HFp portable vertical antenna

[stan levandowski]

I'm not looking to create controversy, increase Ventenna's revenue. or
commence a long string on the Reflector.

It just that it's summertime and many people are interested in portable
work, SOTA, etc.

So I'd like to offer this real world demo of an interesting, extremely
portable, lightweight, easy-to-assemble, and (apparently) effective
antenna that fits in a 20 inch long nylon bag with room to spare.  This
avoids the usual frustration when, at the end of the day, you are all
worn out and find out the antenna that came out of the bag does not want
to fit back in!   I was unable to find any other Youtube videos, so I
created one.

Personally, I prefer a nice simple wire in a tree but when there are no
trees around.....here's an alternative.

View the video at:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1HoiX51pz8

73, Stan WB2LQF
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[VK7JB]

I enjoyed your video very much Stan.  Thanks for posting it.  It's great to see the little K1 in action and working DX with 5W.  I use a Buddistick antenna with quite some success.  Like you, I prefer the simplicity of a simple wire over a tree for portable work, but I enjoy working from desert country, where there aren't many trees, so for  little expeditions into nowhere, these verticals have an especially useful position in my antenna wardrobe.  I hadn't heard of the HFp, but I'll give it a look now.

Incidentally, although these short verticals with a couple of radials model as being quite inefficient, I've found they do work well in practice.  From VK7, I've worked a station in the UK on SSB phone - I was running only 5W into my Buddistick we had a chat for over 30 minutes on 20m.   I've also worked a paedestrian mobile station in the UK  - I  was running 40W into the Buddistick with a single radial.  The amazing thing was that the paedestrian mobile station was running 500mW, all on SSB phone!  

That taught me to treat gloomy predications about "compromised" or "inefficient" antennas with a grain of salt.  It all depends on propagation.  

Great video.  Thanks Stan,

73,
John
VK7JB

[stan levandowski]

Thank you, John.  FYI both OM3DX and IZ4RTE had K3s and I was using my
K1.  Looks like Elecraft is "taking over the world" !!

I have a new philosophy -- " If you want a radio buy an Elecraft; if you
want a key by a Begali - PERIOD - No further discussion"  !!!

Maybe I'll make myself up a T-Shirt that says that exact thing!

Regarding "gloomy predictions"  -- I spent most of my adult, working
life in a field (IBM) where we lived strictly by the math.  Now,
retired, I am moving over to the "empiracal evidence" side of the
equation.  If it seems to work........by golly, maybe it does!


73, Stan WB2LQF
KX1 #2411    K1#2994    K2# 6980    K3#5244     K9 #1 (Cocoa the
Chihuahua)
Everything is QRP, even the dog.




On Wed, Jul 6, 2011 at 9:20 PM, VK7JB wrote:

> I enjoyed your video very much Stan.  Thanks for posting it.  It's
> great to
> see the little K1 in action and working DX with 5W.  I use a
> Buddistick
> antenna with quite some success.  Like you, I prefer the simplicity of
> a
> simple wire over a tree for portable work, but I enjoy working from
> desert
> country, where there aren't many trees, so for  little expeditions
> into
> nowhere, these verticals have an especially useful position in my
> antenna
> wardrobe.  I hadn't heard of the HFp, but I'll give it a look now.
>
> Incidentally, although these short verticals with a couple of radials
> model
> as being quite inefficient, I've found they do work well in practice.
> From
> VK7, I've worked a station in the UK on SSB phone - I was running only
> 5W
> into my Buddistick we had a chat for over 30 minutes on 20m.   I've
> also
> worked a paedestrian mobile station in the UK  - I  was running 40W
> into the
> Buddistick with a single radial.  The amazing thing was that the
> paedestrian
> mobile station was running 500mW, all on SSB phone!
> That taught me to treat gloomy predications about "compromised" or
> "inefficient" antennas with a grain of salt.  It all depends on
> propagation.
> Great video.  Thanks Stan,
>
> 73,
> John
> VK7JB
>
> --
> View this message in context:
> http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/HFp-portable-vertical-antenna-tp6556376p6556579.html
> Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
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[w7aqk]

Stan and all,

I watched your video.  Very nicely done.  Looks like you had a very nice
time on the 4th with your experiment.

I also have the HFp system, and it does work pretty well, considering it's
inherent limitations.  On 20 and above, it will work best.  On lower bands,
like most compromise verticals, it doesn't do so hot.  80 meters is marginal
at best.

I don't really know how well it compares to other systems, like the
Buddipole or MP-1, but I suspect it might be a bit less effective, mainly
because those systems are more versatile, in that you can modify them easily
to gain more efficiency.  They are also easier to deal with when changing
frequency or bands.  The HFp is a bit convoluted in this area, in that you
have to swap out various sections they supply to do so.  You definitely need
to keep your "cheat sheet" handy to get the right combination.  But it does
work!!!  Right now, the MP-1 system is nearly impossible to find, but
hopefully it will be available again soon.  I haven't talked to Vern, W6MMA,
recently, but the last time I did he was reasonably optomistic that he was
making headway with his supplier issues, etc.

You might want to try elevating that HFp system a bit, including the
radials.  Maybe that's a problem for you, but it does help increase
efficiency.  Otherwise, I'd add a bunch more radials for a ground mounted
system.

I certainly agree with you about Begali paddles.  They are hard to beat!

Good luck, and hope to hear that "559" signal coming west!  Hi.

72,

Dave W7AQK






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