I have been looking for antenna's to use on a HF radio that I can use while RV'ing in the winter time in Arizona and to use as a simple base station at home when I am there. When at home I have lots of tall red pine and oak trees that I could use to get my antenna up in the air, but the desert of Arizona there are few trees if any I can use. I have been researching 2 antennas that may work well but would like everyone's input on these antennas. One is the DX Engineering TW Antenna DXE-TW-2010L-P . The other is the EFHW-8010 . I am looking for a simple set up and tear down antenna that could be used know matter where I travel to. I have not found much about the DXE antenna but it is rated 5 star on their site and is pretty expensive. I have seen lot of reviews on the EFHW but question whether it could effectively be use in the desert with know trees around.
Portable antenna's for RV'ing and home use
- Thread starter billdean
- Start date
I've not heard much about that antenna, either, which makes me a little suspicious. And, yes, it's crazy expensive. I think I'd buy a Buddihex before I bought that TW antenna.
That one looks interesting too. It may work well in Arizona. Thanks for the link. I will be checking that one out too. It has a little more of a set up but with a little set up practice it could work well.
slowmover
Active Member
Storage
That’s my first consideration with a portable antenna system where travel trailer & pickup are concerned .
High winds and/or storms may necessitate fast take-down.
Now where do I put it all?
.
That’s my first consideration with a portable antenna system where travel trailer & pickup are concerned .
High winds and/or storms may necessitate fast take-down.
Now where do I put it all?
.
bolo928
Newbie
I use the PAC-12 (aka JPC-12) Portable Antenna Kit for portable operations. I use this antenna for Parks on the Air (POTA)
You can get it from Amazon for $140.90
My buddy Barry, KU3X, wrote a review of this antenna on QRPer.com
Barry's notes that we bought our antennas from AliXpress. The AlieXpress price is $87.79 plus $28.33 for shipping. That is $116.12 total. BUT....it ships from China and will take you a few weeks to get it.
As Barry mentions in his review kit comes with a 10 conductor single radial you lay on the ground. The antenna will be MUCH more efficient if you add more radials. I use nine 35ft radials made from 14 gage wire (you can use just about any gauge). The length of the radials is not critical if they are placed on the ground. I made the radials by grouping three wires to one ring connector.
The UK ham radio dealer, ML&S Martin Lynch & Sons Ltd, made a YouTube video showing how to set up the antenna. I can set up The antenna in about 10 minutes.
I use FT8 for POTA. Usually a few EU and South American stations call me while working POTA. I run about 80w with and FT-710 and a 50 Ah battery. I have worked a couple of Japanese hams while operating from US-1391 Lake Nockamixon.
Not sure of your camp situation but you have to prevent the radials from being a trip hazard in a campground. The JAC 12 would not survive long as a permanent installation.
Good Luck
You can get it from Amazon for $140.90
My buddy Barry, KU3X, wrote a review of this antenna on QRPer.com
Barry's notes that we bought our antennas from AliXpress. The AlieXpress price is $87.79 plus $28.33 for shipping. That is $116.12 total. BUT....it ships from China and will take you a few weeks to get it.
As Barry mentions in his review kit comes with a 10 conductor single radial you lay on the ground. The antenna will be MUCH more efficient if you add more radials. I use nine 35ft radials made from 14 gage wire (you can use just about any gauge). The length of the radials is not critical if they are placed on the ground. I made the radials by grouping three wires to one ring connector.
The UK ham radio dealer, ML&S Martin Lynch & Sons Ltd, made a YouTube video showing how to set up the antenna. I can set up The antenna in about 10 minutes.
I use FT8 for POTA. Usually a few EU and South American stations call me while working POTA. I run about 80w with and FT-710 and a 50 Ah battery. I have worked a couple of Japanese hams while operating from US-1391 Lake Nockamixon.
Not sure of your camp situation but you have to prevent the radials from being a trip hazard in a campground. The JAC 12 would not survive long as a permanent installation.
Good Luck
There are storms in southern Arizona but they mostly consist of high winds, blowing sand. I have seen them reach 60/70 MPR. Sometimes it's kind of scary and I bring in all my slides in as it feels like my 5th wheel might become air borne! I like fast take down!
The end-fed halfwaves are relatively cheap, I'd buy that and just leave it up at "home" permanently.
As for the RV antenna, I would think setup/teardown time and complexity would be important. I have a buddistick pro, and while it does work pretty decently, it's picky and takes time to tune, and you also need to buy a few extra packs of coil clips to cover all the bands. I used mine 2 months ago, and found it's good if I had nothing else, but it's not my first pick.
I looked at a bunch of other options for traveling, and many that would seem simple, require a ground plane, which would be annoying to setup 36 radials each time. The problem with most RVs is there isn't enough metal, just all fiberglass. The Buddihex is an option, but it tops out at 20m (if 40 or 80 are important to you, keep that in mind).
You should identify what bands you have to have, and what ones you just want to have. Then figure out how much setup you are willing to endure? Perhaps as any of the local clubs if you can tag along for POTA and see what they use and how it's setup.
As for the RV antenna, I would think setup/teardown time and complexity would be important. I have a buddistick pro, and while it does work pretty decently, it's picky and takes time to tune, and you also need to buy a few extra packs of coil clips to cover all the bands. I used mine 2 months ago, and found it's good if I had nothing else, but it's not my first pick.
I looked at a bunch of other options for traveling, and many that would seem simple, require a ground plane, which would be annoying to setup 36 radials each time. The problem with most RVs is there isn't enough metal, just all fiberglass. The Buddihex is an option, but it tops out at 20m (if 40 or 80 are important to you, keep that in mind).
You should identify what bands you have to have, and what ones you just want to have. Then figure out how much setup you are willing to endure? Perhaps as any of the local clubs if you can tag along for POTA and see what they use and how it's setup.
Surely I am not the only person out here that does ham radio while camping. What does everyone use? You would think this thread would be filled with choices/recommendation. I thank the people that have joined in. I would think there are lots of antennas that have been tried in situation as I am describing. Why not at least tell your experience with them and help myself and other ham's out. Please participate.
Pretty much any antenna used by portable or POTA ops could be used while camping. Often the biggest challenge when setting up a portable or temporary antenna is how to mount it or what to hang it from.
You might check out KB9VBR on YouTube. He camps and does POTA activations in Wisconsin, so his experiences will probably align with yours in Michigan. Of course, the desert southwest is a different ball game.
You might check out KB9VBR on YouTube. He camps and does POTA activations in Wisconsin, so his experiences will probably align with yours in Michigan. Of course, the desert southwest is a different ball game.
Chris155
Member
Not while camping but I use home made wire antennas at the shop and home for baee stations. Since I didn’t buy any mast or tower I bought a big shot for throwing ropes in trees.
I have a homemade efhw at home up a poplar tree, works great, better that the dipole it replaced. The tree is 100’ or more from houses and buildings.
Made another efhw for the shop but it didn’t work, high Swr. At the shop no poplars, only a wild cherry and 2 buildings, 4 connexs and lots of power lines within a 1/2 acre. So for the shop made a dipole and hung it vertical. I want to try the efhw again at the shop on a fiberglass mast on the roof maybe.
If you have tall trees and have a little room I think efhw would work great. Takes up very little room and easy to put up.. The linked thread below has good info.
forums.radioreference.com
I have a homemade efhw at home up a poplar tree, works great, better that the dipole it replaced. The tree is 100’ or more from houses and buildings.
Made another efhw for the shop but it didn’t work, high Swr. At the shop no poplars, only a wild cherry and 2 buildings, 4 connexs and lots of power lines within a 1/2 acre. So for the shop made a dipole and hung it vertical. I want to try the efhw again at the shop on a fiberglass mast on the roof maybe.
If you have tall trees and have a little room I think efhw would work great. Takes up very little room and easy to put up.. The linked thread below has good info.
Home Base antenna issues/set up Suggestions
I just purchased a Uniden 980ssb and with a little will for the car. Love the set up small compact and works well in the car. Swr 1.5 across the board right out of the box. I have a power supply in the house and are ready to use the uniden in the house. I have a metal roof on my town house, so...
Usually a home made end fed wire and the Yaesu FC-40 tuner. Lengths vary depending on what I can get up at the location I'm at.
For a quick setup/takedown I use a Chameleon loop. It’s inefficient and one must tune as you go. No more than 20W and you do not use internal/external tuner. You turn the dial as you go/change bands. As digital modes use particular frequencies, just dial one in and go. Twist to null noise and or improve directivity. I use a camera tripod as the base mount. Yes, it sits a meter above ground.
The Buddipole takes a bit longer to setup/takedown and you definitely want to guy it. A gentle breeze will not be friendly. This antenna is also manually tuned. Again, set to a frequency and call CQ, or tune it to a digital freq. If you prefer to hunt and pounce, do not get this antenna or a tune-able loop. I do not use this antenna as much as the others.
Lakeview Hamsticks are a favorite. I’m not sure who makes them now, but these attach to a mount on my vehicle. Switch bands by switching antennas. By far the quickest setup/takedown.
There are also motorized HF antennas. Like the Lakeview Hamsticks, I easily attach it to a mount on the roof. One can then make band adjustments inside the vehicle. ( if you go this route or the Hamsticks, do some reading on placement and bonding ) I do not drive with this attached, but others do. I almost forgot to mention that I use ferrite beads on the coax near the antenna feed point for the vehicle mount used by the HF antennas. They work as an RF choke. I use six mix 31 and I annually replace some plastic split loom that goes over to protect them. There is some Scotch 33+ tape directly on the beads as well. The split loom on top cuts down the sun exposure.
EFHW - This gives you more bang for your buck on TX/RX if you set it up correctly. Even better to setup two perpendicular to each other. Then, just use a switch and you should notice a difference with directivity and gain. Another advantage is having multiple bands with one antenna. An internal 3:1 tuner will keep the radio happy, if needed.
* At home I use two OCF dipoles that are perpendicular to each other. These give me the other leg of the antenna vs. using the coax with an EFHW. I also use a MyAntennas choke balun at the antenna feed point. Some operators also need to use an additional one a few feet from the radio. I don’t need the one near the radio at home, but I do when portable due to the antenna proximity.
I have zero experience with the Transworld. I would love to test and compare and contrast to my other antennas though. Perhaps down the line.
The Buddipole takes a bit longer to setup/takedown and you definitely want to guy it. A gentle breeze will not be friendly. This antenna is also manually tuned. Again, set to a frequency and call CQ, or tune it to a digital freq. If you prefer to hunt and pounce, do not get this antenna or a tune-able loop. I do not use this antenna as much as the others.
Lakeview Hamsticks are a favorite. I’m not sure who makes them now, but these attach to a mount on my vehicle. Switch bands by switching antennas. By far the quickest setup/takedown.
There are also motorized HF antennas. Like the Lakeview Hamsticks, I easily attach it to a mount on the roof. One can then make band adjustments inside the vehicle. ( if you go this route or the Hamsticks, do some reading on placement and bonding ) I do not drive with this attached, but others do. I almost forgot to mention that I use ferrite beads on the coax near the antenna feed point for the vehicle mount used by the HF antennas. They work as an RF choke. I use six mix 31 and I annually replace some plastic split loom that goes over to protect them. There is some Scotch 33+ tape directly on the beads as well. The split loom on top cuts down the sun exposure.
EFHW - This gives you more bang for your buck on TX/RX if you set it up correctly. Even better to setup two perpendicular to each other. Then, just use a switch and you should notice a difference with directivity and gain. Another advantage is having multiple bands with one antenna. An internal 3:1 tuner will keep the radio happy, if needed.
* At home I use two OCF dipoles that are perpendicular to each other. These give me the other leg of the antenna vs. using the coax with an EFHW. I also use a MyAntennas choke balun at the antenna feed point. Some operators also need to use an additional one a few feet from the radio. I don’t need the one near the radio at home, but I do when portable due to the antenna proximity.
I have zero experience with the Transworld. I would love to test and compare and contrast to my other antennas though. Perhaps down the line.
@AK9R thanks for the link. You have been very helpful. I appreciate all of your input!
DX Commander. Great performers and you can have them up and down in less than 10 minutes.
I purchased the Basic Vertical from them. When I receive it I will try it out on my ladder rack on my 5th wheel. That will get it up another 10 or 12 feet. I have a tri pod that I can use if I decide to use it on the ground. From what I have seen it should work well for my needs.
