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Re: [TowerTalk] re; STEPPir ANTENNAs

To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] re; STEPPir ANTENNAs
From: Mike Fatchett W0MU <w0mu@w0mu.com>
Date: Sun, 6 Apr 2025 20:50:07 -0600
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
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@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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