[TowerTalk] SteppIR/ HyGain/ MFJ

[Barry]

On 4 Nov 2003 Jim Jarvis wrote:

> 
> W2UP's reluctance to adopt the new technology notwithstanding,
> I had my 3 el SteppIR up through last winter in Vermont.  Snow,
> Ice, -20F.  Performed flawlessly.  My rotor failed,though, and
> the 180degree flip mode allowed me to work without one for most
> situations.  
> 
> >From my perspective, there is no other beam I'd own, unless I was
> going with single band stacks on multiple towers.  My wife 
> assembled the fiberglass tubes IN THE LIVING ROOM, while watching
> television.  First time in 35 years she's helped with a radio 
> project, and her comment was..."Gee, this stuff is really clean.
> and it looks good, too".  
> 
> The stepper motor technology is well proven.  The fit and finish
> of the SteppIR product is exemplary.   And the best part is...you
> don't have to fool around, empirically diddling the antenna to get
> the best vswr compromise....pattern and f/b be damned.  It's literally
> put it up, and either forget it, or program the beam as you'd like
> it to be.  We literally assembled it and put it on the tower in a
> total of two hours elapsed time.  I've never had that happen before,
> in >40 years of hamming.  
> 
> Now that we've moved, mine is waiting for a tower.  But one of the
> bigger questions is.... 4 el or a stack of 3's?  
> 
> N2EA
> Jim Jarvis
> 

Jim,
I'm all for new technology. So, in answer to your question, get the 4 
el, and use a Stepptower. That way the tower will go up and down to 
find the optimum height as the antenna tunes itself.
73,
Barry--
Barry Kutner, W2UP              Internet: w2up at mindspring.com
Newtown, PA                     Frankford Radio Club