10 Dolla 440 Beam

[kg6ypa]

Here is a 10 doller 440 beam made from the K7MEM website.

 

[ki6baw]

Looks like something you would put together YPA. Perfect for a scrapper. . But hey long as it works.

 

[kk6gun]

I like to use that guys site to calculate the beams out too, NICE use of hardline dave.

i always go long element spacing just cuz M2 does it that way, but i think its time to experiment with a really long boom beam for fun.

 

[FatHam]

Full quieting in to the machine from an HT. ZERO cost because I had some 8ga ground wire laying around to make the elements with, 3' of scrap 1/2" PVC and a cut off RG8X pigtail with PL259 that was in the trash. I guess if I had to purchase it all, it would have been $8-$9.


Thanks to Dave/YPA for the links and on air guidance.
Here we go...

 

[Moleculo]

Full quieting in to the machine from an HT. ZERO cost because I had some 8ga ground wire laying around to make the elements with, 3' of scrap 1/2" and a cut off RG8X pigtail with PL259 that was in the trash. I guess if I had to purchase it all, it would have been $8-$9.
View attachment 9757

Thanks to Dave/YPA for the links and on air guidance.
Here we go...

Hold it straight up into those clouds and see if it will double a a lightning rod

 

[FatHam]

Hold it straight up into those clouds and see if it will double a a lightning rod

Or maybe we can put in on the W9WDX repeater and give it some ears <can not stand it>

 

[KF6IRK]

You Damn Nerds

OK, I made one too. It's a 9-element from K7MEM's design specs (it's supposed to be an 11-element, but I wanted to keep the boom length to +/- 48"). I used the DL6WU spacing.

It's made from 3/4" PVC (painted gloss gray) and 1/8" aluminum rod. Elements were secured to the boom (through the boom) with silicon caulk, then coated over with PVC cement.

Employed a hairpin driven element and used some stainless clamps and #10 hardware to connect the coax. SWR is pretty decent @ 1.2:1. It appears to be resonant at quite a few other freqs in the 440 band too, including some ATV freqs

I'm using it as an RX antenna to the ICOM receiver, 15' above ground, haphazardly aimed at the K9KOA repeater.

Quick check: signal strength went up from a nominal 5 up to 9 (not sure I even have it aimed correctly yet, and how the atmospheric conditions are today ... will do more aiming and testing over the next few days)

It's not very pretty, but it appears to be working. Going to build some more in the future, but with square aluminum booms and larger diameter elements.

Thanks for the technical help guys

 

[KF6IRK]

Update.

I inserted an SWR meter between the 10 Dolla 440 Beam and the TS-2000. Happy to report that it read 1.1:1 at 444.500 when pumping 5 watts into it, and 1.2:1 with 50 watts.

'KAO' is blasting the 2000's RX with '60 over' even with the ATT on. I think I'll just dial in the TX freq from now on ?

I'm gonna leave this yagi connected to the 2000 and have routed the Comet 333's UHF [triplexer] lead to the Icom receiver.

Signed: Tickled Pink

 

[KF6IRK]

Responding to an email from TonyV225 at WorldwideDX Amateur Radio Forums:

"I was curious what meter or analyzer you were using when making your 440 beam? Ive never seen a meter like that and like the Frequncy display "

(BTW, I got a failure notice when I attempted to email you a reply)


I just tried to keep the dimensions as close as possible to the design specs from the K7MEM web site.

The analyzer used to find the best feed point was a Comet CAA-500
http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/9800

The meter I stuck in line yesterday was a Radio Shack 2M/440 SWR meter (Cat. No. 19-320)
http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/10816

Good luck ...

 

[KF6IRK]

I was planning on building some 900mHz yagis for a couple of video transmitters I have here, but ran across a really good deal on 4 commercially made yagis for $60. (shipped even).

Two are 8 element, and the other two are 15 element

I don't think I could build them for less ...