Short video on a simple multiband HF antenna (w/tuner) you can put on the air with a few mulitpurpose items in less time than it takes to watch this video.
This is quite a good video. No over-explaining, no extra banter, no bullshit. You just get right to it and show us what's necessary. The comparison to your trap vertical was an excellent idea. Thank you for your efforts here!
Just wanted to say thank you, thank you thank you. Of all the RU-vid videos on N-fed antennas, yours actually did a deeper dive on the installation process, exactly what i needed to see. Can't thank you enough for your video....
I liked your informative video. Using a random length end fed is quick to make and easy to install. My preference is a Half Wave End Fed, usually designed for 40 meters to 10 meters. I like resonant antennas. I really liked when you showed the difference in signal strength between the non resonant end fed and a resonant vertical. Those are expected results and teach people the importance of using resonant antennas for maximum performance. Barry, KU3X/QRP
Hey buddy thank you for sharing from Atlanta Georgia it really helps when you have the right tools on hand thank you for sharing this video you did a great job I give you a shout out I've subscribed to your channel now thanks again your best friend
Thanks for the video, very informative, I plan on mixing your design in with my rain gutters, thats a free 32feet on the rear of my house. I plan on running wire on both sides of my house up the eves with both ends soldered onto my rain gutter. Just a question what software were you using to find the usable frequencies with your antenna? and how do you go about tuning the random length antenna?
You are welcome. If you desire a resonant antenna for a specific band I believe a dipole set up as a sloper is easier to use without a tuner. You can experiment with the counterpoise length and get resonance with a random length end fed The radiator lengths of 55, 68, 85,92,102, 120 ft. will allow 80-10m coverage and tune 60m. If you do not desire 60M coverage you can go with a length as short as 38ft. and a 50' feedline. You want to avoid even integer 1/4 wavelengths of whatever frequencies you are planning on operating. Thanks for watching !
thnx for reply tried it with c/poise and earth to set as you say and through an L match atu probably bands but very little on 20 but on 40 receiving well from Muscat Oman to U.K. no qso made cos of ruddy big pile up! will keep trying as is all part of the qrp game. Cheers 73
A good indicator is that RSSI (received signal) . Generally 20 is very forgiving. You may try adjusting the length of your radiator. In my experience an efficient antenna on 40 is hit or miss on 20 . Keep on trucking !
Wow, great video. I haven't seen that wire since my wireman days in the MARINES! Working on an end fed antenna also, still not sure about the length though, so many variations out there. I have around 200 to 300 feet of property to use, lot of trees but still usable! Thinking of a fullwave length + or - 👍 N3WUB
The 9:1 box works great, but I wish Nelson would have used another eye bolt on the radiating end as a strain relief mount. There's one on the counterpoise side which works well, should have done it on both ends, otherwise your radiating element is just begging for breakage at some point.
that would be a good idea. I picked up an enormous Palomar Eng. 9:1 the other day at an auction and look forward to seeting up a system for it. Thanks for watching !
@@survivalcomms I took my own advice and modded mine. Couldn't find a 3/8 so I had to go with a 1/4 bolt, but the hole in the box was just big enough to thread it in. Had to solder on a 1/4 ring for the inside wire too. We'll see how it goes when I get a chance to get it airborne.
If you would not mind, could you measure the properties of wd1a phone wire as a transmission line on HF,VHF,UHF? I was going to make a dipole, using it to make the elements and the transmission line. I do not like coax, and bull. I like to keep it simple. if it has low loss it would make a good antenna, as you need no coax, no connectors, just rope and insulators. I think it would make a good video. the wd1a wire has potential to be good feed line in the field. I think it would make a good video. 73 good DX
Great video Survival Comms. Due to my limited knowledge of how the radio works and such I really need to get into a class and learn this stuff before getting a long range radio. Found a nice Cobra 29LX on ebay I'm thinking of buying along with a swing kit. I hope they aren't illegal to have, and installed?
Thank you ! The best classroom is the experience of playing radio. The amateur radio technician study material is good on building the basic foundation. The 29 series models I used were the legacy ones like the 29GTL. If you have the budget the Galaxy DX959B is a better set for close to the same price point. Amazon has them for less than two hundred bucks. Save your money on the "swing kit" and forgo it. most swing kits are snake oil. There are many disreputable "techs" out there. Thanks for watching !
Awesome! The last time I attempted a random wire...it was so noisy! (my local environment, I'm sure). I'm still playing around with it though, there is definitely a sweet spot. I do have an LNR Precision Trail Friendly end fed that works like a charm. 73 De K4SFC
Thank you ! Noise is bad news bears for sure. I generally check into a few 80M nets in the morning and my original 450 ohm fed doublet had more punch on transmit but the receive has been status quo. There is a whole spreadsheet of wavelength multiples you are supposed to avoid with a random length antenna but I rolled the dice on this example. Shoot me an email if you want to set up a sked . I generally monitor 7188 khz . Thanks for watching !
Sounds good. I've got a 20m dipole in the attic and a 40m dipole in the trees out front..ha! I've seen that spreadsheet...a lot of math! I just built one this morning at 29', I've got the 9:1 unun and I've made the same balun for common mode current...so many projects in this hobby. If you are in Lexington, Va (saw it on your shirt), it might be tough though, I'm in Bowling Green, between Richmond and Fredericksburg.
I'm in FL the shirt is from one of many trips. I haven't made it to Bowling Green in your state just Bowling Green in KY :) You are right there are so many antenna projects.
@@survivalcomms is it the same as an in line choke for the name line insolator ? Any length of wire to have 80-20 m end fed antenna with 9:1 unun that you can share with us ? Very good english I had no problem understanding. VA2SOB - 73
It is one of those projects you have to try for yourself. I prefer the one I used. There are others that swear by feedline length multiples and toroids over the feedline itself. It is worth experimenting with what you have on hand.
Curious why you used an unun vs a balun. I thought a balun would be called for as you are going from an unbalanced random wire to a balanced coax. Tnx de WB8BHK
The important part is the transformer. Some small endfed antennas such as this unun are made for are using the shield as a counterpoise. I added the counterpoise because it performs better . Thanks for watching !
There are many different ways to provide the counterpoise. Ive used a random length wire along the ground (shorter than the radiator ) , I have tied it to my station ground, and I have used just the coax shield as a counterpoise which works at QRP . Its definitely one of those antennas you can throw together with common materials if you have a balun and tuner. Thanks for watching !
For the purpose of tuning, I found this video very informative: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-gUwBIG_8vTI.html It gives a chart of the optimum lengths of wire for the antenna.
