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1-9 of 9 messages
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TA53 Mosley has more gain than 3 element Steppir?
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by HA5BZR on October 2, 2009
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Dear Friends!
I like to buy a HF beam for 10-12-15-17-20m bands.
I don't want big boom,about 14-16 foot.
TA53 Mosley has 14 ' boom and 3 element Steppir is 16'. Mosley is trap antenna,Steppir is no trap.
How is it possible that Mosley TA53 with 14' boom and lot of trap has more gain than 3 element Steppir with 16' boom without trap?
TA 53 gain see below:
I appreciate any comment.
Model TA-53-M MOSLEY TA-53-M
10, 12, 15, 17, 20 Meter
4 Element
3 Elements on 10, 12, 15, 17, 20
Good all-around performance
No measuring
Pre-drilled
Color coded
18-8 & 300 series Stainless Steel
2 Year warranty
TA-53-M: $SEE PRICING
Frequency, MHz
28, 24, 21, 18, 14
Forward Gain, dBd
10 meters, 3 element
7.9
12 meters, 3 element
7.1
15 meters, 3 element
6.9
17 meters, 3 element
6.7
20 meters, 3 element
6.5
30 meters
40 meters
Front-to Back Ratio, dB
10 meters
16
12 meters
8
15 meters
13
17 meters
12
20 meters
10
30 meters
40 meters
Power Rating, watts CW
1500
Power Rating, watts SSB
2500
Power Rating, watts AM/FM
600
Power Rating, watts RTTY/AMTOR
600
VSWR at frequency
1.0/1 to 1.65/1
Boom Length, ft.
14
Turning Radius, ft.
14.92
Mast Size, in. hardware equipped
2
Maximum Element Length, ft.
26.67
Assembled weight, lbs.
55
Wind Surface Area, sq. ft.
6.7
Wind Load, EIA 80 MPH
160
Warranty
2
Recommended Coax
Belden RG-8 / RG-213
The TA-53-M was designed to give the Ham who would like to have a 3 element beam on 5 bands, but who needs to keep the size of the antenna to minimum.
The design criteria was:
A single feed line.
A very broad band capability, which will easily work with the new solid state rigs.
An antenna that was as compact as possible to justify its use on five bands.
To tune the 53-M for optimum gain, for a "5" band beam on a 14' boom.
To minimize the self interaction of the antennas operating frequencies due to the close proximity to each other on the various bands.
Build it to withstand any above average environments.
We feel this has been accomplished only at the expense of front to back. We considered this to be the least area of importance considering only one director and one reflector spaced over a 14' boom working on five bands.
For the ham that wants a heavy duty all around performer the TA-53-M is for you. It will equal or exceed anyone's 3 element beam on a 14 foot boom in the areas of gain, band width, swr and construction.
Even though the beam is on a 14' boom and we consider it a small, light weight antenna, it is heavier than our TA-33-M and two times heavier than some of our competitors products. This is due to its extra heavy duty construction. This antenna was originally designed to be used as a "light " weight Military and Commercial antenna; and in our Commercial department, it is considered light weight.
We feel the TA-53-M gives a Ham the best of all worlds in a small compact antenna.
NOTE: The TA-53-M can also have 30 or 40 meters added to its front Driven element. This 40 meter kit can be added at any time. The kit for 40 is the TA-40-KR. The TA-30-KR adds 30 meters.
Thanks:Laszlo HA5BZR
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RE: TA53 Mosley has more gain than 3 element Steppir?
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by WB5JEO on October 2, 2009
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Well, the claimed gain for the SteppIR is higher than the claimed gain for the Mosley, and SteppIR claims distinctly sharped front-to-back. But the gain figures are not so different that gain alone would be a reason to decide. I think most realists choose between these according to their feeling about active mechanisms in the SteppIR's and the perceived prospects of wear and maintenance. And, of course, according to the operator's needs, the resonance versatility of the SteppIR is very attractive to some. Well-designed 3-element Yagi's that haven't been single-mindedly optimized for gain alone are generally going to have gain numbers close enough that the difference isn't much of a factor. These two make different compromises. The Mosley is obviously juggling the spacings for multi-band use, and the SteppIR is locked into fixed spacing for its three elements. Off the top of my head, I'm don't think I' m surprised that the SteppIR claims higher front to rear over the Mosley, on account of the effects of the different configurations and the progressive loss of resonance away from the Mosley's center frequencies. And traps become distinctly more evil when being discussed my someone selling an antenna without traps.
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RE: TA53 Mosley has more gain than 3 element Steppir?
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by W4KVW on October 3, 2009
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Well I am a VERY HAPPY user & owner of a MOSLEY TA-53M & it was NOT designed for great Front to back but it kicks BUTT on the front end in a pileup.I have never had or used a SteppIR nor would I be interested in one because of the lightning storms here in North Florida.Those motors are NOT cheap nor is my tower & antenna mans labor charges so that rules out the extra moving parts.I hear lots of SteppIRs on the air & the owners BRAG all the time about how great they are.For what they cost the BETTER BE GREAT! I love it when they POOR MOUTH my MOSLEY but can NOT explain how MOSLEY has been in the antenna business almost 70 YEARS with their TRAP antennas that others say work POORLY.If they work so POORLY how have they continued to sell so MANY for almost 70 years? For my money I'd buy ANOTHER "MOSLEY" & keep TRAPPING that DX! KICKING BUTTS in the pileups! }:>) If you speak with the folks at SteppIR ask them how MOSLLEY is still around & see what line of BS they lay on you so you'll buy their antenna.My last MOSLEY(TA-33JR)was over 20 years old when I gave it to another local ham who has had it another 5 years & it still plays like NEW!MOSLEY is a NO MOVING PARTS DX BUSTER!Get you one!
CLAYTON
W4KVW
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RE: TA53 Mosley has more gain than 3 element Steppir?
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by WB2WIK on October 3, 2009
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The TA53 and the SteppIR are both very good antennas, and I've installed them both.
Be careful about "lead time" if you plan to order a new one and want it anytime soon. Both Mosley and SteppIR can often have very l-o-n-g lead times, like several weeks to several months and if you want to install an antenna soon, either one might be a problem unless you find a used one in a local deal.
I wouldn't make this decision based on 1dB of gain, one way or another -- it's silly. But I would definitely make this decision based on availability unless my installation was scheduled for 2010.
WB2WIK/6
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RE: TA53 Mosley has more gain than 3 element Steppir?
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by W1NK on October 4, 2009
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I'd hold off on purchasing from Mosley for the time being... according to their web page, they're still on vacation until July 13th.
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RE: TA53 Mosley has more gain than 3 element Steppir?
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by N3OX on October 4, 2009
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I'd be more likely to believe Mosley's gain numbers if those were dBi and not dBd. Then it would be uniformly 1dB less across the board vs. the SteppIR.
Traps aren't nearly as bad as popular opinion would seem to indicate, but traps do have more loss than no traps and boom length is one of the primary indicators of which yagi will have more gain if it's optimized well.
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RE: TA53 Mosley has more gain than 3 element Steppir?
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by K6AER on October 4, 2009
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This can be a straw man argument. By the amount of information you have provided about the Mosley it looks like you have your mind already made up.
Absolute gain figures on Yagi’s can be misleading. When you are S9+20 nobody will see the ˝ dB gain difference.
As a general rule boom length establishes the gain figures. Not the absolute number of elements.
The Mosley TA53 clams a gain figure of 6.5 dBd on 20, 6.9 dBd on 15 and 7.9dBi on 10 meters with a 14 foot boom. I don’t believe that in a heart beat. My 4 element SteppIR on a 32 foot boom is measured at 9,7 dBi or 7.6 dBd on 20 meters. It appears that the Mosley folks have repealed the laws of physics regarding boom length and gain.
Also never compare antenna figures when the manufacture starts to inject ground reflection gain, it means nothing.
Any multi element interlaced antenna will have a more diffused vertical pattern than a mono band beam. This is why contest stations go to the trouble of putting up mono banders.
You will find the far more important specification is the front-to-back and front–to-side rejection.
I typically see 25-32 dB front-to-back and 27-35 front-to –side off the SteppIR in the 4 element and slightly less F/B (25dB) in the 3 element configuration. I noticed the Mosley list the F/B at around 10-13 dB depending on band. You will notice in DX pileups that lost F/B and F/Side rejection will hammer your receiver.
The Mosley is rated at 1500 watts CW. The SteppIR is rated 3000 watts CW no time limit.
Wind loading on the Mosley is 80 MPH EIA but they don’t list which specification number. The SteppIR is rated at 100 MPH EIA-222-C.
VSWR on the Mosley is listed at 1.6:1. No frequency band spread is listed nor which band the spec is pattered on. The SteppIR is flat on any frequency from 13.9 to 54 MHz.
I have the first 4 element SteppIR beam (S/N 001) up since 2003 August. I have used it in the 2, 3 and 4 element configurations. One of the most desirable feature is the bi- directional and 180 degree feature. It has saved my many hundreds of hours of rotor time and in many cases the ability to talk on round tables on both coasts.
The antenna has been hit by lightning over 6 times during that period with no antenna damage. Tornados, blizzards, ice storms and up to 1.5 inches of ice in the winter. I am at 7000 feet and in the summer the UV is very intense. No problems. Weather is very intense here in Colorado at my altitudand we get some of the worst every year.
Now comes the subject of the stepper motors. The motors have a 50,000 hour MTBF. That is 1174 band changes a day for 21 years. Yes you could lose your controller on a bad lightning strike but I might add that can happen to your rotor control, XCVR, amplifier and lap top. I lost one band controller a few years ago due to a lightning strike and Mike at SteppIR had a new one out to me the next day.
Yes. the antenna is a bit more expensive but I feel the quality and design is worth it. The 3 element SteppIR is about $600 more than the Mosley but the cost difference will be soon forgotten when you are overwhelmed by QRM off the back of TA-53. Front-to back on 20 meters was listed at 10 dB. We can see that Mosley fudges a bit on their gain specification.
What is the real Front-to-Back?
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RE: TA53 Mosley has more gain than 3 element Stepp
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by KM6CZ on October 19, 2009
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Interesting points... Mosley's gain figures are actual measurements which include ground reflection. A SteppIR having an equal number of elements will provide significantly better results as the elements are full size and more optimally spaced on the boom. I have a TA-33M (3 el) which is outperformed by a hex beam (2 el.) in most situations. However, Mosley's antennas are built to last (heavy gauge tubing) and provide years of trouble free life. It really comes down to budget. If I had the money and space, I would opt for the SteppIR.
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RE: TA53 Mosley has more gain than 3 element Stepp
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by K9FON on October 27, 2009
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Id take the Mosley over the Steppir anyday just bcause here we have a thing called winter. I just dont trust having electical moving parts up in the air in the weather that we get here in Indiana.
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