SteppIR Antennas...

[acyddrop]

1 minute background on this question:

I've already poured two forms approximately 140ft apart for two Rohn 55G towers (140' and 120'), coax runs have been made and conduit and all that. The towers are purchased (though not shipped at this point). All my ground rods are in and my man cave is finished (aka the ham shack) over my garage. All the radios (except for the FLEX-6000) are in, mounted and the coax wiring inside and to the blocks for the towers is finished.

I was originally considering a Bencher Skylark antenna and a Cushcraft XM-240 monoband 40M beam. But at this point I'm not sure I'm in love with either of those antenna choices.

So to frame the question:

I was thinking of purchasing two SteppIR antennas, the MonstIR and the DB11 Yagi. The MonsIR covers 40-6M (including WARC) and the DB11 covers 20-6M (including WARC). This would give me two directional antennas and access to far more bands on the Yagi antennas. The cost could be offset as well by changing out the 55G 120' tower for a 120' 25G tower for the SteppIR DB11 tower. Plus I think I could ditch the pair of K0XG ring rotators and turn both the SteppIR antennas with a less expensive solution.

My real question isn't about all the technical tower crap, I digressed. Just trying to frame the situation.

My real question is, are the SteppIR antennas worth $3500+ vs. a more traditional antenna? Yes I can offset the costs but is it even worth considering, or if all things being equal does it even matter? In other words if I can shuffle stuff around and offset the cost should I just go for it?

Ultimately I'm never going to be a contest participant to any large degree, so I'm not trying to construct a contest station by any means (besides my antennas aren't up high enough to be any real contester contender anyhow). My real goal is to work DX for fun and "meeting" people. My DX consists right now mainly of digital modes, with rag chewing on SSB voice. My DXing is more coincidental than on purpose. In other words, I through my PSK31 signal out or call CQ on SSB voice and if I happen to make a DX contact well yippie, if not than yippie anyway I talked with someone. The whole idea of contesting makes me nauseated anyway so my contesting would only be by mistake.

 

[Ed_Seedhouse]

All I know is that prior to getting my ticket, during the certification course I took earlier this year I visited a local ham who had a 60 foot tower with a steppIR and while I was there he swung his beam over the pole and had QSO's with hams in Ireland and Africa around noon of the day I visited, both on 20 and 17, (and 15 too, I think), voice and code. I was certainly impressed, but then my HF experience is limited to listening with a 35 foot 22 gauge "invisible" longwire, 15 feet up. This from Victoria British Columbia.

This was under normal propagation conditions. My next visit was to another ham across town, but that time we'd had a solar storm and even Rick couldn't get out that day. I know because we made a contact on 40 and he said so.

I'd sure love to have one, along with an HF rig and a nice big back yard. But there is no magic, of course.

 

[acyddrop]

People seem to like them, and they're well reviewed. I've sort of figured out their "magic", you know.. How they work, but it's not a piece of kit I'd build. Besides I've seen them being assembled and they look fairly rugged and well built. I suspect the controller brain is a PIC or an ATmel Arduino kind of thing though. It's not all that "sophisticated" I don't think. Not that I reckon I'd try and make my own though, I just like to reverse engineer things for fun.