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Reviews For: HexKit

Category: Antennas: HF: Yagi, Quad, Rotary dipole, LPDA

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Review Summary For : HexKit
Reviews: 5MSRP: 99.95 for baseplate
Description:
Baseplate Kits and Parts for G3TXQ hex beam antenna builders
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.hexkit.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0055
AB2WI Rating: 2010-10-16
excellent quality Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Great workmanship. Quick delivery. Who could ask for more. I built my three band hex beam (10, 15, 20 mtrs) using 3/4 inch schedual 40 PVC water pipe for the spreaders. I had to extend each one by two feet to make them 12 feet long. I then put the splice closest to the spreader base and inserted a 3/4 inch by 4 foot wooden dowel so that the splice is in the middle of the wooden dowel. The spreader does not flex untill after the 4 foot dowel so only 8 feet of the 12 foot spreader is flexing. Very sturdy. looks great and so far works great. we will see how it does through the winter. You can see pictures of it on QRZ.COM. My call sign is AB2WI. 73 Jerry
KI6NQT Rating: 2009-04-05
awsome to deal with! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Ordered baseplate and spreaders with other odds and ends,everything was shipped the same day. On the spot emails and tracking.
Couldn't of asked for any better!
NW7D Rating: 2009-02-25
High Quality product Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Recently I constructed a 6-Band Hex beam following Leo's (K4KIO) excellent plans for the G3TXQ design. The only component that I did not want to make myself was the critical basebplate. W4RDM's high quality baseplate for the Hex beam is excellent with very professional workmanship, I highly recommend it to anyone who plans to build a hexbeam. My hexbeam continues to amaze me with it's DX performance - if I can hear 'em, I'm working 'em.
WD6S Rating: 2008-11-04
Strong foundation for a Hexbeam Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
When you decide to build a hexbeam the hex kit provides a sold foundation for the antenna. Everything fits precisely together, and it positions the 6 arms accurately. I'm not a metal worker so this really made building the hexbeam possible for me. The beam has been up now for over six months and no problems whatsoever with the hexkit.
N4KC Rating: 2008-09-20
Many ways to skin a cat Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Mike Traffie makes a fine product with his hexbeams. This antenna is also a great do-it-yourself project for those of us who like to roll our own. The problem with most of these type antennas is coming up with a baseplate that is light enough yet strong enough to maintain the proper shape for a wire beam. Aluminum is the best choice, but there are problems for those like me who are ill-equipped.

I don't have the tools or equipment (or patience) to properly measure, cut and drill a piece of aluminum to make a proper base plate. Thankfully, Ron W4RDM does. While his commercially-available base plate kit may seem pricey, it is actually such a key cog in the final product that I think it is a bargain at the price. Plus Ron includes the U-bolts, hardware, and floor flanges that make this thing bullet proof.

Here's the deal. If you don't want to fool with building a homebrew hex, buy Mike's. It is a tough, multi-band (if you want it), low-windload, easy-to-turn antenna that works slightly better than a full-sized 2-element yagi on each band. Mike also offers, I understand, great customer service and one thing you won't get with a homebrew antenna -- a guarantee.

However, if you want to build your own and have a machine shop, drill your own base plate. If not, get W4RDM's kit. It took me 10 minutes to attach my fiberglass spreaders to it and it looks like it could handle the next hurricane with no trouble. (MaxGain has pre-cut spreaders, wire and rope, too, and if you follow K4KIO's directions from his website, you'll have a good antenna, built with your own hands). I don't think I'll have to worry about durability since it is alumnium with stainless steel hardware.

Thanks to W4RDM and to MaxGain for making these parts available. There could not be much profit in them and they sure do open up the options for us all-thumbs, ill-equipped antenna builders.

Don N4KC
www.n4kc.com
www.n4kc.blogspot.com
www.donkeith.com