Yagi Mechanical®
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Does *YM update automatically?*
A. Yes, when starting Yagi Mechanical® the program will automatically check for updates and prompt you to
update. Choosing ‘no’ from the prompt or a lack of an update will allow YM to run normally. If an update is
downloaded, the program will exit and restart the new version of YM automatically. You can also manually
prompt a check from the Help menu.
Q. How reliable are the values in Yagi Mechanical®? Does it follow previous work done in antenna modeling?
A. Yagi Mechanical® uses the same calculations that many designers have been using for years, either by hand, in
a spreadsheet, or in a computer program. In other words, there is nothing here that cannot be found elsewhere.
Q. Why should I use Yagi Mechanical® instead of another similar program?
A. There are a number of reasons that Yagi Mechanical® should be your first choice for design software, but the
definitive answer is probably that overall, the program is well-suited for just about anyone to use. Other programs
can be tedious because they run in DOS, have complex interfaces, or just make design cumbersome.
Yagi Mechanical® attempts to alleviate all of that, making for a more streamlined design process. The user
interface is extremely simple; everything is there in plain sight and straightforward enough that learning to use it
is quick and painless.
Q. How can I use an electrical design program to complement Yagi Mechanical®? What electrical design
programs work with Yagi Mechanical®? Does DXE recommend any particular one?
A. The preferred method of design is to use Yagi Mechanical® to build your basic antenna to the specific
frequency and wind speed. Then you take that design and export it to an electrical design program, optimizing for
F/B, SWR, etc. Lastly, you review the revised design in Yagi Mechanical® and check the mechanical stability of
the changes.
While there is a direct import/export ability between Yagi Mechanical® and a few other programs, it is possible to
use any program that you have available to you or one that you prefer above others, for whatever reason. It’s
definitely easier to save to another file format and reopen the changed file when you get back to Yagi
Mechanical®. However, for unsupported programs you can still enter the design in by hand and apply any changes
by the electrical program to the original design in Yagi Mechanical® to check for mechanical stability. Usually
these changes are adjusting tip lengths of elements and locations of elements on the boom.
DXE does not recommend or endorse any specific program. There are many programs out there, but most use the
same established algorithms and do the same calculations. We DO recommend that you use some electrical design
method because even though Yagi Mechanical® will help you design a strong antenna on the right frequency, it
will not perform electrical optimizations (which are very necessary for a functional antenna).
Q. Do I need Java to run Yagi Mechanical®?
A. No - we have intentionally moved away from Java due to changes over the years in how the platform
functions. Most of the issues that our customers have run into over the years are due to Java.
13 April 2023
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