Sirio V's Maco beams

[575nightrider]

I'm wondering if anyone can tell me why Sirio 3 & 4 Element beams have a lower DB gain than MACO beams? Does the DB gain effect power multiplication? I just wonder if the MACO is worth the price? I keep hearing the Maco is built better than the Sirio?

 

[DXman]

One has to realize not to believe what the manufacture states about the gain of their beams is correct. In the case of the Maco beam, my 5 element is around 15 DB or DBI per Maco, but after running thru a modeling program, it comes out to around 10 db for 11 meters.

Now, not to say the Sirio is wrong, for I don't know what their gain figures are.

I don't believe our FTC does much in the way of policing the antenna world.

Last - the Maco Yagi is built pretty good, mine has been up for the 24 1/2 yrs now, nothing broke yet. But of course no winds over 35 mph have hit it yet.

 

[Eldorado828]

I can only speak for the ground plane antennas, but i do know that the maco aluminum (aluminum as the British say) is a thicker wall than the sirio or sigma in the 5/8 wave category. I can't speak for the rest but for those the maco is heavier all together.

I can only assume it would most likely be the case with the "alumininium" used on the others as well but that's only an assumption.

 

[The DB]

There are three different ways to design a Yagi antenna with three or four elements.

One is gain, a yagi antenna with peak gain in the forward direction tends to have a pretty significant secondary lobe facing the opposite direction. I actually know a ham that thought his antenna was pointed the other way, and literally talked the world on this secondary lobe, but that is another story for another time.

The next method of tuning a yagi is for front to back ratio. This is essentially maximizing the difference between the power going to the front compared to the power coming off the back, and sides as well. This lessens interference from other stations and sources in directions other than what you are pointing. In time, more experienced people tend to move towards this layout as often blocking unwanted interference can have more of an effect on your ability to make and maintain contacts than the extra little bit of gain out of the front will get you.

And third, it is possible to have a natural, (without the need of a matching circuit) coax match at the feed-point of the antenna.

What the design goals of the antennas listed above are I don't know, you would likely have to talk to the people who designed said antennas.

Also, assume you won't get the gain figures that are listed. While I'm sure it is possible to get said gain figures, it is very unlikely that your installation, wherever it may be, will get you the same gain. Its possible to get a higher amount of gain, but more likely you will end up with a lower amount of gain.

Also, those charts and listed specifications are part of marketing, and marketing doesn't exist to get you accurate information, its there to convince you to give said company your hard earned money, so be aware of that when making a decision.

And finally, and this is more of a pet peeve than anything, but,,, Antennas will only transmit the amount of power sent to them, they don't multiply it in any way. What they actually do is focus it in some certain (hopefully beneficial) direction(s). The more focused the signal, the higher the gain. That is all.

Hope this helps.


The DB

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

I think the biggest difference besides build quality is boom length. The Maco has a longer boom and the element spacing is different than the Sirio. The longer boom will give the Maco a higher gain, but the Sirio can be lengthened to achieve a similar result.

 

[575nightrider]

I can only speak for the ground plane antennas, but i do know that the maco aluminum (aluminum as the British say) is a thicker wall than the sirio or sigma in the 5/8 wave category. I can't speak for the rest but for those the maco is heavier all together.

I can only assume it would most likely be the case with the "alumininium" used on the others as well but that's only an assumption.

I have heard over and over that Maco makes a heavier duty beam and thicker aluminum but a lot of folks use a T.V. antenna rotor on the Sirio 3 element because it's so light. I just can't afford a Rotor that costs more than the beam. Thanks for the replies 73's

 

[575nightrider]

There are three different ways to design a Yagi antenna with three or four elements.

One is gain, a yagi antenna with peak gain in the forward direction tends to have a pretty significant secondary lobe facing the opposite direction. I actually know a ham that thought his antenna was pointed the other way, and literally talked the world on this secondary lobe, but that is another story for another time.

The next method of tuning a yagi is for front to back ratio. This is essentially maximizing the difference between the power going to the front compared to the power coming off the back, and sides as well. This lessens interference from other stations and sources in directions other than what you are pointing. In time, more experienced people tend to move towards this layout as often blocking unwanted interference can have more of an effect on your ability to make and maintain contacts than the extra little bit of gain out of the front will get you.

And third, it is possible to have a natural, (without the need of a matching circuit) coax match at the feed-point of the antenna.

What the design goals of the antennas listed above are I don't know, you would likely have to talk to the people who designed said antennas.

Also, assume you won't get the gain figures that are listed. While I'm sure it is possible to get said gain figures, it is very unlikely that your installation, wherever it may be, will get you the same gain. Its possible to get a higher amount of gain, but more likely you will end up with a lower amount of gain.

Also, those charts and listed specifications are part of marketing, and marketing doesn't exist to get you accurate information, its there to convince you to give said company your hard earned money, so be aware of that when making a decision.

And finally, and this is more of a pet peeve than anything, but,,, Antennas will only transmit the amount of power sent to them, they don't multiply it in any way. What they actually do is focus it in some certain (hopefully beneficial) direction(s). The more focused the signal, the higher the gain. That is all.

Hope this helps.


The DB

This does help me to make a choice, and it's good info, thanks for taking time to share it. Also I know more of what to expect! So thanks!