Dr Hamenstein aka “Salty Walt” comes through with another Awesome Build. Great Contacts! After seeing the first contact I wasn’t sure if I should send this Super Chat in USD$ or YEN 🤔😂👍
Walt, great timing. I’ve been thinking about a 29x29 nonresonant dipole for a couple weeks, now. In my search for info, I found little and even less about what to use at the feed point.
That was super fun. great DX antenna. your angle of the V helps with that . looks NVIS on 40 meters. this antenna has more gain than end fed random wire. that uses a UNUN and your inverted V needs Balun . when it gets like under 3:1 with out tuner you get less feed line loss and less work the ATU has to do. makes more RF in and out the antenna . yes you can make that with a 1:1 and let the G90 tune it but will be more loos . mostly feed line loss. over or under 50 ohm makes coax more Losey . that why we use UNUN and Balun to get that closer to 50 ohm or use ladder line which is higher ohm. love the DX antenna . now I want to try that . I made the outher 9:1 random wire as sloped. had to play with counter poise length a bit to get 3:1 or better and less common mode to radio. your antenna hear cancels common mode out because of balanced dipole into a Balun and what little is stopped buy the choke at Balun. nice Walmart wire. works great ! if you keep it up long time it will stretch and that clear jacket will crack apart . but for testing and portable it is great. I found insulators from tractor supply made from electric fence work great for wire antenna's . 73's
Love it Walt. I built an inverted V like that but it was end fed and didn't work as well as the vertical hamstick. But it was still fun and it did work. Thanks for the knowledge.
Great test. The antenna is sort of an extended double zepp. In fact on 20 MHz that is exactly what it is! Basically each side of the dipole has an element that is in phase with the opposite element. If each side were 1/2 wave long it would be a collinear array with two half waves in phase with no separation. ( I think about 2 dB gain over a dipole) As you go longer the halfwave element ends are further apart and the gain increases. The center part ( between the half wave sections) is out of phase so tends to cancel the gain, but if it is short that effect is minimal. When each half is about .64 wavelengths long you have reached the optimal spacing of the two collinear elements and maximum gain broadside. After that the center section noticeably cancels the gain broadside. Your antenna performance will be best at about 20 MHz as at that frequency it is a true extended double Zepp. Above and below 20 MHz it will still work pretty good. At 8 MHz it becomes a classic halfwave dipole. On 7 MHz it is a short 40 meter dipole but still long enough to work pretty good. The only down side I can see is on some frequencies the SWR could be high and SWR loss should be calculated using the matched feedline loss and the table that is in all the antenna books giving “ additional feedline loss” due to SWR given the matched feedline loss. With very short feedlines, such as for portable antennas that should be negligible. Good job! I am interested in what the SWR was on the coax on the bands you used using the 9:1 balun. I have not really analyzed the antenna in any great detail, but I am confident the feed point is not anywhere near 50 ohms on any band.
Thank you Walt for this great new video. Here's an antenna that enters the top 5 of my things to to try in portable. I have two rolls of 30m speaker wire on their way to me that will come handy. The list of DX contacts you make here is impressive! 73, Alain
Great video. A perfect project for the experimental mind set. I've used a similar antenna on the beaches not far from my Hawaii Island home. Lots of fun at minimal cost. Aloha de Russ (KH6JRM).
I can't wait for the weather to get better. At least warmer. Tnx Walt. The Loop antenna didn't work inside my Faraday chicken wire wall apt so come on better weather.
You know it's going to be a good day when Japan comes rolling in! I really like the inverted V configuration. I set my efhw up that way. As soon as I get a little stronger mast I've got a fan dipole I want to put up as a V as well.
Just got back from being down there for the weekend. Loads of left-over rain water along the roads in low-lying areas all over... Spent yesterday at the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (VA) and Dismal Swamp State Park (NC).
Walt, thanks for this video! I just took down my Rybakov you inspired me to build and I believe I'll be trying one of these next. Excellent content as always and I can't wait for the next one. 73! KN4OJM
Here is one you don't see much but works awesome. Full wave doublet at .6 wave length above good ground. Narrow bi-directional radiation pattern that has over 2 db of gain over a half wave dipole at the same height. One of my best multiband doublets was 300 feet long! Of course feed it with 600 ohm twin feed line. 73, KF0BBU
Awesome result to Japan - also had a QSO with JH1GEX on 20m though on 14,215 today from Denmark. Af few thousand miles closer. Got to try a dipole as well
My QRP CW rigs do not have tuners, but my ATU-10 tuner is the size of playing cards. I am curious about the performance of tuning at the radio vs doing it at the Unun. I love my Packtenna 9:1 so I will try that 29' first, but of course I have to add in the counterpoise since I then wouldn't be using the coax Sheild for that purpose. I love to play with antennas for sure! Cheers, Davey --KU9L
Nice video Walt, some great qsos. I started watching and thought you are just going to lose all your power to the feeder then I realised getting to later in the video it was a 9:1 Balun not a 1:1 balun. If you are getting 2:1 or less on all bands that’s awesome. You could also try 300 ohm twin feeder and place the Balun near the radio. Which would be more a doublet. You might need to experiment with feeder length and balun ratio. You can computer model if you prefer. Also you can try using the speaker wire as the feeder. 73 Steve MW0SAW
Interesting video as usual, Walt! An oddball question for you, with apologies if it's come up before: who wrote the opening theme for your videos? As my son might say, it's FIRE :) 73!
Thanks! That was done by my son Allen Hudson who is a musician. His band is on all the major music platforms: Allen Hudson and the Halfmoons g.co/kgs/eHujJ6e
That's really impressive on 20 watts! Thanks for the video Walt. Please can I ask which version of Xiegu firmware you are using? Mine has the original version and I'm wondering if I should upadate.
Walt, I have this same balun and been watching your vids about unun vs balun. It's still foggy for me with your videos being the best I could find. Could you use this for a 29 foot vertical? If it's not as good as an unun, could you explain why? I know it's where it's grounded that is different but i am just confused as hell. Thanks for the great vid.
Walt, money made it practical to sell my 520. 200Watts in town is not what I want 20 is a good amount, I may use 50 on VHF I also use your frequency readout for SWL some of the time.
Hi Walt, the JH station was 👍🏻. Also, IK5YZZ is a heck of a nice operator, he streams on RUclips during his QSOs. I'm impressed with that antenna! I have QSOd the Italy and Russia stations recently from Delaware. Looks like my experimental 71ft 9:1 Long Wire is about to change configuration. 😂 KC3UWT. 73.
That's a fantastic antenna. Simple design and even 2:1 swr is fine very much workable. Absolutely worth trying to adjust elements for better tune. All the best Walt 73 M7LDK
Dr Hamenstein aka “Salty Walt” comes through with another Awesome Build. Great Contacts!
After seeing the first contact I wasn’t sure if I should send this Super Chat in USD$ or YEN 🤔😂👍
Hahaha thank you so very much for supporting the channel my friend! It is greatly appreciated. 73 my friend!!!!
Thanks from KQ4FIP in Nashville.
Thank you so much for supporting the channel! 73, Walt
Walt, great timing. I’ve been thinking about a 29x29 nonresonant dipole for a couple weeks, now. In my search for info, I found little and even less about what to use at the feed point.
Another great antenna idea to try. If I keep watching I'll be building antennas all summer! Thanks, Walt. Keep them coming.
Always love your videos, Walt! Thank you!
Thank you so very much for supporting the channel. It is greatly appreciated. 73, Walt
Fantastic! Awesome setup
If it's not a resonant antenna it is commonly referred to as a doublet. That Japanese QSO was especially impressive
Roger that, it was called a random wire dipole in the book I showed and referenced in the video. 73, Walt
@ThePrivateMan3301 I suppose that's true, but using the 9 to 1 balun at the feed point "emulates" a 450 open wire feed
That was super fun. great DX antenna. your angle of the V helps with that . looks NVIS on 40 meters. this antenna has more gain than end fed random wire. that uses a UNUN and your inverted V needs Balun . when it gets like under 3:1 with out tuner you get less feed line loss and less work the ATU has to do. makes more RF in and out the antenna . yes you can make that with a 1:1 and let the G90 tune it but will be more loos . mostly feed line loss. over or under 50 ohm makes coax more Losey . that why we use UNUN and Balun to get that closer to 50 ohm or use ladder line which is higher ohm. love the DX antenna . now I want to try that . I made the outher 9:1 random wire as sloped. had to play with counter poise length a bit to get 3:1 or better and less common mode to radio. your antenna hear cancels common mode out because of balanced dipole into a Balun and what little is stopped buy the choke at Balun. nice Walmart wire. works great ! if you keep it up long time it will stretch and that clear jacket will crack apart . but for testing and portable it is great. I found insulators from tractor supply made from electric fence work great for wire antenna's . 73's
Very Cool Walt. Thanks for helping me activate here in WV 73!
Holy cow, Walt, Japan for your first QSO? What a morning!
Walt's " Random Wire Multiband Dipole antenna for 40 through 10 meters" is a 5x9+20 winner!
Thanks! What a fun morning of DX I had with this antenna. 73, Walt
Love it Walt. I built an inverted V like that but it was end fed and didn't work as well as the vertical hamstick. But it was still fun and it did work. Thanks for the knowledge.
Great test. The antenna is sort of an extended double zepp. In fact on 20 MHz that is exactly what it is!
Basically each side of the dipole has an element that is in phase with the opposite element. If each side were 1/2 wave long it would be a collinear array with two half waves in phase with no separation. ( I think about 2 dB gain over a dipole) As you go longer the halfwave element ends are further apart and the gain increases. The center part ( between the half wave sections) is out of phase so tends to cancel the gain, but if it is short that effect is minimal. When each half is about .64 wavelengths long you have reached the optimal spacing of the two collinear elements and maximum gain broadside. After that the center section noticeably cancels the gain broadside. Your antenna performance will be best at about 20 MHz as at that frequency it is a true extended double Zepp. Above and below 20 MHz it will still work pretty good. At 8 MHz it becomes a classic halfwave dipole. On 7 MHz it is a short 40 meter dipole but still long enough to work pretty good. The only down side I can see is on some frequencies the SWR could be high and SWR loss should be calculated using the matched feedline loss and the table that is in all the antenna books giving “ additional feedline loss” due to SWR given the matched feedline loss. With very short feedlines, such as for portable antennas that should be negligible.
Good job! I am interested in what the SWR was on the coax on the bands you used using the 9:1 balun. I have not really analyzed the antenna in any great detail, but I am confident the feed point is not anywhere near 50 ohms on any band.
😀📻Thanks!
Thank you so very much for supporting the channel my friend!!! 73, Walt
Thanks!
Thank you for supporting the channel! 73, Walt
Great results Walt! So exciting to watch! Horisontal dipoles are good...they take more space vs vertical ant but yea ..a blast to watch. 😀 73!
Thank you Walt for this great new video. Here's an antenna that enters the top 5 of my things to to try in portable. I have two rolls of 30m speaker wire on their way to me that will come handy.
The list of DX contacts you make here is impressive! 73, Alain
Great video. A perfect project for the experimental mind set. I've used a similar antenna on the beaches not far from my Hawaii Island home. Lots of fun at minimal cost. Aloha de Russ (KH6JRM).
Glad to see the g90 back in action and with new knobs ! Great contacts !!
You rock, as always , Walt! Nice job!
Erected my 71' EFRW at the inlaws testing the N9SAB Bouncing Betty 9:1 unun. Happy Easter!
That's brilliant. I have used an EFHW with a thin wire as an inverted V for portable use and it works brilliantly.
Another fantastic idea and video great job my friend 73 from kb2uew
Happy Easter Walt. Great build nicely done. I see you have had a change of knobs 🎛️ 73 your friend
I can't wait for the weather to get better. At least warmer. Tnx Walt. The Loop antenna didn't work inside my Faraday chicken wire wall apt so come on better weather.
You know it's going to be a good day when Japan comes rolling in! I really like the inverted V configuration. I set my efhw up that way. As soon as I get a little stronger mast I've got a fan dipole I want to put up as a V as well.
Showing how it’s done! Wonderful.
Where can I find instructions and parts needed to build this antenna?
Just got back from being down there for the weekend. Loads of left-over rain water along the roads in low-lying areas all over... Spent yesterday at the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (VA) and Dismal Swamp State Park (NC).
What a great build! Thanks Walt 73
Rock on, Walt! Great video! One of the reasons I dig QRP ... you get those contacts that make it worth it. Peace, brother!
Walt, thanks for this video! I just took down my Rybakov you inspired me to build and I believe I'll be trying one of these next. Excellent content as always and I can't wait for the next one. 73!
KN4OJM
Just bought the Portable Antenna Book by John Hill as seen in this video. If you have a kindle, it's the best $6 (CAD) you will ever spend.
Here is one you don't see much but works awesome. Full wave doublet at .6 wave length above good ground. Narrow bi-directional radiation pattern that has over 2 db of gain over a half wave dipole at the same height. One of my best multiband doublets was 300 feet long! Of course feed it with 600 ohm twin feed line. 73, KF0BBU
A great antenna idea 👍! And Japan on 20 watts, I’m impressed 🤪!!! 73 Dan
Top work!
Thank you Tim!
Awesome result to Japan - also had a QSO with JH1GEX on 20m though on 14,215 today from Denmark. Af few thousand miles closer. Got to try a dipole as well
Good one and you certainly impressed our Italian friend with your „extreme QRP setup“ … 😜
Another antenna that I need to try. I just experimented with a 29 foot random wire vertical.
My QRP CW rigs do not have tuners, but my ATU-10 tuner is the size of playing cards. I am curious about the performance of tuning at the radio vs doing it at the Unun. I love my Packtenna 9:1 so I will try that 29' first, but of course I have to add in the counterpoise since I then wouldn't be using the coax Sheild for that purpose. I love to play with antennas for sure! Cheers, Davey --KU9L
Nice going with Japan and Russia, that two way with Italy was pretty cool too.
Nice video Walt, some great qsos. I started watching and thought you are just going to lose all your power to the feeder then I realised getting to later in the video it was a 9:1 Balun not a 1:1 balun. If you are getting 2:1 or less on all bands that’s awesome. You could also try 300 ohm twin feeder and place the Balun near the radio. Which would be more a doublet. You might need to experiment with feeder length and balun ratio. You can computer model if you prefer. Also you can try using the speaker wire as the feeder. 73 Steve MW0SAW
Interesting video as usual, Walt! An oddball question for you, with apologies if it's come up before: who wrote the opening theme for your videos? As my son might say, it's FIRE :) 73!
Thanks! That was done by my son Allen Hudson who is a musician. His band is on all the major music platforms: Allen Hudson and the Halfmoons g.co/kgs/eHujJ6e
I can't even...🤯 I've been thinking about doing a doublet sometime. This is another great option.
Thanks for the video!
That's really impressive on 20 watts! Thanks for the video Walt. Please can I ask which version of Xiegu firmware you are using? Mine has the original version and I'm wondering if I should upadate.
another cool video thanks walt!
Walt, I have this same balun and been watching your vids about unun vs balun. It's still foggy for me with your videos being the best I could find. Could you use this for a 29 foot vertical? If it's not as good as an unun, could you explain why? I know it's where it's grounded that is different but i am just confused as hell. Thanks for the great vid.
What’s the reason for sections of fence like that? Also the angle?
It would be interesting to run your antenna through WSPR and get a nice propagation pattern...
It is another way of random wire antenna set up. what is the performance of it compared with 29 feet vertical (17 feet ground wire) ?
Wow, Japan with a video on his end of the DX! How cool is that?
Those Japan and Russia contacts were extremely impressive.
Walt, money made it practical to sell my 520. 200Watts in town is not what I want 20 is a good amount, I may use 50 on VHF I also use your frequency readout for SWL some of the time.
The beach certainly is helping things along but it shows promise.
Good stuff as always
Get the other package yet?
Hi Jon! Yes the wire! I was wondering where that came from, it had no name. Thanks so very much!
Congratulations for Japan !
"It's up kinda high 3 or 4 meters above sea level" 😂😂😂
Cool video
Terminated folded dipoles use 9:1 transformers too don't they?
Hi Walt, the JH station was 👍🏻. Also, IK5YZZ is a heck of a nice operator, he streams on RUclips during his QSOs. I'm impressed with that antenna! I have QSOd the Italy and Russia stations recently from Delaware. Looks like my experimental 71ft 9:1 Long Wire is about to change configuration. 😂 KC3UWT. 73.
I see you put the old knobs back on the G90. LOL
Brilliant! No wonder I was in the local park this morning building antenna's, all due too you mate! Enjoyed. 73 de ZL1MY
Instead of NPR Walt is presiding over HAMPR, an international assosciation of people who work radio from Jeeps,
That's a fantastic antenna. Simple design and even 2:1 swr is fine very much workable.
Absolutely worth trying to adjust elements for better tune.
All the best Walt 73
M7LDK
Another awesome video Walt! Thank you very much!!!
KF0LZX
💥💯😍👍
I'd say that antenna works.
Steve, k7ofg
The duck looks happy, he doesn't have to fly to all those place
Next time channel 28 AM and channel 38 LSB.
Looking like it works pretty well. 73 de ac8gf