Great idea for a stealth antenna. EndFed antennas work well, but they can be noisy. I had one and had a noise level over S9 in my area. Had to switch to a doublet and my noise problem wasn't as bad. Enjoyed the video, keep up the good work.
Thanks so much mate. This antenna is working great and the noise floor is way less than the previous long wire with a 9:1 I had on the fence. Happy DX buddy and thanks for your comment 👍
Hahaha, oh yeah! Right - there is always something I forget in every video I do hahaha. I need a checklist hhaha. There's a video I'm putting out in a few days on the Hermes Lite and the Thetis Software, and links I promise haha. Cheers buddy! Thanks for swinging by
Good job Simon! I think I mentioned to u that I installed my magnificent EFLW (long random wire) 'fence antenna' a year ago as an alternative to my traditional EFHW sloper. It is an amazing very low noise multi-band NVIS antenna on all bands from 80M-6M (not used on 160M). In my case, I went with a 202' random long wire (fed by a MyAntennas 9:1 balun) 4 feet above ground on my backyard fence in the shape of a big U. I have been shocked at how good the performance is and how much of the QRN/M it rejects! Even though it's NVIS, I work all of North America from California. It is now my favorite digital (FT4/8) antenna and perfect for SSB when there's a lot of noise on the bands in Silicon Valley. Wooo hooo! 😀 73 KJ6ER
@@danielrgusa Sure, great to hear from u! The fence is a traditional 6' tall redwood fence. I used those same wire staples Simon used on every post. Of course, the fence cannot be metallic. It works so well! There are many many radiation lobes on this type of antenna and when I QSO within California and neighboring states, they think I'm on an amplifier 😂 73 KJ6ER
Greg Brother!! Wow I miss you and Uncle Oscar! I gotta get down there and THEN I can come and see your mighty 202 ft fence antenna. I love this antenna buddy. So nice to be able to hear and work stations. Merry Christmas to you and yours my dear mate and see ya in the new year. woooohoooo POTA ON!
Nice video! I am about to build a 203' "random wire" using a Palmoar 9:1 balun on a 6' wooden fence that surrounds the property on 3 sides. Of course, I will be using a counterpoise. There's a lot of comments on the interwebs claiming this is only a cloudwarmer, will never work any DX whatsoever etc. Being a ham for 45 years, I can tell you: do NOT believe everything you hear or every claim about antennas. The only thing worse, IMHO, than the manufacturers' wild claims about antennas are the negativity about a proposed design, old war stories about an antenna that was up 40 years ago that worked everywhere with 5 MW, etc! Ham radio is all about experimenting, and expecting the unexpected, as well as trying unusual designs that "experts" say is futile. I am hopeful!
I have an antenna very similar to this. Mine is based off a design by W1BG, he calls the weed burner. I have my specifically tuned for 75m, and is monoband. It is 10ft HAAT and horizontal and works very very good. Compromise, well yes. Functional... I have talked coast to coast on it.
That's absolutely fantastic! I love this antenna and it will definitely be staying there on my fence as the 'christmas lights' hahaha. Merry Christmas mate and thanks for dropping by
I'd be interested how this works there websight is pretty vague I'd love a video explaining how they magage those swr figures with only 60ft I'd have thought some kind of transformer and coils in the antenna but apparently not it's parallel wires in some configuration they don't give details and the transformer they don't give any details
Hey Nick, thanks for your comment. Your question inspired the answer to be be answered by the manufacturer and has been placed at alphaantenna.com. Please click on the Q&A for this antenna and you will now see the answer to your question. Here's the exact link to the EFHW 6-80 and just scroll over to the Q&A tab and you'll see the answers. Cheers mate. LINK: www.alphaantenna.com/product/efhw-end-fed-half-wave-6-80-meter-base-portable-endfed-hf-alpha-jpole-sr-antenna/
Too close to the ground and up against wet conductive wooden fence. and 1.2:1 SWR means nothing, put a 50ohm resistor across it and get a perfect 1:1 Most of your RF is going into the fence.
That is a gross exaggeration. If that were the case, he'd never be making any contacts. For example, if a person runs 100W and their low antenna has X ground loss, absorbing say half of their RF (assuming the ground conductivity is poor and no radials) then an increase in power to 200W will yield 100W ERP going out on that "wet conductive wooden fence." There are ways to make things work with any configuration. This is ham radio...and we do what we can with what we have. It's all relative and not a zero-sum game.
Hey Mike buddy, absolutely mind blowing SWR results. I just hunted a bunch of POTA guys on it... definitely any radio with 3:1 tuners will be able to rock this! Wooohooo. When's your next vid buddy? Keep 'em coming. Cheers my friend.
Your previous videos include a fishing pole, tape measure, ethernet wire total cost 25 bucks, great DYI. This one, go out and buy a $220 commercial antenna. Any plans on a DYI of this type? Thanks
G'day Tom buddy - I just hunted some POTA guys on this buddy. It's amazing! The noise floor has gone from S-6 on 20 meters to S-2 and I can hear soooo much on it. Wooohoooo Cheers buddy.
Hey there Rich, thanks for watching mate. I haven't tried hooking up the balun to the gutter. Sounds like a great idea. It is a fabulous antenna to run along the fence wooohooo. Thanks for watching buddy. I just subbed to your channel. Wooohooo! Cheers mate.
You have me thinking I might have to pick me up one of these antennas. Our city lot is not very big and it would be nice to get a simple antenna up that can get me on bands that my Hustler 4BTV doesn't work on. This might just fit the bill. Rob, VE5VK in Saskatoon on the dark side of the gray line.
Hey buddy, absoutely perfect for NVIS and the great thing about NVIS antennas as a rule, is they are 'less noisy' than a vertical. So my noise floor here has gone from an S-6 on 20 meters to an S-2, so I'm absolutely thrilled with the result. It's a great antenna buddy. Cheers and thanks for dropping by
Hey buddy - I made a mental note of before, and here's the comparisons. PRE AMP OFF... 10 meters before S-6 noise , NOW S-5 12 meters before S-3 noise, NOW 0 noise, not registering on IC7000 S-meter 15 meters before S-4 noise, NOW S1-2 17 meters before S-3 noise, NOW S-1 20 meters before S-5/6 noise, NOW 0 on S meter - love that! 40 meters before S-9 noise, NOW S 5-6 80 meters before S-9+ noise, NOW S-9. Just went through the bands now. Hope this helps buddy. Cheers and thanks for dropping by
Wooohooo! That's awesome buddy. I'm always looking for ways to 'cheat' on the trumpet and get away without practicing, but I can't seem to find it hahaha. Thanks so much for dropping by and leaving a comment Gordon. Cheers mate!
I've just subbed to your channel buddy. I'm going to start up a music channel myself in the new year. Merry Christmas mate! p.s have you ever tried the Wedge Mouthpiece??? OMG you have the most magnificent sound!!! Wow so glad I found your channel Gordon
@@thehamjazz Thanks! I don't do videos that often, but I always have ideas for ones. I haven't tried wedge mouthpieces. I don't think they would work for me because I have a high point on my front teeth.
7 foot tall fence, and you're concerned that the neighbors might see it ? What has happened before that you need a 7 foot tall Fence, Mate ? I think wire is your last worry !
Great idea for a stealth antenna. EndFed antennas work well, but they can be noisy. I had one and had a noise level over S9 in my area. Had to switch to a doublet and my noise problem wasn't as bad. Enjoyed the video, keep up the good work.
Thanks so much mate. This antenna is working great and the noise floor is way less than the previous long wire with a 9:1 I had on the fence. Happy DX buddy and thanks for your comment 👍
Oh man! I was on the fence about doing this now I’m going to be on the fence. Now I’m confused. Great video as always Simon❤❤❤
Wooohoooo thanks Mr Mud brother! Loads of fun! When's your next vid coming out?? I'm waiting hihi. Wooohoooo cheers buddy
Great video. Get used to putting the software link your using in every video were always going to ask haha. I love the presets! cool project.
Hahaha, oh yeah! Right - there is always something I forget in every video I do hahaha. I need a checklist hhaha. There's a video I'm putting out in a few days on the Hermes Lite and the Thetis Software, and links I promise haha. Cheers buddy! Thanks for swinging by
Good job Simon! I think I mentioned to u that I installed my magnificent EFLW (long random wire) 'fence antenna' a year ago as an alternative to my traditional EFHW sloper. It is an amazing very low noise multi-band NVIS antenna on all bands from 80M-6M (not used on 160M). In my case, I went with a 202' random long wire (fed by a MyAntennas 9:1 balun) 4 feet above ground on my backyard fence in the shape of a big U. I have been shocked at how good the performance is and how much of the QRN/M it rejects! Even though it's NVIS, I work all of North America from California. It is now my favorite digital (FT4/8) antenna and perfect for SSB when there's a lot of noise on the bands in Silicon Valley. Wooo hooo! 😀 73 KJ6ER
Hey Greg! We’ve spoke a few times before on HF (KJ7GMP). I’m curious, the fence that you installed your antenna on, what is it constructed out of?
@@danielrgusa Sure, great to hear from u! The fence is a traditional 6' tall redwood fence. I used those same wire staples Simon used on every post. Of course, the fence cannot be metallic. It works so well! There are many many radiation lobes on this type of antenna and when I QSO within California and neighboring states, they think I'm on an amplifier 😂 73 KJ6ER
@@gregmihran8616 we have mostly block wall fences here in the PHX area. I may still try it just for grins.
@@danielrgusa I'm guessing they have rebar in them and that would be an issue ... but HAM radio is all about experimentation so why not 😄
Greg Brother!! Wow I miss you and Uncle Oscar! I gotta get down there and THEN I can come and see your mighty 202 ft fence antenna. I love this antenna buddy. So nice to be able to hear and work stations. Merry Christmas to you and yours my dear mate and see ya in the new year. woooohoooo POTA ON!
Do overhead powerlines cause any interference with this antenna?
Nice video! I am about to build a 203' "random wire" using a Palmoar 9:1 balun on a 6' wooden fence that surrounds the property on 3 sides. Of course, I will be using a counterpoise. There's a lot of comments on the interwebs claiming this is only a cloudwarmer, will never work any DX whatsoever etc. Being a ham for 45 years, I can tell you: do NOT believe everything you hear or every claim about antennas. The only thing worse, IMHO, than the manufacturers' wild claims about antennas are the negativity about a proposed design, old war stories about an antenna that was up 40 years ago that worked everywhere with 5 MW, etc! Ham radio is all about experimenting, and expecting the unexpected, as well as trying unusual designs that "experts" say is futile. I am hopeful!
Great video, 7mths down the track what are your thoughts on this antenna, do you still use it etc?
Any risk of RF burn with this antenna?
Thanks for the video. My only wish is that it could handle 500 watts! Looks good though for an hoa buster!
It probably could with a decent core, I ran 600 on a corner fed loop about the same length with a decent big 9:1 unun and it worked great.
I have an antenna very similar to this. Mine is based off a design by W1BG, he calls the weed burner. I have my specifically tuned for 75m, and is monoband. It is 10ft HAAT and horizontal and works very very good. Compromise, well yes. Functional... I have talked coast to coast on it.
That's absolutely fantastic! I love this antenna and it will definitely be staying there on my fence as the 'christmas lights' hahaha. Merry Christmas mate and thanks for dropping by
NIce to meet you Simon, and contact you on the air today... Stuart from NB -- VE9SRC
I'd be interested how this works there websight is pretty vague I'd love a video explaining how they magage those swr figures with only 60ft I'd have thought some kind of transformer and coils in the antenna but apparently not it's parallel wires in some configuration they don't give details and the transformer they don't give any details
Hey Nick, thanks for your comment. Your question inspired the answer to be be answered by the manufacturer and has been placed at alphaantenna.com. Please click on the Q&A for this antenna and you will now see the answer to your question. Here's the exact link to the EFHW 6-80 and just scroll over to the Q&A tab and you'll see the answers. Cheers mate. LINK:
www.alphaantenna.com/product/efhw-end-fed-half-wave-6-80-meter-base-portable-endfed-hf-alpha-jpole-sr-antenna/
I'd be curious to know what is in that transformer to get that kind of swr on the warc bands + 80m off of what is essentially a 40m 1/2 wave.
Loss..... Loss is in that transformer. 🤣
Too close to the ground and up against wet conductive wooden fence.
and 1.2:1 SWR means nothing, put a 50ohm resistor across it and get a perfect 1:1
Most of your RF is going into the fence.
That is a gross exaggeration. If that were the case, he'd never be making any contacts. For example, if a person runs 100W and their low antenna has X ground loss, absorbing say half of their RF (assuming the ground conductivity is poor and no radials) then an increase in power to 200W will yield 100W ERP going out on that "wet conductive wooden fence." There are ways to make things work with any configuration. This is ham radio...and we do what we can with what we have. It's all relative and not a zero-sum game.
@@N1IA-4 Thats an extra class callsign isnt it? Who did you get to take the exam?
@@phillipsmiley5930 I became an extra in1982 back when you had to go to the local FCC office and take the exam. Got the call in 2004.
what about the RF being near your neighbors then??
They aren't so cold anymore, so they are sure grateful 😁
Lol christmas lights love it
Does this go inna straight line for 60ft to the gate or does it go to the right at the gate?
Hey buddy, it's in a straight line. Thanks for swinging by and leaving a comment. cheers!
Wow! That's great that radios with 3:1 internal tuners will have no issue with the antenna.
Hey Mike buddy, absolutely mind blowing SWR results. I just hunted a bunch of POTA guys on it... definitely any radio with 3:1 tuners will be able to rock this! Wooohooo. When's your next vid buddy? Keep 'em coming. Cheers my friend.
Struth are you fairdinkum?👍
Nicely done project. A few years ago, I made a similar antenna for local and state HF nets....a great NVIS antenna. Aloha, Russ (KH6JRM).
Your previous videos include a fishing pole, tape measure, ethernet wire total cost 25 bucks, great DYI.
This one, go out and buy a $220 commercial antenna. Any plans on a DYI of this type?
Thanks
Love it when a design comes together! Hopefully the signals get out well too! Super video Simon! 👍📻⚡🍺
G'day Tom buddy - I just hunted some POTA guys on this buddy. It's amazing! The noise floor has gone from S-6 on 20 meters to S-2 and I can hear soooo much on it. Wooohoooo Cheers buddy.
Iam in a similar position but do have a SGC239 external tuner so may try that first. Did you use a counterpoise or earth the other side of the balun?
Did you try hooking the balun up to the gutter?
Hey there Rich, thanks for watching mate. I haven't tried hooking up the balun to the gutter. Sounds like a great idea. It is a fabulous antenna to run along the fence wooohooo. Thanks for watching buddy. I just subbed to your channel. Wooohooo! Cheers mate.
@@thehamjazz I hope you try the gutter. It may be surprising.
You have me thinking I might have to pick me up one of these antennas. Our city lot is not very big and it would be nice to get a simple antenna up that can get me on bands that my Hustler 4BTV doesn't work on. This might just fit the bill.
Rob, VE5VK in Saskatoon on the dark side of the gray line.
You are giving peoples observational skills far too much credit.
thank you
Thanks for the video :) What software was that you were using?
Looks like a good antenna and may have to order one to try, I would assume mounting it that low to the ground it would also work great for NVIS
Hey buddy, absoutely perfect for NVIS and the great thing about NVIS antennas as a rule, is they are 'less noisy' than a vertical. So my noise floor here has gone from an S-6 on 20 meters to an S-2, so I'm absolutely thrilled with the result. It's a great antenna buddy. Cheers and thanks for dropping by
looks good
Thanks Dan for watching mate
So how's the noise? Can you show a Before/After? Thanks, Simon!
Hey buddy - I made a mental note of before, and here's the comparisons.
PRE AMP OFF...
10 meters before S-6 noise , NOW S-5
12 meters before S-3 noise, NOW 0 noise, not registering on IC7000 S-meter
15 meters before S-4 noise, NOW S1-2
17 meters before S-3 noise, NOW S-1
20 meters before S-5/6 noise, NOW 0 on S meter - love that!
40 meters before S-9 noise, NOW S 5-6
80 meters before S-9+ noise, NOW S-9.
Just went through the bands now. Hope this helps buddy. Cheers and thanks for dropping by
Thank you so much! @@thehamjazz
Discord invite is out of whack. I'll check back. Great antenna!
Hey buddy thanks for the heads up about Discord. I’m updating the link now wooohoooo cheers buddy and looking forward to seeing you over there
Link updated buddy here it is
discord.gg/nNHYxMsx
Just came across you. I am a trumpet player too. GM4SVM
Wooohooo! That's awesome buddy. I'm always looking for ways to 'cheat' on the trumpet and get away without practicing, but I can't seem to find it hahaha. Thanks so much for dropping by and leaving a comment Gordon. Cheers mate!
@@thehamjazz It's a life sentence playing the trumpet.
I've just subbed to your channel buddy. I'm going to start up a music channel myself in the new year. Merry Christmas mate! p.s have you ever tried the Wedge Mouthpiece??? OMG you have the most magnificent sound!!! Wow so glad I found your channel Gordon
@@thehamjazz Thanks! I don't do videos that often, but I always have ideas for ones. I haven't tried wedge mouthpieces. I don't think they would work for me because I have a high point on my front teeth.
Can't wait to hear it in action!
DARRELL!! Wooohoooo it works great buddy. I was able to actually hunt some POTA activators on it today hahaha. See ya on the bands my friend
7 foot tall fence, and you're concerned that the neighbors might see it ?
What has happened before that you need a 7 foot tall Fence, Mate ?
I think wire is your last worry !
Probably previous owners.
6' in most areas, 6'6" around a pool. 🤜🤛
CQ CQ CQ calling all VK stations in VA-VG turf.
VA7BIX de VE4 🥳