Can Just 1 Radial Really Be Better than 8, or More?

If you follow the advice often repeated on Internet forums you will learn that to make a vertical antenna as efficient as possible you will need as many radials as possible. After all, the AM broadcasters can't be wrong - they use hundreds of radials at the base of their towers. That advice may be … Continue reading Can Just 1 Radial Really Be Better than 8, or More? →

9:1, 4:1, 1:1 or None:None?

When using a Random Wire antenna (also known as an End-Fed Random Wire - EFRW), the impedance at the feed end of the wire is usually higher than 50 ohms. In order to maintain a good match with a transceiver some form of impedance transformation is required to minimize SWR losses in the antenna system. … Continue reading 9:1, 4:1, 1:1 or None:None? →

A 200ft Wire Antenna Up Zero Feet – How Does it Perform?

One of my local stores was offering 100ft reels of 16ga insulated wire on sale for a good price. I have bought this wire before and was very pleased with its flexibility - an important factor for field portable use where the antenna is subjected to constant winding and unwinding. The wire extends 200ft across … Continue reading A 200ft Wire Antenna Up Zero Feet – How Does it Perform? →

Ditch That Automatic Tuner!

I was on the brink of pulling the trigger on the purchase of a new automatic antenna tuner for my portable rig recently, when something unexpected happened that slammed the brakes on the acquisition. For a few weeks I have been operating my Yaesu FT-891 with an LDG Z-11 automatic antenna tuner, but there are … Continue reading Ditch That Automatic Tuner! →

How Does a Ground Tuning Unit Work?

I have spent many hours in my reclining thinking chair, posting ideas on the back of my eyelids while contemplating this very question. How indeed does a Ground Tuning Unit (GTU, aka Artificial Ground) actually work? I have a fairly reasonable comprehension of the theory behind antenna tuners, but tuning an entire planet? Now that's … Continue reading How Does a Ground Tuning Unit Work? →

The NVIS Illusion

I don't think there is any subject that is so misunderstood by hams as NVIS. I hope I can help by sharing some of what I have learned that may dispel some of the myths. NVIS is an abbreviation of Near Vertical Incidence Skywave. There is no such thing as a NVIS antenna. The term … Continue reading The NVIS Illusion →

Simplest Way to Guy a Telescopic Fiberglass Antenna Pole

There are a lot of YouTube videos showing different ways to support a fiberglass antenna pole, none of which seemed to meet my needs which are fairly basic: rapid deployment, lightweight and uncomplicated. So I devised my own method that I hope you will find interesting. Some hams pound a long piece of angle iron … Continue reading Simplest Way to Guy a Telescopic Fiberglass Antenna Pole →

Ham Radio & the Art of Bushcraft

Operating a radio in the great outdoors can be as simple as parking your vehicle, pulling a radio out of your pack, attaching an antenna to the top of the driver's window and keying up. I have done that myself in the depths of winter when it's too darn cold to really get outside and … Continue reading Ham Radio & the Art of Bushcraft →

How to Use a Semi-Automatic Antenna Tuner

There are manual antenna tuners and there are automatic antenna tuners - but what is a semi-automatic antenna tuner? I'll explain in a moment, but first a bit of background. For years I have relied on resonant antennas for field portable radio operations. Why carry any kind of tuner around if you don't have to? … Continue reading How to Use a Semi-Automatic Antenna Tuner →

A Surprise New Field Portable Antenna

My experiments to find a new antenna to use for field portable operations have been taking me in several directions. My neighbors must wonder what I am up to. Almost every day I have been out in my back yard erecting all kinds of strange wires strung up on tall poles or launched into trees … Continue reading A Surprise New Field Portable Antenna →