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Old 5-May-2021, 3:12 AM   #1
bobsgarage
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Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Beach Park IL
Posts: 318
Digitek SX91 X Element Antenna

I've been playing around with the AD 91XG and the Extreme Signal HDB91X. Something about those antennas I think just a great design. A lot of questions have come up about durability in the past guys finding X elements and their yard after a windstorm etc etc....

I discovered this antenna. It's made in China but sold by an Australian company DigiTek.

SX91(D-1648-HA)



The interesting thing about that antenna is,
it looks like the active element is actually an X element too



Ness Electronics out of Minnesota was selling these for a very, very reasonable price plus shipping. So I bought six of them. I just want to experiment. I'm probably going to make an extra long version and then try ganging four of them.







I put one completely together and I am documenting with pictures how this antenna is constructed.. it appears to be a 91XG clone but only in appearance. First of all the Boom is only two sections not including the mounting brace. The Boom is also constructed from Steel and is powder-coated. It almost looks like the old finish they put on typewriters "back in the day"..Note the finish. I believe it's powder coating but it's textured also:



Cross section. I believe there's a little bit of powder coating hanging over the edge but it does look a bit wavy:



Here's the kit. Four bags of 5 X elements + one bag of two elements. 2 booms plus the mounting support. Also some screws were loose in the bag. Did I mention that this doesn't come in a box?




This is how they come. I'm not so sure I agree with the packaging. Obviously this is a package for mass shipment. Maybe when they're sold individually in Australia they come in a box?




Another unique thing about this antenna where the X elements mount, there is a plastic mount riveted to the steel boom. For the life of me I can't figure out why they just don't clamp them to the Boom unless it's some sort of patent infringement? :



In the next couple of posts, I'll post some close up pictures of the X elements and the driven element and later I'll assemble one.
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Last edited by bobsgarage; 5-May-2021 at 3:33 AM.
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