Buying end fed, any advice?

[kopcicle]

Yes the OCFD can be scaled to 40m
Distance above ground affects feed point impedance and therefore percentage of offset.
Yes the OCFD can be supported in the middle by a non-metallic pole.
The OCFD is best supported from the feed point.
An inverted Vee is best supported from the feed point.
A vertical requires some sort of radial system to work off of. (the difference with and w/o the radial system is very noticeable)
A pneumatic push-up vertical (approximately 36') for night time use with a tuner that can be pulled down for day time is another possibility. (PM if you are really interested) .

Just some thoughts

 

[Tallman]

Mine gets into the Ice maker with 500 watts! Joking, I don't use amps. I had one neighbor have some trouble with my signals getting into his TV that did not have cable.
It was an old RCA Victor 25" floor model. I bought him a new 32" insignia LCD TV and an outside antenna. I put his antenna on the side farthest side away from my antenna. Now I don't bother him any more and he is happy as clam and he thinks I am very rich.

 

[Tallman]

A pneumatic push-up vertical (approximately 36') for night time use with a tuner that can be pulled down for day time is another possibility. (PM if you are really interested) .

Just some thoughts

I would like to have one of those towers!

 

[338_MtRushmore]

I can't see one of those pneumatic poles working well in the winter, unless it was a large commercial unit.

I have thought about isolating my mast from the camper frame and adding some ground radials. Not sure if a vertical would work very well that close to the camper though, not to mention tuning.

 

[CB590]

With about 40' of wire and my pre-made unun from eBay for $37 I can get down to 80m easily. Talk East coast to Michigan easily.

 

[Road Squawker]

...
I just don't have a lot of options in an rv park. I would have to remove the long wire when not in use. I don't want to go too big too fast and be told no more antennas.

Have you considered "moving" to the lot, waaay down in the corner, that no one wants to use?

 

[338_MtRushmore]

Have you considered "moving" to the lot, waaay down in the corner, that no one wants to use?

I am already there, but it isn't exactly a dump where I can dig supports and weave a web of wire wherever.

 

[kopcicle]

I can't see one of those pneumatic poles working well in the winter, unless it was a large commercial unit.

I have thought about isolating my mast from the camper frame and adding some ground radials. Not sure if a vertical would work very well that close to the camper though, not to mention tuning.

not to divert traffic but save some space ...

https://www.eham.net/ehamforum/smf/index.php/topic,110756.0.html
It isn't large or commercial but just good ole backyard engineering.
I can see it being a pita in a freezing rain or covered with snow but otherwise okay. It's just simple bushing and O-ring construction with the option of a Nitanol (nickel-titanium) alloy conductor that relaxes into the same shape when retracted. Maybe stepped, conical, slinky, of decreasing diameter gets the picture across .

I built one of pvc and started with a large drain pipe.
I built the metallic version as well as the hybrid.
Eventually I'd like to build one beginning with a 24" inner diameter but DOM gets pricey in those sizes . I'm a pretty good scrounger as well. I even have a shade tree method to put a finish on an inside diameter of one to two feet. It just seems like a lot of work for a 160m vertical. Not quite within the realm of conventional construction but, just a thought ?

 

[Tallman]

I'm almost ashamed it took me this long to remember this well hidden antenna. When I say almost ashamed the fact I remembered at all is a miracle. After all can any body complain about displaying the flag? If they complain label them as "Unpatriotic" very loudly and publicly and see if they don't back down.

http://hamuniverse.com/kx9dk4btvflagpole.html

I have often thought about trying a similar design using a balun to end feed a metal pipe for the radiator. For radials you could lay down bare copper grounding wire. There is a machine you can rent from Home Depot that will set a wire fairly deep with out tearing the yard up.

 

[firerunner]

I have run a MY Antennas 8010 end fed it does what they and made many contacts with it. They make a 160-40 also never used that one. the 8010 is very well made and easy to put up.
http://myantennas.com/wp/product-category/antennas/efhw-multi-band/

I ran 700 watts through it with no problem especially after I grounded it.

 

[338_MtRushmore]

I ordered the balun desings 4:1/9:1 unun. I'm curious to see how it is made, and I can try it out on a vertical too.

It looks like the other "half wave" style end feds use a voltage transformer that is completely different from an unun. Maybe I'll try one of those next.

 

[2RT307]

I ordered the balun desings 4:1/9:1 unun. I'm curious to see how it is made, and I can try it out on a vertical too.

It looks like the other "half wave" style end feds use a voltage transformer that is completely different from an unun. Maybe I'll try one of those next.

Have you had time to string it up? Just curious how it's working for you. I just ordered the EARCHI and also bought the 9:1 "QRP" unun from Balun Designs. I'm going to try them both out and see what I think. Looking to put these in my "go box" just for kicks.

73,
Brett

 

[338_MtRushmore]

I made a mounting plate and was going to telescope the mast down but there was too much ice. Hopefully I can get to it next week.

 

[338_MtRushmore]

Here are some pics of the unun. I really know nothing about them as far as design. If it really does work as a 9:1 or 4:1 it should give many antenna options.






http://www.balundesigns.com/model-4935-4-9-1-unun-1-54-mhz-5kw/

 

[338_MtRushmore]

I strung it up last night with with 72' on the 9:1. Noise floor was s9 to 20 over. Lots of experimenting to do, but it's a start.