KB2GOM
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Suggestions?
User reports?
User reports?
Commercial (ie, buy it; not build it) HF multi-band vertical that requires no radials
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Hey there, I have been using a ZeroFive Ground Plane antenna for about 8-9 years now. Its built like a tank and NO radials !!!! 10-40 meters. I have it on a mast 10 feet of the ground with no problems. Works fantastic! I have my DXCC and WAS on several bands and modes. Is it as good as a beam, no. But it really gets out. If i can hear it I can work it. Customer service is GREAT !
Hope this helps. 73
Michael WA1UZO
What are you restrictions? Installed on a mast/tower/roof or ground mounted?
Greyline Industries has a good vertical, you can get a flagpole version or just a plain version, this is a 25-30' ground mounted vertical, no ground radials.
I know some that have the Commet CHA250B and have good reports on HF on their micro-stamp sized lots.
Greyline Industries has a good vertical, you can get a flagpole version or just a plain version, this is a 25-30' ground mounted vertical, no ground radials.
I know some that have the Commet CHA250B and have good reports on HF on their micro-stamp sized lots.
KB2GOM
Active Member
Probably mounted on the railing of my deck.
The CHA250B is probably the ticket you are looking for, as I know one of the gentlemen have theirs mounted to their deck rail. It's not small at 24 feet, but it does 6m through 80m reasonably if you require a vertical. Not sure who has it in stock, DX is showing it will be in stock soon. I had one on order last year when things were backordered and ended up with an End Fed Half Wave that I am very happy with instead.
I've had my CHA250B for 5yrs now and talked to hams in Germany, Russia, Spain, Austria, Nigeria, Slovenia, and Italy on 17/20mtrs with less than 100w out. It's also mounted about 15ft above the ground on my deck.
K6GBW
Member
When the band gets working better the CHA250 will work okay. But in all honesty its not a very good antenna. I had one and it frustrated me to no end. I eventually put up a simple 10-40 meter end fed half wave and the performance was so much better. If you must go vertical then the ZeroFive 1040GP is a really good choice. Be advised, that antenna DOES have 100"radials so it will take up a 200" circle.
The Comet CHA250 is one of the worst antennas I've ever tried. Yes on 20m you can make some contacts but try 40 or especially 80m when conditions are not so good. People on dipoles will be heard just find and nobody will know you exist on the Comet.
I would completely ignore any endorsement of a Comet CHA250 or any antenna for that matter unless the person endorsing it can compare it directly to another antenna at the same location. The problem is many people may have only used a Comet CHA250 and they have nothing to compare it to and it made a couple of long distance contacts, which could probably easily have been done with a mobile Hamsick, and they think the antenna is great. But its not, its a dog and a lame dog at that. Do yourself a favor and avoid it and anything that resembles it.
Many vertical antennas simply suck on the lower bands like 40 and 80m and lack of ground radials contributes to this problem. If very short ground radials like 6ft long would work at your location I can vouch for the old Cushcraft R7000 and newer R7 and R8 series, they not too bad for the size but still lacking compared to a simple horizontal wire like a ZS6BKW or 40m OCFD. The only time a vertical will outperform a good horizontal wire antenna even on low angle DX is if it has a substantial ground radial system. That's just the way it works and if you don't have space for a lot of ground radials the performance is going to be way down.
Out of all the multiband verticals I've tested without a huge ground radial system the Cushcraft series has been one of the few that I would ever endorse. All others I've tested from GAP to verticals with a 4:1 balun at the base and ranging in height from 25 to 43ft sold by everyone from DX Engineering, S9, Zero Five, MFJ and the likes completely suck when ground mounted without radials. Add a bunch of radials just 20ft long and now the antenna wakes up and will make 10X more contacts. Then replace the 4:1 balun at the base with a remote auto tuner and you have a new antenna that will scare you and will give any wire antenna a run for its $$.
But you need something without ground radials and your probably not willing to move to a place where you can have them, so back to the Cushcraft and I'll have to think about some others I've tested to see if anything stands out as acceptable performance.
I would completely ignore any endorsement of a Comet CHA250 or any antenna for that matter unless the person endorsing it can compare it directly to another antenna at the same location. The problem is many people may have only used a Comet CHA250 and they have nothing to compare it to and it made a couple of long distance contacts, which could probably easily have been done with a mobile Hamsick, and they think the antenna is great. But its not, its a dog and a lame dog at that. Do yourself a favor and avoid it and anything that resembles it.
Many vertical antennas simply suck on the lower bands like 40 and 80m and lack of ground radials contributes to this problem. If very short ground radials like 6ft long would work at your location I can vouch for the old Cushcraft R7000 and newer R7 and R8 series, they not too bad for the size but still lacking compared to a simple horizontal wire like a ZS6BKW or 40m OCFD. The only time a vertical will outperform a good horizontal wire antenna even on low angle DX is if it has a substantial ground radial system. That's just the way it works and if you don't have space for a lot of ground radials the performance is going to be way down.
Out of all the multiband verticals I've tested without a huge ground radial system the Cushcraft series has been one of the few that I would ever endorse. All others I've tested from GAP to verticals with a 4:1 balun at the base and ranging in height from 25 to 43ft sold by everyone from DX Engineering, S9, Zero Five, MFJ and the likes completely suck when ground mounted without radials. Add a bunch of radials just 20ft long and now the antenna wakes up and will make 10X more contacts. Then replace the 4:1 balun at the base with a remote auto tuner and you have a new antenna that will scare you and will give any wire antenna a run for its $$.
But you need something without ground radials and your probably not willing to move to a place where you can have them, so back to the Cushcraft and I'll have to think about some others I've tested to see if anything stands out as acceptable performance.
FWIW, have a ground mounted 5BTV vertical here with just several buried radials each about 15' long. Not an optimum
arrangement but it seems to work OK. Compared to my wire antennas (a dipole and a EF) on any given day the vertical might have
an edge over the wire antennas or vice versa. In my experience. a vertical without radials may perform satisfactorily in a receive only
application, but for transmitting, a vertical without radials is really only half an antenna.
arrangement but it seems to work OK. Compared to my wire antennas (a dipole and a EF) on any given day the vertical might have
an edge over the wire antennas or vice versa. In my experience. a vertical without radials may perform satisfactorily in a receive only
application, but for transmitting, a vertical without radials is really only half an antenna.
Be careful with whom you deal with in flagpole vertical antennas. One company that advertises them prominently has a large number of complaints as to incomplete products, failing to respond to any form of contact, and failing to deliver any product across the US.
That company shows up all over the internet like a bad case of Shingles. Just exercise some due diligence prior to shelling out any money.
That company shows up all over the internet like a bad case of Shingles. Just exercise some due diligence prior to shelling out any money.
Firekite
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Roger that.
KB2GOM
Active Member
Please do.
Here's the situation:
Call "up" North. The radio shack is in the SW corner of the house in that little L-shaped structure at the south end of the house. There are power lines to the south and west and a feeder line running to the NW from the house. The structure on the west side of the house is the deck. There are trees (some very large) along the utility line to the west, and a large tree in the front yard. There is a row of large pines along the property line to the north.
Here's a Google Earth view:
Seems like a vertical attached to the deck is the best option, followed by running a fair amount of coax to the big tree in the front yard to an end-fed wire across the driveway to the pine trees on the north property line (the top of the google earth view). My 2-meter antenna is on a pipe attached to the side of the deck.
Thoughts?
End fed halfwave wire fed with proper matching transformer / balun as you describe run from the highest point on the pine trees at the north property line to a short mast gable-mount on southern most peak of roof. Run the feed line from gable mount down into your shack. This configuration has two advantages: 1) Greatest distance from power lines, 2) shortest run of coax. How high are the highest trees on north side of property? Use an AirBoss or similar device to cast the line for the far end of the EFHW into the highest point of the trees. This will give you a "sloper" installation of the EFHW, which is perfectly legitimate. The EFHW will work so well in comparison to a "no ground radials" vertical that you'll wonder why you spent the time and money to put a vertical on the deck railing.
KB2GOM
Active Member
Well, popnokick, you gave me such good advice on the off-center-fed dipole for my scanner (it continues to feed my SDS200) that I will have to give that some serious consideration. This leads to some additional questions:
1. Length of wire? I'm thinking of using this for both SWLing and transmitting, although I think my current HF privileges extend only to 10 meters (I'm a tech-plus, if that still exists).
2. Transformer/balun. 9:1? Or what? Since it will be mounted outside in the elements, do you have a recommendation?
3. Short mast gable-mount. Recommendations?
1. If you use a commercially available EFHW from, say MyAntennas (there are others), then they come in two configurations: The EFHW 4010 which is 63 feet long and covers 40 thru 10 Meters EFHW-4010 and the EFHW 8010 which is 130 feet long and covers 80 thru 10 Meters EFHW-8010 I'm thinking you don't have enough space for the EFHW 8010 but you can make that call.
2. Both of the antennas above are complete with the necessary hardware and 56:1 baluns. They are ruggedized for outdoor mounting.
3. Many eave mount / gable mounts exist out there. Here is one Solid Signal 45"-60" Wide Adjustable Eave Mount for Antenna Mast (SKY32810)
Drop a short TV antenna mast (5 foot) in the mount that will hold the EFHW transformer hardware. Run your ground straight down from the eave mount, and the coax into the shack.
2. Both of the antennas above are complete with the necessary hardware and 56:1 baluns. They are ruggedized for outdoor mounting.
3. Many eave mount / gable mounts exist out there. Here is one Solid Signal 45"-60" Wide Adjustable Eave Mount for Antenna Mast (SKY32810)
Drop a short TV antenna mast (5 foot) in the mount that will hold the EFHW transformer hardware. Run your ground straight down from the eave mount, and the coax into the shack.
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KB2GOM
Active Member
You, sir, are awesome. I will sign an affidavit to that effect.
Firekite
Member
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That was your previous class, but it doesn’t exist anymore. You’re a tech at the moment. Go get your general! It’s easy
PS The plan laid out by @popnokick seems solid. Don’t forget grounding (a ground rod buried at the foot of the gable below the feed point, bonded to the house ground). And don’t forget that 2m vertical on the deck will probably do a lot better up on top of that gable mast that’s also acting as the base of the EFHW, dovetailing nicely.
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K6GBW
Member
How tall are those antenna support structures (Trees)? I WISH I had that much space! I am literally surrounded by concrete and power lines but I found a way....there's always a way!
Had one of these a few years back. Good antenna. https://mfjenterprises.com/collections/cushcraft/products/r-6000
Jock - YES, get your General! Much more fun in store there. Regarding the antenna setup I described, I've done it many, many times with our ham radio club and members. We do it with EFHW and OCFD antennas every Field Day and POTA event, and have used eave mounts for many member's stations, providing there is not too much strain placed on the eave mount by the mast / antenna that is attached. The whole setup may seem a little simplified in my post, but the devil's in the details. So here are some more "gotchas" to watch for as you plan this setup -
- Get the far end of the EFHW as high up as you can into the tallest tree. I prefer the AirBoss due to its power and accuracy, but if you are good with a bow or slingshot have at it. Here's a video showing how the AirBoss works
ANTENNA LAUNCHER – THE AIR BOSS DEMONSTRATION
- Use paracord or other synthetic rope to make the initial shot through the tree. Then use the paracord to pull up the antenna lead. BE CERTAIN the paracord or other rope is sunlight-safe and will not rot in the ultraviolet sunlight.
- Use a gas match or cigarette lighter to burnish the ends of the synthetic rope or it WILL unravel on you. No fun when it falls into two feet of snow on the ground in February (happened to me).
- Seal the coax connection from moisture ingress. I prefer Nashua Stretch & Seal which you can get at HomeDepot but there are others as well. Don't use Coax-Seal tape directly on the connector... it's the devil to get off if you ever need to change anything.
- Get the far end of the EFHW as high up as you can into the tallest tree. I prefer the AirBoss due to its power and accuracy, but if you are good with a bow or slingshot have at it. Here's a video showing how the AirBoss works
ANTENNA LAUNCHER – THE AIR BOSS DEMONSTRATION
- Use paracord or other synthetic rope to make the initial shot through the tree. Then use the paracord to pull up the antenna lead. BE CERTAIN the paracord or other rope is sunlight-safe and will not rot in the ultraviolet sunlight.
- Use a gas match or cigarette lighter to burnish the ends of the synthetic rope or it WILL unravel on you. No fun when it falls into two feet of snow on the ground in February (happened to me).
- Seal the coax connection from moisture ingress. I prefer Nashua Stretch & Seal which you can get at HomeDepot but there are others as well. Don't use Coax-Seal tape directly on the connector... it's the devil to get off if you ever need to change anything.
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