I use the M2 3 el beam on 40M. I have it centered on 7080 and that gives me
a 2:1 SWR BW from 7000 - 7200. It rises steeply from 7150 so by the time
you are at 7275 the SWR is at 3:1. But inside the 200khz of 2:1 bandwidth
it's a serious frequency holder on 40M - SSB or CW. I bought a used early
version that needed the loading wire connections upgraded because the
originals would break after 3 or 4 years on the tower. Once I made the
change, the only problem I have had with that antenna for the last 7 years
was a blown balun - which is not the antenna's fault.
I find that a lot of the 7225 - 7300 SSB contest activity is from the south.
I have a separate south facing 2 el delta loop antenna (vertically
polarized) to the south and I can often go first or second call with it all
contest long. Maybe once a contest I have to turn the 3el into a pileup to
break through - otherwise the beam never points south in favor of the delta
loop.
Note that the price differences are LARGE on 40M beams, so a budget really
needs to be stated in order to get a sound answer. I lucked out and found
my 3 el M2 for a steal and it had only been up for a couple of years as a
MARS antenna. The perfect "only driven to church on Sundays" buy.
73
Ed N1UR
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