Sidebar Sidebar
  • You can now help support WorldwideDX when you shop on Amazon at no additional cost to you! Simply follow this Shop on Amazon link first and a portion of any purchase is sent to WorldwideDX to help with site costs.

moxon build

309hellinois

309hellinois

Active Member
Oct 5, 2014
152
74
38
47
illinois
I'm looking at building my own moxon for 11m and am fairly certain I've figured out the "frame" that I'd like to use. I'm leaning towards the X configuration but I like the H frame too.
To help, it will be horizontal and I'm going to use PVC to build it. I figured with the X frame I could use 1/2" pvc for the spreaders.
For those who have built their own 10 or 11 meter moxons, do you have any advice? Are there advantages from one design to another? Ie, wind load, weight, strength, and even visibility.
This is not something I would be breaking down and I live in the Midwest with plenty of snow and ice.
Any suggestions from those who have built them would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance!
 

Homer and M0GVZ would be the members to talk to in this case.

Right off the bat I would think that 1/2" pvc is pretty flimsy, but it may support wire if you bow it up as support for a raised wire type setup with a nice center 4 leg X support.

Watch out for resonance issues depending on the type of wire you use. I think this design is pretty sensitive in this regard. Homer can give you some tips.

Good luck and keep us posted.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 309hellinois
Marconi said:
Homer and M0GVZ would be the members to talk to in this case.

Right off the bat I would think that 1/2" pvc is pretty flimsy, but it may support wire if you bow it up as support for a raised wire type setup with a nice center 4 leg X support.

Watch out for resonance issues depending on the type of wire you use. I think this design is pretty sensitive in this regard. Homer can give you some tips.

Good luck and keep us posted.
Click to expand...
If I stick with the X frame, I plan to bow it a bit to help with strength. I used moxgen to get my lengths. As I've read, the lengths can be a little long. My main concerns after reading on these are strength in ice and wind.
 
I'll tell you what, hobie102 has seemed to have very good luck and results with the ones he built, we don't get to talk to each other often due to conditons, but when we do it's usually a 10-20 minute qso and he comes in strong the whole time. The moxon must be working as he is in VT and i am in FL! But at any rate over build it! Use good parts and it should hold up fine. Good luck and have fun! I need to get off my butt and give one a try as well! God Bless.
 
I really don't understand why there is such a large Moxon "following", unless space is the deciding factor.
A Moxon is nothing more than a 2 element Yagi with the ends of the elements folded back towards each other to occupy less physical space.

It cannot possibly have more gain than a 2 element Yagi, and in fact, has a little bit less.

a 3-4-5 element Yagi will absolutely outperform the Moxon.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Captain Kilowatt
DainBramage said:
I really don't understand why there is such a large Moxon "following", unless space is the deciding factor.
A Moxon is nothing more than a 2 element Yagi with the ends of the elements folded back towards each other to occupy less physical space.

It cannot possibly have more gain than a 2 element Yagi, and in fact, has a little bit less.

a 3-4-5 element Yagi will absolutely outperform the Moxon.
Click to expand...
I live in a rented house and I'm probably pushing the patience of my landlord with a dipole off the back of the garage. Space is certainly a factor for me.

Thanks for the comments so far. The mast will be pvc as well which is anchored to the top of the back side of the garage. I will be raising the height of that as well. I've had luck with my inverted v even with the feed point only at 13' off the ground and only 4' off the top of the garage. We will see what the landlord has to say when I raise the feed point and make it horizontal.
 
Same here, space is an issue for me as well, wouldn't mind trying it for the heck of it anyway, I have plenty of 1/2" conduit laying around and wire shouldn't be an issue either.
 
I am not too concerned about ice, but wind could be a big factor! It's just a thought at this point for me but space is one of this issues I deal with as well, I'm sure the neighbors love the 5/8 wave tornado lol.
 
1/2 " EMT conduit, bend it with a conduit bender, cut it to length. Build your moxon.

Strong, not need to worry about wind or ice or snow.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 222DBFL
I may just wait until I buy a house to ditch the dipole. Hopefully the raised feed point and changing to horizontal will help enough to hold me over.
 
A dipole can work for both local and dx, I used a dipole for both local and dx, as long as it's not up too high it will work for local as well as dx being on the horizontal. Not the best but from my own experience it can and does work. My dipole was at approx 25ft and it worked well locally and did a great job dxing as well. I guess the definition of local comes into play, but for what it's worth what I used did work locally. More front to back for sure but it did have some side to side. Again this is from my own experience but my locals are close too so that could be the difference? At any rate, a dipole is about the simplest way to get on air IMO. Under 10 dollars in parts can have you talking world wide with decent conditons!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Marconi
I only have one local left and he sits on 38 lsb with a vertical. Local is not a concern on my "base". Keeping weight down for my make shift pvc mast and a lower visual footprint are high priority. Now I'm just trying to maximize results for what I have to work with. I may still build a moxon and try out a few different designs.
I just figured I'd ask what worked for some of you and what didn't.
 

dxChat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.


      Top Bottom
      Back