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#1
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SteppIR 3 el Yagi vs. Force 12 XR5
I am thinking of putting up a yagi antenna. I am considering putting up
either the SteppIR 3 el yagi or the Force 12 XR5. Does anyone have any opinions on which is the best antenna? Has anyone tried both? Rob P.S. I live up north where there is lots of snow and ice during the winter. Will the SteppIR antenna survive such weather? |
#2
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Dear Rob (unknown call; unknown location; no E-mail address):
Your questions are unanswerable. What constitutes the "best" antenna depends on many factors. You have only provided the information that you are "up north" and that you wish an antenna to survive Winter weather. It is unlikely that someone has "tried" both of the antennas you mention. If they had gone to that expense it would be to write a paper/book or because one of the antennas died. Winter survival depends on a number of factors (including luck). What is a reasonable design to place at 40 feet in an old, wooded subdivision is likely to be outrageous at 200 feet in open country. The ARRL has sold a book on the mechanical design of beams. It is a good reference to study. The mechanical standard for towers and antennas is 222F. It too should be consulted. It will be a few more years before the survival characteristics of the Step products starts to have statistical significance. I have heard from riggers that the F12 products do not do well in severe wind/weather conditions. (You may well not have such severe conditions.) A search using Google, or the like, will turn up more information. Be cautious of statements that contend that their antenna survived last Winter's storm. The writer's location may have shielded the antenna. I hope that this is of assistance. Regards, Mac N8TT -- J. Mc Laughlin - Michigan USA Home: "Rob" wrote in message ... I am thinking of putting up a yagi antenna. I am considering putting up either the SteppIR 3 el yagi or the Force 12 XR5. Does anyone have any opinions on which is the best antenna? Has anyone tried both? Rob P.S. I live up north where there is lots of snow and ice during the winter. Will the SteppIR antenna survive such weather? |
#3
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J. McLaughlin wrote:
Dear Rob (unknown call; unknown location; no E-mail address): Your questions are unanswerable. What constitutes the "best" antenna depends on many factors. You have only provided the information that you are "up north" and that you wish an antenna to survive Winter weather. It is unlikely that someone has "tried" both of the antennas you mention. If they had gone to that expense it would be to write a paper/book or because one of the antennas died. Winter survival depends on a number of factors (including luck). What is a reasonable design to place at 40 feet in an old, wooded subdivision is likely to be outrageous at 200 feet in open country. The ARRL has sold a book on the mechanical design of beams. It is a good reference to study. The mechanical standard for towers and antennas is 222F. It too should be consulted. It will be a few more years before the survival characteristics of the Step products starts to have statistical significance. I have heard from riggers that the F12 products do not do well in severe wind/weather conditions. (You may well not have such severe conditions.) A search using Google, or the like, will turn up more information. Be cautious of statements that contend that their antenna survived last Winter's storm. The writer's location may have shielded the antenna. I hope that this is of assistance. Regards, Mac N8TT "Rob" wrote in message ... I am thinking of putting up a yagi antenna. I am considering putting up either the SteppIR 3 el yagi or the Force 12 XR5. Does anyone have any opinions on which is the best antenna? Has anyone tried both? Rob P.S. I live up north where there is lots of snow and ice during the winter. Will the SteppIR antenna survive such weather? Thanks for the reply. Well the most important factor for me is survival. I live inside a National Park up in Canada where lots of snow, ice, wind, etc occur during the long winter months. The antenna will be located up in the clear. There will be not much around to shield it from the winds. The SteppIR products looks interesting but they do not have much of a track record. I used to use a Cushcraft R7000 but that only lasted 3 winters. I am not that impressed with the strength of Cushcraft products. Rob |
#4
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"Rob" wrote in message .. . J. McLaughlin wrote: Dear Rob (unknown call; unknown location; no E-mail address): Your questions are unanswerable. What constitutes the "best" antenna depends on many factors. You have only provided the information that you are "up north" and that you wish an antenna to survive Winter weather. It is unlikely that someone has "tried" both of the antennas you mention. If they had gone to that expense it would be to write a paper/book or because one of the antennas died. Winter survival depends on a number of factors (including luck). What is a reasonable design to place at 40 feet in an old, wooded subdivision is likely to be outrageous at 200 feet in open country. The ARRL has sold a book on the mechanical design of beams. It is a good reference to study. The mechanical standard for towers and antennas is 222F. It too should be consulted. It will be a few more years before the survival characteristics of the Step products starts to have statistical significance. I have heard from riggers that the F12 products do not do well in severe wind/weather conditions. (You may well not have such severe conditions.) A search using Google, or the like, will turn up more information. Be cautious of statements that contend that their antenna survived last Winter's storm. The writer's location may have shielded the antenna. I hope that this is of assistance. Regards, Mac N8TT "Rob" wrote in message ... I am thinking of putting up a yagi antenna. I am considering putting up either the SteppIR 3 el yagi or the Force 12 XR5. Does anyone have any opinions on which is the best antenna? Has anyone tried both? Rob P.S. I live up north where there is lots of snow and ice during the winter. Will the SteppIR antenna survive such weather? Thanks for the reply. Well the most important factor for me is survival. I live inside a National Park up in Canada where lots of snow, ice, wind, etc occur during the long winter months. The antenna will be located up in the clear. There will be not much around to shield it from the winds. The SteppIR products looks interesting but they do not have much of a track record. I used to use a Cushcraft R7000 but that only lasted 3 winters. I am not that impressed with the strength of Cushcraft products. Rob Hi Rob My SteppIR antennas have survived winds that destroyed nearby trees FWIW. I think the claimed wind survival ratings are realistic. Ice does not change the antenna's electrical behavior; The elements are inside a fiberglass tube. The elements can be fully retracted. If the fiberglass tube does fail it can be cheaply replaced. I'm upgrading my 3 to a 4. 73 H. NQ5H |
#5
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H. Adam Stevens wrote:
"Rob" wrote in message .. . J. McLaughlin wrote: Dear Rob (unknown call; unknown location; no E-mail address): Your questions are unanswerable. What constitutes the "best" antenna depends on many factors. You have only provided the information that you are "up north" and that you wish an antenna to survive Winter weather. It is unlikely that someone has "tried" both of the antennas you mention. If they had gone to that expense it would be to write a paper/book or because one of the antennas died. Winter survival depends on a number of factors (including luck). What is a reasonable design to place at 40 feet in an old, wooded subdivision is likely to be outrageous at 200 feet in open country. The ARRL has sold a book on the mechanical design of beams. It is a good reference to study. The mechanical standard for towers and antennas is 222F. It too should be consulted. It will be a few more years before the survival characteristics of the Step products starts to have statistical significance. I have heard from riggers that the F12 products do not do well in severe wind/weather conditions. (You may well not have such severe conditions.) A search using Google, or the like, will turn up more information. Be cautious of statements that contend that their antenna survived last Winter's storm. The writer's location may have shielded the antenna. I hope that this is of assistance. Regards, Mac N8TT "Rob" wrote in message ... I am thinking of putting up a yagi antenna. I am considering putting up either the SteppIR 3 el yagi or the Force 12 XR5. Does anyone have any opinions on which is the best antenna? Has anyone tried both? Rob P.S. I live up north where there is lots of snow and ice during the winter. Will the SteppIR antenna survive such weather? Thanks for the reply. Well the most important factor for me is survival. I live inside a National Park up in Canada where lots of snow, ice, wind, etc occur during the long winter months. The antenna will be located up in the clear. There will be not much around to shield it from the winds. The SteppIR products looks interesting but they do not have much of a track record. I used to use a Cushcraft R7000 but that only lasted 3 winters. I am not that impressed with the strength of Cushcraft products. Rob Hi Rob My SteppIR antennas have survived winds that destroyed nearby trees FWIW. I think the claimed wind survival ratings are realistic. Ice does not change the antenna's electrical behavior; The elements are inside a fiberglass tube. The elements can be fully retracted. If the fiberglass tube does fail it can be cheaply replaced. I'm upgrading my 3 to a 4. 73 H. NQ5H Thanks for the info. The SteppIR antenna is definitely one to consider. Did you find it hard to construct? 73's Rob |
#6
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"Rob" wrote in message ... H. Adam Stevens wrote: "Rob" wrote in message .. . J. McLaughlin wrote: Dear Rob (unknown call; unknown location; no E-mail address): Your questions are unanswerable. What constitutes the "best" antenna depends on many factors. You have only provided the information that you are "up north" and that you wish an antenna to survive Winter weather. It is unlikely that someone has "tried" both of the antennas you mention. If they had gone to that expense it would be to write a paper/book or because one of the antennas died. Winter survival depends on a number of factors (including luck). What is a reasonable design to place at 40 feet in an old, wooded subdivision is likely to be outrageous at 200 feet in open country. The ARRL has sold a book on the mechanical design of beams. It is a good reference to study. The mechanical standard for towers and antennas is 222F. It too should be consulted. It will be a few more years before the survival characteristics of the Step products starts to have statistical significance. I have heard from riggers that the F12 products do not do well in severe wind/weather conditions. (You may well not have such severe conditions.) A search using Google, or the like, will turn up more information. Be cautious of statements that contend that their antenna survived last Winter's storm. The writer's location may have shielded the antenna. I hope that this is of assistance. Regards, Mac N8TT "Rob" wrote in message ... I am thinking of putting up a yagi antenna. I am considering putting up either the SteppIR 3 el yagi or the Force 12 XR5. Does anyone have any opinions on which is the best antenna? Has anyone tried both? Rob P.S. I live up north where there is lots of snow and ice during the winter. Will the SteppIR antenna survive such weather? Thanks for the reply. Well the most important factor for me is survival. I live inside a National Park up in Canada where lots of snow, ice, wind, etc occur during the long winter months. The antenna will be located up in the clear. There will be not much around to shield it from the winds. The SteppIR products looks interesting but they do not have much of a track record. I used to use a Cushcraft R7000 but that only lasted 3 winters. I am not that impressed with the strength of Cushcraft products. Rob Hi Rob My SteppIR antennas have survived winds that destroyed nearby trees FWIW. I think the claimed wind survival ratings are realistic. Ice does not change the antenna's electrical behavior; The elements are inside a fiberglass tube. The elements can be fully retracted. If the fiberglass tube does fail it can be cheaply replaced. I'm upgrading my 3 to a 4. 73 H. NQ5H Thanks for the info. The SteppIR antenna is definitely one to consider. Did you find it hard to construct? 73's Rob Straightforward and well built. 73 H. NQ5H |
#7
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Check out Mosley antenna's. They been around along time and I have
TA-33 tribander up at 75 feet for 20 years. Bought it used and estimate its 30 years old. QTH is southern New Jersey, not the most severe WX but over the 20 years its seen some tough summer storms. Check out there web site. I forget the address but you can find it with a search. |
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