R6000 antenna - Initial Results

The R-6000 antenna has been assembled and is in a temporary position with the feed point about 3m above ground.

Initial results show that CW calls to DX stations often are answered after up to 3 calls. Not bad for a low hanging vertical antenna.

Of course, almost all sporadic E propagation vanished the day the antenna was mounted, so the higher bands have been very quiet. On 20 and 17m, however 5 continents have been worked without much difficulty, despite the low solar activity showing the HF bands in rather poor shape.

The antenna is quite visible due to the multiple radiator rods, so some test for losses of "camouflage paint" (yes, green/brown) with another antenna is in order, before mounting the antenna in a more permanent position (higher feedpoint, about 6 - 7 m high, but somewhat better shielded from view).

The 3 m height was the best we could do with only two people. The higher position requires up to 5 people, some for holding guy wires ...

On the higher bands, 10 and 6m, the actively radiating piece of the antenna is shielded by nearby trees, so the results will be modest until the higher feed point has been achieved.

Here are two late afternoon pics from two different angles. First from the corner of the garden, (street view, rather inconspicuous), and the second from near a neighbour (much more visible).

In the morning light the antenna will be like a shining beacon. This is why I want to disguise the antenna a bit.

R6000 antenna.

The package with the Cushcraft R6000 antenna arrived some time ago, and the unpacking and assembly has started.

Parts 1 and 2 Base assembly, radial rings and matching network :
Part 1 took a few hours, because some parts look a lot alike, screws with only a slightly different length, a few things did not quite look like the drawings and description.
a) The radial ring was supposed to slide over the insulator, but the screws holding the insulator had already been mounted, so they had to be removed before sliding the radial ring into place, then put into place again.
The radials have not yet been mounted for more convenience of making the radiator assembly, it says in the description that the radials can be mounted at any time during the assembly process .
The upper matching network bracket was described having to be mounted tight against the fiberglass insulator. That is not possible, given the assembly as it is, and is not in accordance with the accompanying drawings (showing a short distance between the two) .

Updates to follow :

Radiator assembly, base clamp assembly and mast mounting, then testing the antenna for correct adjustment, and readjustment, if necessary.