[TowerTalk] SteppIR and SO2R

[john at kk9a.com]

Assuming that the sunspots will someday return, I believe that a  
single SteppIR beam is a bad choice for SO2R contesting. It takes a  
long time to change bands and the antenna cannot be set for two bands  
simultaneously. One of the many interlaced Yagis the DX Engineering  
sells along with a triplexer and band pass filters would allow you to  
operate competitively and reliably. Lately a number of high scoring  
stations are using interlaced antennas.

John KK9A



Bruce Meier N1LN wrote:

I am looking at changing my tower and antenna configurations and making it
more "from the ground" serviceable.  To that point, I just completed the
installation of a US Towers HDX589 and it is in need of an antenna.  I would
like to have only 1 antenna on the tower and will be using a hinge bracket
to be able to tilt the tower and keep the antenna parallel to the ground for
maintenance.



Questions:



1.	The Force 12 DB-18E is the current antenna selection.   Based on
what I have been able to determine this solution will not be easy (or
perhaps even possible) to integrate into an SO2R configuration due to the
need to have the IR controller connected to either the computer or radio for
frequency information.  It appears that the antenna must be dedicated to one
rig only and can't be switched from Rig LEFT to Rig RIGHT or vise versa.
Does anyone have a SteppIR antenna/controller integrated into SO2R and if so
- how did you do it?

a.	I am using (2) K3 XCVRs, (2) ACOM 2000As, N1MM+, YCCC SO2R box,
Array Solutions SIXPAK.



2.	I have not yet purchased the antenna, so I am open to alternate
antenna suggestions.   I would like the antenna to cover 40 - 10 meters.  (6
meters is a bonus but not required)



Thanks for your assistance.



73,

Bruce N1LN