very little upkeep. Rotator handles it
with easy.
Elements are stabile and don't vibrate and fall apart like
my Hygain monobanders used to.
Works real well on all bands
Disadvantages:
Very expensive (in my opinion) for an antenna of this size!
Some of the elements are so close together that they touch
in the wind and fault my Alpha.
I bought this antenna on a lark and put it up. My friends all used KT34XAs
at the time we did comparisons and the C3E was as good as or better than the
much larger and complex KT34XA. We use F12 antennas now! :-)
Bill W5VX
-----Original Message-----
From: TowerTalk [mailto:towertalk-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Ed
Sawyer
Sent: Friday, November 21, 2014 8:18 AM
To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] N6BT, Force12inc and JK Antennas
The C3 is the best short boom tribander out there in my opinion. I have
used them around the world. They are a clean pattern, smooth SWR across the
full band performer. At the end of the day, the gain available is a
function of boom length primarily. On 15 and 20, you are going to help
yourself by stuffing another element on a short boom. On 10M, the argument
could be made that another element would add value to this antenna, but the
antenna works as a nice package. On 12 and 17 - its just a rotary dipole
essentially - so if that's someone's interest, this isn't the antenna for
you.
Nice advantage for DXpeditions, you can break this baby down into a golf
case. And there are no finicky little motors and control lines to worry
about.
73
Ed N1UR
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