I've fooled with verticals for decades... the most effective one was my "Chicken Coop Vertical." It was simply a trap vertical in the backyard, but the counterpoise took me three full days of work to construct. I literally carpeted the backyard with chicken coop wire. While it was on the ground I took a propane torch and soldered every twist together to prevent oxidation. Then I used chopped up metal coathangers to tack down all the chicken wire (no digging). For a good while I mowed the grass high so as not to hit the wire... the weight of the mowed grass eventually buried the wire and it was never seen again and struck during regular height mowing. I was a great antenna for 20-years until I retired and moved away. Unless he wants to dig holes in the backyard, the new owner will never know it's there.
This video is great. What you said at about 15:08 is exactly what I tell all the new hams that are worried about antennas. I tell them that the best part of antennas is just going out and trying them out. If one doesn't work, try another. Before long, they will find one that performs for them. I also tell them that what works really well for others may not work for them and vice-versa. So indeed, a great video putting that theory to work! 73 de N6VHF
Hey, this is simply incredible! Your experiments with vertical proves that practical usage of such antennas sometimes defies theories on take off signals. Great video and thank you. Cheers! VU3TQT New Delhi
Thanks Walt. I got the same 6m pole from Decathlon here in UK few weeks ago. Cost only 20 GBP (~25 USD). Just Friday I did my first ever portable HF activity, activating my first POTA, and the pole worked great with inverted V EFHW for 40m, and higher resonant bands. I'll look to try out a vertical antenna setup next time I'm out and see what the difference is.
I really like your casual and positive vibe, it makes watching these videos easier. I mainly operate with either an EFHW or a inverted V dipole but I may have to cut some wire for this antenna.
Walt, thanks for another great video. When you get back to the States, say hello for me to KK4RF...one of your club-mates at N4WIS. He's a lifelong friend...best man at my wedding. Keep bringing us your antenna experiments. I've learned a lot from you. 73
Nice one 👍 👌 I've been playing with 2 AM Pro Sticks for 40m but my noise floor on horizontal to vertical is crazy noise Virtual not so bad can't get my head what the Interference is mmmmm nice video :)
I’ve had a few. In my experience they have always been inferior to horizontals. I built one over 30’ tall with a web of buried radials, it worked and it wasn’t bad; but it was inferior to dipoles oriented in the direction of the station I was working. I had a MA5b mini beam deployed only 20’ up, and it was life changing. The ability to add gain and minimize noise can’t by underestimated. Near the ocean, you basically get a lobe over water with a vertical, so I’m not surprised you got some gain to the northwest.
Thanks for the videos. You inspired me to get an HF (G90) and start studying for General. I’ve been using the spark plug antenna to listen in from Georgia (US). K4ORE
I made a nice 92 ft High vertical antenna using a drone to pull a cable up over a tree limb. And then using that to pull up the main copper wire. Works quite well. Rejects electrical noise fantastically.
@@CONFUCIUS-f2x I didn't lift the copper with the drone. What I did was lift a nylon leader cord over the limb and drop it (WD40 can as a weight) then tied a rope to the end of the cord and pulled the rope up (which becomes the anchor rope) and the other end of the rope is a 6 foot length of guy wire with teflon sleeve over it, held in place by two knots. After the guy wire, I have an insulating piece of flexible PVC hose, followed by the 14AWG copper wire. This gets pulled up over the limb by the rope manually. I hope this helps explain the process.
@@mewrongwayKOCXF Mine is equipped with a Fl-Fli Airdrop, a small attachment with a solenoid operated remote controlled pin that can release a load once in the air.
Good video Walt. I am a fan of vertical antennas as well. Currently, I am using half of a driven element from a TH6 beam I had up in the day that really works well on 30m-10m with a external tuner. This antenna has surprised me on its performance with a half dozen radial under it. Thanks again KN0A.
Thanks for the video Walt. I’m having great success with the speaker wire 20 meter EFHW vertical you’ve shown on your channel. Hope to catch you on 20 before you return to the States. -K1PRD
A great review there Walt. I have used most of the antennas you have covered during your trips. I also have the 6m pole, both for efhw inv v, but also to stick a j pole up for 2m when using the ht on a hill. Hope to catch you soon, safe journey wherever you go. 73
The best HF vertical I've found was a Slim Jim. It's only good for one band but highly effective. Built from 450 ohm ladder line...a 1/4 wave matching stub connected to a half wave radiator, like a J-pole, but the Slim Jim connects both sides of the ladder line at the top and there's a gap down near the top of the 1/4 wave stub. The trickiest part is to know the exact vF of the ladder line, in order to get the dimensions right the first time. Not easy to retune. I ended up grabbing a vintage Millen grid dip meter and finding a vF of .95 when it was stated as .92. But it's worth the effort...this thing works very well on 10 meters. Built a second one for 12 meters and 2nd contact was JA with 5x6 on his end. There's also a noise benefit...it's a DC short antenna, like a loop, so has lower noise floor. Very much worth building.
Ok I think maybe that IS a J-pole, and I like the idea for 10m, it could be practical and have the low angle radiation and not require the added ground connection. Still might be good to get the bottom up at least a quarter wave above ground? Well that means the top of your 3/4 wave antenna needs to be at least 30 feet above ground. Pretty "doable"! I want to try that!
@@davidjohnson497 This guy's calculator works well, but you need to fine tune the dimensions by getting the exact vF of the ladder line. This antenna is a PIA to retune by cutting or adding. I buy an oversize piece of LL...DXEngineering has good stuff...and short one end and use a dip meter to find the vF. Then plug that into the formula, get your dimensions, and build. The only other trick is that the 50 ohm feedpoint position tends to be just a little lower than the calculated one. I highly recommend a nanoVNA. But once you get one up and running, it's an excellent antenna. Not really sure about minimum height above as I'm using it mounted on my 3rd floor fire escape...25' above ground.
Hey Walt, where did you get that choke that you use a lot on the harbor and beach? I can't find it any where. Thanks 73s....enjoy the beach weather the in Va and NC,
My friend Tim N9SAB builds them and sells them on eBay. Looks like he is out of stock but keep checking his store. He builds more regularly and the go fast. Here’s the link to his store: www.ebay.com/str/n9sab?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=TIbkpe2XS0m&sssrc=3418065&ssuid=IVyKb51XQj2&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
Fine Business! Two Delta loops for me now for almost 30 years but having to move my station for awhile in the process of building an end fed halfwave for a while. KE4TDG. 73.
Nice Video Walt! You are really lucky with your antenna field at your PL location: Free field and all the houses far enough away for a clear view to the horizon… Only to be topped by the saltwater amplifier. I am a bit squished in here with houses all around, so a sloping antenna worked better than a vertical so far.
Way to go WALT - inspiring and glad to see you adjust the "build" for your environmental conditions! I too tried some thin "crappie pole" antennas but I like the more sturdy kite poles we can get that go up to 30 feet more more (yes definitely thin toward apex). You have convinced me to try a Rybakov! I will build my own 4:1 unun. Oh, what is that thin 1:1 you use (presumably as a common mode choke)??? Keep having fun and sharing! Really enjoy watching your adventures! de WA4NID
This fishing pole you choose is made mostly of carbon fiber. I read that the best to use is a pole made of insulator like glass fiber. Should i find a glass fiber fishing pole or dont bother and choose that pole you showed in the video? Does this really matter?
That was a good deal for the 6m pole. I wish I could find one for that price here in the USA. I don't have one just starting to do the out door events. I want to build some of the antennas you make. Keep up the great work. 73 AE4OY William Peacock EM-81UF Blackshear, GA
I have not had any ham radio signals on 10M or 6 Meters. I use a OCF 80M wire horizontal at about 24 feet up. I had to make it L shaped because of my property but Eurpope would be at 45degrees from the center of the LI am in the Kansas City area. I can get 20 all day and evening including DX in dark hours, 40 dx dark hours, 80 dx dark hours. I would love to know what is keeping me from getting any 10 or 6 meters. I do get constant tones down the waterfall spaced every few hundred or so KHz on both 10 and 6. I use a tuner with a 7300. I make many long distance contacts on the three bands I can get. I have turned off everything but the radio sill have those constant tones. They don't sound like a digital signal just a constant tone. I want to make one of your vertical antenna designs but I have no space for radials. Kansas is running a little short on salt water. Maybe in a few years that will change.
Thanks! I never use guy wires on the beach. I typically use a pipe driven into the sand or a beach umbrella spike mount. Here’s a link to a video I did on beach antennas: ruclips.net/video/KM9HH5xioXw/видео.htmlsi=Ek3ywdPlHFh1-M7o
Love your style. As a result, I would appreciate your advice. Im working on a marine solution for my sailing vessel. Working with an icom 7300, shakespeare 390 vertical and a ldg at100proll. Trying to figure out how to setup my ground plane to the sea. Balun 1:1 to a bronze plate? What do you think? After days of research I'm still lost. Lol. Hope to hear from you. Cheers.
Thanks! 1:1 balun at the antenna feed point of the antenna will keep the common mode energy out of the radio and reduce noise. Get a wire from the surface of the water to the ground side of the balun. I’m thinking you probably have a thru-hull connection somewhere that’s metal and near the waterline, just connect the wire to that. 73
That’s a beach umbrella sand anchor, really cheap on Amazon (about 12 bucks): Beach Umbrella Anchor Sand Auger and Fishing Pole Sand Anchor by JGR Copa (Blue) a.co/d/b0isvix
Can the vertical pole be aluminum? I feel like this is a stupid question but then again ham towers are made of metal. I can’t find an applicable answer online (ARRL Antenna book is on order) where a metal pole is used to run up insulated speaker wire as the driven element. Thx.
I noticed on your helical antenna you had a 1:9 balun - always wondered about those, and always thought they were for 5-10 ohm impedances to match to the 50 ohm radio. Was it actually a 9:1 balun and just misnamed?
I ended up ordering an FX-4CR I have the tuner covered and the G90 is bigger then what I want for packing in! Thinking even in the midwest with no saltwater a Vertical like one you covered would be the trick.KF0HRF Scott
Could you comment on the issues you’ve had on 40m at your location. I’m still quite “band inexperienced” and trying to figure out the “one band to rule them all” for antenna planning for my inland south Jersey location
My issues on 40 are totally location driven, I’m overwhelmed by Russian operators which dominate the band. Let me save you a lot of frustration and issues. 20 meters is the one band to rule them all. No mater the solar cycle or conditions 20 meters is always available. If I could only work one band it would be 20.
@@johnkeo358 I have the Silver Bullet 1000 (the big one). I was just out with it this weekend: ruclips.net/video/JHNbEND-Tt0/видео.htmlsi=v5vQ6MNIMk0KIo1N
@@COASTALWAVESWIRES nice, I'll definitely have to consider purchasing it. I always wanted an antenna using the mil whip to get some nostalgia. Just got my ticket for general last month, I hope we meet on the airwaves!
Yes, that’s all I have left here in Poland lol. Honestly I would have rather built this with a better bigger gauge wire and would definitely recommend that for 100 watts. 73 de K4OGO
@@COASTALWAVESWIRES Just found you on you tube. love all of your reviews and the way you present them. You've got me fired up about QRP. I ordered the tr usdx and thinking seriously about the FX 4c. I run a 32' wire up the largest Jackite pole, (32 ft I think) with a 9 to 1 unun at the bottom. Does real well portable. going to look into the Rybakov!
Google for OK1UFC webpage for Rybakov optimization (and many other antennas). It is in Czech, but Google translator will do. In short, to have good take off angle up to 10m band, the antenna shall be no longer than 6.4m. So it would be beneficial to have two rybakovs, one for lower, one for higher bands. This is the general problem with all-band antennas, that for higher bands the radiation pattern gets many lobs, not always in predictable and preferable directions.
If you say Rybakov 3 times, I show up in the comments, LOL. I just got a 6m pole--SOTABEAMS Carbon 6--and building a 1/4-wave for 20m is on the to-do list.
Now let's get to some math. Cut you a 80 meter 1/4 wave wire. Buy 2 inch PVC. Wrap the wire cut for 80 around the 2 inch pic. Add a stinger or whatever you need for a vertical. Now get out the old trusty swr meter or the MFJ antenna analyzer. Now cut three 33 ft ground wires. No you don't need more regardless of what you have been told. Now find the lowest swr for each band up to 80 meters. You can also get six meters. Now you may need a shunt coil on some bands to get the SWR you want. Shunts are easy to make. Very easy. This design is the same as the designs you pay hundreds of $$$$ for. And you can build it yourself. The reason this antenna has always worked well is the math. If you look at the 1/4 wave at 80 meters with a number 10 or 8 wire you will see you get a nice bandwidth . So don't use a thin wire. We need to build our own antennas in this hobby. And any of us can, with ease and patience. Just do the math . Save your $$$$$ for the next rig or amp. 73,s
![Blox Fruits Dragon Rework Update [Full Stream]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/EqDAp8udhm0/mqdefault.jpg)
I've fooled with verticals for decades... the most effective one was my "Chicken Coop Vertical." It was simply a trap vertical in the backyard, but the counterpoise took me three full days of work to construct. I literally carpeted the backyard with chicken coop wire. While it was on the ground I took a propane torch and soldered every twist together to prevent oxidation. Then I used chopped up metal coathangers to tack down all the chicken wire (no digging). For a good while I mowed the grass high so as not to hit the wire... the weight of the mowed grass eventually buried the wire and it was never seen again and struck during regular height mowing. I was a great antenna for 20-years until I retired and moved away. Unless he wants to dig holes in the backyard, the new owner will never know it's there.
Way cool story and design, thanks for sharing about the chicken wire ground plane! Great idea.
This video is great. What you said at about 15:08 is exactly what I tell all the new hams that are worried about antennas. I tell them that the best part of antennas is just going out and trying them out. If one doesn't work, try another. Before long, they will find one that performs for them. I also tell them that what works really well for others may not work for them and vice-versa. So indeed, a great video putting that theory to work! 73 de N6VHF
Thanks so much! I completely agree! 73 de K4OGO
I very much enjoy your contribution to the hobby.
Thank you so much!
For me it's best ham content around. THank you Walt !
Thank you so much for the kind words my friend!
Hey, this is simply incredible! Your experiments with vertical proves that practical usage of such antennas sometimes defies theories on take off signals. Great video and thank you.
Cheers!
VU3TQT
New Delhi
Thank you very much! 73, Walt K4OGO
Built my first Rybakov! Reached South Australia! Thanks Walt for your passion for ham radio! David W8BLT
Well done Walt. Lots of great information here. Starting place for lots of FUN...!!!!
Thanks so much my friend!
Thanks Walt. I got the same 6m pole from Decathlon here in UK few weeks ago. Cost only 20 GBP (~25 USD). Just Friday I did my first ever portable HF activity, activating my first POTA, and the pole worked great with inverted V EFHW for 40m, and higher resonant bands. I'll look to try out a vertical antenna setup next time I'm out and see what the difference is.
I’m seriously thinking about building an inverted V this week with that pole. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing all of these. I hope you get to enjoy your big back yard for a few more weeks!
Thanks Brian! I’m actually ready for my big beach my friend hi hi
I really like your casual and positive vibe, it makes watching these videos easier.
I mainly operate with either an EFHW or a inverted V dipole but I may have to cut some wire for this antenna.
Thanks! I actually have an inverted V in the plans. 73, Walt
Walt, thanks for another great video. When you get back to the States, say hello for me to KK4RF...one of your club-mates at N4WIS. He's a lifelong friend...best man at my wedding. Keep bringing us your antenna experiments. I've learned a lot from you. 73
Will do!!! Thanks and 73
Forgot to mention: Bill AD8S. 73
love 20m band !!!! i am on the border with germany , south west Poland
Thanks to Walt, my Rybakov has become a permanent fixture, joining my 119' end fed and my 40-6 OCFD. And boy does it produce. Thanks, Walt.
Thanks so much for sharing that my friend!
@@COASTALWAVESWIRES thank you for what you do! You fill our heads with so many antenna ideas, it's hard to know where to start!
Nice one 👍 👌 I've been playing with 2 AM Pro Sticks for 40m but my noise floor on horizontal to vertical is crazy noise Virtual not so bad can't get my head what the Interference is mmmmm nice video :)
@@Tom_2E1FUE thank you Tom!
I’ve had a few. In my experience they have always been inferior to horizontals. I built one over 30’ tall with a web of buried radials, it worked and it wasn’t bad; but it was inferior to dipoles oriented in the direction of the station I was working. I had a MA5b mini beam deployed only 20’ up, and it was life changing. The ability to add gain and minimize noise can’t by underestimated. Near the ocean, you basically get a lobe over water with a vertical, so I’m not surprised you got some gain to the northwest.
Horizontal by land, vertical by sea
Thanks for the videos. You inspired me to get an HF (G90) and start studying for General. I’ve been using the spark plug antenna to listen in from Georgia (US). K4ORE
I’m looking forward to talking to you on that G90! 73 K4OGO
I made a nice 92 ft High vertical antenna using a drone to pull a cable up over a tree limb. And then using that to pull up the main copper wire. Works quite well. Rejects electrical noise fantastically.
That’s awesome!
A drone? Now why didnt I think of that? 👍👍
What gauge was the cable? Was it heavy for the drone to lift it up?
@@CONFUCIUS-f2x I didn't lift the copper with the drone. What I did was lift a nylon leader cord over the limb and drop it (WD40 can as a weight) then tied a rope to the end of the cord and pulled the rope up (which becomes the anchor rope) and the other end of the rope is a 6 foot length of guy wire with teflon sleeve over it, held in place by two knots. After the guy wire, I have an insulating piece of flexible PVC hose, followed by the 14AWG copper wire. This gets pulled up over the limb by the rope manually. I hope this helps explain the process.
@@mewrongwayKOCXF Mine is equipped with a Fl-Fli Airdrop, a small attachment with a solenoid operated remote controlled pin that can release a load once in the air.
Great video Walt!! You’re a true asset to Ham Radio!! De NØPL
Thank you so much Phil!
Great video. Thanks for sharing your experiences and insights, very informative.
Take care and I hope all goes well for you in Poland!
Thank you so much! 73
Thanks for the chill vid. I want that FX-4CR ... what a cool little rig.
Thanks! It’s a fun little radio.
Good video Walt. I am a fan of vertical antennas as well. Currently, I am using half of a driven element from a TH6 beam I had up in the day that really works well on 30m-10m with a external tuner. This antenna has surprised me on its performance with a half dozen radial under it. Thanks again KN0A.
Thanks! 73 my friend
Another fantastic video! Keep them coming Walt!
Thank you so much sir!
Thanks for the video Walt. I’m having great success with the speaker wire 20 meter EFHW vertical you’ve shown on your channel. Hope to catch you on 20 before you return to the States. -K1PRD
Thanks Chris, hope to catch you on the bands!
That is so kool!! I built a DX Commander 12.4 copy and love it!
Awesome! Thanks for watching
A great review there Walt. I have used most of the antennas you have covered during your trips. I also have the 6m pole, both for efhw inv v, but also to stick a j pole up for 2m when using the ht on a hill. Hope to catch you soon, safe journey wherever you go. 73
Thank you so much Gary!
The best HF vertical I've found was a Slim Jim. It's only good for one band but highly effective. Built from 450 ohm ladder line...a 1/4 wave matching stub connected to a half wave radiator, like a J-pole, but the Slim Jim connects both sides of the ladder line at the top and there's a gap down near the top of the 1/4 wave stub. The trickiest part is to know the exact vF of the ladder line, in order to get the dimensions right the first time. Not easy to retune. I ended up grabbing a vintage Millen grid dip meter and finding a vF of .95 when it was stated as .92. But it's worth the effort...this thing works very well on 10 meters. Built a second one for 12 meters and 2nd contact was JA with 5x6 on his end. There's also a noise benefit...it's a DC short antenna, like a loop, so has lower noise floor. Very much worth building.
Ok I think maybe that IS a J-pole, and I like the idea for 10m, it could be practical and have the low angle radiation and not require the added ground connection. Still might be good to get the bottom up at least a quarter wave above ground? Well that means the top of your 3/4 wave antenna needs to be at least 30 feet above ground. Pretty "doable"! I want to try that!
@@davidjohnson497 This guy's calculator works well, but you need to fine tune the dimensions by getting the exact vF of the ladder line. This antenna is a PIA to retune by cutting or adding. I buy an oversize piece of LL...DXEngineering has good stuff...and short one end and use a dip meter to find the vF. Then plug that into the formula, get your dimensions, and build. The only other trick is that the 50 ohm feedpoint position tends to be just a little lower than the calculated one. I highly recommend a nanoVNA. But once you get one up and running, it's an excellent antenna. Not really sure about minimum height above as I'm using it mounted on my 3rd floor fire escape...25' above ground.
Hey Walt, another great video. Thanks!
Thank you so much Jeff!
Hey Walt, where did you get that choke that you use a lot on the harbor and beach? I can't find it any where.
Thanks 73s....enjoy the beach weather the in Va and NC,
My friend Tim N9SAB builds them and sells them on eBay. Looks like he is out of stock but keep checking his store. He builds more regularly and the go fast. Here’s the link to his store: www.ebay.com/str/n9sab?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=TIbkpe2XS0m&sssrc=3418065&ssuid=IVyKb51XQj2&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
Fine Business! Two Delta loops for me now for almost 30 years but having to move my station for awhile in the process of building an end fed halfwave for a while. KE4TDG. 73.
Thank you Walt for a great video!
Thank you so much Jay!
Nice Video Walt!
You are really lucky with your antenna field at your PL location: Free field and all the houses far enough away for a clear view to the horizon… Only to be topped by the saltwater amplifier.
I am a bit squished in here with houses all around, so a sloping antenna worked better than a vertical so far.
Yes I’m going to miss the place!
AWSOME, UW...this slinky Antenna I like just by looking at it. This Thing will do the Job very well 💯👌
That was a fun antenna Uncle G
@@COASTALWAVESWIRES I could read it on your Face you had Shiploads of Fun building and testing all these Antennas.👍
I think I need to a build a Rybakov antenna. Nice work Walt! 73!
Thank you!!!! 73
Way to go WALT - inspiring and glad to see you adjust the "build" for your environmental conditions! I too tried some thin "crappie pole" antennas but I like the more sturdy kite poles we can get that go up to 30 feet more more (yes definitely thin toward apex). You have convinced me to try a Rybakov! I will build my own 4:1 unun. Oh, what is that thin 1:1 you use (presumably as a common mode choke)??? Keep having fun and sharing! Really enjoy watching your adventures! de WA4NID
Roger that! 73, Walt
This fishing pole you choose is made mostly of carbon fiber. I read that the best to use is a pole made of insulator like glass fiber. Should i find a glass fiber fishing pole or dont bother and choose that pole you showed in the video? Does this really matter?
That was a good deal for the 6m pole. I wish I could find one for that price here in the USA. I don't have one just starting to do the out door events. I want to build some of the antennas you make. Keep up the great work. 73 AE4OY William Peacock EM-81UF Blackshear, GA
Thank you so much! 73, Walt
WOW THANKS. Great video. What do you think of the DX Commander as a permanent vertical install?
Thanks! I think the DX Commander as a permanent is awesome and if I had the place to put one it would be my permanent antenna.
I have not had any ham radio signals on 10M or 6 Meters. I use a OCF 80M wire horizontal at about 24 feet up. I had to make it L shaped because of my property but Eurpope would be at 45degrees from the center of the LI am in the Kansas City area. I can get 20 all day and evening including DX in dark hours, 40 dx dark hours, 80 dx dark hours. I would love to know what is keeping me from getting any 10 or 6 meters. I do get constant tones down the waterfall spaced every few hundred or so KHz on both 10 and 6. I use a tuner with a 7300. I make many long distance contacts on the three bands I can get. I have turned off everything but the radio sill have those constant tones. They don't sound like a digital signal just a constant tone. I want to make one of your vertical antenna designs but I have no space for radials. Kansas is running a little short on salt water. Maybe in a few years that will change.
Walt, love your channel, can you talk about how your guy and support your antennas on the beach? How do you anchor guy wires in the sand?
Thanks! I never use guy wires on the beach. I typically use a pipe driven into the sand or a beach umbrella spike mount. Here’s a link to a video I did on beach antennas: ruclips.net/video/KM9HH5xioXw/видео.htmlsi=Ek3ywdPlHFh1-M7o
Love your style. As a result, I would appreciate your advice. Im working on a marine solution for my sailing vessel. Working with an icom 7300, shakespeare 390 vertical and a ldg at100proll. Trying to figure out how to setup my ground plane to the sea. Balun 1:1 to a bronze plate? What do you think? After days of research I'm still lost. Lol. Hope to hear from you. Cheers.
Thanks! 1:1 balun at the antenna feed point of the antenna will keep the common mode energy out of the radio and reduce noise. Get a wire from the surface of the water to the ground side of the balun. I’m thinking you probably have a thru-hull connection somewhere that’s metal and near the waterline, just connect the wire to that. 73
Could you take the 7.6m wire and hang it off the 6m pole, making it slightly off vertical? Would think you'd still get a reasonable takeoff angle.
Yes, I think it would work well.
Tnx fer this video. Nicely done. Where did you get the anchor base for the vertical pole?
73 de Arnie W8DU
That’s a beach umbrella sand anchor, really cheap on Amazon (about 12 bucks): Beach Umbrella Anchor Sand Auger and Fishing Pole Sand Anchor by JGR Copa (Blue) a.co/d/b0isvix
@@COASTALWAVESWIRES Thanks for the quick reply. Enjoy the rest of your stay in SP-land.
Gotta try that rybakov... Thanks for the heavy lifting again, Walt!
Thanks! Build it!!!!
Walt, I am interested in the slinky set up. How high up and do I see an UNUM 9:1 on the bottome? Do you also ground it?
Yes that’s a 9:1 unun, here’s all the details:
ruclips.net/video/RejzmpjhTwU/видео.htmlsi=mk9nkqfvLvotyoGE
Can the vertical pole be aluminum? I feel like this is a stupid question but then again ham towers are made of metal. I can’t find an applicable answer online (ARRL Antenna book is on order) where a metal pole is used to run up insulated speaker wire as the driven element. Thx.
No aluminum would couple with the vertical wire and cause major problems
I noticed on your helical antenna you had a 1:9 balun - always wondered about those, and always thought they were for 5-10 ohm impedances to match to the 50 ohm radio. Was it actually a 9:1 balun and just misnamed?
Yes it was 9:1 unun and just misnamed.
I ended up ordering an FX-4CR I have the tuner covered and the G90 is bigger then what I want for packing in! Thinking even in the midwest with no saltwater a Vertical like one you covered would be the trick.KF0HRF Scott
You’re going to enjoy that radio Scott! 73
Thanks Walt! The QRP DX contacts are really inspirational! Wow! I have to try your Rybakov for a POTA activation. 73 de KE8UFQ
Thanks Stephen it’s a good antenna
Walt: I like your shirt. I watched a couple music videos....they are good. You must be very proud. Do they ever play up here in Williamsburg?
Hi Steve, yes I’ll have to look at their schedule. They played Harborfest last night. Thank you so much, I’m very proud
Could you comment on the issues you’ve had on 40m at your location. I’m still quite “band inexperienced” and trying to figure out the “one band to rule them all” for antenna planning for my inland south Jersey location
My issues on 40 are totally location driven, I’m overwhelmed by Russian operators which dominate the band. Let me save you a lot of frustration and issues. 20 meters is the one band to rule them all. No mater the solar cycle or conditions 20 meters is always available. If I could only work one band it would be 20.
For the wolf river coil and the military antenna, could you tell me which military antenna you used? Did you have to use an adapter with it?
I use this one and no adapter is needed:
HF Manpack Collapsible 7 Element Whip Antenna 285 CM Length a.co/d/0TKSEqW
@COASTALWAVESWIRES thank you for the quick response, I'm looking through the wolf river website, which coil did you end up using with it?
@@johnkeo358 I have the Silver Bullet 1000 (the big one). I was just out with it this weekend: ruclips.net/video/JHNbEND-Tt0/видео.htmlsi=v5vQ6MNIMk0KIo1N
@@COASTALWAVESWIRES nice, I'll definitely have to consider purchasing it. I always wanted an antenna using the mil whip to get some nostalgia. Just got my ticket for general last month, I hope we meet on the airwaves!
@@johnkeo358 see you on the airwaves!
looks like best job in the world !!!!
I enjoy the travel!
My english is not very good maybe you talk about that but I couldnt translate. That antenna is for 10 to 20m?
The antennas in this video are mostly 20 through 10 meters. Those are the bands I operate on mostly.
Walt, is there a specific reason for the smaller gauge vertical wire? thx de K5TET
Yes, that’s all I have left here in Poland lol. Honestly I would have rather built this with a better bigger gauge wire and would definitely recommend that for 100 watts. 73 de K4OGO
Great video
Thank you! 73, Walt K4OGO
I used a Rybakov and made a coiple of QSO's. Tucson to New Zealand and also into Alice Springs, 20 wats with a G90
Cool!!!!
My last plan _(never executed it)_ was phased verticals. 3, switchable, for directivity.
HeyHo!
--VE6IU
Why you don't try delta loop antenna? I see you have a lot of room there. 73
It’s in the plans before I leave
Which LDG 4:1 are you using? I believe they sell 2.
The unun, not the balun. The balun is basically for a Delta Loop (balanced). This is an unbalanced antenna thus unun.
hey , where are you in poland , first radio distrikt ??? this is SP6KE
Hi Jack, I’m in Słupsk (SP2 district)
look into the Jackite poles, a little heavier but a bit more sturdy.
I’ll check them out
@@COASTALWAVESWIRES Just found you on you tube. love all of your reviews and the way you present them. You've got me fired up about QRP. I ordered the tr usdx and thinking seriously about the FX 4c. I run a 32' wire up the largest Jackite pole, (32 ft I think) with a 9 to 1 unun at the bottom. Does real well portable. going to look into the Rybakov!
@@williamsteele5729 awesome! Good DX my friend!!!
2 unun s ?
Cant wait!
5am you wake up early ehhehehe
You are the vertical guy for sure
Thanks! I enjoy building them
amazing !!!!!!
Thanks Jack!
I've worked the world with 100 watts, a TS-520s and a homemade vertical on the ground.
Awesome!
Google for OK1UFC webpage for Rybakov optimization (and many other antennas). It is in Czech, but Google translator will do.
In short, to have good take off angle up to 10m band, the antenna shall be no longer than 6.4m. So it would be beneficial to have two rybakovs, one for lower, one for higher bands. This is the general problem with all-band antennas, that for higher bands the radiation pattern gets many lobs, not always in predictable and preferable directions.
Thanks for the information Pawel
Thanks
Thanks for watching!
Very Nice! I appreciate the information you provide. Be safe. 73 KN4RRL.
Thanks Chris! 73
Verticals are great in the Clear but not good in built up areas GM4NNC
When yer rich...and you have3 nothing else to do. Life's good!
I think it’s more like “when you work hard you can play hard”
Wooo!
If you say Rybakov 3 times, I show up in the comments, LOL. I just got a 6m pole--SOTABEAMS Carbon 6--and building a 1/4-wave for 20m is on the to-do list.
Hahaha that’s awesome Mike!
Bittersweet I bet being possibly the last trip. What about all your toys? You have to ship the franken-pole home. It's a legend.
Hahaha Franky is getting a proper Polish burial
73 from Romania
73!!!!!
I ues a similar pole also from Decathlob, the 7m version with ENDFED antenna to mount it vercial :D YO5QKA. 73.
That’s awesome! 73 de K4OGO
And I am sure that you install these antennas using R56 Standards!
wHY NOT JUST GUY THAT VERTICAL WITH FISHING LINE?
Now let's get to some math. Cut you a 80 meter 1/4 wave wire. Buy 2 inch PVC. Wrap the wire cut for 80 around the 2 inch pic. Add a stinger or whatever you need for a vertical. Now get out the old trusty swr meter or the MFJ antenna analyzer. Now cut three 33 ft ground wires. No you don't need more regardless of what you have been told. Now find the lowest swr for each band up to 80 meters. You can also get six meters. Now you may need a shunt coil on some bands to get the SWR you want. Shunts are easy to make. Very easy. This design is the same as the designs you pay hundreds of $$$$ for. And you can build it yourself. The reason this antenna has always worked well is the math. If you look at the 1/4 wave at 80 meters with a number 10 or 8 wire you will see you get a nice bandwidth . So don't use a thin wire. We need to build our own antennas in this hobby. And any of us can, with ease and patience. Just do the math . Save your $$$$$ for the next rig or amp. 73,s
How long is the 2 inch PVC for this monster vertical?
I'm going to end up getting one of those little radios....and it will be all your fault.😊
Hahahahaha you’ll enjoy it
👍🏻✌🏻🇨🇦
K8NY Bob a good friend of mine gl 73 ON3MK
Awesome! 73 de K4OGO
elevate the antenna 5 meters - it would much better
A slinky!
morning all… de Jim K5TET
Only a real ham has qsb in his youtube vids.
Hahahahaha
Good presentation. de NK7B
Thank you! 73 de K4OGO
i did qrp cw from kauai outbacker ant mag mount a blast . de wb8e
I’m hoping to go back soon! 73 de K4OGO