Multiband HF portable antenna, the easy way. Post 1678.

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Here's a simple, inexpensive, and totally portable HF vertical antenna suitable for field and emergency use.  AC2TJ has done an excellent job of creating a "vertical helix" antenna capable of covering 80 through 10 meters with an antenna "tuner".  A tripod, a flexible 20-foot/6.09 meters telescoping fiberglass mast, some antenna wire, and a simple ground radial or counterpoise system wraps up the portable package. 

I've used similar spirally-wrapped antennas for several years with excellent results.  The key is to wrap about a 1/2 wavelength of wire for your chosen frequency along the full length of the fiberglass mast.  The wrapped 1/2 wavelength wire behaves like a 1/4 wavelength vertical.  Be sure to add a few 1/4 wavelength ground radials for your lowest chosen frequency to improve the efficiency of the antenna.  An antenna transmatch (i.e. "tuner") is needed to cover the full range between 80 meters and 10 meters.

For the latest Amateur/Ham Radio news and information, please visit these websites:

http://www.HawaiiARRL.info.
http://www.arrl.org.
http://www.arrl.org/arrl-audio-news (a weekly podcast which is update each Friday afternoon).
https://oahuarrlnews.wordpress.com.
https://hamradiohawaii.wordpress.com.
https://bigislandarrlnews.com.
https://www.eham.net.
http://www.southgatearc.org.

Thanks for joining us today.

Aloha es 73 de Russ (KH6JRM).