‰  NOW 30 WPM  ‰  TEXT IS FROM MARCH 2009 QST  PAGES 31, 32 AND 81  ‰

BAND HEXAGONAL BEAM USING MAINLY HARDWARE STORE COMPONENTS WITH SOME PARTS
FROM ONLINE SUPPLIERS.  STEP ONE THE BASE PLATE THE BASE PLATE IS MADE OF A
12 INCH SQUARE TYPE 6061 T6 ALUMINUM PLATE THAT IS 3/16 INCH THICK.  THIS
PARTICULAR TYPE OF ALUMINUM IS HARDER THAN PURE ALUMINUM AND LESS LIKELY TO
BEND WHILE BEING RESISTANT TO WEATHER.  SKETCH THE HEXAGON USING THE
APPROACH SHOWN IN THE DRAWING ON THE QST BINARIES WEB SITE.  YOU CAN CUT
THE PLATE WITH A HACKSAW AND DRILL THE CENTER HOLE USING A 1 1/4 INCH METAL
HOLE SAW.  U BOLTS ARE USED TO SECURE THE SPREADERS TO THE BASE PLATE.  A
SQUARE BASE FLOOR FLANGE NORMALLY USED FOR HANDRAILS IS IDEAL FOR MOUNTING
THE CENTER POST TO THE BASE PLATE.  THE BLACK ARROW SHOWN IN FIGURE 4 HELPS
KEEP YOU ORIENTED AS YOU INSTALL THE WIRES LATER IN STEP SIX.  STAINLESS
STEEL HARDWARE SHOULD BE USED TO MINIMIZE CORROSION AND LOCK WASHERS WILL
HELP KEEP THE FIXTURES FROM LOOSENING WITH MOVEMENT OF THE HEXAGONAL BEAM
BY WIND AND ROTATION.  STEP TWO THE SPREADERS FIBERGLASS TUBES ARE
‰  FROM PAGE 81  ‰
88,320 D WN3R 416,955 D KD5VVI 30,844 D W2RDX 266,104 J28OO 26,895 A B
RW0AJ 142,956 C A RU1A 2,741,640 D VK2AYD 82,816 C B EA8ANE 3,488 A B
‰  END OF 30 WPM TEXT  ‰  QST DE W1AW  ƒ