Scott, below is the detailed answers I received on how folks carry an antenna to island. Note, nil header information was stripped off and some repeats of the question: Date: Thu, 5 Oct 1995 20:23:17 -0700 (PDT) From: Trey Garlough Subject: Re: ISLAND ANTENNA To: w5robert@blkbox.COM > Collecting input on best method to carry a beam > to the islands. Current breakdown gets it to 8.5 ' > and the airlines did not seem happy about that. > Cut it? Air Freight? Ship it? > Will post the summary and FOX the replies on WWW. Order a DXpedition beam from Force12 that is made out of pieces that fit into a ski bag. This is what the N6AA-led, annual CQWW SSB M/M expedition crew uses. --Trey Date: Thu, 5 Oct 1995 22:53:19 -0500 (CDT) From: Gary Schwartz Subject: Re: ISLAND ANTENNA On Thu, 5 Oct 1995 w5robert@blkbox.COM wrote: Hello Robert, I am traveling to FP for the CQWW SSB contest in a few weeks. We are taking along a A-3 for 20-10 M. We faced a similar problem as the boom on the A-3 is in 2 pieces, 14'long. We remedied the problem by making the boom in three pieces instead, using an internal splice to join the sections. That only left the center element sections for the director and reflector, which are 6'each. Again, we spliced the center sections. In all, I actually think that we've ended up with at least a stronger boom, and one that now has the boom-mast bracket over a solid piece of tubing instead of straddling a splice. The director and reflector seem to be of adequate strenght as well, the A-3 being a pretty light antenna. Now the entire antenna fits into a package, complete with 40'of mast, that is about 8" x 8" X approximately 5 1/2 feet long and weighs less than 100 pounds. Cu on the bands from FP! 73, Gary K9GS (You have to STOP the Q-Tip when there's resistance !) ________________________________________________________________ | | | Gary Schwartz K9GS E-Mail: garyk9gs@solaria.sol.net | | Society of Midwest Contesters Packet:K9GS@WA9KEC.WI.USA.NOAM | | Greater Milwaukee DX Association Secretary/Treasurer | |________________________________________________________________| Date: Fri, 6 Oct 1995 00:18:35 -0700 From: Garry Shapiro Subject: Re: ISLAND ANTENNA To: w5robert@blkbox.COM MMDF-Warning: Parse error in original version of preceding line at blkbox.COM Status: RO Get Force 12 DXped model: 4 foot box. Date: Fri, 6 Oct 1995 06:06:39 -0400 From: N6ZZ@aol.com Message-ID: <951006060639_117524298@emout04.mail.aol.com> To: w5robert@blkbox.COM Subject: Re: ISLAND ANTENNA Status: RO Force 12 will build beams that break down into smaller sections so that they can be shipped as checked baggage on airlines. - N6ZZ From: KB5YVT@aol.com To: w5robert@blkbox.COM Subject: Re: ISLAND ANTENNA Status: RO Hi Robert, An oversize ski bag works well. GL MIke... From: KU4J@opus.hsv.isg.mot.COM Date: Fri, 6 Oct 1995 8:19:59 -0500 (CDT) Subject: RE: ISLAND ANTENNA To: w5robert@blkbox.COM Status: RO Several years ago we purchased a couple of Hygain TH3JR's and modified them to fit into a 72" box. American Eagle didn't allow 'boxes' so we put a sail bag over both ends and a rope in the middle and had no problems. The latest trick we have discovered is buying a snow ski bag. They are about 8-9' long and the airlines take special care of 'sports equipment'. We were able to put all of the aluminum from a TA-53M into a ski bag. The traps were placed in another bag. We have made about 6 trip to the Carribbean and have never had problems with the ski bag setup and have to pay excess baggage charges. Air freight is $$$. 73's tim/ku4j....vp2vfp,v47z,j37h,zf2cn,/c6a,vp5jpx From: "Skelton, Tom" To: w5robert Subject: RE: ISLAND ANTENNA Date: Fri, 06 Oct 95 10:56:00 PDT Status: RO Hi Robert. Carl Henson, WB4ZNH, traveled extensively in Africa in the 70's and 80's with a TH3 or something similar to an A3. He cut the boom and added splices to get the overall length to 6 ft. When the antenna went together, it was done quickly and easily has he had marked the sections for reassembly. I don't think he had to reduce the lengths of the actual elements -- only the boom. Now, where are you headed??? Good luck and have fun! I've contested from Bermuda twice and want to head to the Caribbean where I have a chance to make the Top 10 boxes. 73, tom WB4iUX Tom.Skelton@ClemsonSC.ATTGIS.COM ---------- From: hext@WKUVX1.WKU.EDU Subject: RE: ISLAND ANTENNA Status: RO writes: > >Collecting input on best method to carry a beam >to the islands. Current breakdown gets it to 8.5 ' >and the airlines did not seem happy about that. >Cut it? Air Freight? Ship it? >Will post the summary and FOX the replies on WWW. >-- >73 Robert WB5CRG >________________________________________ Hi Robert, i've used carpet tubes, pvc etc to carry antannae south for the contest. Look up in an older operating manuel and there is an article by Lloyd and Iris on how to cut a tri-bander down for fit in a small package. 73 Gary WB4FLB hext@wkuvx1.wku.edu From: "Samoian, Richard J" Subject: RE: ISLAND ANTENNA To: w5robert@blkbox.COM X-Mailer: Mail*Link SMTP-MS 3.0.2 Status: RO For trips to VK9H, 5W1 and ZF, antennas were carried in a ski bag. They were cut to fit the ski bags, airlines have no problems with these, 73 Rick WB6OKK Date: Fri, 06 Oct 95 09:23:20 PST From: Ken Silverman Message-Id: <9509068129.AA812996888@CCMAIL.AIRTOUCH.COM> To: w5robert@blkbox.COM Subject: Re: ISLAND ANTENNA Status: RO If you can get it on the plane - I'm assuming you are taking a puddle jumper - they will charge you handsomely for taking it. One option is to treat yourself to a C-3 or C-3S which they manufacture in 4' lengths. Throw it into a plastic fishing rod tube, and carry it on the plane. Ken WM2C Date: Fri, 6 Oct 1995 14:05:43 -0400 From: K8DO@aol.com Message-ID: <951006140542_38040915@mail06.mail.aol.com> Subject: Re: ISLAND ANTENNA Status: RO Hi... Suggest that you measure and see which elements/boom need cutting to bring length to airlines requirement...Cut them in sections a 'half sleeve length' shorter than that...See below... Plan on making sleeves which will just slip _over_ the cut sections.. {Usually, the next standard size up in .058 wall aluminum} ... Sleeves should be 6 - 8 inches long for the larger tubes and 3 - 4 inches for the smaller tubing...For boom sections you may want to figure 12 - 14 inches... The sleeves will be held on with aluminum pop rivets...These are available from airplane materials suppliers.... I like Dillsburg Aeroplane Supply - Dillsburg, Pa... For the elements use 1/8 by 1/8 rivets... For the boom use 3/16 by "the thickness of the boom wall plus the sleeve wall"... Probably 1/4 inch.... i.e. 3/16 by 1/4 long, pop rivets.... 1/8" dia. rivets on the boom are OK if you use lots of them....(I did my tribander boom in 1/8 because I had them on hand) The drill here (slang) is to slip a sleeve over the cut ends, butt the cut ends together, and drill a pair of 1/8 holes on each side of the joint, and install a pop rivet in each to hold position... Then finish drilling the rivet pattern on each side of the cut... On ONE side of the cut, pop rivets into all the drilled holes...When the beam is completely reassembled this way and you are satisified, use the same 1/8 drill bit to drill out the two rivets on the other side of each cut joint (takes about 2 seconds), disassemble and pack for shipping.. Half of your sections will have the sleeve permanently left on...Obviously, use indelible/paint marker to number each set of matching pieces and also a line across the sleeve/element as an index mark for reassembly... I know that this sounds involved and difficult... I also know from experience, that it is so SIMPLE and QUICK, and that once you have assembled (and disassembled) a beam with the aluminum (not steel!) pop rivets, you will never, ever use a hose clamp again! ... Hold the drill motor steady as you drill out the rivets so that you don't wallow out the holes and you will be able to assemble and disassemble an indefinite number of times... I just rebuilt two tribanders (the tribanders had clamps rusted to furry balls) The two hams (long time friends and we yell and argue about everything) who helped me were both outspoken against the idea of rivets when we started (the air was blue)... When we finished they were both converts, and one immediately went home and disassembled his beam, and brought it back to my workshop to change to a riveted assembly... It is that good a method!!.... Have a good trip Denny k8do@aol.com Date: Fri, 6 Oct 1995 13:36:57 -0500 (CDT) From: Keith Morehouse-WB9TIY To: w5robert@blkbox.COM Subject: Re: ISLAND ANTENNA In-Reply-To: <9510052120.aa29433@blkbox.COM> Status: RO 1) Find out what the MAX length for baggage is on the airline of your choice. (Don't forget to check those connecting flights on LIAT, ect) 2) Go and get some PVC sewer pipe in 8" or larger size and 2 end caps. 3) Cut the PVC pipe so it will exactly conform to the max baggage length with the end caps attached. 4) Go after all the parts of your antenna that won't fit into the pipe, with a hacksaw and then fabricate sleeve's to clamp them back together. 5) Stuff it all inside, pin on the end caps and TAKE OFF 'EH ? I have successfully transported antennas (TH3 class) many times this way. Oh, a trick learned the hard way. Cut some circles out of plywood and put them in the bottoms of the PVC end caps. This will keep aluminium tubes from knocking holes in the caps.... Plus, you can tell curious bystanders that the tubes contain fishing rods or somesuch rot. (Don't tell customs that, though...) ---------------------------###----------------------------- PROBE ELECTRONICS 100 Higgins Road, Park Ridge IL 60068 USA Keith J. Morehouse / WB9TIY / Society of Midwest Contesters 708-696-2828 FAX: 708-698-2045 e-mail: blckhole@ripco.com ---------------------------###----------------------------- Mime-Version: 1.0 Date: Fri, 06 Oct 1995 20:02:26 +0000 To: w5robert@blkbox.COM From: Peter Casier Subject: Re: ISLAND ANTENNA Robert, I have travelled all around the world with antennas as checked in luggage. Be it R7, R5, 3 el warc, real tall low band vertical or even 2 el 40m (402CD). I never had problems. Ever. I often pack it in a ski bag. Skis can be up to 2.5 m (7.5 ft) long. People often check surf boards in, I think these are even bigger than the biggest antennas I carried along. It all depends how you can convince the girl at the counter. of course I talk abt normal commercial flights with commercial airplains. Not abt little island hopper planes. (Though once squeezed 2 antennes in a 10 passenger Beechcraft plane!) 73 Peter ON6TT peter.casier@box.eunet.be ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 06 Oct 1995 18:10:15 -0400 (EDT) From: KWIDELITZ@delphi.com Subject: Re: ISLAND ANTENNA To: w5robert@blkbox.COM Hi Robert, I travel with an A3S and Butternut HFV2 in 6" PVC, one 7' long, one 6.5' long. End caps secure the aluminum. Ground radial and base of the vertical go in a duffel bag. I have shipped these UPS. 73. Ken, AB6FO, KWIDELITZ@DELPHI.COM From: Jastaples@aol.com To: w5robert@blkbox.COM Subject: Re: ISLAND ANTENNA Though it does not address your specific question, I thought I'd point out that Cushcraft makes a "DX" version of the A3 tribander that is designed for ease of transport. The maximum length of any one piece of Al is 51". It sells for about $40 more that the regular A3. WB5N/NT5D have an A3 they modified for travel. You might ask them for details. Hope you get it sorted out...GL! 73, Joe, W5ASP Date: Sun, 8 Oct 1995 19:53:47 +0100 To: w5robert@blkbox.COM From: Mats Persson Subject: Re: ISLAND ANTENNA Hi OM, All airlines want=B4s to hassle a bit and especially with anything out of= the=20 ordinary. The thing is that people can travel with both bicycles and=20 surfboards!! They are quite big and I have seen a group of 20 surfers all=20 bringing their gear so there should be no problem. Let the airline know in= =20 advance that you are carrying the antenna. you might have to sign a=20 disclaimer for the airline but that is the normal proceedier anyway. I have= =20 travelled with A3 antennas for several years and so far I have never payed= =20 extra for it. In your shoes I would not consider shipping it air freight as= =20 you might end up with a big hassle there because of customs and other= problems. One Idea which is good is to cut the antenna down to pieces about 1.2 Meters= =20 long as then they can=B4t complain at all. I have sofar not done that due to= =20 that I have not travelled with my own antennas so far but that is exactly=20 what I will do when I get a beam of my own. Good luck with you travels Mats SM7PKK Date: Mon, 9 Oct 1995 10:44:34 -0700 From: Peter Jennings Message-Id: <199510091744.KAA16084@netcom15.netcom.com> To: w5robert@blkbox.COM Subject: Re: ISLAND ANTENNA Status: RO 8.5' sounds too long still, but a trick I have used several times that makes the airlines happy and is very convenient for carrying is to break the antennas down and put them in a ski bag. This looks like normal sports equipment (which usually doesn't count as an extra bag for the airlines). Nobody has ever looked in the bag, which is odd because I am probably the only person who ever took "snow skis" to Belize. Peter AB6WM -- peterj@netcom.com Date: Tue, 10 Oct 95 23:14 EST From: James White <0006492564@mcimail.com> To: Robert Subject: Re: ISLAND ANTENNA SUMMARY sorry to chime in so late, I made a great antenna carrier out of PVC pipe and fittings. It is large diameter scheduole 40 PVC (5"?) with a cap at one end [I put an eyebolt through the center of the cap and tightened it down before cementing the cap on, stay tuned as to why] and at the other end I cemented a clean out fitting which has female threads for: a threaded clean out plug [there is also an eyebolt in the center of the clean out plug]. I made the tube slightly longer than the longest part of the antenna I had to carry (took a Butternut to C6A) In addition to putting the antenna in there, I had my assembly tools needed in there as well, I bought cheapy nut drivers and open end wrenches of the needed sizes and a crescent adj wrench as well as screwdrivers and a pair of vise grips. Prior to leaving I did a dry run to see if everything I needed was "in the tube". I timed how long it took me to assemble the antenna, too. Before I took it apart I bought some colored electrical tape to color code what went into what and a "Sharpie" permanent magic marker which made the assembly very fast. The only thing I did not carry in the tube was my feedline and radials which, in roll fashion, layed out nicely amongst my t-shirts and shorts into a suitcase. I went to a timeshare along with my Uncle and his family, I had asked if it was OK if I brought ham gear and antenna along for the week...he at first thought I was a lil crazy - bit after hearing me talk to Europe and the Middle East on the radio kinda understood why I wanted to do it. A security patrol questioned what I was doing and I was prepared with a copy of my license and a brief description of how I would talk to friends around the world - they were two guys who I think thought I might be some kinda drug guy, but the PTT license seemed to kill their questions. It took me less than a half hour after we got to the resort to be QRV and on the air, oddly enough - it was Field Day weekend! Jim, zx k1zx@mcimail.com Oh yeah, the eyebolts serve as a place to attach a "clip-on" carrying strap, some guy ilways selling these at the hamfests, they have metal spring loaded clips at each end. While the long tube is a bit unruly it was also very heavy, the carry strap took that weight out of my hands and onto my shoulder so that all that was left to do was to steer it. Frozen drinks were on the table while I lookied out at the Ocean, an ocean breeze accompanied many 20 meter CW EU QSOs - the weeks routine was to go to the casino till the last bus ran back to the resort (1:00 AM) - get on 20 CW for hours, sleep in, swim, sight see, casino and back to 14.027 again......it was a great week! Date: Wed, 11 Oct 1995 08:57:35 -0400 From: "Walter D. Amos" To: w5robert@blkbox.COM Subject: Re: ISLAND ANTENNA SUMMARY Hi Robert: Food,if you can buy it there do it, the only thing I carried was Tasters Choice as can't live without coffee! I wasn't in on the antenna cutting but the thing was cut to fit in 8' boxes and splices made and color coded. In fact all joints were color coded for easy assembly on site. Wire antennas are like field day. take a collapsable back pack fishing pole and a lot of weights. Twelve cord string works wonders as guys and suport. Carry radio and keyer and key and underware and tooth brush as carry on lugage. Hopefully powersuply is in radio ala ic-751 with ps-35 or radio will at least run on car battery if power supply gets lost in transit. Neat linear is old mla-2500 as small and seflcontained and covers 160. Sold mine as I'm gettin to old for this kind of stuff any more. Put it in a regular suitcase with 3" foam rubber all around it and pray. Naturally take out the tubes. Carry a camera bag, it sneaks thru as a purse and you can carry tubes, pasport, pen,naturally cammera and screwdriver for radio cover if you must remove it for inspection . Have fun 73 Walt k8cv Date: Wed, 11 Oct 1995 09:31:02 -0400 From: "Tim S. Ellam" To: w5robert@blkbox.COM Subject: ISLAND ANTENNA SUMMARY -Reply I have a C3S-it came in a 4'X 1' X 1' carton, but I doubt it would hold up very well to airline travel-you could knock together a similar sized crate or put the pieces in a reinforced dufflebag at 25# its fairly lite. It goes together very well and is a great performer-beats my old A4!! 73 Tim VE6SH To: Robert Subject: Re: ISLAND ANTENNA SUMMARY Note that aluminum elements, unlike skis, can get crushed in a ski bag. A PVC tube is heavy and the end caps are easily broken when the airlines drop them. I lost crucial hardware going to Guyana as a result. Same thing happened to Vince Thompson going to Ghana. Force 12 fits in a 4-ft cardboard box and works well. But you may need to replace the box after each trip. The airlines seem to find ways to punch holes in any box. 73, Glenn, W6OTC On Tue, 10 Oct 1995, Robert wrote: > REPLIES on how to carry a beam to the island: > 1. Cut longer beam elements to length and splice for reassembly. > 2. Over-sized ski bag. > 3. Carpet tubes. > 4. Homemade PVC carry luggage > 5. Cushcraft A3 DX version > 6. Force 12 DX model > > I did check the ski bag option here and found the bag on sale at $150. > It was a bit short of 8' and hence I'm checking out the PVC bag option now. > Force 12 has promised to FAX info on their beam & of course cutting the > existing beam will depend on call to AA. Thanks for the great replies: > sending those to FOX for the WWW site. > > IF YOU HAVE IDEAS: WHAT FOOD DO YOU CARRY WITH YOU? BUY THERE? > -- > 73 Robert WB5CRG > From: JKAHRS@delphi.com Subject: ISLAND ANTENNA SUMMARY To: w5robert@blkbox.COM, cq-contest@tgv.com Need to add the ole HyGain TH-3 to the list. They now make a DXpedition version. 73, Hank/K2UVG internet: jkahrs@delphi.com Date: Thu, 12 Oct 1995 13:21:59 -0500 (CDT) From: Keith Morehouse-WB9TIY To: Robert Subject: Re: ISLAND ANTENNA On Tue, 10 Oct 1995, Robert wrote: > Keith, just for my interest: what length did you get your PVC down to? I THINK they were both 6 footer's. I seem to remember that the baggage dimension limitations on both Eastern and United (the 2 carriers we always flew on the first leg - to MIA or ATL from ORD) was 72" in length, plus some other formula calculating maximum volume. I never had any problems with domestic carriers (except the one time K9GL tried to carry a HAMMER in his carry-on - duh..) and my experience with the Carribean airlines was usually, "OH - NO problem maaan !!" Of course, "no problem" means they MIGHT drop your bags out of the back of the plane on taxi - but hey....its the islands (maaaan...) ! We used to carry a pair of TH3-jr's, along with 24' of 2" dia aluminium tubes in 6' segments, that connected together to form masts. One antenna and one mast assembly in each tube. The tubes were either 6" or 8" thick wall PVC - the light yellow kind, not the white or red stuff which, I THINK was all thinner wall. ---------------------------###----------------------------- Date: Sat, 14 Oct 1995 16:17:01 -0400 (EDT) From: VLEPIERRE@delphi.com Subject: ISLAND ANTENNA To: W5ROBERT@blkbox.COM Robert Contact Gary at Mosley and they will sell you a antenna that will fit in a shotgun case this will work 5 bands. 73's Vaance, W5IJU VLEPIERRE@DELPHI.COM The End -- 73 Robert WB5CRG w5robert@blkbox.com