[TowerTalk] 160 meter EFHW antenna

[Jon Zaimes]

Tom,


I have used a 135-foot or so end fed No. 18 wire for numerous portable operations with great success. It typically is configured as an inverted L for 160 meters, using a small BC variable in series at the feedpoint to tune for lowest SWR (using only 100 watts). I will have a half dozen, a dozen or sometimes more radials. Sometimes just one. Occasionally I'll just adjust the wire length and forego the series capacitor. Typically 25-40 feet of the antenna wire is vertical and the rest horizontal or sloping down to the ground. I may use an available tree or if none take along a 33-foot telescoping fiberglass MFJ mast. I use an analyzer at the feedpoint to adjust the tuning. Tuned this way, the antenna also radiates fine on 40-6 meters but does poorly on 80 meters unless a more exotic tuning network is used (I haven't bothered). 


>From a Maine inland vacation spot a few years ago this antenna got me a new country on Top Band one August (FW), and from the Adirondacks one year it worked for a new one on 6 meters (VP2E). During a week as J79K in April 2003, it made over 2000 QSOs on all bands in a holiday-style operation. The last night I cut it in half to get on 80 meters in response to many requests.


73/Jon



Jon P. Zaimes, AA1K
Tower climber for hire
http://www.aa1k.us/
Cell: 302-632-2353
email: jz73 at verizon.net or aa1k at arrl.net



Reviews of AA1K towerwork on eham website: http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/12922
 
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>>>>>Hi All

I am making an antenna to take along when I am camping.  I'm thinking of
the EFHW for it's ease of operation and construction.   Most of the designs
I've seen on the 'net are for 80 - 10 meter models, using a 135 foot wire.

If I were to extend the wire to 260 feet, would this work on 160 n down?
Thanks and 73
Tom W7WHY