Installing GXP 17-4 In Roscoe, NY
🚧 From Modest Beginnings to Towering Ambitions: How We Helped One Client’s Dream Into Reality 📡
In the spring of 2024, a newly licensed Ham came to Radio Echo Communications with a dream — to get on the air with a serious signal. After a thoughtful budget consultation, the plan was set: an 80-foot Rohn 45 tower, topped with a GXP 7L-7B and a 5-element 6M antenna. A solid setup for a new operator looking to explore the bands.
But fast forward to spring 2025 — and it’s a completely different tower. Photos and videos of transformation.
Why? Because the DX bug bit hard — and suddenly, "being heard" wasn’t enough. The mission became: be loud, be strong, and be everywhere.
So we regrouped. After exploring several upgrade paths, the decision was made to go big — really big.
💪 The new setup?
▶️ 120 feet of Rohn 45, fully guyed
▶️ A GXP 17-4 monster on a 40-foot boom
Now this station is a beast — commanding pileups and punching through with authority. Proof that when passion grows, so do towers.
Installing the base in concrete May of 2024
GXP 7L-7B and 6M @ 80’ in Spring 2024 Bobby KC2UPN, Ray W2RE and John (Station Owner). Two day, we had this up, a third day to get the wiring into shack and setup.
The new Upgrade to 120’ with GXP 17-4, we brought in Nik from VC Towers to help make the vision a reality. The challenge? We had to dismantle the existing GXP 7L-7B, drop it to the ground, and then increase the tower height from 80 feet to 120 feet.
🛠️ It’s a lot easier to build from the ground up than to tear down and expand — but that’s exactly what we did.
💪 The upgraded setup:
▶️ 120 feet of Rohn 45, fully guyed and rock solid
▶️ A GXP 17-4 monster antenna on a 40-foot boom
Now in 2025, this station is now an absolute powerhouse — punching through pileups and owning the airwaves. It’s proof that when your passion grows, so does your tower.
Above video is dismantling the GXP 7L -7B to expand tower another 40’. Below video is the install of the new GXP 17-4 at 120’.
As demonstrated in the videos, this project required hard work and precision, but with the right team, it was entirely manageable. The installation was carried out under Radio Echo Communications, with valuable assistance from Nik at VC Towers. In addition to building large-scale stations for Remote Ham Radio, we also provide these services for a wide range of clients. This install showcases our ability to deliver turnkey solutions—from start to finish—ensuring quality and performance at every stage.
GXP 7L-7B and 5EL 6M on sidegate at 50’.
Sometimes the best results come from thinking on your feet. Faced with the challenge of salvaging the GXP 7L-7B for the WARC bands and 6M, our team got to work. With the expert welding skills from VC Towers and some serious planning, we custom-built a precision heavy-duty side gate, powered by a Yaesu 2800 rotator. The result? Smooth 300-degree rotation—and it's still performing like a champ at 50 feet! This is what happens when experience meets execution.
This is the finished install. Many videos on YouTube at HamRadio 24-7.
We hope you enjoyed the behind-the-scenes look at our station build in Roscoe, NY! If you're passionate about Ham radio, be sure to bookmark HamRadio 24-7—we’ve got a lot more coming your way. From in-depth station build articles to immersive video presentations, we’re just getting started.
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Thanks for tuning in!
– Ray, W2RE
HamRadio 24-7