[amsat-bb] metal or non metal cross booms

I have experimented with both non-metallic and metallic cross booms after reading numerous articles on the subject some years ago. With CP antennae mounted in X configuration there seems to be hardly any difference in performance. I speak of experiments done when AO-40 was active.

I now use a metallic boom as it gives very good rigidity to mount two CP antennae, a small dish for 2.4 GHz, preamps etc. Here in India I do not have the option to order a good section of fibre glass cross boom any way, and so had made do with PVC tube wrapped in fibre glass, but it eventually sagged and I had to periodically rotate it 180 degrees to keep it somewhat level.

Gopal VU2GMN