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Re: [TowerTalk] LP v SteppIR

To: "Tower and HF antenna construction topics." <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] LP v SteppIR
From: "Gene Fuller" <w2lu@rochester.rr.com>
Reply-to: "Tower and HF antenna construction topics." <towertalk@contesting.com>
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 2010 11:21:02 -0500
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
It all boils down to the old adage "different stroke for different folks". 
How many bands, zoning restrictions especially re height, dollars, wind and 
ice conditions, reliability, avalability of local bargins, asthetics, 
contests vs just x'ing, cost and reliability of cabling - RF, power and 
control, and rotators, ability/willingness to climb, etc.  But remember that 
for the average location, you will most likely pick up more db's and new 
"countries" by putting a fairly simple lower gain (4-6 db) antenna at 70 
feet than going to a fancier higher gain (8-10 db) at 35 feet - if zoning 
will allow it. There certainly are enough options available. And, as 
someone, porbably wiser than most of us blogers once said, in effect, "It's 
most important to just make a reasoned  decision and get on with it.  You'll 
miss more dx with all of the interminal procrastination than you will by 
lacking a few db's from your antenna.




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "jimlux" <jimlux@earthlink.net>
To: "Tower and HF antenna construction topics." <towertalk@contesting.com>
Sent: Friday, January 22, 2010 7:46 AM
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] LP v SteppIR


> Doug Turnbull wrote:
>> Gentlemen,
>>      I wonder what the attraction of the LP is when one can use a 
>> SteppIR.
>> Am I wrong to believe that the Fwd gain and FB are better for a Yagi of 
>> the
>> same number of elements tuned to the frequency of interest than an LP? 
>> Is
>> it not the case that LP antennas have a lot of metal and hence wind 
>> loading
>> for what they achieve?   Wind loading is as important to me as gain and
>> directivity.   It is a big balancing act.   Granted the SteppIR has a 
>> good
>> bit of electronics but in my experience they seem to be reliable. 
>> Perhaps
>> the SteppIR is more expensive for the same performance but Aluminum is
>> pretty dear.
>>
>
> You've pretty much summarized the differences..It's a systems
> engineering question and depends on your ultimate desires.
>
> The SteppIR is more complex, but has less wind resistance, and
> potentially better gain and F/B, and can switch 180 degrees very
> quickly, but takes some short time to change frequency.
>
> The LPDA is simpler (no moving parts), lower gain and f/b,
> instantaneously changes frequency, has more wind drag area and is
> heavier (I'm not sure about the latter).
>
> If you're running comms for an embassy, running kilowatts on RTTY, the
> dual LPDA is the ticket, especially if you're running an HF hopper or ALE.
>
> If you're a ham, wanting to eke out the last tenth of a dB, the SteppIR
> might be a better fit.
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