[amsat-bb] Arrow 7x7 antenna for 435 MHz

[Estes Wayne-W10191 <W10191@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Al Lowe at Arrow Antenna replied to my inquiry about custom-making a 7x7 Arrow antenna for 435 MHz.  He replied that he can do it.

Model 437X14BP, price US$69 plus $8 for shipping.
Payment by paypal or by mailing a check or credit card number.  http://www.arrowantennas.com/ <http://www.arrowantennas.com/> 

"BP" in the model number designates a "split boom".  When disassembled, the longest boom piece is less than 22 inches long.  So it fits very easily into a suitcase.  Assembly time is less than 5 minutes.  The connectors are BNC.  He says there is "no room" for N connectors.

The spacing between the two driven elements would be "about ½ inch".  He said it would be much more difficult to make one with ¼ wavelength spacing between the two driven elements.  Consequently, the power splitter/matching harness will require a phasing section on one side.  Still, it shouldn't be too difficult to make.  It will be very similar to a 10m turnstile I built several years ago from plans in the "Satellite Experimenter's Handbook", except that the phasing section must be shortened slightly to compensate for the ½ inch offset between the driven elements.

I will report my results, but I don't know how long it will take me to get it all together and have pleasant enough weather to try an "expedition" to the back patio.  I will compare a rotatable 7-element linear Arrow antenna against a RHCP 7x7 Arrow antenna.  The split-boom 7x7 Arrow Antenna MIGHT turn out to be the ideal commercial uplink antenna for portable or balcony AO40 operation:
	Low cost
	Extremely fast/easy to assemble and disassemble
	Split boom allows it to fit in a suitcase or backpack
But you have to build your own phasing/matching harness and the BNC connector isn't waterproof.


Wayne Estes W9AE
Mundelein, IL, USA
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