Always love your videos, Walt. No boring computer simulations, no lecture, no endless talk. Just showing the practical setup and how it works. Quite unique on RU-vid. Thanks
The way I do portable with an EFHW is as an inverted V, so transformer a few feet off the ground, the other end a few feet off the ground, and the high current point in the middle up on the pole, getting the high current point as high as it can get. It also means it doesn't bend the pole over if you use thin wire, even for a cheap lightweight pole.
After much trial and error, that's exactly what I use when I operate portable while not at the beach where the vertical + ground radial to the sea water does its magic. Three poles, middle point about 8m high and the two ends less than 2m high. Less stress on the poles especially if it's windy. And quite good results. The EFHW is now my antenna of choice when inland. I don't always get SWR readings this flat, though... maybe this is due to the feed point being closer to the ground and the coax running on it. 73s to all de F4LDT
Excellent Walt as always! A couple of suggestions regarding the set up though that might help.. First, instead of taping the coax to the mast, just wrap it around 3 or 4 times as this keeps the direction of force closer to the mast. Second, don't be afraid to have a lot more slack in the wire. It doesn't need to taut, and it didn't matter if it wafts around a bit in the breeze. You can slacken the wire by having a lot longer length of cord to tie off. Really enjoying all you do by the way. 73 M3KXZ
Well done. I have the Chameleon LEFS 80-10, the big brother of the LEFS 4010. I did not buy the 80-meter extension wire, so have only used it on 40, but really like it. Now I want the LEFS 4010.
Played with my 4010 LEFS yesterday Walt...my Spiderbeam looked the same, couldn't believe it didn't snap. I too am impressed and can't wait to play with it more. Thanks for sharing your love for the ham way of life.
I think I really should have just attached it further down the pole. A lesson learned for next time. Same to you brother, keep those great videos coming!
Hey Walt! I make my own 49:1 transformers and love the EFHW. It was my first ham antenna, a 40-10. I still use it, and I have one for portable. I have great results with the transformer low, and the wire on the pole. Gets the wire up higher, and doesn't strain the pole. No sweat hitting Europe with a G90. I do it all the time in cow pie country.
@@COASTALWAVESWIRESTry an inverted V, that way you get the high current point in the middle up as high as possible, and it also doesn't put a straight on the pole.
Great working there Walt. Just ordered another 10m telescopic pole with some type 43 and 31 mix to make a portable antenna. Just got to get a better battery because I don't think the 12v outlet on my jackery will be up to it.
Running the feed point at the top always makes me nervous with the mast. But It's cool to see that it can be run as a dipole (horizontal or vertical) too.
Hi, Walt, always enjoy your beach vids, especially from OBX. You’re a popular guy over in Germany! Also, I wonder how you keep from bringing home half the beach inside your radio! 73, Mike K3CXG who dat.
The big issue I have with EFHW is RF on the coax. This can mess up digi modes as it can result in the CAT and sound card links getting corrupted. Tried RF choke in line but no luck. 😊
Looks like a nice kit. FWI, I looked at the kit on the chameleon website and they have a close up image of the windings of their toroid. I count the windings as 15/2 which makes the transformer 56:1 which lately has become a popular ratio in the enfw community.
Hi Walt, thank you again for a great video! I got myself a new FT-891 a few weeks ago, great rig, but I would like to operate it also portable in the great open spaces. Did I understand you correctly, that you are getting 100 watts from a 20 Ah LiFePo4-battery? I was wondering if that would be strong enough? Best 73 and keep up the good work! Mike DL1BJW
Hi and thank you! Yes the 20Ah LifePo4 works great with the FT-891 and I have gotten 6 to 8 hours of heavy use before having to recharge. 73, Walt K4OGO
Great video Walt. I'm curious if RX/TX would change if you had the transformer on the ground (maybe 1 m above ground and the EFHW wire terminated at the top of the mast. Less weight/bending on the mast - but that might just be cosmetic and not impact efficiency. Cheers de AE6FE
Hey Walt another great video. I’m curious as to why the transformer goes up - shouldn’t make a difference on 40m 20m I can only see it making a difference on 20 where the take off is higher elevated. Be interesting to see what it’s like with the transformer down
I put it up with the transformer up to match the instructions from the builder. You are absolutely correct it shouldn't make a difference. I'll get it up the other way soon. 73, Walt
@@COASTALWAVESWIRES it might on 10m… but if the transformers at the base the mast will bend much less and have a steeper slope without the weight of the coax and unun. Also the counterpoise can lie horizontal in any direction easily. The Icom AH4 ATU cones with a similar info graphic but the (much heavier) transformer is at the base.
Not pretty but it sure does work well. Great review Walt ! The CHA LEFS 4010 is on my long list of antennas to get from Chameleon - maybe Santa might get it for me lol !
Walt good video. After our last conversation on the no ground plane antenna I just ordered a brand new procomm pt99. Now I can't wait to make contact with ya sometime. I'm KF0NTX. Btw I also do 11m.
@COASTALWAVESWIRES great deal. I don't have a 10m rig yet but I do want to get my general around February. If I find something that can get me by till then I'm all for it. I do have a president McKinley currently for cb
If you are not close to salt water - would there be any reason to use a horizontal antenna over a vertical with radials for DX (As opposed to NVIS, where a low horizontal would perform better) Second - have you tried guying the top of the pole - 180 degrees from the wire direction - to keep the pole vertical ? - or more likely two guy lines 120 degrees apart ? Regards Michael
It really depends on bands and what you are trying to do. Horizontal versus vertical is a big debate but vertical by saltwater is absolutely the way to go. This was a quick down and dirty experiment, I have not used guy wires. 73, Walt
Hi Walt, have you ever looked at the DX commander 12 meter mast, I use one and it's my favourite mast it's a lot more rigid and heavy duty than the 10 meter mast and a bit of an animal to set up but if you've got something to lash it to it'll handle a hefty wire antenna.
I like my efhw though I tend to use it more on 40 for regional nvis type stuff than anything else (eventually I'm going to try it as an 80m 1/4 wave...). I've recently taken to putting it up as an inverted V with a 24ft squid pole rather than as a sloper. That seems to work quite well. I'd love to be able to get the feed point up to the top, but I'm not so thrilled about climbing the fire escape to fasten a pulley system to do it :| Still prefer my verticals for doing pota type stuff though.
The high current (max signal) point will be in the middle, as it is with a dipole, so I think the inverted V is probably the way to go. That's how I use mine when portable.
