• Fiber glass tubes are recommended for the spreaders. These can be purchased from Max Gain Systems.  Max Gain provides tips for attaching them together.
    Three thicknesses are needed; 1" O.D., 3/4" O.D., and 1/2" O.D. The smaller sizes fit perfectly into the next larger size.

  • While it is not necessary, you can spray paint on the spreaders to achieve the color you want.

  • Some have tried to build spreaders using PVC but I have heard of no one who has done this successfully. PVC is simply too limber and does not have the
    "spring tension" needed to maintain the hexagonal beam shape. I recommend against its use for a hexagonal beam.
Hexagonal Beam by K4KIO
Building the G3TXQ Broad Band Hexagonal Beam
Buy or build a hex beam
Six Steps to build it - Spreaders
The thinner pieces slip easily
into the next larger pieces for a
telescoping structure that will
be 136" long when assembled.
Each section is 48" long.
One end of the large and the
medium spreaders should be
slit about an inch with a hack
saw or a jig saw, if available,
as shown so that later, when
telescoped together the clamp
can be slipped over the slits
and tightened. An unslit end
goes into a slit end.
Click these photos to enlarge
Mark with tape or felt tip pen
the initial locations for the wire
clamps. These should be 34,
61, 70.5, 83.5, 101 and 134.5
inches from the thick end of
the spreaders.
Slip the hose clamps and P
clips on now for use in
attaching the wires later at the
places marked in the
preceding photo. Use the #8
Med clamps on the large
section and #6 on the other
two sections. Insert P clamps
under them for slipping the
wires through later. Tighten
them only a little as you will be
making adjustments later in the
assembly stage.
                                          1 Base plate        2 Spreaders        3 Center post        4 Wire Sets        5 Support Cords        6 Assembly        
Site publication date
12/2007

Page revision date
6/2010

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