[TowerTalk] re; STEPPir ANTENNAs

[Mike Fatchett W0MU]

How can you efficiently stack for 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10m?  The models 
most used had the stacking distance at 30 to 32 ft.  It was a 
compromise.   Most serious contesters had switches allowing upper, lower 
both, in and out of phase.  It just the op tons of options.   I believe 
N2IC and K0EU have stacked KT34XA's.  They do very well.  Dedicated 
stacks will have better performance.  It is all about compromise.  What 
can you afford and what do you have room for.

With the SteppIR you lose instant band changes, the ability to share the 
antennas with other radios using triplexers to be on other bands at the 
same time.

I have 3 of them.  They work pretty well.  They were some of the 1st 
multi element antennas on 12 and 17 and they were fun to use on those 
bands.  Nearly instant 180 was pretty handy too and a bidirectional mode 
that worked pretty good for those with pop centers east and west.  Two 
are broke and I created a 2 ele for a DXpedition at J6 and it sits at 
50ft today.  One of the spindles finally broke.  The early versions were 
prone to this.  This was my 2nd failure of a spindle.  I have been 
pretty lucky.

Would I buy them again today.  Not a chance.

W0MU


On 4/6/2025 8:34 PM, john at kk9a.com wrote:
> If I recall correctly, N5DX has had a US high score in CQWW many times using a four stack of multiband Yagis vertically stacked on a 150ft rotating tower.   I don't know how well they work in an H-Frame.
>
> John KK9A
>
>
> Ron WV4P wrote:
>
> I am very surprised to learn that multi-band antennas do not work well in
> stacks.
>
> Ron, WV4P
>
> On Sun, Apr 6, 2025 at 8:48 PM Mike Fatchett W0MU <w0mu at w0mu.com> wrote:
>
>> He could have used 20m monobanders and saved a ton of
>> money......Obviously money was not an issue.  4 80 ft towers as the
>> supports.....etc.......And then when it broke you were SOL.
>>
>> W0MU
>>
>> On 4/6/2025 7:34 PM, Richard (Rick) Karlquist wrote:
>>> A stack in 2 dimensions like that only works well on one band.
>>> It won't be anything great whether SteppIR's or any other tribanders
>>> are used.  W6BH tried a stack of KT34's (only vertical stacking)
>>> and it didn't work very well, which should have been obvious without
>>> building it.  As was said, more cents than sense.
>>>
>>> 73
>>> Rick N6RK
>
>
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