I just placed an order with Radioworld in Toronto, Ontario for a new HF antenna to replace my beat up and busted old Cushcraft A3 tribander. I ordered the Hy-Gain Explorer-14 and the QK-710 add-on kit for 40m as well as an Ameritron RCS-10 eight position remote antenna switch. They had only one of each item left in stock. Phase one of the new antenna system has begun!
I plan to mount the new antenna on the old smaller tower this year and purchase a new 56 foot T500 series Trylon Titan tower next year. Later this summer/fall I will purchase a new rotator to handle all the HF antennas that are going on the new tower next year. It's all just too much $$$$ to do in one year. I had planned to buy a Hy-Gain DB-1217 as well but was told Radioworld is out of stock and the DB-1217 has been discontinued. MFJ still has some in stock but shipping to here is a bitch from Mississippi. I may try my hand at converting the old A3 to 12 and 17m. I think the tubing is long enough to extend out to cover 12m and I have some I can use if it is not. The traps will have to be rewound to resonate on 12m but that should just involve taking some turns from the 15m trap. The element tips beyond the "new" 12m traps will have to be extended to cover 17m but I have lots of tubing I can use for that. It could prove interesting to see if it will work. I'm hoping for three elements on 12 and 17m but may have to settle for two on each depending on the shape of what is left of the old A3. Two of three elements actually fell off the boom and plummeted the 40 feet to the ground.
The rest of the A3 needs new element-boom hardware and a few places reinforced where the elements mount to the boom but I believe I can get it to work.That will probably be a project for next summer as I have a plate full this year with some other non-radio related projects going on. I have never felt so good about spending so much money! If this feeling holds next year I should be in heaven when I buy the tower.
I plan to mount the new antenna on the old smaller tower this year and purchase a new 56 foot T500 series Trylon Titan tower next year. Later this summer/fall I will purchase a new rotator to handle all the HF antennas that are going on the new tower next year. It's all just too much $$$$ to do in one year. I had planned to buy a Hy-Gain DB-1217 as well but was told Radioworld is out of stock and the DB-1217 has been discontinued. MFJ still has some in stock but shipping to here is a bitch from Mississippi. I may try my hand at converting the old A3 to 12 and 17m. I think the tubing is long enough to extend out to cover 12m and I have some I can use if it is not. The traps will have to be rewound to resonate on 12m but that should just involve taking some turns from the 15m trap. The element tips beyond the "new" 12m traps will have to be extended to cover 17m but I have lots of tubing I can use for that. It could prove interesting to see if it will work. I'm hoping for three elements on 12 and 17m but may have to settle for two on each depending on the shape of what is left of the old A3. Two of three elements actually fell off the boom and plummeted the 40 feet to the ground.
The rest of the A3 needs new element-boom hardware and a few places reinforced where the elements mount to the boom but I believe I can get it to work.That will probably be a project for next summer as I have a plate full this year with some other non-radio related projects going on. I have never felt so good about spending so much money! If this feeling holds next year I should be in heaven when I buy the tower. 
