[TowerTalk] SteppIR gain

[Jim Jarvis]

Steve, N2IC wrote, in comment to Dave, N6LL's comments:

<snip>
 > Once you do the conversions, the claimed
 > gain is as follows:

 > Band    4el Steppir    C31XR
 > 20        9.5dBi        8.1
 > 17        10.0            -
 > 15        10.2          8.4
 > 12        10.4            -
 > 10        10.6          9.5

Those Steppir gain figures are very questionable.  They are significantly
higher
than the gain figures for optimized yagi designs in the 20th edition of the
ARRL
Antenna Book.  While a Steppir may be a fine antenna, it's still just 4
elements
on each band, and won't be any better than an optimized 4 element beam on
the
same boom length.
<snip>

Steve is right on point...there is no magic.  I can't speak to the 4 el
steppIR,
but the Mertel's published measured field data for the 3el.  I would expect
they
would test the 4 el in the same fashion, but can't attest to that.  Simply
asking
them might clear things up.

IMHO the steppIR 3 or 4 el is not materially better or worse than a 3 or 4
el monobander
on the same boom length.  What it IS, is flexible.

n2ea
jimjarvis at ieee.org

ps:  steve...tnx for the geo888 fix!