[TowerTalk] Small Yagi Advice

Sun Jun 5 19:35:21 EDT 2005

I'll throw in my 2 cents for the money strapped hams out there with limited 
space as well. I've buillt a very nice operating 20 meter Moxon, feed with 
open wire line and additional reflectors inside it, i.e. K5RZ design, it 
works well on 20, 17 and 15 meters, excellent F/B, better than most 3 
element yagis and 6 dB forward gain.  The F/B is what sold me, I can alway 
turn on the amp to get more dB going out but I need to hear them, the Moxon 
is 70% the size of a full size beam...mine is on a 10 foot PVC boom with 25 
foot elements a top a small 35 foot tower...city lot, works for me, cost, I 
had most everything except the boom -

attached is the pic of the Moxon we used for FD last year. Same antenna.

73, Tim
K8WBL

>From: "Roger Huntley" <snr.huntley at verizon.net>
>To: <TowerTalk at contesting.com>
>Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Small Yagi Advice
>Date: Sun, 05 Jun 2005 21:47:32 +0000
>
>When first starting out in ham radio back in 1955 I started with a small 3
>element yagi tribander on a Radio Shack push up mast on the roof of my
>parents house and was happy with it for many years earning my DXCC and then
>some.  The next step was to go to an A4 which also worked great.
>
>However, as time goes on you learn to want more and better things, as now I
>have a 3 element SteppIR up 80 feet in a tree and a C31XR with a 402CD 
>above
>on 75 foot tower and a F12 30/40 on the ground waiting to go up in a 100
>foot tree.  There is no comparison in performance between the larger
>antennas and the A4, however there is no comparision with the cost either!!
>
>Byron, if you can afford it go with the SteppIR, you will not regret it.  
>If
>you can't afford it at this stage in your life go with the A4, you will
>enjoy it also.
>
>73,
>
>Roger, W7VV
>
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: towertalk-bounces at contesting.com
>[mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com]On Behalf Of Joe - WDØM
>Sent: Sunday, June 05, 2005 09:30 PM
>To: TowerTalk at contesting.com
>Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Small Yagi Advice
>
>
>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.
>
>_______________________________________________
>
>See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless
>Weather Stations", and lot's more.  Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any
>questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
>
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>
>_______________________________________________
>
>See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless 
>Weather Stations", and lot's more.  Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any 
>questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
>
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