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Reviews For: Steppir Dream Beam 11

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

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Review Summary For : Steppir Dream Beam 11
Reviews: 7MSRP: 2195.00
Description:
DB11 Yagi, 18.5 ft element length, 11 ft boom, 10.8 ft turning radius, 61 lb, 5.9 sq ft wind load; 2 active elements on 20m; 3 active elements on 17, 15, 12, 10, 6m; 6.41-8.76 dBi gain; 19.53-24.55 F/R.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.steppir.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0074.7
VK6DU Rating: 2023-02-25
Good antenna but beware of life expectancy. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I purchased my DB-11 in 2012 and it came in a number of boxes with a stack of part. I worked on putting it together over a 3 month period, working on it mainly over night and on weekends. Initially after assembly and on the tower, it wasn't working properly but after swapping coax Output 1 with Output 2 it did finally function well. And while it was working properly it was a great antenna for about 6 years, then it stopped working properly.... Then it worked as a dipole on 20m in NORM mode and dipole on 17 - 6m on BI mode but recently only 20m 180 works as a dipole and I manually tune it to all bands.

After spending about 3 full days work on it recently I have come to the conclusion that either the controller is not working or 2 of the EHUs have stopped functioning. I wouldn't purchase another SteppIR antenna, they are a complex antenna system. If they came, easier to assemble and a had longer warranty perhaps I would consider, certainly parts availability is also an issue. So be careful of your expectation when considering this dream, for the outlay, is 6 years a reasonable time to expect? Maybe it is for you.
AC9Y Rating: 2021-11-22
Love'n It So Far Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
The DB11 has been up for just a few weeks but I'm very impressed so far. It's just at 30' on a Universal aluminum tower. 33', the sweet spot for 20 meters.
With 10 watts CW from my IC-705 I've worked state-side stations with ease. Calling a station in Argentina took one call to his CQ to get a reply and a very good signal report (10 watts). I'm hearing DX that I've never heard before. Granted I've been using low wire antennas and a vertical.

I have to say that the assembly was problematic. The assembly manual was missing steps and illustrations. Thankfully the SteppIR support guys are very good and responsive. I received the wrong sweep tubes which SteppIR replaced. They don't sell many DB11s, so I think that was the problem with packing the correct parts. If you're not mechanically and electrically inclined, this is not the antenna for you. Not a simple project.

I was very careful putting it together. I'm hoping for a long period with no repairs. You have to realize that this is not a simple static metal antenna that we're all accustom to, but rather an active device at the end of your coax.

I'll come back and add to this review later on.

Roger - AC9Y
VK3YP Rating: 2018-02-06
Best of the best Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Have owned this antenna for around 7 years and it has not had one problem since install and still performs like a absolute powerhouse on all bands 20M to 6M.
If there was a six rating on eham review the DB-11 would rate a six.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by VK3YP on 2011-05-02

The DB-11 came packaged very well and all the assembly hardware (bolts etc.) are individually labeled and also spare bolts and nuts are included.
The build quality is excellent for all the components. The DB-11 is very easy to assemble but slightly time consuming as you need to measure everything carefully etc.
The connector box option is a must have as it makes the wiring very simple and quick. The fitting of the fiberglass element tubes along with the sweep tubes onto the EHU's was probably the easiest assembly step.
All the EHU tests and voltage tests passed first time with no problems.
The antenna is approx. 28KG but was easy to lift onto my tower which was in the tilt over position.
The performance for the antenna size is remarkable (the fiberglass element tubes are 2.5 meters long without the sweep tubes). As soon as we got the DB-11 up we worked a couple of South African ZS stations 5/9 on 10 meters using 100 watts barefoot from my Kenwood TS-480SAT. The Steppir SDA-100 controller works very well and is easy to use both in manual tune and auto-track mode. Steppir are also planning to release a 40M dipole kit which is similar in design to the 80M dipole kit for the DB-36.


VE3FLT Rating: 2016-05-05
Awesome Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Have used wire antennas my entire Ham existence until the DB11!

Had assistance putting it together a process which should be described as "serious detailed assembly". estimate at 20 to 30 hours.
Went with the manual controller and a 56 foot tower located 1 km off the North Shore of Lake Erie on a ten acre lot surrounded by farmers fields and hard wood forest.
My initial feeling is I will never require another antenna on the bands the DB11 covers and that my preferred power of 2 watts to max. 100 watts will place me in Ham Utopia for the balance of my earthly existence. God bless American Innovation and the founders of this excellent Company.
M6LDZ Rating: 2015-04-14
The Dogs Danglers Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
There was such a lot to expect from the DB11 from all the Stepir hype. Everyone you hear talking on the air about them raves. And I have to say, having only just put mine up, this beam lives up to it all.
I had been doing pretty well with a vertical Gap Titan (great great antenna) but swapping to the DB11 was amazing.
It went together as the instructions said. The only area that was confusing was the assembly of the trombones, but a mail to Stepir got a reply straight away with some pictures that put me on the right track.
I put the boom together and tested as far as I could on the ground and then was able to build the trombones on the beam when it was on the mast to avoid lifting a wobbly antenna.
I have it installed on a pneumatic mast 10m AGL.
Having only got it operational yesterday I have only had a couple of hours with it. A decent analyzer is a must so you can switch from the radio to the analyzer and tune any areas you need to. Mine was fine on everything other than 18m and 6m out of the box. I haven't been able to get better than 2.3 on 6m but everything else is spot on 1.1 or 1.2.
So how did it fare. Well of the 5 qso's I had three were new entities for me, Japan, South Africa and India and I even got a return to my CQ (unheard of on the vertical) from the USA. 59 on 50w to SA. Brilliant.
Am I happy...You bet. It's a load of money but Mrs LDZ said the next aerial you put up is the last. So I was left with no option but to shell out for what I feel is the best.
And the experience. If I tell you that I placed an order and paid in full for a certain hex beam from Europe before I decided to put up the mast and I am still waiting for it to arrive. In that time I have got planning permission for the mast. Got the pneumatic mast, got the DB11 from Ron at Vinecom and put it all up. Everyone has been very helpful and I am sure as I tune it up I will get whatever assistance I need from the guys at Stepir.
If I could have another I would.

But I doubt that I would still be married if I did!
G7EMK Rating: 2011-09-06
Wow.What Performance Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Well where do I start! I placed my order at the end of December 2010 with Vine Antennas. I was a little twichy to say the least, as this was the biggest investment I have made on an antenna in all my years in Ham radio. My God was it worth every penny. It arrived in March and was one of only 3 exported by SteppIR to Europe. Everything was well packages, and the instructions were very clear. The construction is like no antenna I have ever built before, as it really is to commercial grade standard. It took me three days to build and wire. The wiring is something you really have to be careful with and pay great attention to, as there are 16 coloured wires to deal with. I ran a pre test at ground level and all was well. It was now time to raise the DB11 on to the tower and give it a whirl. Well to say I was amazed is an under statement. I switched the radio on to 20m and powered up the DB11 to self tune. I could not believe it. There was a station calling from Indonesia and giving me 40db over. I thought I'll call him on 10w QRP for a laugh. To my amazement he came straight back to me from the pile up saying I was giving him 5/7. Wow now that is something for a first contact on a new antenna. In the first week I have worked all over on low power gaining 5/9 reports on 17m in Japan on 50W, and they were cuing up for me. Now that's a first. As they say " You gets what you pay for in this life" and that is certainly true. The logic behind paying £3000+ on a radio and using a coat hanger for an antenna I just do not get it. The metal in the air is just if not more important. The build quality and performance completely out weighs the cost. I'm off now to me more amazed by this medium sized antenna. You will not be dissapointed, and will soon forget the price tag.
KB8O Rating: 2011-05-07
More then expected ! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I ordered and received the antenna about 5 weeks later in a very well packaged box . Everything was in perfect condition , and I could tell right away this product was commercial grade stuff . The build does take time , I assembled the boom , motor , and switch inside the house then moved it outside to assemble the elements . Everything SteppIR supplies in the hardware is more then enough ( you end up with extra things) and it is all labeled so that you can locate things easily .All the ground test went as planned with no issues . I didn't get the cable connection box and with a little time and following the diagram it was very easy to wire . The hardest part of the project was lifting the antenna into place as I have a very small lot and restrictions to access the tower on all sides . You can see a picture of the antenna if you search QRZ.com under my call . I still have the Wire antenna up that I used to use , and stations that are S-9 on the beam ... I don't even hear on the wire . The 180* and BI direction function save a lot of rotor time and work very well . It's hard to believe how well this antenna performs for it's size ... If I had the money again (I'm broke) I would buy this antenna in a heart beat !