In the Seattle area, I battled my portable 1/4 wavelength vertical a long time until I coiled the tips back to 1/4 wavelength to get the SWR below 2.1 at resonance. Everyone who commented that length doesn’t matter is welcome to come out and experience it themselves. I envy people with soil conditions that actually couple with the radials
Agreed. Out here in CO, I've found that it helped me, and the proof is in the pudding. The folks who disagree might try to prove their argument on paper (or keyboards), but the bottom half of a dipole will perform better if it's tuned right. It works for me, too. Thanks for stopping by and commenting, Brian!
Thanks for the kite-reel tip. Another radial tip: there is no need to cut tune radials that lie on the ground. Once placed on the ground their resonate frequency drops way down but cut/tuning is needed for elevated rads.
Absolutely, 100% true. Thanks Tony. I want to do some more testing, elevated vs in the snow too. Hopefully I can get out again soon. Appreciate you taking the time to stop by and comment 👍
FWIW you might find it interesting to try a crazy number of very short radials. I have relatively good conductivity soil here, I have recently stripped down a lot of old CAT5 cable, a very cheap way to get a lot of thin wire although it is time consuming unravelling it. It has been very surprising how well 32 radials just 2m long work. Though the 64 radials of 8m long are still work in progress. 73
Indeed! My initial goal with the spools were for quick deployment in the field for a portable station. I've since moved to different lengths of radials connected with Andersons wound on a single larger spool. So far so good. Takes me about 60 seconds and I'm up and working. I should shoot an update film. Thanks for stopping by and for the motivation my friend. I also want to try elevating them a bit off the ground to see if it reacts with more of a counterpoise effect. Never know until you try... 73 and good DX.
@@N0KTZ I forgot to praise the soldering stand! Generally with elevated radials it is recommended to go for quarterwaves for the bands of interest, mine are for a fixed station and a small garden so elevated radials are not very practical. It has been fascinating to do some experiments, certainly the short radials seem to work very well for me. I think the conductive soil here is a mixed blessing and might be more tricky than a less conductive ground, counterintuitive I know... Enjoy your radio, 73
I know little of what you speak when it comes to the radio stuff, but your videos are so easy to watch on account'a your awesome editing (yes, I'm being serious) and you are very entertaining just being you. - - - I disagree, that was definitely not the worst unboxing. Not even close! - - - I love that soldering table. I bought something similar, but on a way smaller/less expensive scale. You should put a link to that item in your description (wink, wink, nudge, nudge) I would have put in a little winking face emoticon, but YT has now decided against that option (make up your mind YT!) - - - 5:03 - I think you need to zoom out with that lens a little - LOL - - - 8:40 - LOL - - - Awesome video my friend!
Hey thanks Q. I had this one in the bank from a couple years ago. Wifey's doing much better everyday now. Should be getting out again before the year's out (hopefully)... I have a lot of fun with the radio stuff and always get a big kick out of talking with my friends up north over the air. There's some hammers up by you I've conversed with too. Notice any rooftops that look like porcupines up around your neck of the woods??? Thanks for the kind words about the editing but sheeesh man, what a chore heh? My buddy Fred found a spectacular trail that leads up to over 12,000 feet with 360º of "wow" views. Cabin fever bud. Cabin fever!!
Wolf River Coils TIA featured in my portable HF day video. It works even better with the increased radial spread. I also use it in my WFD video. There’s more footage of it in that one. Thanks for stopping by. Take care. 73
Hey there Bob; I bought those reels at a kite store in Boulder. Here is a link to their 8-inch version. All different sizes to choose from at this site. I'm fairly close to this local store. Nice place. Good people. Hope that helps - intothewind.com/8-inch-kite-line-hoop-spool.html
Hey there, I now use Marine Grade 16g AWG from Ancor. But the yellow stuff in this video is 20g. The 16g is obviously much heavier but easier to deploy and pack up. I also connect different lengths with Anderson connectors now. My new setup these days is one larger spool with 16g with all the radials wrapped on one kite reel Hope that helps. 73.
I really like that Kite Reels idea Rusty, super helpful. Thanks. 73.
Glad to hear! Happy holidays Kev.
@@N0KTZ Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
In the Seattle area, I battled my portable 1/4 wavelength vertical a long time until I coiled the tips back to 1/4 wavelength to get the SWR below 2.1 at resonance. Everyone who commented that length doesn’t matter is welcome to come out and experience it themselves. I envy people with soil conditions that actually couple with the radials
Agreed. Out here in CO, I've found that it helped me, and the proof is in the pudding. The folks who disagree might try to prove their argument on paper (or keyboards), but the bottom half of a dipole will perform better if it's tuned right. It works for me, too. Thanks for stopping by and commenting, Brian!
Rusty your a genius, going to use this method for my next vertical, really impressed
73 from France.
Thanks for the kite-reel tip. Another radial tip: there is no need to cut tune radials that lie on the ground. Once placed on the ground their resonate frequency drops way down but cut/tuning is needed for elevated rads.
Absolutely, 100% true. Thanks Tony. I want to do some more testing, elevated vs in the snow too. Hopefully I can get out again soon. Appreciate you taking the time to stop by and comment 👍
The rubber caps on the alligator clips can stay on. They protect your work.
I like that soldering table! Maybe Santa will come early. 73
I'll put in a good word with the big guy for you... No regrets here. Great product. Not obligated. Not sponsored. 👍🏻
Love it I use Kite winder handles to manage my radials !
FWIW you might find it interesting to try a crazy number of very short radials. I have relatively good conductivity soil here, I have recently stripped down a lot of old CAT5 cable, a very cheap way to get a lot of thin wire although it is time consuming unravelling it. It has been very surprising how well 32 radials just 2m long work. Though the 64 radials of 8m long are still work in progress. 73
Indeed! My initial goal with the spools were for quick deployment in the field for a portable station. I've since moved to different lengths of radials connected with Andersons wound on a single larger spool. So far so good. Takes me about 60 seconds and I'm up and working. I should shoot an update film. Thanks for stopping by and for the motivation my friend. I also want to try elevating them a bit off the ground to see if it reacts with more of a counterpoise effect. Never know until you try... 73 and good DX.
@@N0KTZ I forgot to praise the soldering stand! Generally with elevated radials it is recommended to go for quarterwaves for the bands of interest, mine are for a fixed station and a small garden so elevated radials are not very practical. It has been fascinating to do some experiments, certainly the short radials seem to work very well for me. I think the conductive soil here is a mixed blessing and might be more tricky than a less conductive ground, counterintuitive I know...
Enjoy your radio, 73
Bunnings no longer sell the t bolt hose clamps but ebay does under duraseal hose clamp they do have the 44.5 to 50.88 but only in lots of 5 73 vk3qp
I got one of those a month ago. It sure helps!
Best unboxing ever😂
Yeah. Thanks. Mad skills. 😆 - thanks for stopping by and commenting. Much appreciated. 73.
Well Merry Christmas Everybody!! 73’s. Lol.
I know little of what you speak when it comes to the radio stuff, but your videos are so easy to watch on account'a your awesome editing (yes, I'm being serious) and you are very entertaining just being you. - - -
I disagree, that was definitely not the worst unboxing. Not even close! - - -
I love that soldering table. I bought something similar, but on a way smaller/less expensive scale. You should put a link to that item in your description (wink, wink, nudge, nudge) I would have put in a little winking face emoticon, but YT has now decided against that option (make up your mind YT!) - - -
5:03 - I think you need to zoom out with that lens a little - LOL - - -
8:40 - LOL - - -
Awesome video my friend!
Hey thanks Q. I had this one in the bank from a couple years ago. Wifey's doing much better everyday now. Should be getting out again before the year's out (hopefully)... I have a lot of fun with the radio stuff and always get a big kick out of talking with my friends up north over the air. There's some hammers up by you I've conversed with too. Notice any rooftops that look like porcupines up around your neck of the woods??? Thanks for the kind words about the editing but sheeesh man, what a chore heh? My buddy Fred found a spectacular trail that leads up to over 12,000 feet with 360º of "wow" views. Cabin fever bud. Cabin fever!!
@@N0KTZ . . . nope, no porcupine roofs in my area - lol
How’d the antenna do?
Wolf River Coils TIA featured in my portable HF day video. It works even better with the increased radial spread. I also use it in my WFD video. There’s more footage of it in that one. Thanks for stopping by. Take care. 73
Do you have a source for the Kite Spools? Ordered some and way too small. Thanks.
Hey there Bob; I bought those reels at a kite store in Boulder. Here is a link to their 8-inch version. All different sizes to choose from at this site. I'm fairly close to this local store. Nice place. Good people. Hope that helps - intothewind.com/8-inch-kite-line-hoop-spool.html
How long is the radials?.
I cut mine at half a wave but any length will do just fine. The more radials the better. 73
What gauge wire did you use? Is that SOTA wire by chance?
Hey there, I now use Marine Grade 16g AWG from Ancor. But the yellow stuff in this video is 20g. The 16g is obviously much heavier but easier to deploy and pack up. I also connect different lengths with Anderson connectors now. My new setup these days is one larger spool with 16g with all the radials wrapped on one kite reel Hope that helps. 73.
Felt like I was in Mumbai
🤣
Why have them tuned if they are going to lay on the ground? Radials only need to be tuned if they are going to be several feet from the ground.
Awesome video. Gonna have to buy that soldering table now. Thanks for sharing and 73! de W3LAM
Thanks for watching!
You don't tune ground radials because being on the ground de-tunes them.....
Wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong😊
you're right right right right right right 👍