[TowerTalk] TH3MKII vs 3 element SteppIR

[Mike]

Terry -
I'm not sure if you mean to leave the dipole up or not. Get the 30/40M 
driven element, and do away with the dipole, and add a band.

Why do you care if it's bigger? Will it extend over your property line? 
If you're worried about Fla. winds, take a look at the pic on the cover 
of the manual.....
I'm in Jacksonville, and so far my 4L has survived going on 6 years now.

Check the tower specs for wind load. It looks like the 30/40 element is 
2 sq. ft. bringing the total to 8.1.

You could easily assemble it in a day. Be sure to read the manual at 
least 3 times before you start.

73,
Mike NF4L

Terrence R. Redding Ph.D. wrote:
> I have a TH3MKII with a 30/17/12 dipole mounted five feet above the beam on
> a 54 foot Tri-Ex tower.  I am thinking of replacing that with a 3 element
> StepIR.  I am convinced it will be a step up in all cases.  However, I have
> never seen a 3 element SteppIR and don't have a feel for whether I am
> dramatically increasing the amount of stuff I have on top of my tower.
>
> Has anyone done something like this?  I assume many have.  If so, did you
> have the sense that you were putting more stuff in the air and increasing
> the risk to the tower coming down in a storm.  Or was you sense that you
> were reducing the wind profile and actually putting less in the air, and
> thus reducing the likelihood that it all might come down in the wind?
>
> In the pro vs cons, it appears the SteppIR weighs less and presents less
> wind load.  However, the antenna is bigger, nearly four feet longer on each
> side of the boom.
>
>     Weight lb    Length ft    Width ft    Wind Load lbs    turning radius ft
> TH3MKII    35    14    27.5    4.6/118    15.3
> Dipole 12/17/30    20        29.56    '1.8/48    16
>                    
> StepIR 3 element    51    16    36    6.1    19.7
>                    
> I am also curious to know how long assembly takes.  I would hope I could
> build the antenna during the week, and then drop the tower and install with
> all cables and be back on the air on a Saturday.  Is that reasonable for one
> guy?
>
> Terry - W6LMJ West Palm Beach, Florida
>
>
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