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KX1 Antenna Wire

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Lloyd Lachow

KX1 Antenna Wire

I use "Silky" wire from the Wireman. Here's the
description:

'Invisible' Toughcoat 'Silky' 26 AWG, 19 strand 40%
copper-clad steel (OD 0.020") with the same jacket as
531 (Nominal OD, 0.050" including 0.015" jacket, but
super small for that 'low profile' antenna or pocket
'weekender' long wire. Weighs less than one pound per
1000 feet! Not recommended for 160 meters.

Here's the url:

http://thewireman.com/antennap.html and it's number
534. It's great because it doesn't tangle and kink,
hence the 'silky' appellation.

I use a 24' hunk for my KX1 antenna, and I tinned
one end, and tinned a small loop in the other end. I
use a 33' piece of hookup wire for a counterpoise/RF
ground.

I use an old razor handle for a weight, and attach
it to the loop end with a twist-tie. The near ends of
the ground and ant go into a BNC/binding post adapter.
When done, I hold one end of the ant wire in my hand,
and wind it quickly and easily around my arm, hand to
elbow. Then I make a figure 8 with that big loop, then
fold it into a circle half the size of the original
loop. I secure that with the twist-tie, leaving the
ends of the tie sticking out. Then I wind the ground
wire the same way, place it against the ant coil, and
use the ends of the ground wire to secure them
together on one side, and the same twist tie to secure
them together on the other side. I then have a neat,
secure coil about 5" in diameter, which is very easy
to stow and deploy.

This loads well on all three KX1 bands, and I can
set it up, have a QSO, and stow it away in just a few
minutes, whenever I need a fix. I've worked Europe
with this, with the antler hanging out of second-floor
windows, or tossed up in a tree.

LL/K3ESE

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Paul Gates

RE: KX1 Antenna Wire

You are preaching the right sermon for the antenna wire, Lloyd. I have the
same set up as you and I am in Fla and set up the antenna with the KX1 in a
motel room. My SWR was 1.0 on all 3 bands.!! It was a blast after spending
all day at Epcot Center!! <g>
Paul

Paul Gates
K1 #0231
KX1 #1186
XG1
[hidden email]

----Original Message Follows----
From: Lloyd Lachow <[hidden email]>
To: List Elecraft <[hidden email]>
Subject: [Elecraft] KX1 Antenna Wire
Date: Wed, 27 Jul 2005 06:54:32 -0700 (PDT)

I use "Silky" wire from the Wireman. Here's the
description:

'Invisible' Toughcoat 'Silky' 26 AWG, 19 strand 40%
copper-clad steel (OD 0.020") with the same jacket as
531 (Nominal OD, 0.050" including 0.015" jacket, but
super small for that 'low profile' antenna or pocket
'weekender' long wire. Weighs less than one pound per
1000 feet! Not recommended for 160 meters.

Here's the url:

http://thewireman.com/antennap.html and it's number
534. It's great because it doesn't tangle and kink,
hence the 'silky' appellation.

I use a 24' hunk for my KX1 antenna, and I tinned
one end, and tinned a small loop in the other end. I
use a 33' piece of hookup wire for a counterpoise/RF
ground.

I use an old razor handle for a weight, and attach
it to the loop end with a twist-tie. The near ends of
the ground and ant go into a BNC/binding post adapter.
When done, I hold one end of the ant wire in my hand,
and wind it quickly and easily around my arm, hand to
elbow. Then I make a figure 8 with that big loop, then
fold it into a circle half the size of the original
loop. I secure that with the twist-tie, leaving the
ends of the tie sticking out. Then I wind the ground
wire the same way, place it against the ant coil, and
use the ends of the ground wire to secure them
together on one side, and the same twist tie to secure
them together on the other side. I then have a neat,
secure coil about 5" in diameter, which is very easy
to stow and deploy.

This loads well on all three KX1 bands, and I can
set it up, have a QSO, and stow it away in just a few
minutes, whenever I need a fix. I've worked Europe
with this, with the antler hanging out of second-floor
windows, or tossed up in a tree.

LL/K3ESE

____________________________________________________
Start your day with Yahoo! - make it your home page
http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs

_______________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: [hidden email]
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft

Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

_______________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: [hidden email]
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Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
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Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com