Hi,
I´m searching for some ideas - antenna for SOTA and travelling, bands 80/40/20 m, QRP . Some ideas for light, simple, working… antennas ? Which can be installed in limited spaces, different conditions,…? Some “multiband” solutions,…?
I understand that this is a compromise solution.
Hi Pavel,
The simplest can be a piece of wire to an ATU. If you don’t want to use ATU and want resonant antennas, a linked or trapped EFHW might fit well to your needs.
Likewise a 1/4 wave vertical with one or two 1/4 wave long radials.
73,
Guru
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You can try EARC antenna
http://www.earchi.org/92011endfedfiles/Endfed6_40.pdf
Good luck!
73,
Guru
You mean “random wire” and 9:1? Some expiriences? Rsults? Tuner needed? Thanks
Yes, random wire and 9:1 unun
Antenna tunner is needed if you want to use it in several bands.
The EARC antenna instructions recommend a wire length between 24 and 60 feet for optimal performance (1 foot=0.3048m).
I’ve used it with 3 different lengths and satisfactory results, i.e. 10, 14 and 21m.
Several DX all around the world on QRP 5W from SOTA summits.
73,
Guru
These SOTA topics should be of help …
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Hallo Pavel
You will need some space to fix a 80m - Antenna…
But you if you want, you can built it cheap and easy to carry. This is my ZS6BKW for 80m and other bands. It’s built with twisted wire as a feeder. And yes - i have an antenna tuner.
Ignacio made a beautiful film how to wind it.
I fix it with velcro and carry it in a freeze bag with zipper…
If you are looking for random wires, here you have the best length:
https://udel.edu/~mm/ham/randomWire/
But there are lots of hompages about different antennas, you can use - for example:
If you spend a little time in www you will find a lot!
73 Armin
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At the link below are my VSWR measurements (with and without an ATU) for my random long wire (RLW) configured as an ‘inverted L’ with 9:1 UnUn (used and measured at my previous QTH and at my current QTH but haven’t remeasured it).
The “9” side of the UnUn goes to the RLW and a short wire to a ‘dog lead’ screw-into-ground ground stake. A coax cable connects the “1” side to the rig.
A RLW has an ‘up and down’ VSWR pattern plotted against frequency so you will need an ATU.
I get good on-air results and one could easily use a RLW and UnUn when portable (although I usually take a tri-band EFHW when activating for convenience and quickness).
73 Andy
Hello,
You might like to consider the Sotabeams Bandspringer Midi, which is listed with a range of 10-60m. You will need an ATU, but will not need a balun. I found it tunes all the bands 10-60m. It is light, small, and has a relatively small footprint when deployed.
I have used one of these with an elecraft KX3 for a number of activations, and it has been successful. The KX3 will even tune it on 80m, which surprised me.
I use a Sotabeams Compact Ultra Portable 6m mast, which is 56cm collapsed. I have used other poles but find this one more sturdy than others. I have taken this abroad a number of times in my hold luggage.
Regards
David
G4ZAO
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Hi Pavel,
When you say for travelling - if you are travelling in your car, then a fishing pole supported Inverted-V or end-fed is probably the safest option (and not a compromise, except that the end-fed needs wither an UNUN or ATU).
If you’re taking travelling in a plane, then you need something that collapses down - yes there are small fishing poles like the 5 & 6m €30-35 ones from Lambdahalbe
but if you also want to be able to set up and take down quickly in a restricted space, then a HF vertical on a modified photo tripod (SO239 socket plus coax and counterpoise/radial wires added) is what I use. My antenna of choice for this set-up is the Komunica HF-Pro2 but it does have quite a long whip on it, a shorter and not as effective similar (tune the bottom) vertical antenna is the Diamond RHM-8B but it also costs twice as much as the Komunica and doesn’t perform half as well.
These are both 80-10m solutions. Komunica also do a wide band (no tuning required) Bazoka Pro - works well on 40m but not so well on other bands - the HF PRO-2 is a far better option.
73 Ed.
Wich lenghts you use for which band? Thanks
Either length I use has a 9:1 unun at the feed point. From that point, the RG58 coax go to the antenna tuner and I use the antenna on many bands.
My impression is that longer wire works better than short, but the 10m one has given me lots of great DX and many, many SOTA QSOs.
The length choice is up to you depending on how much space you’ll have available where you will install the antenna.
Although theory sais the EARC antenna doesn’t need a counterpoise, my personal experience is that the antenna performs better with a counterpoise. For my SOTA activations I use a 6m long counterpoise wire.
For the EARC antenna I have in the balcony of my rental appartment, the counterpoise is the metal fence of the balcony.
73,
Guru
Thanks… And how it works? With QRP…
You can install the wire as a sloper, as an inverted Vee, as an inverted L, as a vertical…
Any configuration will work fine.
There will be differences between one and other but I haven’t tested them at such extent.
I’ve used them as sloper, as inverted vee and as inverted L. All of them have given me big satisfaction and great DX.
Vertical is the only configuration I’ve never tried but it should work fine too.
73,
Guru
If you do a search for EA2IF/P on this Reflector, you’ll be able to read all my activation reports and you’ll see how the EARC antenna worked for me with the 5W of my FT-817ND.
This is the one after my last activation:
73,
Guru
Thanks, I will check and read it.
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I also always use a 35.5 ft (10.82m) end fed wire with a 9:1 supported with a 7.2m carbon fiber fishing pole shortened to 6m for strength on my SOTA activations. For coax I use 25ft (7.62m) of RG-174. A db or so loss maybe but works very well and is very light and easy to coil. This is what works for me and is extremely light and easy to carry on your back.
Tim - K5DEZ
You can try the PE1JXI Multi-endfed antenna.
73 Gomes CT1HIX
Hi, I tried to find this antenna on the internet, but dound just some photos… DO you have some description? Thanks
Does anyone know, how is usual efficiency / losses for solutions like “random wire” (EARC) + 9:1 balun?
(I understand, that it is compromise… not ideal…)