Multiband Wire Antennas
Focus is on the Hex Beam
Concepts to Consider
• Bending of Antenna Elements
• Spacing Between Elements
• Feed Point Considerations
• Mounting Methods
• Wire Management
• Environmental Wind , Ice etc.
Some multiband Wire antennas
• Fan Dipole
• Cobb Web Antenna Omnidirectional
Multiband
• Spider Beam - Multiband Multi Element
• X Beam Single Band - Predecessor to Hex
Beam
• Classic Hex Beam Mike Traffie N1HXA
• Broad Band Hex Beam Steve Hunt G3TXQ
Multiband Dipole most common
Cobweb Antenna
The Cobb Web Antenna
Cobb Web Characteristics
• 5 Bands on an 8 ½ foot square
• Omnidirectional
• Requires 4:1 matching
• Can Be built from simple materials
• Light Weight
• Jeff Maddox KG5AMQ Built one of these
• G3TXQ has a good description and design info
• Could fit in some attics
Spider Beam Multi Band Multi Element
Used on many Dxpeditions
V shape reduces overall size
Light Weight
Highest Gain of all these Antennas
• At least 3 elements on most Bands
• 4 elements on 10 meters
• The Manufacturer Builds portable
Models
• Makes it attractive for Dxpeditions
• For details go to www.spiderbeam.com
Historical Hex Beam Development
• The origin of the Hex was probably the X-
Beam
• Published in the ARRL hand book
• Similar to Moxon
• Single band operation
• Mike Traffie created his antenna in 1992
• G3TXQ created the Broadband in 2002
Predecessor to the Hex
just some additional bending
More Bending Leads to the Hex
The Hex Beam or Beams
• Good Reviews on DX
• Coverage of 20 through 6 meters with the
WARC bands
• Compact and lightweight
• Good directionality 20 DB or better FB
• Two basic types: Broadband G3TXQ – The
Traffie N1HXA Classic
Size Comparisons
Hex versus 3 element 20 Meter Yagi
Comparison with 5 band TW Antenna
Where do you start?
• Lots of Internet sources mostly for the
Broadband model
• Best source: the G3TXQ web site – Steve Hunt
built hundreds of models and tuned and
tested them
• K4KIO commercialized the G3TXQ model and
published a DIY model for the build it crowd.
• Yahoo has a forum on Hex Beams
Broadband Hex Beam Specs
• Beam Diameter: Approximately 22 feet
• Height from Base: 39 1/2 inches
• Weight <29 lbs
• Wind Surface Area: approximately 5 Sq. Ft.
• SWR: < 1.75:1 at 50 feet < 2.0 :1 @ 20 feet
• Typical: <1.5:1
• Power Rating: 1500 Watts
• Front to back: >10db all bands
• Typical: > 15db all bands
• Gain: Equivalent to 2 element beam
Components
• Baseplate – generally Hex shaped – other
shapes also used
• Spreaders – generally fiberglass – Mike Traffie
has his custom made – K4KIO - Max Gain
Systems– DX Engineering - some use fishing
poles
• Center pole – Coax feed – many variations –
Coax Jumpers – Coax Poles – Balanced feeders
Components ( continued )
• Wire guides – K4KIO uses Rubber guides with
SS center - early DIY used loops made of wire
ties -Traffie uses plastic tubes – All generally
use hose clamps to position the wires
• Rope to Hold Spreaders in position – Most use
Dacron rope – some use rope with Kevlar –
Traffie uses phillistran
Center Pole Types
Baseplate Types
Hex with push-up Mast
My first Hex
Rotor Mount and Thrust Bearing
Present Installation with 30- 40 – 80
Dipoles
Texas Towers
KP2CX US Virgin Is.
Bob Burkett Hex with 2 meter
K5DCZ
Some Thoughts for the Future
• Smaller Versions
• Attic Hex - Ghost version
• Classic Hex with special 20 meter design
• Less than 16 ft diameter vs 19.5 feet
• Looking at small size 30 – 40 meter version
• Standard 40 meter is 42 ft in diameter
• Shooting for under 35 ft diameter with same
performance
