Antennas
[9 Images]
US Towers HD-72 tower was installed in April 2001 after a couple of years seasoning horizontally in the sun.
Fun in the sun as OM N7EO digs the 4x4x7 foot hole for the tower base through twelve inches of topsoil followed by six feet of hard pack. (K4UQT Photo)
KLM KT-34A original antenna installed on tower is the core of the upgrade to the KT-36XA now in use. The KT-34A faithfully served RF since 1984 from QTH's in New Orleans LA, Twentynine Palms CA, Honolulu HI, Lemoore CA and Cantonment, FL. The antenna has been cleaned and refurbished with each move which has added to its longevity.
KT-36XA
is built from original KT-34A in two steps. First, the XA add on kit doubled the boom length
of the KT-34 boom from 16 feet to 32 feet and added two elements. Second, an upgrade package from
M2 Antennas was purchased
which replaces the old shorting
straps with new CNC milled parts yielding a much sturdier antenna.
KT-36XA at 75 feet uses five elements active on 20 and 15 meters and all six elements on 10 meters. Thanks to US Towers for making it possible for one person to completely install and raise a tower.
Hurricane stowage. The nested tower stores horizontal at 22 feet plus mast and the 32 foot antenna boom is securely lashed to the tower. Disassembled antenna elements are stored inside. It takes about 4 hours to drop the antenna and tower but several days to get all back in place. Picture here was taken after Hurricane Ivan in September 2004 which blew down twelve major trees on property.
PolyPhaser protection for cable entry to radio shack.
Results of a cable break on the 72' crank-up tower and fall from full height in October 2013. Many, many thanks to KZ4TT for rebuilding the tower and reinstallation.