Buying end fed, any advice?

[Tallman]

The man that runs the QSO King company takes a lot of time off. The only place I know to get them is on eBay. He's getting up in years and he's not dependent on the sales for his income. I plan on talking to him and see if I can help him out with production and distribution.
From eham website:
KD8ZM Rating: 3/5 Aug 30, 2017 16:53
Not a happy camper so far Time owned: 0 to 3 months
This pertains to the 20-30-40 meter model. I bought this to use in our RV. Big mistake! The thing is outlandishly long at 73 feet, making it a non-starter for most campgrounds. As to performance, I've tried it as an inverted vee from a fiberglass mast, hanging it straight up suspended from a tall tree using a slingshot to get it up there, you name it. No contacts at all. At the same time I also used a homemade 20 meter ground mounted whip with 8 radials which beat the snot out of the End Fedz on 20m.
SWR is good across all bands, but no one seems to hear me on this antenna. I'm not sure what else to say, maybe I'll have more luck later?

 

[Tallman]

There's not one. On another note, QSO-King has an eham rating of 4.9 with 34 reviews. The End Fedz have a 4.9 rating with 287 reviews and were designed by Dale Parfitt of Par Electronics, one of the most respected men in the business. Not sure why they are "a big mistake", but am not going to argue with Tallman as he has helped me a bunch through the years.

It was another person who called it a big mistake, not me.
I personally will not recommend a product unless I have owned one or worked on and repaired one, nor will I bad mouth one. But I will pass on information that comes from a person that has first hand knowledge of a product and if it is from another website I credit that website with the material I quote.

 

[338_MtRushmore]

The man that runs the QSO King company takes a lot of time off. The only place I know to get them is on eBay. He's getting up in years and he's not dependent on the sales for his income. I plan on talking to him and see if I can help him out with production and distribution.
From eham website:
KD8ZM Rating: 3/5 Aug 30, 2017 16:53
Not a happy camper so far Time owned: 0 to 3 months
This pertains to the 20-30-40 meter model. I bought this to use in our RV. Big mistake! The thing is outlandishly long at 73 feet, making it a non-starter for most campgrounds. As to performance, I've tried it as an inverted vee from a fiberglass mast, hanging it straight up suspended from a tall tree using a slingshot to get it up there, you name it. No contacts at all. At the same time I also used a homemade 20 meter ground mounted whip with 8 radials which beat the snot out of the End Fedz on 20m.
SWR is good across all bands, but no one seems to hear me on this antenna. I'm not sure what else to say, maybe I'll have more luck later?

This guy bought a 73 foot antenna, then complains about how long it is? Lol, I'm definitely ignoring that guys opinion.

 

[338_MtRushmore]

I'm really thinking about trying this

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

 

[Tallman]

Looks well made and I'm curious how well it works for you. I was reading another review in which the operator was complaining how bad the two meter performance was.
That's only 90 MHz outside the design.

 

[Tallman]

There's not one. On another note, QSO-King has an eham rating of 4.9 with 34 reviews. The End Fedz have a 4.9 rating with 287 reviews and were designed by Dale Parfitt of Par Electronics, one of the most respected men in the business. Not sure why they are "a big mistake", but am not going to argue with Tallman as he has helped me a bunch through the years.

We can argue and I will still help when I can. I don't hold grudges, unless you really, REALLY Pi$$mehoff. Then I would until my next nap time then all is forgiven when I wake up.

 

[sp5it]

I would say stay away from that antenna.
There is some good reading why: https://www.w8ji.com/end-fed_1_2_wave_matching_system_end feed.htm
Mike

p.s. Eham reviews are worthless.

 

[Riverman]

p.s. Eham reviews are worthless.

 

[Tallman]

I would say stay away from that antenna.
There is some good reading why: https://www.w8ji.com/end-fed_1_2_wave_matching_system_end feed.htm
Mike

All antennas are a mixture of compromises. Single band antennas and even
more so the wide range multi band antennas. Mobile antennas are the most difficult to design and have a bunch of compromises involved. They all have their good points and bad points. As far as radiation exposure, Unless you are transmitting from the inside of a Faraday cage you are going to get some radiation. It is inevitable. Your microwave might be cooking you along with the burritos you warm up.

 

[w9cll]

I saw that Tallman likes the qso-king,

I also have a QSO-King. It does work but any kind of power into it and I can hear myself on every electrical device in the house... kidding of course but they do get into a lot of stuff.

 

[Road Squawker]

... I couldn't find any place to buy the qso-king, or any info on it. Am I just missing something?

I believe that they are ONLY sold on e-bay.

The QSO KING is really NOT an EFHW antenna (in the classic sense), it is an endfed ZEPP antenna, which allows it to load on multiple bands easier.
http://kb6nu.com/when-is-an-end-fed-antenna-not-really-an-end-fed-antenna/

go here for more EFHW info. http://aa5tb.com/

 

[Road Squawker]

.... Eham reviews are worthless.

Absolutely correct

 

[338_MtRushmore]

I believe that they are ONLY sold on e-bay.

The QSO KING is really NOT an EFHW antenna (in the classic sense), it is an endfed ZEPP antenna, which allows it to load on multiple bands easier.
http://kb6nu.com/when-is-an-end-fed-antenna-not-really-an-end-fed-antenna/

go here for more EFHW info. http://aa5tb.com/

Correct, I'm looking to use multiple bands, therefore needing a length that isn't a multiple of any band I want to operate on. At least that is my understanding.

I also didn't realize that the term "end fed" insinuated being a half wave.

ETA I also thought an end fed zepp was a half wave fed with window line. Are zepps typically multiband?

 

[kopcicle]

End fed ? Not so much.
Tom Rauch ? Yep ...
https://www.w8ji.com/windom_off_center_fed.htm
eham reviews ? Well that's a bit of a conundrum.
A bit of perspective is in order here. I will say that when reading eHam reviews it is relatively easy to toss out the fan boyz and the ID10TS to get a fair look at the item.
I pretty much know what I'm looking at or for when I dip into eHam reviews anyway so if there is a gem to be found in the crap it stands out .
Sure, opinions are like azzholes but experience is invaluable , End fed @ 9:1 / 6:1/ 4:1 @ lengths from 43' to 234' ...
I never found a combination in end fed that came close to performing like a doublet .
The OCFD in 66 or 80% has always worked even if it needed a quality tuner (Drake MN2700B here, the Heath 2060 works also) .
Got room for a full wave loop? Vertical and a tuner or auto tuner? I use a (SG-230 Smart tuner and a 43' vertical)
Inverted Vee? .
Delta loop ? I have some not so radical ideas here that are easy to implement and don't cost a bundle while helping solve impedance and polarization issues..

Antennas are the one thing that you can spend minutes or hours on that actually don't cost a bunch of money unless its bought not built. Sure StepIR will unload your wallet faster than an ex-wife but a trip to evilbay or amazon will get you the right cores, hardware store will get an enclosure and fasteners. THHN is nearly as good as flexweave, paracord is everywhere, metal and plastic pulleys from a box store, then the fun of the tennis ball cannon http://www.antennalaunchers.com/csv19/index.html

Just a thought or six . Take it or leave it

 

[338_MtRushmore]

End fed ? Not so much.
Tom Rauch ? Yep ...
https://www.w8ji.com/windom_off_center_fed.htm
eham reviews ? Well that's a bit of a conundrum.
A bit of perspective is in order here. I will say that when reading eHam reviews it is relatively easy to toss out the fan boyz and the ID10TS to get a fair look at the item.
I pretty much know what I'm looking at or for when I dip into eHam reviews anyway so if there is a gem to be found in the crap it stands out .
Sure, opinions are like azzholes but experience is invaluable , End fed @ 9:1 / 6:1/ 4:1 @ lengths from 43' to 234' ...
I never found a combination in end fed that came close to performing like a doublet .
The OCFD in 66 or 80% has always worked even if it needed a quality tuner (Drake MN2700B here, the Heath 2060 works also) .
Got room for a full wave loop? Vertical and a tuner or auto tuner? I use a (SG-230 Smart tuner and a 43' vertical)
Inverted Vee? .
Delta loop ? I have some not so radical ideas here that are easy to implement and don't cost a bundle while helping solve impedance and polarization issues..

Antennas are the one thing that you can spend minutes or hours on that actually don't cost a bunch of money unless its bought not built. Sure StepIR will unload your wallet faster than an ex-wife but a trip to evilbay or amazon will get you the right cores, hardware store will get an enclosure and fasteners. THHN is nearly as good as flexweave, paracord is everywhere, metal and plastic pulleys from a box store, then the fun of the tennis ball cannon http://www.antennalaunchers.com/csv19/index.html

Just a thought or six . Take it or leave it

Would an 80% ocfd with the feed point at 25 or 30 feet on the mast work in an inverted vee?

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.