As the summer arrives in the southern hemisphere, so do the shinny new G0KSC antennas. This is a pair built and installed by VK6OX. F/B is not to hard to achieve in a Yagi unless it has been built with the wrong materials or where matching devices distort the pattern or degrade performance. However, no such issues exist with Andy's antennas! When I asked him about F/B, this is what he reported:
'OK just did a quick test using our local 6m beacon (VK6RPH) which is 32kms away at 121.5 deg bearing. So beaming direct to the bcn, I have S9 on my Kenwood TS-2000. As you're probably aware, the TS2K's S-meter has often been criticised for being too conservative, however as I understand it, the Kenwood techs designed their S-meter calibration to closely match the Collins system. Anyway, swinging to 180 deg. away from the bcn, it was still audible but no S-meter reading. Further measurements have shown that at roughly 86 deg. from peak signal gives the best null. This is on both right and left sides of the peak, which suggests that the 1/4 wave "antenna balun" is doing its job of balancing the pattern.'
The 2 x 6el 6.4m long 50MHz LFAs at VK6OX
PY1XZ has also had his tool kit out this summer and has just completed a 9el 28/50MHz G0KSC dual-bander, here it is below:
The 9el 28/50 Dual-Bander at PY1XZ
ZL1ADT has also been busy and has completed a nice compact 6m long 6el LFA for 50MHz too!
The 6.0m long 6el 50MHz LFA built by ZL1ADT
Back up norht, IK4UQA asked for a custom 7el for 28MHz which I provided. This antenna does not just provide more than 1MHz of super-low SWR, the performance is maintained throughout too!
The 7el 28MHz OWA by G0KSC built by IK4UQA
Finally K1MEA sent me this super photo of his portable 4 x 12el 144MHz EME array. Now doesn't that look pretty??
The 4 x 12el 144MHz LFA array at K1MEA