[TowerTalk] SteppIR

[Brian Lambert, N1IK]

Gary.  

Good points.  We'll just have to wait and see.

If we see massive failures in 5 years, there will be a class-action suit
against FM by angry amateurs who will allege that Mike knew the design was
flawed years ago.  (We'll have to find some internal memos to prove it, and
all the other usual goodies.)  SteppIR owners, save your purchase
documentation as proof that you can take part of the suit!

Seriously, though, I have to say, I think it's so easy to point at something
with moving parts and say, "What if?", "What if?", "What if?".  And you
might be right.  You might not be right, too.  You don't know, you're
guessing, just like the rest of us.

I made my bet.  I am an optimist, and I believe in the product.  Plus I love
the company.

I wish you all could have been here on Sunday morning when I ran EU on
18.127 for nearly five hours.  The pileup was 20 wide and 30 deep all
morning, and the SteppIR was playing really well.  When that many people
tell you that you are 20 over, it's intoxicatingly fun.

Would I have done as well on a T-12?  Probably.

4.5 months and counting here.

Best,

Brian, N1IK

-----Original Message-----
From: towertalk-bounces at contesting.com
[mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Richard M. Gillingham
Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2005 1:18 PM
To: garyejones at cmaaccess.com; towertalk at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] SteppIR

Sounds good Gary,  We'll see you in the pileups, but not for long..(grin)

3 el in the blistering southern sun..  2.5 years and going strong..
Gil, W1RG

----- Original Message -----
From: <garyejones at cmaaccess.com>
To: <towertalk at contesting.com>
Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2005 12:10 PM
Subject: [TowerTalk] SteppIR


> The real issue here, in my mind, (outside of the OM that lives on a
> saltwater island and had to replace his aluminum every year or two) is
> how long will the SteppIR elements hold up and how long the motor
> drives (the mechanics) will continue to accurately move the copper
> strips out and back. I wouldn't touch one until I heard how these
> elements are doing after five years vibrating 20 Hz in the wind,
> bending under ice loads, taking the blistering southern summers, and a
> couple of thousand changes of length.  My hunch is that there will not
> be a single antenna working at 5 or 10 years, while there are many 30
> year old aluminum monobanders still "playing" like the day there were
> first erected......
>
>           73
>
>                     Gary       W5FI
>
>
> _______________________________________________
>
> 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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