Hey Walt just made my very first QSO! I took your words, learned how to hang wire, practiced a ton, bought a decent radio, and have been listening all week
Thanks again Walt. Love the channel and appreciate the help! So many channels are trying to sell stuff , You just give good information thank you thank you.
Hey Walt! Great video as always! I've had great success with the End Fed Half wave as a vertical mono band antenna down by the beach. I find that a great advantage of the EFHW vertical over the quarter wave, is that you DON'T need any radials! I just use my 10m length of coax as a counterpoise and a Common Mode Choke at the rig end. All the best from Wales my friend, hope to work you on the bands one day!
Walt, your original Rybakov video inspired me to build one for the home QTH and I'm glad I did. It seems to have the low takeoff angle that I'd been missing in my 119' "random wire" end fed and my 40-10 OCFD. I've worked various countries in Eu (from Idaho) with that darned thing, that were unworkable with the EF & OCFD. Thanks for your videos, I've become a real fan. 73 -N7BWB
Always makes my day when you drop a new video. As a G90 portable operator as well, I learn SO much from your experience and antenna explorations. Next will be the Rybakov!!! 73 de N9BRO
Hey there Walt, I've got a Xiegu G90 and a head full of good ideas, (or bad ideas...whatever) thanks to you. Experimenter and mad scientist! Another great video. Cheers!
Thx for another good vid Walt. We all know, or should know, that every antenna is a compromise of a variety of parameters. However, even a marginal antenna in the air always beats a perfect antenna on paper. If one can get an antenna in the air and have fun, I count it as a winner! Thx for sharing the adventure. 73.
Hey Walt! I really enjoyed the show. 👍📻⚡️Nice breakdown of your experiences and experimentation with these antennas. Great for learning and comparison. Thanks for the journey. 👍 Cheers, Tom - WA7FLY
Just today I put up my chameleon whip as a ground mounted vertical and my Tenn-Tennas 49:1 as an EFHW sloper. Made some contacts on 10 and 20 with the vertical and made some contacts on 40 with the sloper. Yes, my systems could be improved upon, but I think the most important thing is to experiment and make contacts!
You are absolutely the best Ham teacher on the Tubes. I often go through your library of experiments and rewatch your videos. In regards to radials, in one video when you were operating at the harbor, you had a single radial with a bobber attached thrown in the water. Could you point me toward that video?
Thanks so much for the kind words Jason. That's pretty much how I do it all the time now when I'm portable in my harbor near my QTH. If you look back through my videos I think you will find what you're describing in the "Easy to Build Quarterwave Vertical" video or the "Half Wave Vertical Antenna - Saltwater Portable". If not any of the videos I've done in the last 6 months or so in the harbor will probably show it as well.
I read a treatise on polarisation when operating on the beach.... vertical wins over horizontal, unless you are very careful to get the height of your horizontal just right... and that will change with frequency-bands. Also, I am sceptical about these popular end-fed antennas; can't help thinking that the co-ax is live and works as a rough-and- ready counterpoise....My end-fed preference is the City Windom.... although, if using vertical, it is sensible only on it's half-wave frequnecy-band. But that's probably also true of any end-fed vertical once it is longer than 5/8 wavelength.
Another really interesting video, but please don't forget the modified version of the Classic G5RV, the ZS6BKW; it shorter (94' vs 102') & I can work multi-bands without using any external AT, just my rig's internal AT (an IC-7300); 73 de WA4ELW in TN 🇺🇸😃
Good video. I have been helping several guys with antennas lately and gave them this tidbit of information. In general the F layer varies in height from about 150 to 250 miles. The peak elevation angle of a horizontal antenna is simply determined by its height above ground. Roughly the signal is within 3 dB from 15 degrees above that peak angle to about 15 degrees below that peak angle. So since we know that a horizontal antenna 1/4 wave high has a peak radiation angle at about 90 degrees or straight up, it will be best for zero miles out to about 300 miles. Since an antenna 3/8 waves high has a peak angle of about 55 degrees, it will be best from 125 miles out to 560 miles. Since an antenna 1/2 wave high has a peak angle of about 30 degrees, it will be best from slightly less than 500 miles out to about 1250 miles. The peak gain for a dipole will be somewhere between 5 and 8 dBi over most real earth. This is not to say that an antenna 1/4 wave high can not work 1250 miles, but signals will be weaker, much weaker than with an antenna with a more optimal height for the distance. Verticals have a lower peak lobe (unless the horizontal antenna is high) so on 160, 80 and 40 the vertical is probably going to be better. On the higher bands I am pretty sure the dipole will always be one or probably more S-units better than a single vertical ( unless over seawater). It’s really hard to get a peak gain over 0 dBi with a single vertical. That said, I have worked almost 100 DXCC countries from my truck with a Hustler mobile antenna and 100 watts! There is a lot to be said for a simple vertical for quick and easy activations! There is also practically no radiation difference between a half wave dipole, End Fed Half wave, OCF dipole, Random end fed wire of similar lengths and heights above ground. I think your videos clearly demonstrate that whichever of these antennas fits a particular location or set of unique circumstances is going to be the best antenna for that case.
Hey Walt! I broke out my G90 the other night & updated the firmware after it sat back in its box for 1.5 yrs. Took it out today for an activation @ 20W with a 17m hamstick. Planning some ultra portable POTA activations in the future. No room for my FTDX10 & 30Ah battery for these plans. 73!
Its just a theory that still needs much more testing but im about to lean in the direction that verticals are better in bad conditions ( like we had most of the week due to solar activity ) and in good conditions the ole 40m EFHW is hard to beat....Everyone please weigh in on your experiences on this..
I haven’t heard you mention an antenna similar to the BuddiStick with 1 elevated radial. I used mine yesterday on a POTA activation and made 80 contacts in 2.5 hours running 100w. I’m going to try using 2 elevated radials here pretty shortly. In the G90 front, I don’t condone use of cheap Chinese radios. I’ve only owned one and it failed within a week (not a G90) so I’m very soured towards them. It’s too bad Icom and Yaesu couldn’t come out with radios with these features at the same price point. I had a 705 but didn’t seem very field worthy without adding a lot of bulk and weight. I now have a Lab599 TX-500 for my QRP activations.
Vertical Polarization is the best Way to pick for DX. Except of you have a rotatable Antenna System you can choose the Direction you like to work and eliminate unwanted disturbing Signals and Noises from the other Directions at the Same Time. Yup UW, I totally agree on the Groundplane AT System. You are a Professional who knows his Antennas 💯👍🙋♂
Great video Walt. For 20m and up portable it's really hard to beat some flavor of vertical. Ham stick on the fender or telescoping whip on a tripod is almost all I use, though I am looking at a 1/2 wave vertical for 10-15 (the bands I use most).
I use a 40 end fed half wave vertical at home. Great low angle Dx. I find I need to touch up all the bands except 40 with a tuner but it’s worth it to have 7 bands on a single wire. Many thanks to “The OGO” for the idea. 73 de W3OY.
@@COASTALWAVESWIRES no more experiments with it for me. It stays up. I just swapped out the 22 gauge wire for some No 13 PolyStealth, copper clad steel wire so it’ll last a long time. I was able to work Bouvet with it and 100 watts so it performs better than is should, on paper. Must be magic dirt under my tree.
Hey, here's an odd one...I had two end fed antennas in parallel. One is for the QRP station in my kitchen, and the other is out on the shack at the back of my lot. (The two are about 65 feet apart) I was on an activity group, and getting terrible signal reports. (like 2/2 3/2) I removed the house end fed, and my signals immediately wen to 5/7 5/9 15 miuntes later. Antennas can be wierd!!! 73's, VA3IRF
Hi Walt, looks like were on the same page re portable antennas, if you're only going out for a few hours or for the afternoon keep it simple, it's a time saver setting up, more time on the air.
Great explainer, Walt. I am thinking of hanging a vertical from a tree, but the only place I can put it up on my property is right next to my property line. So for the radials I can only really get them on one side, rather than configured as spokes in a circle like you have. I am assuming that I will have better luck getting out to the direction where the radials are?
Thanks! I've heard two different stories in that, one say you'll get better results in the opposite direction of the radials. I'm sure you will get out in all directions but might have a slight bit of gain to one side.
Fantastic summary and I would agree with your assessments for sure! I just picked up a sotabeams carbon 6 mast, and am considering antennas for it for ultralightish backpack portable. A 1/4w wire for 20 is my first thought, but a 9:1 and a dangly wire also has my mind thinking. I would love to see your thoughts on a short vertical that would fit that size mast. Any ideas?
Thanks Daniel, I've often thought about putting up a 17.5 foot wire vertically with a 9:1 and some counterpoise wires. It was the original thought I had when I put together that no radial "Coastal 20" antenna I concocted. I'm thinking 17.5 with 9:1 would give you a pretty good portable setup for 20 thru 10 if you have a decent ATU. Just an idea.
Hi Walt, I have a very basic question about the wires for a ground plane. Could these be put in a garden under about 4 inches ( 10 cm) of ornamental gravel ? Asking for a friend who has to reassure his wife it won't be an eyesore. All the best, Pete
Honestly I think it would work but it would be pushing the limits. As close to the surface as possible. It’s the surface that’s acting as the RF reflecting ground
ron n4net general class ten or so years now ?I HAVE TRIED SOME OF THE SAME stuff you are showing in viedos now,,,benn down to thbeach sand bridge etc. did not take radio,,,,,, been to afton mt made contactsback incb days.how do iget in contact with you ???? ron
I have been through the same curve of endless verticals and horizontals, all restricted by the great parameter of available space. What I found, was that a good horizontal will utterly crush it on first skip. It will struggle on subsequent skips a *lot* more, unless you can put it up very high. And if you can get the antenna that high? Your channel and my comment, ain't relevant. You probably own fields and tractors. A vertical will absolutely not be better on first skip. Equal at the very best, maybe even worse. But, if you're looking for DX, you have a *chance*. A chance you'd simply never have with the horizontal antenna.
Check out RU-vid, and specifically search for the following video "Roy, W7EL, explains antenna modelling using EZNEC". Fast forward to 45 minutes and watch from there. I have done my own antenna modeling using EZNEC and Roy is spot on.
Hey Walt just made my very first QSO! I took your words, learned how to hang wire, practiced a ton, bought a decent radio, and have been listening all week
