[TowerTalk] Small Yagi Advice

[Joe - WDØM]

I'll bite.  And I certainly don't mean to dissuade you of your opinion.

Band changes, although not instantaneous with the SteppIR, take only a 
matter of seconds.  Its not that you don't/can't hear anything when you 
switch bands - you do.  But when the match is made, the rush of sound from 
the speaker/headphones is amazing.

Yes, the cost is more.  Is it worth it?  If you can accept the price, the 
resounding answer is yes.  Are they in the same category?  Yes if you are 
speaking of the number of elements.

Are they in the same performance category?  No.  The SteppIR will 
outperform the Cushcraft on SWR, F/B and gain on all bands, adds 6 meter 
capability, as well as offering the ability to re-tune elements and provide 
virtually instant 180 degree reversal of direction.  Nice features - and 
yes, you pay for them.

Yes, I own a SteppIR, and have owned a Cushcraft (as well as Mosley, 
Hy-gain and others) in the past, and I wouldn't go back.

73 and have fun deciding Byron!  Its great to have choices.......

Joe
WDØM


At 03:12 PM 6/5/2005, Jim W7RY wrote:
>In my humble opinion, the StepIR is just not worth the money! Not to
>mention no quick band changes. I think that the StepIR is WAY over rated.
>
>$950 for a 2 element and $1300 for a 3 element is to much to pay for an
>antenna. If you need the WARC bands, perhaps.
>
>A Cushcraft A3 is $429 and the A4 is $569 and a  Hy-Gain TH3MK3 $469 (HRO
>prices).
>
>As the question stated, he wanted antennas is the category of the A-3.
>
>73
>Jim W7RY
>
>
>
>
>   At 01:46 PM 6/5/2005, Bob Kellow, W5LT wrote:
> >I would also suggest the 2 element SteppIR yagi, if the 3 element is too
> >large for your application.
> >It is lighter weight, lower wind load, and has a <5 ft boom, and nearly the
> >same performance.
> >See: www.steppir.com
> >
> >Bob, W5LT
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: Byron Tatum [mailto:bjtatum at ev1.net]
> >Sent: Sunday, June 05, 2005 8:11 AM
> >To: TowerTalk at contesting.com
> >Subject: [TowerTalk] Small Yagi Advice
> >
> >Hello-
> >     I want to ask for advice regarding the selection of a 3 or 4 element
> >tribander. I had used for a number of years the Cushcraft A-3 and was
> >pleased. Since I will have a couple of long VHF antennas above the tribander
> >I am trying to keep the size and weight of it to a manageable level, whereby
> >I can still push up the mast.
> >     I have studied the Cushcraft A4-S and it looks like it would be a 
> little
> >better than my old A-3, but I wanted to ask about other antennas in this
> >general category.
> >                             Thanks, Byron WA5THJ.