Re: [Elecraft] Antenna for a KX1
I didn't know the KX1 does 10 meters. For 40 meters, 24 feet of wire seems rather short. Putting an external loading coil in series with the wire might allow you to get the swr down to a reasonable value. How efficient it will be is another question, especially with only 16 foot radials. 73 - Mike WA8BXN ---Original Message--- From: ka2zey Date: 5/4/2012 11:52:53 PM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Antenna for a KX1 I have tried the suggested lengths given for KX1. I have a 24' wire running Vertical up about 22' (the rest comes down to the KX1) and 2 16' radials Connected to the black connector on the Poloma Banana plug. I am able to get A good SWR reading on 10 and 20 (still no contacts) but 40 is nothing below 4:1. Am I doing something wrong? Another user posted that they were using 42' with a 1/4 wave radial for each Band. Thanks, D -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble com/Antenna-for-a-KX1-tp5196274p7529252.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Antenna for a KX1
Sometimes, I have had to reposition my radials to get a good match on some bands. I think that the KX1 tuner has the least matching range of all the Elecraft rigs, and you may need to experiment a little. 73, Rick K7MW On May 4, 2012, at 8:45 PM, ka2zey wrote: > I have tried the suggested lengths given for KX1. I have a 24' wire > running > vertical up about 22' (the rest comes down to the KX1) and 2 16' > radials > connected to the black connector on the Poloma Banana plug. I am > able to get > a good SWR reading on 10 and 20 (still no contacts) but 40 is > nothing below > 4:1. Am I doing something wrong? > > Another user posted that they were using 42' with a 1/4 wave radial > for each > band. > > thanks, > D > > -- > View this message in context: > http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/Antenna-for-a-KX1-tp5196274p7529252.html > Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. > __ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Antenna for a KX1
I have tried the suggested lengths given for KX1. I have a 24' wire running vertical up about 22' (the rest comes down to the KX1) and 2 16' radials connected to the black connector on the Poloma Banana plug. I am able to get a good SWR reading on 10 and 20 (still no contacts) but 40 is nothing below 4:1. Am I doing something wrong? Another user posted that they were using 42' with a 1/4 wave radial for each band. thanks, D -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/Antenna-for-a-KX1-tp5196274p7529252.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Antenna for a KX1
Arnie : I have found that a 28 ft "sorta-vertical" wire to be a bit less picky w.r.t. positioning than the 24 foot wire. It will match equally well on 20m and 30m but is somewhat easier to match on 40m than a 24 footer. The 24 foot wire will match fine with the KXAT1 on all three bands as long is it is quite vertical. BTW what you want is the POMONA BNC to binding post / banana adaptor. Note that the POMONA adaptor allows two banana plugs to be connected to each terminal. The RED terminal goes to the center conductor on the BNC and the Black the BNC shield on the rig. I also highly recommend the Radio Shack solderless Banana plugs. The wire is secured by a screw-on metal shell ... and my recommendation is that once you install it put a dab of LOCTITE or clear nail polish or it will eventually come unscrewed and you will lose the shell part in the grass ! It put these on the ends of all of my portable wire antennas. For a ground plane I use a 20 foot length of 5 conductor computer ribbon cable with all 5 wires connected to a R/S solderless banana plug. About 4 feet from the plug I put a piece of electrical tape then I go to the opposite end of the ribbon cable and unzip all of the wires up to the point of the tape. This provides a clean way routing the ground plane wires away from the rig and then the wires splay out on the ground. I find that this is pretty quick to deploy and works pretty well from most locations that I operate. If I feel I need more radials I have a second set of 5, identical to the first so I can deploy 10 which is about the limit of my patience in deploying radials. ;-) I did a lot of experimentation trying to come up with a shortened wire antenna that could be supported by a 20 ft Crappie pole such as the Black Widow or Shakespeare Wonderpole that would work on 40m through 20m with the internal tuner in the KX1 . What I finally settled on and have been using for portable operation with my KX1 for some time is a 20 ft linear-loaded wire made from R/S indoor twinlead. Details as follows : Vertical radiator is a 20 foot piece of twinlead with the top shorted (ie both wires connected together at the top end and soldered). I just tape the twinlead to the fiberglass pole. The two bottom wires on the twin lead each have their own R/S solderless banana plug installed. On 20m and 30m both bottom wires on the twinlead are connected to the center conductor of BNC on the rig via the RED terminal on the POMONA adaptor, making the antenna just a fat 20 foot wire. On 40m only one of the two bottom wires on the twin-lead is connected to the center conductor of the BNC on the rig via the RED terminal on the POMONA adaptor (the other wire is left floating) this effectively creates a 40 foot vertical wire folded back on itself at the 20 foot mark. On 40m the folded wire creates a linear loading effect due to the capacitive coupling between the two wires (note that currents are not equal and opposite so there is no cancellation of signal as you might initially think). This added capacitance allows the wire to be resonated on 40m by the internal tuner in the K1, KX1 or also by the Elecraft T1. In both cases my ground radial system is connected to the BNC shield via the BLACK terminal on the POMONA adapter. Note that 20 feet is not that far off of the normal 33 feet required for a 1/4 wave so the performance is not bad on 40m. This is a very simple antenna that works well on 40m through 20m. I have made hundreds of QSOs on 40m/30m and 20m operating portable with this setup. Best of luck with your "new" KX1. Michael VE3WMB P.S. I also discovered that a 14 foot piece of twinlead in the "linear-loaded configuration" will load fine on 40m when supported on a 13 Ft fiberglass pole and I use this with a 29 foot trailing wire for pedestrian mobile operation with my KX1. Note that when the twinlead wires are shorted at the bottom to make a "fat" 14 foot wire this will load fine on both 30m and 20m. Actually the minimum length of wire that will match on these two bands is about 12 feet. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Antenna for a KX1
I've been in hotels where I've taken my wire and put it over the curtain rod and then around the room with the counterpoise laying on the floor. When the window opens I usually just drop the radiator out the window and let it hang. If I want to operate from the ground level some times I'll go up the emergency stairs to the roof and drop a line down to the floor level and set up outside the hotel... These have all yielded me good results. Have fun! PS. In ALL cases I used the reccomended lengths and size of wire that Elecraft suggests for the KX1.. I use a stereo Bannan plug to BNC adapter to connect the wires to the rig Works Great, and is easy to add and remove wires as I see fit. Packs up easy too! > Date: Fri, 18 Jun 2010 14:23:18 -0400 > From: w3...@embarqmail.com > To: w7...@cox.net > CC: elecraft@mailman.qth.net > Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Antenna for a KX1 > > Arnie, > > Try the recommended lengths first. While they are not optimum for any > one band, they certainly are known to work. Just throw the *insulated* > wire over whatever support is available and connect it to the BNC center > conductor - the 16 foot "counterpoise" wire connects to the BNC shell. > A BNC to 5 way binding post adapter is handy for making the connections. > For those occasions when weight and extreme portability are not > critical, you might want to add a collapsible pole to your kit to be > used as a support for the radiator portion when other supports are > scarce or difficult to hang an antenna from. Use a bungy cord or two to > secure the pole to just about any upright object. > > Once you have something that you know will work, then you can expand > your horizons and try other antenna configurations if you desire. There > are no "best" antennas for any particular situation, use what works best > for you and whatever constraints that you are facing. > > 73, > Don W3FPR > > arnie lewin wrote: > > Having acquired a beautiful KX1 from a very kind and patient member of this > > list, I am ready to test it out and get it ready for travel. > > > > Elecraft's FAQ page states: > > " What we recommend in the KXAT1 manual for 40-20 m is about 24' of #26 > > insulated copper-clad steel antenna wire (available from The Wireman), used > > as a vertical or "sorta-vertical" radiator. You'll also need at least one > > ground radial, 16' or longer (more on that below). The wire can be tossed > > into a tree, or, if a tree is not available, supported by a portable mast or > > other support. The 24' length can be loaded on all three bands (20, 30 and > > 40 meters), and the wire itself weighs under 1 ounce." > > For 80, they recommend: > > " For 80 m, a resonant antenna is recommended. It should be possible to use > > an 80 m antenna on multiple bands. A loading coil is another possibility to > > get a shorter antenna running on 80 m." > > > > What recommendations are there for a travel/portable antenna. I plan to use > > it from hotel rooms around the country as I travel for work. > > So far, I purchased two 100-foot rolls of 24 gage. > > > > Thank you very much. > > > > arnie > > > > __ > > Elecraft mailing list > > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > > > > __ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html _ Hotmail is redefining busy with tools for the New Busy. Get more from your inbox. http://www.windowslive.com/campaign/thenewbusy?ocid=PID28326::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:WM_HMP:042010_2 __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Antenna for a KX1
Arnie, Try the recommended lengths first. While they are not optimum for any one band, they certainly are known to work. Just throw the *insulated* wire over whatever support is available and connect it to the BNC center conductor - the 16 foot "counterpoise" wire connects to the BNC shell. A BNC to 5 way binding post adapter is handy for making the connections. For those occasions when weight and extreme portability are not critical, you might want to add a collapsible pole to your kit to be used as a support for the radiator portion when other supports are scarce or difficult to hang an antenna from. Use a bungy cord or two to secure the pole to just about any upright object. Once you have something that you know will work, then you can expand your horizons and try other antenna configurations if you desire. There are no "best" antennas for any particular situation, use what works best for you and whatever constraints that you are facing. 73, Don W3FPR arnie lewin wrote: > Having acquired a beautiful KX1 from a very kind and patient member of this > list, I am ready to test it out and get it ready for travel. > > Elecraft's FAQ page states: > " What we recommend in the KXAT1 manual for 40-20 m is about 24' of #26 > insulated copper-clad steel antenna wire (available from The Wireman), used > as a vertical or "sorta-vertical" radiator. You'll also need at least one > ground radial, 16' or longer (more on that below). The wire can be tossed > into a tree, or, if a tree is not available, supported by a portable mast or > other support. The 24' length can be loaded on all three bands (20, 30 and > 40 meters), and the wire itself weighs under 1 ounce." > For 80, they recommend: > " For 80 m, a resonant antenna is recommended. It should be possible to use > an 80 m antenna on multiple bands. A loading coil is another possibility to > get a shorter antenna running on 80 m." > > What recommendations are there for a travel/portable antenna. I plan to use > it from hotel rooms around the country as I travel for work. > So far, I purchased two 100-foot rolls of 24 gage. > > Thank you very much. > > arnie > > __ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Antenna for a KX1
I like the "near end fed" which uses a small 1:4 turns ratio (1:16 Z ratio) toroid at 10% from the end of a half wave dipole (for whatever band). Put the transformer (and tuning cap if needed) into a film canister. This makes the coax length shorter/lighter for a lot of situations. Being shorter, the coax could be RG174 (the very thin stuff) and ignore the loss. Lightweight means safer if it comes unhitched from its mounting, so reduced risk of damage for anybody or anything underneath if you are operating from hotel bedroom. The other one I like is the zip cord antenna: you just strip apart the figure-of-8 cord until you get to the half wave dipole size you want. Very lightweight and ok loss on the line if it's not too long. David G3UNA > What recommendations are there for a travel/portable antenna. I plan to > use > it from hotel rooms around the country as I travel for work. > So far, I purchased two 100-foot rolls of 24 gage. > > Thank you very much. > > arnie > __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Antenna for a KX1
One of the best and most overlooked things about the KX1 is its *EASE OF SETUP*. Unlike other rigs, even the K1, the KX1 is like no other in that when you think about getting on the air, you can actually do it in literally minutes, if not a minute. I found the recommended antenna setup of a longwire and even just one counterpoise was the best way to go. Yes you can get "better" antennas but they defeat the ease of setup, and the recommended one simply works. String it up anywhere. In the house, outside the house, along the ceiling, wherever.. then just enjoy the KX1. I recommend you get the BNC to binding post adapter (Palomar or something.. google it), as it makes setup and operation with longwire antenna and counterpoise very simple. Enjoy your KX1! --Andrew, NV1B .. On Fri, Jun 18, 2010 at 1:16 PM, arnie lewin wrote: > Having acquired a beautiful KX1 from a very kind and patient member of this > list, I am ready to test it out and get it ready for travel. > > Elecraft's FAQ page states: > " What we recommend in the KXAT1 manual for 40-20 m is about 24' of #26 > insulated copper-clad steel antenna wire (available from The Wireman), used > as a vertical or "sorta-vertical" radiator. You'll also need at least one > ground radial, 16' or longer (more on that below). The wire can be tossed > into a tree, or, if a tree is not available, supported by a portable mast > or > other support. The 24' length can be loaded on all three bands (20, 30 and > 40 meters), and the wire itself weighs under 1 ounce." > For 80, they recommend: > " For 80 m, a resonant antenna is recommended. It should be possible to use > an 80 m antenna on multiple bands. A loading coil is another possibility to > get a shorter antenna running on 80 m." > > What recommendations are there for a travel/portable antenna. I plan to use > it from hotel rooms around the country as I travel for work. > So far, I purchased two 100-foot rolls of 24 gage. > > Thank you very much. > > arnie > > __ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] Antenna for a KX1
Having acquired a beautiful KX1 from a very kind and patient member of this list, I am ready to test it out and get it ready for travel. Elecraft's FAQ page states: " What we recommend in the KXAT1 manual for 40-20 m is about 24' of #26 insulated copper-clad steel antenna wire (available from The Wireman), used as a vertical or "sorta-vertical" radiator. You'll also need at least one ground radial, 16' or longer (more on that below). The wire can be tossed into a tree, or, if a tree is not available, supported by a portable mast or other support. The 24' length can be loaded on all three bands (20, 30 and 40 meters), and the wire itself weighs under 1 ounce." For 80, they recommend: " For 80 m, a resonant antenna is recommended. It should be possible to use an 80 m antenna on multiple bands. A loading coil is another possibility to get a shorter antenna running on 80 m." What recommendations are there for a travel/portable antenna. I plan to use it from hotel rooms around the country as I travel for work. So far, I purchased two 100-foot rolls of 24 gage. Thank you very much. arnie __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
