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Hi All. After the 1st design and build of the 4 ele quad for the Buxton Bash, I liked it that much I designed a 6 ele quad for Portable sessions. It took a few weeks to get all the material together, measure, cut and drill the parts and boom joining spigots. Next step was a steady 180mile drive to C Durham with the lads for some testing, laughs and Megga Breakfast feasts.. This was the 1st time all parts were going together and when I found out how big it was . With the quad up at 25ft I did a 1st analyzer test for swr and resonance. 1.1swr at 27.370 which was fine for me, planned point was 27.450. 1st pic is the initial build, 2nd at 25ft and last at 50ft. Not bad for a portable station, Acom amp on standby if needed. I think the best but not longest was a qrp /P station in France on a vert. On our vert we could not hear him, on the quad was a clear 5-7, also a good chat with a friend in Northern Ire which was 5-6 to 5-8. I am not sure where this will fit at Buxton for next year, cant go on the road this time.
Cheers un beers
Andy591/P
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SangueG Major contributor
Call Sign : 26-CT-3971 / 2E0LMI Posts : 1316 Times Thanked : 85 Join date : 2021-01-30 QTH or Location : Cirencester, Gloucestershire Equipment Used : Little radios, home-made antennas
That's an effin beaut and make no mistake about it. Well done Andy, just flipping well done!
Andy591/P and Model Maker like this post
43CT016 Major contributor
Call Sign : 43-CT-016 Posts : 368 Times Thanked : 22 Join date : 2019-11-17 QTH or Location : Perth Equipment Used : iCom IC-7610/IC-9700/IC-705 Age : 55
Subject: Re: 6element H/Brew Quad for Portable. Thu Sep 02, 2021 5:53 am
Not what'd I'd call a portable antenna, but pretty damn impressive!
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Model Maker Contributor
Call Sign : 26-CT-4242 Posts : 67 Times Thanked : 1 Join date : 2021-08-31 QTH or Location : Southampton U.K. Equipment Used : Nill at the moment. Age : 66
Subject: Re: 6element H/Brew Quad for Portable. Thu Sep 02, 2021 9:06 am
Hi Andy591/P,
Very impressive
I think you should nick name it 'Stairway to Heaven'.
MM 26-CT-4242.
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Andy591/P New Member
Call Sign : M6PXY M0PXY Posts : 38 Times Thanked : 7 Join date : 2019-06-27 QTH or Location : Peterborough Equipment Used : Kwood TS590, 80ft portable tower . multiple h/b antennas. Acom 1kw amp.
Not what'd I'd call a portable antenna, but pretty damn impressive!
Thanks for the comment.
To let you know. I only operate as a Portable station, sometimes I test the smaller Antennas at home. My latest test on Saturday will be a 5 ele yagi for 17mtr as a portable station.
I guess I have built up my portable set up and knowledge over the years. Maybe its time to call it Extreme Portable.
Cheers un Beers
Andy 591/P
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Rjbingham Contributor
Call Sign : 14-CT-014 F5VLY Posts : 92 Times Thanked : 2 Join date : 2021-08-18 QTH or Location : Toulouse Equipment Used : Various
Looking at the photos is it vertically polarised? Either a awesome pile up buster, makes my 2ele Cubex look silly!!! Top job, I salute you..... Ady 14CT 014
Andy591/P likes this post
Andy591/P New Member
Call Sign : M6PXY M0PXY Posts : 38 Times Thanked : 7 Join date : 2019-06-27 QTH or Location : Peterborough Equipment Used : Kwood TS590, 80ft portable tower . multiple h/b antennas. Acom 1kw amp.
Looking at the photos is it vertically polarised? Either a awesome pile up buster, makes my 2ele Cubex look silly!!! Top job, I salute you..... Ady 14CT 014
Hi Ady
I fed it from the bottom in a Diamond configuration. I ran a few tests with other stations from Northern Ireland and into Spain. It works best on the Horizontal plain and no good for local groundwave nets.
I used to live at a property that had a garden 6.5mtr square, and surrounded by 3 story houses. That's the reason for portable and I haven't stopped planning and building yet.
I would like to see a photo of the Cubex you use. Is that for /P or possibly a H/brew.
Cheers Ady, hope to work you sometime. De Andy 591/P
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Rjbingham Contributor
Call Sign : 14-CT-014 F5VLY Posts : 92 Times Thanked : 2 Join date : 2021-08-18 QTH or Location : Toulouse Equipment Used : Various
Andy, thats a big debate within the Quad circles, horizontal or vertical, i prefer horizontal for noise rejection, however you have the diamond or square debate regarding wind loading.......(see the official Cubex site in the US) Either way they are great low profile antennas vs a yagi beam, mine covers 20/17/15/12/11-10m easily, can handle more than i can throw at it (2kw with the OM Power amp) and its bomb proof. This antenna is a Cubex PT5 with a heavy duty 3inch boom !!
https://www.cubexquads.com/
As you know Andy they have a great front to back ratio, mine is better comparing it to the 7 element yagi (with a 11meter boom) i have with a smaller boom.
Certainly looking forward to working you on 11m or anyband from 160 to 23cm when i get this blasted kitchen fitted for the wife !!!!
Regards Ady
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Rjbingham Contributor
Call Sign : 14-CT-014 F5VLY Posts : 92 Times Thanked : 2 Join date : 2021-08-18 QTH or Location : Toulouse Equipment Used : Various
Andy, a Cubex quad along the same lines you built.............awesome !!!!!!!!!
I Had not seen the Cubex quads before. The one I built was my own design using MMANA-GAL basic.
I had to search for a while to find the correct Fibreglass spreaders for me. I found that if I entered ; extruded fibreglass tube , that would put me onto to useful sites. The wire is none coated flexweave from Moonraker and the Ally was sourced from a local Stockists.
The total cost to build it from Nothing worked out at approx £68 per element, so you can see where the costs are when you add Labour costs to a project.
This is why I build my own Antennas, keeps the cost down. Now I have a boom that can go to 12mtr if needed, I will make bigger yagis to use. I can turn the 5 ele 17mtr into a 5 ele 15mtr, 6 ele 12,11 or 10mtr if I want to.
Cheers for now
Andy 591/P
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John123 CT Directors
Call Sign : 26CT763 Posts : 4591 Times Thanked : 165 Join date : 2019-06-27 QTH or Location : Manchester Equipment Used : Optima, Superstar 360fm, Stalker 9fdx, President Jack Age : 50
Subject: Re: 6element H/Brew Quad for Portable. Sat Sep 04, 2021 11:36 am
Today at 8:47 am by VanRougeT4
Subject: 6element H/Brew Quad for Portable. 
. With the quad up at 25ft I did a 1st analyzer test for swr and resonance. 1.1swr at 27.370 which was fine for me, planned point was 27.450. 1st pic is the initial build, 2nd at 25ft and last at 50ft. Not bad for a portable station, Acom amp on standby if needed. I think the best but not longest was a qrp /P station in France on a vert. On our vert we could not hear him, on the quad was a clear 5-7, also a good chat with a friend in Northern Ire which was 5-6 to 5-8. 
Wow! Just wow!
