Last year, DX Engineering asked if I would consider being a guest contributor on their new blog, On All Bands.
I’m a big fan of DX Engineering, so happily accepted.
My first contribution turned into a three-part series on choosing the right antenna for field radio activities. I put quite a bit of time in it and enjoyed the process!
You can check out this series and any of my future contributions, by clicking here.
DX Engineering has a number of contributors and I’ve enjoyed reading through the site archives. Click here to check out the On All Bands home page.
Great articles. Thanks for writing those.
For my 40m OCFD and End Fed Wire I use a 20ft portable telescoping flag pole that comes down to about 5 ft. I use at the base a beach umbrella stake (2 in dia pipe with 10 inch nail sticking out the bottom) to support the pole. at times have attached the pole to fence post.
Trees are very good too when you have access to them.
73, ron, n9ee
Hi Thomas. Thanks for this series. I ready to add another antenna to my kit and want to consider a random wire. I’m a bit confused though, you mention that a 31′ radiator off a 9:1 with a 17″ counterpoise works well for you. However, the random wire length chart by VE3EED that you referred to seems to show that 31′ is in the NO-GO zone of the chart. Also…if it matters…he seem to define a random wire setup as a wire straight to the radio, no transformer. Is it that a 31′ lenght just “worked” out for you, despite what the chart says? Thanks again Thomas. Dave KO4YLZ