[Antennas] 6 meter beam

Tue Nov 21 20:07:11 EST 2006

Hello all:
A good friend gave me a 6 meter transverter and I finally decided to get into the Magic Band action. 
Hoping to build a 4 or 5 element beam I began my search in the ARRL Antenna Book; on page 18-18, I found what seems to be a good choice for starters. Labeled 506-12 on the book, the antenna has a twelve feet boom, 5 elements, optimized for the 50 Mhz to 51 Mhz band section with a claimed gain of 10dbi, 22db F/B ratio and an SWR of 1.6:1 or better. A quick check on aluminum prices turned me around and away from the building scheme. 
Another option, is to buy a ready made antenna that could cost less than the materials for the 506-12 on the ARRL Antenna book. Enter the HyGain VB-64DX for 144ドル. this antenna seems to be a good buy compared with the price for building the 506-12, however, the big word missing is "optimized". What am I missing here besides one director? Can I "optimize" the HyGain beam adding the extra element and changing the spacings following the Antenna Book schedule? Or should I settle for the HyGain as it comes? Are there any other choices in the price class?
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
Carlos / KP4GL