EFHW

[2NC995]

Thinking about an End Fed Half Wave for my HOA-regulation-skirting antenna. I’ll be able to make it mostly invisible, 32’ or so off the ground, and with about 30 or so feet of feedline to the shack.

My questions:

1. Anyone deal with Balun Designs?

Looking at this model, been in the “cart” for weeks:

https://www.balundesigns.com/model-49131-49-1-for-end-fed-half-waves-up-to-1kw/

2. How far away from my aluminum fascia trim should I seek to have the feed point? Ill be running at about a 45 degree angle from the gable end of the house. 6/12 pitch, and mounted right at the peak..radiator level with ground to an ol’ pine tree.

 

[CB590]

I would use a flag pole mount with a dowel (or pvc) to get away from your siding a little bit. Then use an insulator to mount the balun. I run a simple EFHW balun that was like $36 on eBay. But I am running it for 10-80m. It's cut to 64' in length with 12 THHN wire. I do run a tuner though.

I heard and read balun designs were good. But I don't know.

 

[2NC995]

Thanks for your thoughts on this.

If I were to run the feed point to the middle of the yard, I may as well run a dipole. I’m thinking if I can get the feed point 6’ or so from the house (vinyl sided, but aluminum fascia). I should be ok. Does that seem reasonable?

 

[CB590]

Thanks for your thoughts on this.

If I were to run the feed point to the middle of the yard, I may as well run a dipole. I’m thinking if I can get the feed point 6’ or so from the house (vinyl sided, but aluminum fascia). I should be ok. Does that seem reasonable?

Yes to me it does. Keep in mind you may be very directionally and still may skew signal

 

[hotrod]

look, up the sirio gainmaster half wave its center fed and has a built in rf choke to keep ya outta of tvs

 

[HomerBB]

Use it with your 49:1 from 2' to 4' off the ground.
Ground it to a ground rod. As for the wire radiator, a sloper is fine.

 

[kopcicle]

Good to see ya Homer!

Use it with your 49:1 from 2' to 4' off the ground.
Ground it to a ground rod. As for the wire radiator, a sloper is fine.

Usually works if you're not me
I never got an EFHW to work on any frequency.

 

[HomerBB]

Good to see ya Homer!

Usually works if you're not me
I never got an EFHW to work on any frequency.

Howdy, kopcicle.
The use of a tuner is paramount in many installations. So many influencing variables ... However, if I were going to use it on a single band I would use an LC network for matching.

 

[2NC995]

Use it with your 49:1 from 2' to 4' off the ground.
Ground it to a ground rod. As for the wire radiator, a sloper is fine.

Ok...I ordered the balun last night. This is, of course, intended to be a monoband antenna.

Is there any advantage to running the balun a couple feet off the ground? Seems like it would work well up high.

 

[2NC995]

look, up the sirio gainmaster half wave its center fed and has a built in rf choke to keep ya outta of tvs

I’ve gotten away with every wire antenna I have put up, being they’re virtually invisible from the street. I don’t want to jeopardize that trying to sneak in a large vertical.

 

[Tallman]

Use a genuine flag pole for a vertical radiator and put a flag on it. Unless the HOA stipulates no flag poles you can always say they are not being "Patriotic" and should be ashamed of themselves.

 

[2NC995]

Use a genuine flag pole for a vertical radiator and put a flag on it. Unless the HOA stipulates no flag poles you can always say they are not being "Patriotic" and should be ashamed of themselves.

I’ve thought about this also, but I do think flagpoles are allowed. Flags are - if house mounted.

I also actually want horizontal because it seems to help deal with some local QRM.

 

[kopcicle]

Semper paratus
Non sibi sed patriae
Semper Fidelis
Mors ab Alto
Death before dishonor
Ask not what your country can do for you...
Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati

STFU and give me my damn flagpole you Commie loving biotches !

 

[HomerBB]

Ok...I ordered the balun last night. This is, of course, intended to be a monoband antenna.

Is there any advantage to running the balun a couple feet off the ground? Seems like it would work well up high.

It is recommended that you use a ground rod and ground this antenna. A very long ground strap/cable causes the antenna to appear as a center fed or off center fed dipole, in which case the 49:1 is way off the needed impedance match.
Try it without the ground rod up higher and see...

 

[Woody-202]

I’ve gotten away with every wire antenna I have put up, being they’re virtually invisible from the street. I don’t want to jeopardize that trying to sneak in a large vertical.

Wire antennas do a pretty good job at being invisible to NAZI HOA staff. I made a balun (9:1) from info I got off a YouTube video and just had the wire (66') loosely attached to the roof. It worked okay, but it was pretty directional. Hopefully I'll learn more about these antenna's via this thread...