Great video!!! Very thorough assembly instructions!!!! Thanks for sharing. New HAM here. Got my Technician around the first of November. Going to test for General tonight. Been lurking around your RUclips LIVES and watching your videos for a while now. Thanks for all you do for the HAM community. UPDATE:::: passed my General tonight. Aced it!!!!
Congrats!! Just IMO, but I think the jump from Tech to General yields the largest increase in band privileges. I'm studying for Extra now but have a way to go. Again CONGRATS!!
@@patkilgore3603 Thank you very much! I agree completely but like you I’m going for Extra as well. Hope to be ready to take the test sometime before spring. Thanks again!!!!
Awesome on the Tech. Hopefully they'll give you the Extra after you complete your General. I blew mine, but at least I got a look at what I need to learn. The gentleman in my General testing session came in to get his Technician and walked out with his Extra. They say it's not done very often, but if you study the right stuff, it's possible.
Callum (DXCommander) has a great Quick-SWR-calculator spreadsheet to find how much you need to cut (or add) going from the resonant frequency to the desired frequency. Saves a lot of time and effort with a new wire antenna, especially in the field.
Re the Hakko, they're an OK iron... but their day of being a good choice thermally is over. The needing to hold it against things for long periods is evidence that you might be wanting to consider something better. I have a JBC Station... not in the budget of most but thermally it's incredible. What i have found is that the MiniWare TS 100 and TS80P have exceeded the performance of the Hakko Irons. I believe the magic is in the fact that the heating element is part of the tip, rather than the tip and element being separate like the Hakko. This is the same principal the JBC unit i have. I own the TS-100 and find it an exception performer at 20 - 24v The TS-80P supports USB-PD and can run off a good power bank with USB PD capability. The TS-100 will also run at 12v but it performs 4x better at 24v I'd recommend giving the TS-80P a go.. don't own it, have used it, performs 99% as good as the TS-100, but has better ergonomics and the TypeC PD is great. It will respond thermally faster than the Hakko and won't lose tip heat so easily.. End result is you get more heat into stubborn components when you need it... Bonus - it's portable. Only major downside that stops it being a fill desktop replacement is lack of a robust stand. If they made a really accessible, comfortable, ergonomic and proper desk stand there would be no reason to reach for a Hakko ever again.
I started in High School (1969) back then we made all our equipment in electronics class. It was a lot of fun. Radios today are a lot more complex, but one can still make a lot of the equipment. More fulfilling than buying something in my opinion.
I have been debating for a couple of months as to which antenna analyzer I should purchase, NanoVNA or RigExpert. This video has made up my mind, the ease of use, & easy visibility of the RigExpert far outweighs the cheaper cost of the NanoVNA. & I need it specifically for my 40m EFHW. Thanks Josh for Yet ANOTHER GREAT Video!
Thanks for the video Josh... there is always so much to to learn. ..have often seen these toroid's wound crossover but I often wondered... why the need to do that? Why not keep the lines of flux running in the same direction all the way around for better (possible) efficiency? .. crossing over reverses the lines of flux and it also creates a break... So I wound mine continuous. 130' EFHW...ratio 14:2.. FT 240 52 core @ 100 watts (FT 891) the core stays cool, VSWR is 1:1 on 20 and 40. I also mount my core in nothing. If you think about it, there is no need. Mine is sprayed with conformal for a bit of protection. Makes for way less weight.. it just hangs from the insulator by a couple of cheap nylon tie-wraps. No connectors needed either, RG 8X soldered directly to the input. Coax shield is the counterpoise. Works like a champ... DX on 5W is easy...These are high Z antennas, so earth ground at the rig; doesn't change the antenna characteristics but grounding reduces static buildup and RX noise, especially on dry days. What's the efficacy of this? Who the heck knows, but I suspect over 85% maybe even 90%.. what's not to like?
I built myself a linked EFHW using some polystealth wire and the K6ARK unun. The difference was that I calibrated it for 20 meters then added another element and redid for 40 meters. Though in the field I've found it works great on both bands but if I am only planning on doing 20 meters there isn't much point to adding the second element
@@EdzashedFudwinkle I want to say it's about 33 feet long. I'd recommend adding some extra and slowly shorten it using an antenna analyzer to get it in tune. It takes some time but you only gotta do it once.
I think when you wrap insulated wire back on itself, you get a compacitive effect. If the wrapped portion was uninsulated, you would get less removal requirement.
EXACTLY. Lets say you have to fold back 3 feet in order to get the resonant point on the frequency you are shooting for. Now if you cut that 3' off, you will end up being TOO SHORT. Never fold back and then cut insulated wire. As an example. Lets say you have to fold back 2 feet. When you cut, only cut 1/3 of what you folded back. That would be 8" in this case. Now run your analyzer again and see where you are.
Josh another great video, thanks for all that you bring to the Ham Community. A quick note that can aid in the soldering process would be to pre tin all the connections before actually joining them together. Once tinned the connecting process will be quicker thus reducing the time required to heat them sufficiently for proper joints. Just a quick note from an older ET. Thanks again.
Steve, do you prefer the RigExpert stuff to a basic nano-vna? I've never tried the former, but have had a nano VNA (the smaller, cheapie one) for about two years now and am delighted with it. Seems like it does everything the big $$$ SWR analyzers do and a whole lot more, but maybe I'm missing something. Sure beats the Palomar noise bridge I used for decades!
Do you have any videos of the Mighty Doublet antenna? coax fed antennas are over rated. Non Resonant balanced line fed antennas are fun to play with and not worrying about swrs are a wonderful thing
Does it matter if the feed/coax connection is at the top of the mast or the ground location? I have seen some recommending the feed be at the high point while the others suggest have the feed at the bottom of the slope?
Great Build Josh, I like the inverted V so you have the adjustment end down where you can get to it. Interesting hear your final length, you were really close on what you said your length would be.
Cool! Thank you. ...patient assembly instructions!... I'm paralyzed in analysis though. As a brand new Ham (General), bought a Xeigu G90 that I haven't made a single contact on (home station) as I try to ascertain what the best antenna/band configuration is, so that I don't have to repurchase and reinvent over and over. Reading the ARRL Antenna Book, observing videos praising the virtues of nearly every antenna configuration known to humanity, etc., but I still don't have understanding enough to make a choice on what to do in this SW part of America from home near an airport in a house with a metal roof, where "local" communications are primarily to be found on repeaters on 446 and 145, respectively. I can reach out with Anytone handheld, but I'd like to be able to HF, also. ... maybe even be able to connect exterior antenna to hand-held for clearer VHF/UHF use? Not sure about efficient or intelligent setup.
Since you have the G90, how about you try the K6ARK 20 watt End Fed Half Wave kit? Its inexpensive and he is really good at support. Plus there are lots of videos online. The link to Amazon is on this video description for the 100w, which is probably overkill but would also work well!
Callum (dxcommander) also shows what folding the tip does to the electric length on a folded wire to the SWR... Shockingly different from what one expects...
It would be good to mention that when doing measurements using coaxial cable VNA shall be always re-calibrated for a new reference plane (end of coax in this case, using Open-Short-Load method). Otherwise what you really measure is a impedance transformed by a coaxial cable. Especially on higher bands this can produce completely abstract and misleading results. If we do calibration then we will measure real impedance at the *antenna output* port - this is the correct way (the coax will "dissapear" for analyzer). It will also allow as to: 1. bring antenna to resonance by adjusting antenna wire (reactance ""X equal to 0 at the antenna output port) and then 2: to adjust transformer to match the real part of impedance to get proper VSWR.
Hi Josh, I found it beter not to cut the element, just put Z +/- 1meter from transformer when tuning ant run it as a sloper transformer lof down the z =/- 10-12 inch long and tight to together with zip tie so that you can adjust it for longer or shorter and move posssion of zip tie, Good luck , Pieter
Can you provide the link for the capacitor? Is it a specific type of a capacitor? Also is that ferrite the Ferrite Toroids / Ferrite Rings 43 TOROID 12.7mm 35.55mm (Ferrite-140)?
Now that it is all tuned, would you do a POTA activation showing off all the resonant frequency or bands? Please and thank you. Also thank you for the content you make for the ham community.
I love all your videos and you helped me get my tech license as well as still helping me with general but I do have some questions about this. Antennas and getting the right one for multiple frequencies has always been the difficult part for me for some odd reason so this did help with what I was looking for. Procedure wise though, I'm confused on how you went from having a single piece of coper wire with the one end twisted back on itself to having four ends of a wire. did you cut the loop at the twisted end? And if so how do you now have continuity between all points since cutting it would result in two separate pieces and with the lacquer on the wire they shouldn't be "connected". what am I missing?
@@HamRadioCrashCourse Sorry, should have given a time stamp to help. go to 6:45 in the video where you are showing how and where to solder the ends, there are 4 points. two on the BNC one (I think) for the counterpoise and one for the antenna. At 4:50 you're finishing up with the wraps and then at 4:52 you start talking about getting the coating off there are 4 ends, I'm assuming and it looks like you just cut that "loop" where you twisted the wire back on itself for the primary loops, correct?
Question for you. If you took more time, would it be possible to get it to 1.0 SWR for your desired band or is there just microscopic differences / inefficiencies that make that impossible? God bless you and your family, Merry Christmas.
Realistically, the tuning I achieved could be the limit with regards to wire length. You can play with the deployment as in moving the feedpoint and end point higher to move it. Also, they will change the radiation pattern. Also, ground composition is likely a factor too. So the answer is “maybe and likely”. But it’s not going to be the length necessarily.
Any SWR less than 1.5 is considered a good match. 1.5 to 2 is OK but could be improved. Your radio should be able to handle this safely. The design of an EFHW using a 49:1 matching transformer can provide a very good match because you are dividing any change in the feed point impedance by 49. Since every physical installation is slightly different and varies over time it's not practical to maintain a perfect 1.0 match. The disadvantage of the EFHW is you lose a little energy in the matching transformer but being frequency agile more than makes up for this. Being on the right band at the right time is way more valuable than 1 or 2 dB. Another issue with EFHW or off-center fed antennas is that the coax feed line becomes part of the antenna. This is not a problem for portable operation with low power. For a permanent installation you should consider adding a common mode choke to your feed line.
Great video, thanks. I have used 400 grit sandpaper or emery cloth to remove the enamel from magnet wire for nearly 6 decades. It works for me and doesn't scar the wire as you are wise to caution against. A small piece of sandpaper fits in with my tool kit easily, and can also be used to brighten up antenna wires at the connection points that have been in the weather for a long time. Thanks for your contributions to the ham radio community. Your explanations and encouragement help those new to electronics or radio realize that it is a terrific hobby. de N7PCE
3:1 SWR is not even noticed in a receiver! I looks like this antenna stays below that in the bands it was designed for. At 3:1 SWR you can either manually back your power down, or use a matching network.At the very least you have an excellent quick receive antenna, but I bet that in a pinch you could compromise your tuning and operate this without having to make any adjustments during operation. I've heard very positive results from those who have built this style of antenna. (W2AEW)
You should do a video of operating in the rain. Obviously a tent setup would be necessary. But what do you need to do for everything outside the tent? Is it even possible?
1500W for 10/12m ? Maybe EFHW is not a good choice for these bands and such power levels :) Anyway - don't forget about a really (!!!) good high power rf choke. Otherwise using EFHW with 1.5kW will be really dangerous...
I'm pretty sure I'll be getting the ARRL end-fed antenna kit for Christmas. What is the counterpoise? I've seen other videos talk about it but nobody explains what it is & why and how to install. And it looks like you don't need to ground this antenna? I guess I could dig out my ARRL Handbook or go to the google but I'm at work so why not run up the comments on you video? ;-)
All of these are answered in your handbook, but here is the short version. You counterpoise is the other half of the antenna, e.g. the shield of your coax, or the - side. If you don't have one, your end fed antenna will just use your coax as the counterpoise. This often isn't an issue, until it is. It's always the safe answer to have a lightning ground on your feedline before your coax enters your ham shack.
im about 4 hours too late for this lol... I just went and bought a roll of 12 guage THHN stranded wire to replace the flexweave antenna wire on my endfed which is old and tired. I just bought a 100ft roll and strung it out. SWR is pretty good, but too lazy to try and tune it.. although i did just snip off about 4ft off the end due to space lol. swr is low enough on the other bands i use that the tuner can deal with it lol
hello friend, I am VU2ZOC it was very good information for EFHW Antenna. i am using(EFHW-49:1) antenna last 6 months,my homebrew .and i am using FT240-43 toroid plastic pvc box.20mtr long wire inverted V shape.
Isn't the correct way to say it... 2 primary and 14 secondary because the secondary includes the first two wraps?? Your graphic shows 2 and 12 which is a bit misleading. 14^2 = 196, 2^2 = 4, 196/4 = 49:1
Do you have a version of this for total noobs? More detailed explanation of how you built the transformer, how you picked the capacitor, how you measure impedance, what is a counterpoise, why are you adjusting the counterpoise and not the antenna, what's happening on that meter screen? Can you do this for HT? 2M, 70CM, GMRS antennas?
I kind of took the path on this video to augment your buying an end fed kit and following the included directions and my video. Get one of the kits below. They’re cheap.
Just a quick comment to help those that want to save some money $ The Nano VNA will test all those bands and more for a much lower cost. A small amount of learning and a heap of savings.
Wow, those stakes even came with pre-applied soil ! Need to learn to build the transformer - the LDG types you can purchase are way to big for lightweight QRP type antennas
Why this obsession with 1.1:1 swr,,,in telecom industry anything of 2 or below is acceptable,,1,5:1 is good,,,bring the antenna so close to ground is going to effect swr,,,but chopping it make rhe ant no longer correct electrical length,,i would cut for correct electrical length for type of wire used then use a tuner to bring swr in if it's way out this keeping correct electrical length of antenna,,but real nice vid,,like those poles but pricey.
I mean you kind of explained on that second half why we just cut it based on how we’re going to install it in the field. General rule is 3:1 and better is fine. But I like to aim for 1.5:1.
KM4ACK at almost half the price. How is this different? You'll say 100w and I'll say I've run the KM4ACK at 100 watts every day this summer and no overheating or failure. Dislike when other hams try to take advantage of other$. Capitalism is such a wonderful thing. $15 in parts and try to sell it for $74.99. Someone needs to say it for the low information crowd.
![Build Your Own End-Fed Half-Wave Antenna [A Complete Guide to EFHW]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/SBrc1DpMk_w/mqdefault.jpg)
Great video!!! Very thorough assembly instructions!!!! Thanks for sharing. New HAM here. Got my Technician around the first of November. Going to test for General tonight. Been lurking around your RUclips LIVES and watching your videos for a while now. Thanks for all you do for the HAM community.
UPDATE:::: passed my General tonight. Aced it!!!!
Congrats!! Just IMO, but I think the jump from Tech to General yields the largest increase in band privileges. I'm studying for Extra now but have a way to go. Again CONGRATS!!
@@patkilgore3603 Thank you very much! I agree completely but like you I’m going for Extra as well. Hope to be ready to take the test sometime before spring. Thanks again!!!!
Awesome on the Tech. Hopefully they'll give you the Extra after you complete your General. I blew mine, but at least I got a look at what I need to learn. The gentleman in my General testing session came in to get his Technician and walked out with his Extra. They say it's not done very often, but if you study the right stuff, it's possible.
Wow $399.00 for the mast. That is just to expensive for an end fed antenna.
Congrats on passing your General!
Callum (DXCommander) has a great Quick-SWR-calculator spreadsheet to find how much you need to cut (or add) going from the resonant frequency to the desired frequency. Saves a lot of time and effort with a new wire antenna, especially in the field.
Regardless of the calculator, I always cut long and just walk it in. No biggy.
For portable operating I use a 20’ carbon fiber guppy fishing rod and a umbrella stand.
30 bucks and it works great for my end fed.
If I spent $400 on a 20 foot mast, my wife would beat my over the head with it! And at that price, I would let her!
The umbrella stand is a good choice. I'm going to do that.
What perfect timing! Just finished my EFHW build and am going out to tune it today!
Interesting that the position of the counterpoise was never mentioned. It has made significant difference on my end feds
Re the Hakko, they're an OK iron... but their day of being a good choice thermally is over.
The needing to hold it against things for long periods is evidence that you might be wanting to consider something better.
I have a JBC Station... not in the budget of most but thermally it's incredible.
What i have found is that the MiniWare TS 100 and TS80P have exceeded the performance of the Hakko Irons.
I believe the magic is in the fact that the heating element is part of the tip, rather than the tip and element being separate like the Hakko.
This is the same principal the JBC unit i have.
I own the TS-100 and find it an exception performer at 20 - 24v
The TS-80P supports USB-PD and can run off a good power bank with USB PD capability.
The TS-100 will also run at 12v but it performs 4x better at 24v
I'd recommend giving the TS-80P a go.. don't own it, have used it, performs 99% as good as the TS-100, but has better ergonomics and the TypeC PD is great.
It will respond thermally faster than the Hakko and won't lose tip heat so easily.. End result is you get more heat into stubborn components when you need it... Bonus - it's portable.
Only major downside that stops it being a fill desktop replacement is lack of a robust stand.
If they made a really accessible, comfortable, ergonomic and proper desk stand there would be no reason to reach for a Hakko ever again.
I really enjoy watching videos like this. It makes me want to get licensed.
Jump onboard! It's easier than ever! KD4HEY (Licensed since 1991).
I started in High School (1969) back then we made all our equipment in electronics class. It was a lot of fun. Radios today are a lot more complex, but one can still make a lot of the equipment. More fulfilling than buying something in my opinion.
I have been debating for a couple of months as to which antenna analyzer I should purchase, NanoVNA or RigExpert. This video has made up my mind, the ease of use, & easy visibility of the RigExpert far outweighs the cheaper cost of the NanoVNA. & I need it specifically for my 40m EFHW. Thanks Josh for Yet ANOTHER GREAT Video!
So I wonder what adjustments you could have made to the counterpoise to improve performance.
Good vid Josh,u need a choke at the feedpoint but also u need atleast 1M or more rope on the end to keep the wire end up from the ground
Thanks for the video Josh... there is always so much to to learn.
..have often seen these toroid's wound crossover but I often wondered... why the need to do that? Why not keep the lines of flux running in the same direction all the way around for better (possible) efficiency? .. crossing over reverses the lines of flux and it also creates a break...
So I wound mine continuous.
130' EFHW...ratio 14:2.. FT 240 52 core @ 100 watts (FT 891) the core stays cool, VSWR is 1:1 on 20 and 40. I also mount my core in nothing. If you think about it, there is no need. Mine is sprayed with conformal for a bit of protection. Makes for way less weight.. it just hangs from the insulator by a couple of cheap nylon tie-wraps. No connectors needed either, RG 8X soldered directly to the input. Coax shield is the counterpoise. Works like a champ... DX on 5W is easy...These are high Z antennas, so earth ground at the rig; doesn't change the antenna characteristics but grounding reduces static buildup and RX noise, especially on dry days.
What's the efficacy of this? Who the heck knows, but I suspect over 85% maybe even 90%.. what's not to like?
I built myself a linked EFHW using some polystealth wire and the K6ARK unun.
The difference was that I calibrated it for 20 meters then added another element and redid for 40 meters.
Though in the field I've found it works great on both bands but if I am only planning on doing 20 meters there isn't much point to adding the second element
How long is the 20m wire, take both with you & mark them up, you always have them then.
@@EdzashedFudwinkle I want to say it's about 33 feet long. I'd recommend adding some extra and slowly shorten it using an antenna analyzer to get it in tune. It takes some time but you only gotta do it once.
I think when you wrap insulated wire back on itself, you get a compacitive effect. If the wrapped portion was uninsulated, you would get less removal requirement.
EXACTLY. Lets say you have to fold back 3 feet in order to get the resonant point on the frequency you are shooting for. Now if you cut that 3' off, you will end up being TOO SHORT. Never fold back and then cut insulated wire. As an example. Lets say you have to fold back 2 feet. When you cut, only cut 1/3 of what you folded back. That would be 8" in this case. Now run your analyzer again and see where you are.
Josh another great video, thanks for all that you bring to the Ham Community.
A quick note that can aid in the soldering process would be to pre tin all the connections before actually joining them together. Once tinned the connecting process will be quicker thus reducing the time required to heat them sufficiently for proper joints. Just a quick note from an older ET. Thanks again.
OK, when you're out doing the tuning. What's the badge that you have clipped to your belt? It appears to have your picture and logo.
We can just wrap the wire back around to make it shorter! That's lots better than chopping sections out! Ace!
I don't know what looks better - that CaHRtenna or that RigExpert Stick! Great job on that build!
Steve, do you prefer the RigExpert stuff to a basic nano-vna? I've never tried the former, but have had a nano VNA (the smaller, cheapie one) for about two years now and am delighted with it. Seems like it does everything the big $$$ SWR analyzers do and a whole lot more, but maybe I'm missing something. Sure beats the Palomar noise bridge I used for decades!
@@socallars3748 I've only needed what the nano provides and "close enough" works for me. I used the rig expert with antscope and it was pretty similar
Do you have any videos of the Mighty Doublet antenna? coax fed antennas are over rated. Non Resonant balanced line fed antennas are fun to play with and not worrying about swrs are a wonderful thing
What was the final length of wire used? Counter poise and Radiator?
Does it matter if the feed/coax connection is at the top of the mast or the ground location? I have seen some recommending the feed be at the high point while the others suggest have the feed at the bottom of the slope?
I am told feed at the top is best. I have not tested it both ways… yet.
my 2W walkie talkie has a removable antenna, I wonder if I could jerry rig a HAM antenna onto it?
Did I blink and miss the mounting of the capacitor ? Why is it there ? It doesn't look like it can handle much power...
Great Build Josh, I like the inverted V so you have the adjustment end down where you can get to it. Interesting hear your final length, you were really close on what you said your length would be.
Thanks Chuck! I should have measured the final, but I guess I was between 64-65'
Cool! Thank you. ...patient assembly instructions!...
I'm paralyzed in analysis though. As a brand new Ham (General), bought a Xeigu G90 that I haven't made a single contact on (home station) as I try to ascertain what the best antenna/band configuration is, so that I don't have to repurchase and reinvent over and over. Reading the ARRL Antenna Book, observing videos praising the virtues of nearly every antenna configuration known to humanity, etc., but I still don't have understanding enough to make a choice on what to do in this SW part of America from home near an airport in a house with a metal roof, where "local" communications are primarily to be found on repeaters on 446 and 145, respectively.
I can reach out with Anytone handheld, but I'd like to be able to HF, also. ... maybe even be able to connect exterior antenna to hand-held for clearer VHF/UHF use? Not sure about efficient or intelligent setup.
Since you have the G90, how about you try the K6ARK 20 watt End Fed Half Wave kit? Its inexpensive and he is really good at support. Plus there are lots of videos online. The link to Amazon is on this video description for the 100w, which is probably overkill but would also work well!
@@HamRadioCrashCourse, thank you!
Would the addition of a loading coil for the higher bands help any?
Callum (dxcommander) also shows what folding the tip does to the electric length on a folded wire to the SWR... Shockingly different from what one expects...
How did your VSWR Tester rate in weather resistance ? You set it down it the wet grass , or it was not bad i hope !
It would be good to mention that when doing measurements using coaxial cable VNA shall be always re-calibrated for a new reference plane (end of coax in this case, using Open-Short-Load method). Otherwise what you really measure is a impedance transformed by a coaxial cable. Especially on higher bands this can produce completely abstract and misleading results. If we do calibration then we will measure real impedance at the *antenna output* port - this is the correct way (the coax will "dissapear" for analyzer). It will also allow as to: 1. bring antenna to resonance by adjusting antenna wire (reactance ""X equal to 0 at the antenna output port) and then 2: to adjust transformer to match the real part of impedance to get proper VSWR.
Any time I have to crimp a solid wire , I always solder the connection after crimping. This is a headache saver tip.
Great job with the build Josh 👍
Thanks Ape!
What size is the heat shrink? I can’t seem to find anything like it. 8:47
Probably have to look it up as lithium battery heat shrink or PVC heat shrink.
Hi Josh, I found it beter not to cut the element, just put Z +/- 1meter from transformer when tuning ant run it as a sloper transformer lof down the z =/- 10-12 inch long and tight to together with zip tie so that you can adjust it for longer or shorter and move posssion of zip tie,
Good luck ,
Pieter
Just curious but what was the final length when you were done tuning it?
Definitely want that a set-up like that - is that a 49:1 or 9:1 set-up? Any kit recommendations for a 9:1?
How did you connect the wire to the S biner? Did you just tie a knot? Thanks
Nope. I showed it on the video. You just kind of pas it back and forth through the small holes and it locks it in place.
What did you wrap it at 3:40? I don’t understand what that does.
It’s a transformer it’s used to perform antenna matching to 50 ohms for connection to your radio.
@@HamRadioCrashCourse what does the twisting do? Like before you wrap it
Please look up what a Unun or Balun is, they are voltage or current transformers for antenna matching and other purposes.
Can you provide the link for the capacitor? Is it a specific type of a capacitor? Also is that ferrite the Ferrite Toroids / Ferrite Rings 43 TOROID 12.7mm 35.55mm (Ferrite-140)?
Please reach out to the Coffee And Ham Radio guys for more info.
Very helpful on the tunning process
With the counterpoise installed, do you need a wound toroid on the coax?
It would depend on what you see on the radio or connected computer.
@@HamRadioCrashCourse Computer? hahahaha, you thinking im rich or something?!
Now that it is all tuned, would you do a POTA activation showing off all the resonant frequency or bands? Please and thank you. Also thank you for the content you make for the ham community.
Sure, I can do that. Thank for watching!
What line is he adjusting? The counter poise line or the antenna line?
Antenna line.
How long of a wire would you need if you wanted to go to 80 m
This is good! Been looking at DL2MAN's EFHW, but wasn't sure that his would work the bands I want.
How come you tuned it so low to the ground? Wouldn't of you stood a better chance at getting a lower swr at height?
Likely. But I tuned it based on how I might use it in the field on a stand-alone mast.
I love all your videos and you helped me get my tech license as well as still helping me with general but I do have some questions about this. Antennas and getting the right one for multiple frequencies has always been the difficult part for me for some odd reason so this did help with what I was looking for.
Procedure wise though, I'm confused on how you went from having a single piece of coper wire with the one end twisted back on itself to having four ends of a wire. did you cut the loop at the twisted end? And if so how do you now have continuity between all points since cutting it would result in two separate pieces and with the lacquer on the wire they shouldn't be "connected". what am I missing?
I don’t think I understand what four ends of wire? Thanks for watching!!
@@HamRadioCrashCourse Sorry, should have given a time stamp to help.
go to 6:45 in the video where you are showing how and where to solder the ends, there are 4 points. two on the BNC one (I think) for the counterpoise and one for the antenna. At 4:50 you're finishing up with the wraps and then at 4:52 you start talking about getting the coating off there are 4 ends, I'm assuming and it looks like you just cut that "loop" where you twisted the wire back on itself for the primary loops, correct?
1 for the radiating element, 2 for the BNC (center and shield) 1 for the counterpoise. Pull up a 49:1 transformer image for reference.
Question for you. If you took more time, would it be possible to get it to 1.0 SWR for your desired band or is there just microscopic differences / inefficiencies that make that impossible? God bless you and your family, Merry Christmas.
Realistically, the tuning I achieved could be the limit with regards to wire length. You can play with the deployment as in moving the feedpoint and end point higher to move it. Also, they will change the radiation pattern. Also, ground composition is likely a factor too.
So the answer is “maybe and likely”. But it’s not going to be the length necessarily.
Any SWR less than 1.5 is considered a good match. 1.5 to 2 is OK but could be improved. Your radio should be able to handle this safely. The design of an EFHW using a 49:1 matching transformer can provide a very good match because you are dividing any change in the feed point impedance by 49. Since every physical installation is slightly different and varies over time it's not practical to maintain a perfect 1.0 match. The disadvantage of the EFHW is you lose a little energy in the matching transformer but being frequency agile more than makes up for this. Being on the right band at the right time is way more valuable than 1 or 2 dB. Another issue with EFHW or off-center fed antennas is that the coax feed line becomes part of the antenna. This is not a problem for portable operation with low power. For a permanent installation you should consider adding a common mode choke to your feed line.
What was the final length?
Great video, thanks. I have used 400 grit sandpaper or emery cloth to remove the enamel from magnet wire for nearly 6 decades. It works for me and doesn't scar the wire as you are wise to caution against. A small piece of sandpaper fits in with my tool kit easily, and can also be used to brighten up antenna wires at the connection points that have been in the weather for a long time. Thanks for your contributions to the ham radio community. Your explanations and encouragement help those new to electronics or radio realize that it is a terrific hobby. de N7PCE
Thank you! And a great tip on the sandpaper!
Ah! Now I ain't scurred. Great video Josh!
excellent presentation
the toroid gets the same amount of wraps for every band?
Pretty much yeah, EFHW generally use a 49:1 transformer, which has very similar wraps. You can adjust them though.
3:1 SWR is not even noticed in a receiver! I looks like this antenna stays below that in the bands it was designed for. At 3:1 SWR you can either manually back your power down, or use a matching network.At the very least you have an excellent quick receive antenna, but I bet that in a pinch you could compromise your tuning and operate this without having to make any adjustments during operation. I've heard very positive results from those who have built this style of antenna. (W2AEW)
WHAT IF I JUST BOUGHT 2 DIFFERENT EFHW's and neither one of them has the capacitor???
TEST THEM AND YOU TELL ME.
You should do a video of operating in the rain. Obviously a tent setup would be necessary. But what do you need to do for everything outside the tent? Is it even possible?
i would like to build this for 10 & 12 meters. it would have to be full legal limit. I dont know which parts need to be upgraded for 1500 watts
Generally everything. The toroid, the gauge of wire, etc.
1500W for 10/12m ? Maybe EFHW is not a good choice for these bands and such power levels :) Anyway - don't forget about a really (!!!) good high power rf choke. Otherwise using EFHW with 1.5kW will be really dangerous...
where to get antenna wire 20AWG or 18AWG 40m band ( 20 m )
I like the wire from SOTABeams.
I'm pretty sure I'll be getting the ARRL end-fed antenna kit for Christmas. What is the counterpoise? I've seen other videos talk about it but nobody explains what it is & why and how to install. And it looks like you don't need to ground this antenna? I guess I could dig out my ARRL Handbook or go to the google but I'm at work so why not run up the comments on you video? ;-)
All of these are answered in your handbook, but here is the short version.
You counterpoise is the other half of the antenna, e.g. the shield of your coax, or the - side. If you don't have one, your end fed antenna will just use your coax as the counterpoise. This often isn't an issue, until it is. It's always the safe answer to have a lightning ground on your feedline before your coax enters your ham shack.
im about 4 hours too late for this lol... I just went and bought a roll of 12 guage THHN stranded wire to replace the flexweave antenna wire on my endfed which is old and tired. I just bought a 100ft roll and strung it out. SWR is pretty good, but too lazy to try and tune it.. although i did just snip off about 4ft off the end due to space lol. swr is low enough on the other bands i use that the tuner can deal with it lol
Where can I find high quality flexible antenna wire like that?
Links in description!
Enjoyed this and useful, thanks!👍
hello friend, I am VU2ZOC
it was very good information for EFHW Antenna. i am using(EFHW-49:1) antenna last 6 months,my homebrew .and i am using FT240-43 toroid plastic pvc box.20mtr long wire inverted V shape.
Very nice! Thanks for watching!
How do you Tuna boat? or Tuna fish?
I use velcro straps on my wind up antennas.
What coax are you using, thx
ABR
I would like to 160 meters, I know but my radio can do it so I would like to try it some time
I always thought a dipole was very efficient. Am I mistaken?
It’s efficient. Assuming it’s well built.
Isn't the correct way to say it... 2 primary and 14 secondary because the secondary includes the first two wraps?? Your graphic shows 2 and 12 which is a bit misleading. 14^2 = 196, 2^2 = 4, 196/4 = 49:1
Nice new toy, tell them to send one my way pls.😆
Shame you set it all up without making some contacts.🤷♂️
Do you have a version of this for total noobs? More detailed explanation of how you built the transformer, how you picked the capacitor, how you measure impedance, what is a counterpoise, why are you adjusting the counterpoise and not the antenna, what's happening on that meter screen?
Can you do this for HT? 2M, 70CM, GMRS antennas?
I kind of took the path on this video to augment your buying an end fed kit and following the included directions and my video. Get one of the kits below. They’re cheap.
I arrived here because I saw "End Fed" in the title, squarely disappointed... :( Anyway, thumbs up! Attenna are cool too.
Excellent Video Mate ⚡🙏⚡
Keep up the Great Work.
⚡🙏⚡
Se agradecería que las medidas sean no solo en pies, sino que también en metros. 73 Cordiales
Just a quick comment to help those that want to save some money $
The Nano VNA will test all those bands and more for a much lower cost.
A small amount of learning and a heap of savings.
Wow, those stakes even came with pre-applied soil ! Need to learn to build the transformer - the LDG types you can purchase are way to big for lightweight QRP type antennas
Great video! 73 de Rhodri M0RHO
Great video!
Nice!
I want that mass
Who does not have hand full of adapting stuff. You live in an HOA ( Ham operating Area) LOL
steel wool fibers = almost impossible to find short circuits
Don't rub your projects down with steel wool.
Why this obsession with 1.1:1 swr,,,in telecom industry anything of 2 or below is acceptable,,1,5:1 is good,,,bring the antenna so close to ground is going to effect swr,,,but chopping it make rhe ant no longer correct electrical length,,i would cut for correct electrical length for type of wire used then use a tuner to bring swr in if it's way out this keeping correct electrical length of antenna,,but real nice vid,,like those poles but pricey.
I mean you kind of explained on that second half why we just cut it based on how we’re going to install it in the field. General rule is 3:1 and better is fine. But I like to aim for 1.5:1.
You R GREAT From❤ ST2KI
Thank you!
Hello
I dunno why I keep laughing when you say ES-Beaner lol. Relax comment section, I'm Mexican.
Hudson Club
NanoVNA is MUCH cheaper than the RigExpert Stick .....
Yes...
More money less hassle. I will buy the Stick 500.
Hernandez William Martinez Linda Thomas James
Davis Paul Martinez Jason Martinez Kevin
Williams Linda Wilson Patricia Rodriguez Jason
Looks fun until I saw the $400 antenna tuner
You don’t need it. Check out the NanoVNA
Carbon fiber mast is not good for cloud day, dangerous 😅😁😁
Smith Donna Brown Laura Taylor Anna
The video skips all the important steps!
Which steps specifically?
KM4ACK at almost half the price. How is this different? You'll say 100w and I'll say I've run the KM4ACK at 100 watts every day this summer and no overheating or failure. Dislike when other hams try to take advantage of other$. Capitalism is such a wonderful thing. $15 in parts and try to sell it for $74.99. Someone needs to say it for the low information crowd.
Almost all the components are different between the two antennas.
K6ARK is cheaper than both. So did KM4ACK rip you off? No not at all.
Moore Daniel Smith Carol Jones David