New HF antenna

[LagunaH1]

I've been mucking about with a new antenna setup for a while. I wanted something that was more convenient to tune / configure for the various bands and something that wasn't as goofy looking as the former setup. -Mind you, the former HI Q antenna is *excellent* and that's why I'm going to use it here at home instead of mobile.

One of my fellow HAM's in the local radio club runs a very trick setup: A Firestick KW7 (a CB antenna, but rated at 700 watts.... hmmmm??) and a random wire tuner right at the feed point. The KW7 is a good choice because it plain and simple has a lot of wire in it, and it's loading coil is at the top of the antenna, where it does the most good.

This setup gives my HAM radio friend excellent performance on 10 - 40 meters and also decent signal on 80. I wanted to build a setup very like his, except I use Yaseu gear and not ICOM, which is what he uses.

So, over the holidays I built a setup consisting of my trusty old Yaesu FT100D driving my Firestick KW7 through an LDG Electronics AT200 Pro II tuner, feeding the antenna right at the bottom of the stick.

The setup is a lot easier to use and looks (in my opinion) less silly then the old setup. The radio and tuner will tune 6 - 40 meters, but I have yet to work anyone at any distance so I am not sure how great a signal I'm getting out.

 

[DJinCO]

Cool. Photos?

 

[alrock]

So, if I'm reading this correctly, you don't have the male neutering antenna on the roof anymore?

 

[LagunaH1]

Photos?

No. :wink:

 

[crank]

I'd like to see it. Pictures? Design drawings?
You say it tunes well 10-40mtrs? How does it tune on 80mtrs?
TNX

 

[LagunaH1]

I'll get some photos, stay tuned.

The setup I have won't tune on 80, I don't think I have enough counterpoise and / or enough range in the tuner

 

[LagunaH1]

Still no photos (will post when the install is finalized, using the proper bits and pieces) but today I worked a station in Cuba on the 15 meter band and yesterday I got a very good signal report from Houston, TX on 20 meters. I'm beginning to like this setup!

 

[LagunaH1]

Today I heard a station in Norway on the 20 meter band, but I didn't have enough "punch" to get through to him. I am thinking about adding an amp.....

 

[ReconH3]

Wow!!!!!


"Ex Umbris Venimus"

Sent from my iPhone

 

[Paladine71]

Any more pics or information on this yet? I'm just about ready to take the Tech test and want a good rugged antenna for my rig. I'm still trying to decide on the radio.

 

[LagunaH1]

Funny you should ask, I just got back from a couple of hours in the Santa Ana mountains where I worked 2 stations in Japan on the 15 meter band using this setup.

I'm somewhat undecided: Do I make this setup more permanent, route and hide the wires properly (they currently are zip tied to my roof rack) or do I go back to the setup I had before using a HI Q screwdriver antenna? -I think I'm going to keep the setup as is until I have been to Moab. -That'll be my most important test: Last time in Moab I was running my giant Hi Q antenna and got a *very* good signal report on the 40 meter band between Moab and a fellow HAM form the local radio club, located here in Orange County. I'll try working the same distance, frequency etc in April using my current setup and see how it compares.

My current setup is a Yaesu FT100D all band all mode radio (it does everything between 160 meters and the 70 CM band (440)) which is connected to an LDG Electronics LDG AT200ProII Autotuner which is located up in the roof rack, and feeds the Firestick KW7 antenna using a 3 inch bit of conductor. It is *critically* important that the tuner be located right at the base of the antenna, which is the feed point, in order for this setup to work well. I use the roof rack as my counterpoise.

When I want to tune up on a band, I switch the radio to that band and then toggle to AM and hit transmit. This produces an AM carrier that the autotuner then uses to match the antennas impedance on that frequency. The AT200ProII has the benefit of having lots of memories and it will remember each setting so tuning becomes quicker and easier over time as I tune and store more and more frequencies in the tuner. -This all happens completely automatically and the only indication that I have hit a previously stored frequency is that tuning takes a fraction of a second.

There are many good radios out there but if you are looking for great versatility in a compact form factor then you pretty much can't go wrong with a Yaesu FT857D - the successor to the FT100D. If you want to go with a setup similar to this, I'd recommend you also look at LDG Electronics' YT-100 tuner, which is specifically made to interface with the Yaesu FT857D, so you don't have to switch to AM, press transmit etc but just need to hit the "tune" button on the radio.

Keep in mind that you will need a general HAM license to work on most of the HF bands. The Tech license gives you access to a small portion of the 10 meter band, but that's actually pretty good given where we are on the current sun spot cycle.

Edit: I should add that I don't use my HF antenna or work on the HF bands when I'm driving. The radio is too far away from the dashboard and it would be *much* too distracting for me to tune HF bands while driving. Also, I am not sure the antenna is under the max allowed height when raised. I have the antenna mounted in the roof rack on a hinge so I can lay it down and secure it when I'm moving.

 

[Paladine71]

Damn, the Yaesu FT-857D an expensive radio, but nice. Nearly $1K? :whaa:

I'm also considering the FT-2900R, but it's not nearly as nice. I like the heatsink design, but it's only 75W and 2-meter band.

I'll probably go with the FT-857D since I want to go up to General before too long. I need to understand this more...

 

[LagunaH1]

Don't get too "hung up" on the wattage of a radio. 75 watts on 2 meters FM is A LOT. All my mobile radios put out max 50 watts and most of the time I use just 5 or 10 and that is more than plenty. Keep in mind that the 2 meter band and frequencies above are pretty much "line of sight" bands. That being the case you really only need 5 - 10 watts most of the time. Once you combine that with a good mobile antenna that has a couple of dB's of gain, then you will definitely put out a good strong signal.

You only really need the extra punch of, say, 100 watts when you do sideband transmissions on the lower bands (20 and 40 and 80 etc). Also be aware that most radios, such as the FT857D or 897 only will put 50 watts out on 2 meters despite being a 100 watt radio on other bands, and probably even less on UHF.

 

[Paladine71]

I really don't want to know how much money I've put into this rig... :no: Well, there goes some more. :huh:

 

[LagunaH1]

When it comes time to choose your antennas, keep in mind that they may need to be flexible enough to bend as you go under low hanging tree branches.

 

[abearden]

Given my handheld only puts out 5W with an upgraded whip antenna and I can hit our main repeater from 15 miles away walking around, let alone when I connect it to the mag-mount 5/8ths whip on my truck, I wouldn't worry about power on 2m/70cm like Laguna said.

Just what I need, another reminder to drool over the 857...

Oh yeah... ics:

 

[Paladine71]

When it comes time to choose your antennas, keep in mind that they may need to be flexible enough to bend as you go under low hanging tree branches.

Recommendations?

 

[Paladine71]

Hamsticks are supposed to be rugged. Anyone have experience with them? The Firestik is definitely a possibility, since I know they can take a beating.

 

[LagunaH1]

Ham sticks are cheap and easy to install but that's about the best I can say about them. They are always made for one band and one band only and they are very rigid. If you go the hamstick route then look into some form of spring mount to allow the hamstick to move under wind load and if it hits tree branches.

 

[LagunaH1]

Yesterday I was able to speak with a HAM station in Japan on the 10 meter band using this HF setup. -That's about as good as it gets for mobile HF

 

[Chook]

Given my handheld only puts out 5W with an upgraded whip antenna and I can hit our main repeater from 15 miles away walking around, let alone when I connect it to the mag-mount 5/8ths whip on my truck, I wouldn't worry about power on 2m/70cm like Laguna said.

Just what I need, another reminder to drool over the 857...

Oh yeah... ics:

Sorry to drop in on this.........Just picking up on your comments on Power & Pictures reminded me of the contract we won recently to look after a Naval Communication Station. Thought I would share some pictures (impresed the pants off me when I went there :whaa

The signal is so low frequency (transmitting @ 1 MW) that it actually goes all the way around the world & cancels itself. (also they need to generate 3MW power to put 1 MW up the stick)

 

[LagunaH1]

While on my recent trip to Moab I did get to test my HF antenna setup by talking to a fellow HAM back home in Southern California. Despite poor conditions I still got a very good signal report from him so that seals the deal: My current HF antenna will become permanent.