You are TRULY unbelievable, Colin!! Your many projects are simply well thought-out, and financially feasable. Your Hexbeam is my next project to accomplish!! I Thank you so very much for ALL that you have done to advance the Ham science/art!! .....Ron K6PAM
@@MM0OPXFieldRadio regrettably I sold it a few years ago after my interest waned a little. I'm now building a 15m moxon (on the cheap), see how that goes.. all the best
Great Stuff Colin! As usual you do a great amount of research, and engineering in your builds. Very well done! Be looking to build one of these for our club's field day!
Appreciated John. Your right, theres about 80% research. Simple is always better, usually over complicate it before discovering the simple way. The Hex will make a great club field day antenna for you guys.
Fantastic, Colin! I have been following your work for a while now and have really stopped buying antennas ever since you showed me how easy it was to test and build my own. I’m very excited to see the final design and bill of materials so I can get started on building a MM0OPX Hexbeam for myself!
Great work! I’ve been watching your work on moxon antennas and have ordered parts to build one for 20m. This hex beam might be the one I build after the moxon. Thank you for the great videos!
Top quality work Colin. Very impressive and neat build. I like the idea of stainless wire but for a permanent build. Looking forward to seeing how all works in future video's.👍
@@MM0OPXFieldRadio Yeah I think so too, but I am still sceptical about the final price point 😄 I did some quick browsing through Amazon etc. and my total is probably going to be closer to 250. Still much better than something like a BuddiHex for example, though 😉
Really great project Colin - thanks for sharing this. Using tent poles is genius as they are readily available and very strong. I admire the way you are using easily available stuff to make it. Have had a Hexbeam for a long time - really interested in the specifics of the wire clamps you sourced as that is a tricky problem to solve (I built my first heavy-duty hexbeam a few years ago using the K1KIO site but now have one from Ant in Wales). Looking forward to the next video mate. 73
Thanks Tom. I don't see the point in showing folks how to build something they cant get parts for. Any part of this can be replaced super easy. Problem with non branded fibreglass poles and you can rarely buy the same ones twice. Lots of snagging to do and the elements may need trimming. 73 for now 👍
Hey there Colin! This video inspired me to look into the hexbeam design. (I've been a ham since the early 80's but not much active since late 80s...getting into it again as I near retirement). Anyhoo, I was looking G3TXQ's (SK) information, and noted the troubles and degraded performance when trying to include lots of bands (as you plan to do) due to coupling between elements of adjacent bands. So here's an idea for an experimentation minded bloke like yourself: What if you were to alternate the driven and reflector elements on each end of the beam, making pattern for every alternate band "backward" on the framework?. Shouldn't be so hard to adjust for in operation with just two pointers on the mast labled with the bands they corrispond to. While this would still put the driven elements in close proximity to the adjacent reflectors, the hex-beams asymetric element shap means they only paralell(ish) for part of thier length. The hexbeam is rather well suited in being able to pull such a stunt, as the feedpoint remains in the middle, unike a classic two element yagi. There are six possible directionalities, so there might even be something to be gained by turning each set of elements 240 degrees with respect to the next lower band. This would minimize the paralellism of any of the elements on adjacent bands. Yes, I do think to much...is that a bad thing? 73 de ko0b.
Without sounding entitled, yes I probably do. The channel is growing faster than ever currently but I wont make content just for the sake of it to gain subs or views.
@@MM0OPXFieldRadio Sounds like a plan, I got some ideas from your build and I looked at mine and I have parts to hold the wires and didn't need to design and print
@@MM0OPXFieldRadio not I my current conditions. I do radio in sessions of 30 min max when coming home from work, I post my activities here on yt. With more time available this would be great! 73!
Hi Tom, im always thinking about this but I have so much snagging points to remedy. I may get it in the air and need to adjust wire lengths. I will also take me time to compile a detailed BOM with links. At a guess its Mar/April. Keep an eye on my community page as I will post occasional updates. Better still follow me on twitter as I post much more there.
I quite fancied using stainless balustrade wire for a project i am on with but i was a little put off by its conductivity or should i say what i have read. If this works it will be spot on for portable as you will get loads less tangle and kinks, also its a whole lot stronger than copper bouncing about. Brilliant video anyway 73’s M3VWN
Looking great Colin! Was just wondering if you think 12.7mm poles would work better as they are readily available everywhere as well? Or do you think it`ll get too heavy?
Colin been watching your post and details but I can't find the details on distance of the elements specifically for all frequencies you have tested. I very much like your design for the price point you shared. Can you share the exact measurements of the distance to get the bands you successfully made available. And are those poles aluminum or fiberglass tent poles. Tnx and 73s to all... 👌🏼
Check my other Hexbeam videos, most have the link to the Hexbeam info files. Its a google spreadsheet. The details you want are along tabs at the bottom.
13:25 I build myself a Hex Beam antenna .. i wish i had built the center post as in the video...i used PVC pipe and dont ever use copper wire for connecting the terminal between band on the center post ...😂 have tried that and the swr too high, use Coaxial rg213 instead ....
Hello. I've subscribed to your channel for a long time. But the Hexbeam will be my next project. My Maria Maluca is to be replaced. Most of the material is also available on eBay here in Germany. With great anticipation for your material list and wire lengths. 73 de DO8MN
Can you tell me the weight of your hexbeam design? I believe the KIO version is 25lbs or 11.3kg. Is the wire for the elements the same as gripple wire which is used to hang overhead fixtures and light fittings in factories etc.
@@nandrews8412 Actually that's not quite correct. There are many 3d printing services that you can send a design to and they will print the parts for you, and there are many vendors on places like Etsy that will sell parts for anything they can make a profit on. Most public libraries have 3d printers for public use, and anyone with kids in school probably has access to them indirectly, and the friend of a friend probably has one as well. 3d printers start at $100-200 so there's little reason not to have one. They provide better solutions than off the shelf parts for many things. The clips and brackets you are having to modify or find something that sort of works for can be made better with 3d printing. Your designs can be improved with 3d printed parts. Design it both ways and see. Make what you need instead of making do. Makers should have good tools and the 3d printer is the best tool I have ever purchased. Also good for custom project and balun enclosures.
Colin, what (make and source) the hydraulic pipe clamps that you are using? I can find something similar locally but, they would be quite expense to use them.
NP, Stauff are are "original" brand but very expensive and no better than RSB if you can get those. May be cheaper sourcing from Europe and shipping them to you depending on amount you need.
