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Reviews For: SteppIR Fluidmotion 4 Element

Category: Antennas: HF: Yagi, Quad, Rotary dipole, LPDA

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Review Summary For : SteppIR Fluidmotion 4 Element
Reviews: 27MSRP: 2095 USD
Description:
A 4 element yagi with continuously adjustable elements, driven by a controller that can derive frequency from your transceiver, and automatically tune the antenna to provide near 1:1 SWR at any given frequency from 20 - 6 meters. Features 180 degree reverse operation with the push of a button, as well as (reduced) gain in two directions at once. Elements are contained in fiberglass tubes. Two additional passive elements for 6 meters provide a 6 element yagi at extra cost. For long coantrol cable runs (over 200 feet) an optional 33 VDC power supply provides the extra punch needed to ensure correct operation. SteppIR antennas are "modular", meaning they can be expanded by purchasing a kit to add new elements when the company develops them. When they come out with a 5 element yagi, buying a kit will allow you to upgrade to the newest configuration.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.steppir.com/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
15274
I1ODP Rating: 2005-03-02
Top performer on top a 6 floor condo Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I designed my previous monobander antennas with YO, and performances were excellent, but living down town in a 6 floors apartement building I was able to work only 14 MHz.
Now I have the possibility to use all bands from 14 to 50 MHz with monobander performances better than expected.
More, the 4L is free from electrical discharges noise when raining because fiberglass poles are acting as a radome.
Support is kind and quick also with customer outside USA (they change immediately my faulty Controller).
The 180° possibility is great.
I love it
Paolo i1odp
K9VDD Rating: 2004-12-11
BEST CONCEPT IN 50 YRS!! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I put up my new 4 element SteppIR last Memorial day. Since that time I have been Top Dog on 20 mtrs from Madison!! All functions & features work great. As far as lightning is concerned, that is no fault of the antenna. I have had 5 direct hits in 4 different locations over 45 yrs and each hit was very different in severity. The worst being HDBX 48 tower leg severed like a torch would do, started a fire in the shack and the tower came down. That is in no way a reflection on ANY antenna!! Good HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE keeps you covered in case of disaster. YOU can't 2nd guess mother nature. THE STEPPIR PRODUCTS AND THE FOLKS OUT IN WASHINGTON ARE GREAT !!
73, RALPH
WB6Q Rating: 2004-12-11
Great Concept Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This antenna is a great concept and someday might change the way antennas are designed long into the future. The problem is I live in an area with a lot of thunderstorms. Well I have had lightning strikes on a KT36XA and it runs down the tower to ground or down the coax to ground, no problem. However, I had a lightning strike on my new SteeppIR and it was nasty, it just fried those steppin motors the whole thing looked like fried mush. Took the antenna down and I will never again go that route. My KT36XA is back on the job and in my view although the 4 element antenna performed very well the M2 out performs the 4 element SteppIR although it neads a tuner to operate on 17 meters. Somehow antennas motors and lighting still don't mix at the top of your tower.
KJ6RA Rating: 2004-09-27
A very good choice!! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have had mine up for a month now. Have operated in several contests and am very pleased with the performance. Was originally going to purchase another antenna but the dealer had some problems so we looked alsewhere. Boy am I glad I did! It took about 12 weeks for delivery after Dayton. The antenna came well packed and the instructions were very good. No missing parts and after assembly and installation on the tower there were no problems what so ever. The performance has been as expected and am quite pleased. I will write a follow-up after the winter storms are over but I am confident it will do quite well through contest season.
W4ZW Rating: 2004-05-02
Outstanding Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Three elements monobanders on every frequency! That says it all. Perhaps not optimal element spacing, but it is very well constructed, sealed from the weather (important to me since I'm oceanfront) and tunes in seconds. I have three A4S's and 402CD, and the SteppIR beats the A4's most the time considering differences in height and take off angles.

VE3NFK Rating: 2004-01-24
The Best antenna Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
The previous 2 reviews give you all the information you need... I just want to comment on the EXCELLENT customer service of Fluidmotion and their caring attitude... I upgraded from the 3 to 4 element beam and a couple of clamps were the wrong size for the new beam. Fluidmotion sent me replacements the same day. Because it tunes to the frequency - I find it great for general listening. I would guess at least 2-3 S-units better than my PRO-57B. I just miss my 40 meters! Assembly and installation went well and the front-back is awesome. One call in a pile-up to Mali and Chad. Using a TS-2000 with TRX-Manager and LP-StepLink to control the SteppIR and an AlfaSpid rotator on 64 foot self-supporting Trylon tower. Life is good.
Thanks Fluidmotion.
John VE3NFK
WD0M Rating: 2004-01-01
Fantastic Antenna! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Simply stated, this antenna is the best yagi on the market. My prior antennas have included a Mosley Pro57B, a HyGain TH7DX, and other assorted commercial products. Although very good, these antennas don't match the features available in the SteppIR 4 element yagi. Above all, what sets this product apart from other companies is service - customer support - and just good old fashioned communication.

Although I had to wait a few months for this antenna to be delivered, I was kept up to date by the company about what was causing the delays - they moved into a larger facility due to their growing business, and had a supplier problem for an IC chip that slowed production - and they told customers about it!

Assembly was only slightly different than any other beam I've put together. You spend time connecting the stepper motors for each element to the control cable, rather than measuring and assembling the tubing elements on "conventional" yagis. The assembly manual was thorough and complete. This is the only yagi I've ever owned that also includes an OPERATOR's manual! In daily use, the antenna is virtually transparent if used with a transceiver control cable that feeds data to the controller box that sits in the shack. When you change frequency, the antenna tracks along with you, giving close to a 1:1 SWR on all bands, all frequencies. You can adjust the elements to provide a 1:1 SWR, and then place those settings in memory for later use. The controller allows you to manually select a band and frequency should you not use a rig interface.

The system also allows computer logging programs to control the rig, as well as feed data to the SteppIR controller. I use DX4WIN, and it all plays together - it even allows computerized antenna control through the rotator. Can't ask for a more integrated solution to providing automated operation.

If you run high power (Fluidmotion suggests that is anything over 200 watts), you need to remember that it takes a couple of seconds when changing bands to allow the SteppIR controller to adjust the elements. Some owners report they notice a small burst of "hash" when the SteppIR is tuning - I do. It isn't offensive, it goes away quickly, and lets you know that the controller is doing what's required to give you that SWR of 1:1.

I enjoy the fact that the SteppIR is virtually instantly reversible to allow you, with the push of a button, to pick up that station calling you from the "backside" of the beam. When operating 6 meters, and there is an opening that is over a broad area, the "gain in both directions" feature allows me to work stations in both directions easily, or push the "180" button if I want to direct more power to a specific direction to work the "weak one". With a conventional yagi, you may not hear that station calling you from the backside of the beam. In practice, there IS no backside of a beam when using a SteppIR. Push the button and you instantly reverse the beam.

The SteppIR user group is very active, and owners are happy to share their experiences. There is some expressed concern about long term survivability for the stepper motors, and some have concerns about the fiberglass element support tubes. Stepper motors are very reliable, with millions of cycles between failure. Fiberglass tubes have been used in spreaders for quads for decades. A replacement tube is ony about $20, and SteppIR will send them to owners right away if needed.

Undoubtedly, this is my last antenna - unless they come out with a 5 element kit, and my name will be at the top of the list for that one!

73,
Joe
WD0M
(ex-WL7M)