Simon, I emailed you a video of your audio into SC on your beam! Awesome Job! That is the strongest signal ever!!! You know we are Beam brothers now! Wooo Hooo KO4GSM
BEAM BROTHER STEVE!! Woooohooooo. What can I say buddy! Holy smokes, this thing is nuts, and I have NEVER heard you that strong either mate. These beams are the best thing ever! Tomorrow buddy, I'm taking this bad boy up to the top of a mountain around 2pm pst and livestreaming, and I'll point it straight atcha wooohooo. Thanks for everything Steve. You're the best! Cheers my friend
I just ordered the last set of tent poles from your supplier. Going to make this SimonBeam. Looking forward to building the SimonBeam. Thanks for great design and inspiration. 73 de N6EF.
I have to tell you Simon, I'm 70% of the way to building one of these, It is a lot of work, props to ya mate, I keep coming back to these videos for inspiration, cheers
Wow thanks so much mate - now that we're getting into the fall, I'm planning on spending some more time on the beam and will definitely 'up my game' on the video front ha! Hope you've had an awesome summer mate. Cheers!
Great video Simon, hello from Nanaimo, loved the video and your enthusiasm, how could you not be excited by those calls, I was smiling from ear to ear, just worked Greg KJ6ER the other day, love DIY projects
Wooohooo thanks for your kind words mate. Oh yes, every time I turn the radio on and hear all of those stations, I just get giddy like a kid waking up on Christmas morning hahaha. Cheers mate, and happy DX!
Gust! Wooohoooo thanks for your kind words buddy. Fun is the best thing to have! Thanks for swinging by buddy and hope to hear you on the air some time soon. Cheers
Excellent, intriguing antenna idea. I was surprised by the performance of this homebrew project. Antenna experimentation is one of the top attractions to Amateur Radio. Aloha, Russ (KH6JRM).
G'day Russ, I'm blown away about this antenna buddy. I've had various reports from hams all over the US and Canada that work me regularly when I'm at the park, and they have never heard me this strong. Definitely a few db gain, and maximum fun! Woohooo Thanks for stopping by Russ. Cheers buddy
Ha! You're reading my mind mate - I'm going back and forwards about the schedule - 80 - it is definitely 'what I need' but I'll hold off for now in the short term, but definitely can see some sort of hybrid set up soon, especially for the mast. Thanks for watching mate! Cheers
Simon, you have inspired me to build one myself! I am using military 4ft aluminum poles for my 12ft boom. I have a 32-foot reflector, and for the driven element, I will be using two 17-foot telescopic antennas. I have a 1:1 balun I plan to use. How do I determine how far apart the reflector and driven element are positioned? Your boom was 8.5 ft, and mine is 12 ft (3 sections of 4ft poles). thanks for the awesome video Woo-hoo!
Uncle Guenter my buddy! Woohooo you’re too kind buddy. I’m going to work on getting up early one of these Saturdays buddy and pointing this towards Europe so we can chat on the airwaves! Wooohooo! You’re the best. Cheers and beers and happy 2024 buddy 👍🍻
Finally got a chance to check this and the magic tarp video out. Thanks overtime... so I may be a bit late to the party, but I definitely think a bigger mast would be a step in the right direction. I was thinking 3-4 inch diameter, and long enough to fit the boom and tent poles inside for carrying. Not sure how that might effect mounting, but it's a thought. It also might be worth it to maybe sleeve the middle of the boom with a 3-4 foot section of larger pipe. It might offer some extra support to combat the sag.
Wooohooo thanks so much for your input. That's a brilliant idea. I'm going to check my garage for some 2 inch and try it out. Thanks buddy much appreciated. Cheers!
Crazy is as crazy does 😆👍! Absolutely love your antenna projects, and your joy in them is infectious, keep them coming 📡👍!!! (One of these days I’ll be able to work you from here in Florida 🤞.) 73 de Dan WD4DB
Woohooo you betcha Dan, with this beam buddy we'll make a QSO! Thanks so much for swinging by and watching the video and leaving a comment. This is all so much fun buddy, wooohooo! Cheers mate.
David buddy! Oh yes buddy, tomorrow is the day I get all of this 'sorted' ready for a Saturday Live Beam Stream Wooohooo. Thanks for all of your encouragement my friend. Wooohooo!
A 2 element yagi can be driven and reflector or driven and director. So you could make a 10/12m dual band Yagi where you only have to change the length of the driven element. Not sure how other bands would relate. I know from building big monoband yagis that element spacing is critical for performance. Maybe not at a low height like this though.
Try using wooden dowel instead of PVC, I've given up using PVC for ideas like this. In the lengths you are playing with, I don't think there's too much of a weight difference to be worried about and the flex would be negligible compared to PVC. Curtain rod dowels work great.
Hey buddy, that's a great idea. The reason I went with the PVC is because I had it lying around. I'll definitely look into using some dowel. Love the idea buddy, keep em coming this is so much fun. Cheers!
I was hoping to make contact with you during that outing, with my homemade 10-20 vertical, but I just didn't have enough radials laid down to make the thing effective (ran out of wire). This one is basically a 10-foot 3-inch PVC sewer pipe buried 3 feet in the ground, a coupling, and another 10-foot PVC pipe, with wires for 10/12/15/17/20. The structure needs a couple more feet for the 20 to go straight up, but for now it curves over the top and down a little on the other side of the pipe. The element and radial plates were made from scrap metal I had sitting around. The whole thing was deaf as a post with only 6 radials. I laid another 6 today and started making contacts, and even made it into the Canary Islands on 17 meters! This was just "proof of concept," and I'm going to recreate it more permanently with smaller diameter pipe- now that I found out that 1-1/2-inch schedule 80 fits tightly inside 2-inch schedule 80. The idea behind this one is a broke guy's version of a DX-Commander, except a permanent install, free-standing with no guy wires. We had some pretty good wind the other night, and this thing didn't come apart, despite the PVC NOT being glued!
Wow mate, that's absolutely awesome! Congrats on the progress. I hear ya mate, I'm all about building antennas for cheap - if it conducts electricity, you can build an antenna out of it hahaa. Happy building buddy! Cheers
Good video! It's hard to see on the video how the driven element is done - are the tent poles conductive with a foil covering on them or something, or is there a wire for each half of the driven element that is attached to the pole? Just realised maybe they're aluminium poles?
Hey there Quentin, thanks for your comment buddy. In the tent pole kits you get a 4 inch aluminium sleeve which is about 1-2 sizes larger than the tent poles. I guess this is a sleeve to use in an 'emergency' if one of the poles bends or snaps on you. So I used a piece about 2 inches long of 3/8 dowel, which I scored a groove in the top so the elastic would fit snug in it, then taped it all up flush with the tent poles on either side, INSULATED from each other. Then I slid them inside the sleeve that comes with the kit and taped it all up. Does that make sense mate? Happy building! I'm going to try the beam out on a livestream at 22:00 UTC today from the beach Woohooo!
Alex!! Wooohooo I LOVE THIS! Are you a sailor? That is the PERFECT knot for this! Thank you my friend, I LOVE IT! Thanks for sharing this buddy. Cheers
Absolutely! What a fantastic idea... I'm realizing more and more from experimenting, that the reflector has very little to do with SWR, just radiation pattern - so rock the radiating element and you've got an amazing dipole. Cheers buddy
With the PVC, try adding expanding spray foam inside the boom, it may add some support without adding much more weight. Failing that, try bamboo inside PVC or instead of. Hope that helps. 73s G5MCL
Steve buddy! Your signal is always the strongest and most consistent. It's time for me to fire back some high sizzling RF your way with this beam hahahaha. Wooohooo! Cheers brother Steve Thanks for everything mate.
Omg we have the same antenna lol mine is only 15. 10m bands lol. I use 2inch poles with the 1and half inside for strength to what a video mate I’ll be pointing mine your way very soon wooowoooo
Wooohooo that's awesome buddy. I'm going to livestream tomorrow and try and make it a regular Saturday thing, and it will be earlier so hopefully will be able to make it into the UK and we can make contact buddy! Wooohoooo. Happy building buddy. This is so much fun. Cheers my friend
Do you have any concerns about the pvc not holding up to the weight? Great idea for 'portable' use. Seams easier to set up than a Hexbeam Portable. W7RTA
Charlie! Wooohooo - it's a dream to set up buddy.... 10-15 mins max and that's just as I start on this 'rabbit hole'... as for the 'weight'... that's a great question mate. Ideally you want to get this thing up as high as possible, but as a compromise, it's pretty sweet having it only 8-10 feet off the ground. I'm working on the 'master plan' of mechanics for it, with what I have, and maybe I'll upgrade to heavier stuff - stay tuned hahaha. Cheers my pal
Hey buddy, I would say if you can get this at 12 feet you'd be rocking! Mine is at 8 feet, and it works GREAT on the higher bands, and I know it is compromised on say 17-20 meters. A tip would be if you can get it up 12 feet, just leave some string dangling from each of the 4 ends so you can pull on it to bring it down to grabbing height to make the adjustments. The poles are very flexible. Let me know how you go. Happy building mate. Cheers
I suspect that the reflector length isn't affecting SWR because it's 'relatively' far away from the driven element and not having much effect. If you want, I can model the various lengths for you if you can post the measurements. 73 VA7OMM
Can you please post the sources of your components- shock corded tent poles, 3/8 nf adapters and whatever you think will be helpful to replicate the beam/vertical locally? 73, VE7FMN
Simon, I emailed you a video of your audio into SC on your beam! Awesome Job! That is the strongest signal ever!!! You know we are Beam brothers now! Wooo Hooo KO4GSM
BEAM BROTHER STEVE!! Woooohooooo. What can I say buddy! Holy smokes, this thing is nuts, and I have NEVER heard you that strong either mate. These beams are the best thing ever! Tomorrow buddy, I'm taking this bad boy up to the top of a mountain around 2pm pst and livestreaming, and I'll point it straight atcha wooohooo. Thanks for everything Steve. You're the best! Cheers my friend
I just ordered the last set of tent poles from your supplier. Going to make this SimonBeam. Looking forward to building the SimonBeam. Thanks for great design and inspiration. 73 de N6EF.
I have to tell you Simon, I'm 70% of the way to building one of these, It is a lot of work, props to ya mate, I keep coming back to these videos for inspiration, cheers
Wow thanks so much mate - now that we're getting into the fall, I'm planning on spending some more time on the beam and will definitely 'up my game' on the video front ha! Hope you've had an awesome summer mate. Cheers!
Great video Simon, hello from Nanaimo, loved the video and your enthusiasm, how could you not be excited by those calls, I was smiling from ear to ear, just worked Greg KJ6ER the other day, love DIY projects
Wooohooo thanks for your kind words mate. Oh yes, every time I turn the radio on and hear all of those stations, I just get giddy like a kid waking up on Christmas morning hahaha. Cheers mate, and happy DX!
I'm an old fart, 49 years in ham radio, I find your enthusiasm very uplifting mate !
73 es dx
Gust ON6KE
Gust! Wooohoooo thanks for your kind words buddy. Fun is the best thing to have! Thanks for swinging by buddy and hope to hear you on the air some time soon. Cheers
Excellent, intriguing antenna idea. I was surprised by the performance of this homebrew project. Antenna experimentation is one of the top attractions to Amateur Radio. Aloha, Russ (KH6JRM).
G'day Russ, I'm blown away about this antenna buddy. I've had various reports from hams all over the US and Canada that work me regularly when I'm at the park, and they have never heard me this strong. Definitely a few db gain, and maximum fun! Woohooo Thanks for stopping by Russ. Cheers buddy
Looks great Simon. If you need a stiffer boom or pole don't forget pvc comes in thicker walled schedule-80 if you don't mind the extra weight.
Ha! You're reading my mind mate - I'm going back and forwards about the schedule - 80 - it is definitely 'what I need' but I'll hold off for now in the short term, but definitely can see some sort of hybrid set up soon, especially for the mast. Thanks for watching mate! Cheers
Simon, you have inspired me to build one myself! I am using military 4ft aluminum poles for my 12ft boom. I have a 32-foot reflector, and for the driven element, I will be using two 17-foot telescopic antennas. I have a 1:1 balun I plan to use. How do I determine how far apart the reflector and driven element are positioned? Your boom was 8.5 ft, and mine is 12 ft (3 sections of 4ft poles). thanks for the awesome video Woo-hoo!
Excellent Job, Simon....you just rock 💯🎸🎙🎵🤘
Uncle Guenter my buddy! Woohooo you’re too kind buddy. I’m going to work on getting up early one of these Saturdays buddy and pointing this towards Europe so we can chat on the airwaves! Wooohooo! You’re the best. Cheers and beers and happy 2024 buddy 👍🍻
Finally got a chance to check this and the magic tarp video out. Thanks overtime... so I may be a bit late to the party, but I definitely think a bigger mast would be a step in the right direction. I was thinking 3-4 inch diameter, and long enough to fit the boom and tent poles inside for carrying. Not sure how that might effect mounting, but it's a thought. It also might be worth it to maybe sleeve the middle of the boom with a 3-4 foot section of larger pipe. It might offer some extra support to combat the sag.
Wooohooo thanks so much for your input. That's a brilliant idea. I'm going to check my garage for some 2 inch and try it out. Thanks buddy much appreciated. Cheers!
Crazy is as crazy does 😆👍! Absolutely love your antenna projects, and your joy in them is infectious, keep them coming 📡👍!!! (One of these days I’ll be able to work you from here in Florida 🤞.) 73 de Dan WD4DB
Woohooo you betcha Dan, with this beam buddy we'll make a QSO! Thanks so much for swinging by and watching the video and leaving a comment. This is all so much fun buddy, wooohooo! Cheers mate.
Great video. Always enjoy the streams. Woo hoo!
That is freakin awesome! Love the content. Keep up the great work and keep building. 73's
David buddy! Oh yes buddy, tomorrow is the day I get all of this 'sorted' ready for a Saturday Live Beam Stream Wooohooo. Thanks for all of your encouragement my friend. Wooohooo!
Brilliant!! Woohoo from Scotland 73s
A 2 element yagi can be driven and reflector or driven and director. So you could make a 10/12m dual band Yagi where you only have to change the length of the driven element. Not sure how other bands would relate. I know from building big monoband yagis that element spacing is critical for performance. Maybe not at a low height like this though.
I agree Gordon. More height would be good to see.
Try using wooden dowel instead of PVC,
I've given up using PVC for ideas like this.
In the lengths you are playing with, I don't think there's too much of a weight difference to be worried about and the flex would be negligible compared to PVC.
Curtain rod dowels work great.
Hey buddy, that's a great idea. The reason I went with the PVC is because I had it lying around. I'll definitely look into using some dowel. Love the idea buddy, keep em coming this is so much fun. Cheers!
It is just amazing
I was hoping to make contact with you during that outing, with my homemade 10-20 vertical, but I just didn't have enough radials laid down to make the thing effective (ran out of wire). This one is basically a 10-foot 3-inch PVC sewer pipe buried 3 feet in the ground, a coupling, and another 10-foot PVC pipe, with wires for 10/12/15/17/20. The structure needs a couple more feet for the 20 to go straight up, but for now it curves over the top and down a little on the other side of the pipe. The element and radial plates were made from scrap metal I had sitting around. The whole thing was deaf as a post with only 6 radials. I laid another 6 today and started making contacts, and even made it into the Canary Islands on 17 meters! This was just "proof of concept," and I'm going to recreate it more permanently with smaller diameter pipe- now that I found out that 1-1/2-inch schedule 80 fits tightly inside 2-inch schedule 80. The idea behind this one is a broke guy's version of a DX-Commander, except a permanent install, free-standing with no guy wires. We had some pretty good wind the other night, and this thing didn't come apart, despite the PVC NOT being glued!
Wow mate, that's absolutely awesome! Congrats on the progress. I hear ya mate, I'm all about building antennas for cheap - if it conducts electricity, you can build an antenna out of it hahaa. Happy building buddy! Cheers
Bellissimo Video e complimenti per la realizzazione. 73 de IN3KTT 🙂
Good video! It's hard to see on the video how the driven element is done - are the tent poles conductive with a foil covering on them or something, or is there a wire for each half of the driven element that is attached to the pole? Just realised maybe they're aluminium poles?
Hey there Quentin, thanks for your comment buddy. In the tent pole kits you get a 4 inch aluminium sleeve which is about 1-2 sizes larger than the tent poles. I guess this is a sleeve to use in an 'emergency' if one of the poles bends or snaps on you. So I used a piece about 2 inches long of 3/8 dowel, which I scored a groove in the top so the elastic would fit snug in it, then taped it all up flush with the tent poles on either side, INSULATED from each other. Then I slid them inside the sleeve that comes with the kit and taped it all up. Does that make sense mate? Happy building! I'm going to try the beam out on a livestream at 22:00 UTC today from the beach Woohooo!
If you want to make the vertical lines adjustable along the length of the tent poles, you could use a Prusik hitch to attach to the horizontal lines.
Alex!! Wooohooo I LOVE THIS! Are you a sailor? That is the PERFECT knot for this! Thank you my friend, I LOVE IT! Thanks for sharing this buddy. Cheers
@@thehamjazz I am a sailor - the Prusik hitch is a perfect safety backup knot when you're climbing a mast :)
Let's take that up a summit! Woohoo!
Oh yes Bill - you know it mate! Imagine this on the top of Mt Prevost!!? Let's do it wooohooo
Would make a great multiband dipole too!
Absolutely! What a fantastic idea... I'm realizing more and more from experimenting, that the reflector has very little to do with SWR, just radiation pattern - so rock the radiating element and you've got an amazing dipole. Cheers buddy
With the PVC, try adding expanding spray foam inside the boom, it may add some support without adding much more weight. Failing that, try bamboo inside PVC or instead of. Hope that helps. 73s G5MCL
Hey buddy, that's a fantastic idea wooohooo I love it. I'm going to looking the foam spray today. Thanks for the suggestion mate.
awesome job 6y5ho jamaica
Woohoo from CT
that is truly amazing, you never cease to amaze me.. lol VE1SK
Steve buddy! Your signal is always the strongest and most consistent. It's time for me to fire back some high sizzling RF your way with this beam hahahaha. Wooohooo! Cheers brother Steve Thanks for everything mate.
Omg we have the same antenna lol mine is only 15. 10m bands lol. I use 2inch poles with the 1and half inside for strength to what a video mate I’ll be pointing mine your way very soon wooowoooo
Wooohooo that's awesome buddy. I'm going to livestream tomorrow and try and make it a regular Saturday thing, and it will be earlier so hopefully will be able to make it into the UK and we can make contact buddy! Wooohoooo. Happy building buddy. This is so much fun. Cheers my friend
@@thehamjazz I’ll be waiting
Do you have any concerns about the pvc not holding up to the weight? Great idea for 'portable' use. Seams easier to set up than a Hexbeam Portable. W7RTA
Charlie! Wooohooo - it's a dream to set up buddy.... 10-15 mins max and that's just as I start on this 'rabbit hole'... as for the 'weight'... that's a great question mate. Ideally you want to get this thing up as high as possible, but as a compromise, it's pretty sweet having it only 8-10 feet off the ground. I'm working on the 'master plan' of mechanics for it, with what I have, and maybe I'll upgrade to heavier stuff - stay tuned hahaha. Cheers my pal
What is an ideal height to deploy this in your opinion?
Hey buddy, I would say if you can get this at 12 feet you'd be rocking! Mine is at 8 feet, and it works GREAT on the higher bands, and I know it is compromised on say 17-20 meters. A tip would be if you can get it up 12 feet, just leave some string dangling from each of the 4 ends so you can pull on it to bring it down to grabbing height to make the adjustments. The poles are very flexible. Let me know how you go. Happy building mate. Cheers
For the boom I left my 1 half pole inside
I suspect that the reflector length isn't affecting SWR because it's 'relatively' far away from the driven element and not having much effect.
If you want, I can model the various lengths for you if you can post the measurements.
73
VA7OMM
Hey Alex, I have the boom distance between the two elements at 8.5ft. Curious to see what your model says? Cheers buddy
Did you ever model this? I'm curious as all the online modeling tools I see show much larger diameter elements and a shorter boom.
When I grow up I want to be just like Simon VA7BIX!
Hahaha - Fred.... I'll never grow up mate. I'm like a kid in a candy store, especially when I'm playing radio woohooo! Cheers buddy
An absolute legend va7bix
Can you please post the sources of your components- shock corded tent poles, 3/8 nf adapters and whatever you think will be helpful to replicate the beam/vertical locally? 73, VE7FMN
Brilliant!! Woohoo from Scotland 73s
Thanks so much buddy - this antenna stuff is a major addiction hahaha. So much fun. Wooohoooo! Hope to hear ya on the air with the beam buddy. Cheers