When I was a 15-16-17 year old I had an HF radio and I would listen during all of my down time and every single time I heard hams chatting about antennas, antenna testing, tips/tricks, debunking silly designs, etc etc etc. Your series of antenna testing videos are what I need! It wasn't until you tested the vogue LOG antenna that I actually decided to try it. Keep it up Cal!
During Lighthouse Weekend we use a 400+ foot long end fed antenna. We were located on a cliff about 100 feet above salt water. The antenna was supported by a 40 foot tall flag pole in the middle. To date it was the best antenna we have used at this location. We were at the Horton Point Lighthouse in Southold, NY
Nice one Callum! I once had a 1000 feet Beverage at 5 feet above the ground, pointing to the USA, in a field sloping to the north-west. I did some pretty good measurements, and it seemed that it was giving me about 20dB signal to noise advantage over my transmit vertical on 80m trans-Atlantic! It was lovely to hear the delight in the voices of the state-side guys with their "apple-tree" wire antennas! 😀
Just thought I'd make a quick comment on this gentleman. I wrote to him once about something I don't even remember. He actually wrote back in under ten minutes. I had never previously written to him either. He's a very down to earth guy. Very innovative as well.
A couple RX antennas I have is a 450ft loop on the ground, using a home-brew binocular torroid 9:1 transformer, and I also have a nearly 500ft beverage antenna, 7ft off ground, oriented towards Europe. I left my beverage "ungrounded", or without termination on either end, which enables it to be bi-directional on the RX signals. Both antennas are 14AWG stranded copper wire, and fed with 75ohm RG11 coax. Both are great tools in the ham radio tool box. My beverage, hands down, is my best RX antenna bringing weak signals to the forefront simply by reducing noise ratio from the signal. One TX antenna I use is an EFHW cut for 160m, 64:1 transformer, put up in an inverted-L configuration, also made of 14awg stranded copper wire.73 and thanks WD9M
Naturally, you are earth grounding the side of the transformer connected to the aerial wire. The other side of the transformer, leading back to the shack, is of course never earth grounded.
I love these presentations- Not a lot of “ums/uhs” and he speaks with confidence, his voice doesn’t drop out, and his pace is good. No 1.5x playback required!
One of the local hams was big into DX. He had DXCC on all bands. He ran 4 beverages N S E W. All were up about 4 feet with wooden stakes in the ground. Each had a termination resistor. Worked great. Another great video 73 Cal.
When Callum started describing this I thought "Cool, a beverage variant, gotta watch this". But all band DXCC and 4 beverages. Wow indeed. That's dedication.
I've always enjoyed the older books, and not just on subjects like this. In the days before the internet and whatnot, it was more about making do with what you could actually get your hands on, as opposed to what you could afford. It is always neat to go through those old books and see the things that we have generally moved beyond and kind of forgotten over the years, but are still very valid and useful today. There's a lot of that "old school" stuff I learned over the years that I still find incredibly handy in my job as a bike mechanic, despite all the electronic doo-daddery they absolutely jam into those things these days. Very, very cool stuff. Really looking forward to see what else you dig up from the book.
17:59 Bits of wire... I wholeheartedly agree! I'm still "young" in ham radio, but that comment resonates with me a LOT as I don't run an amplifier. Thanks!
Wonderful experiment and demonstration, really goes to show how much a quiet receive antenna helps. Not just signal to noise but it's also easier on the ears. 👍
Hello Callum: I love your energy as well as your continued strive for bringing us groundbreaking antenna information + the digital data thru your videos. Most hams think they know antennas but in reality it's what there buddy said or out of the ARRL HANDBOOK. O'l chap please keep on kicking it up, 73's , good health, 👍, God Bless. TMP, Unit 22 from N.J.
Cal I just had a conversation with a friend that has an end fed pointing east west and how he can hear Vancouver from his farm just outside of Moose Jaw. We didn’t understand why he could receive well along the length when we understood the transmit signal is strongest broadside to the wire. I still don’t understand but you just proved it’s not uncommon. Cheers from Moose Jaw Tim VE5THF
THIS IS AWESOME. I operate portable (SOTA) so every activation is a set-up in a new location, new conditions, varying ground conditions... etc. I'm also packing light so I don't have a bunch of meters/analyzers with me and the majority of my time is eaten up by the drive and the hike. So... watching your in-the-field experimentation with those variables made me feel A LOT better about my gear. Everyone acts like their "No-Tune Antenna" acts the same on the summit as it did when they analyzed it at home. THIS VIDEO explains that... no, there are so many other variables other than your antenna length when you deploy. Grew leaps and bounds watching this several times. Thank You!
Absolutely brilliant and so enjoyable to watch. Every time you walk around a field with a reel of wire, sometimes in the cold or drizzle, you post a video, and it feels like we’re there with you! You continue to experiment with ‘things radio’, (which, as we know, is the purpose for which we were all granted amateur radio licenses), and you share your results, good or bad, with the rest of us, to increase our knowledge. For this, I thank you, and long may you continue to make these videos…73.. John..G4EIJ
Especially well done Callum, this is a prime example why most of the contest stations use beverages/recieve antenna's, "Phat" example of a good tech example/educational story. Respect!
OK, so this long wire stopped "working" and I traced it to the fact that it was cut by some workmen putting a car park in. I did re-join it but it's shorter now and just doesn't have the "bang" it used to.
Hi Calem !! I've just come across you doing this really good bit here.. !!! Great, it's nice to see people learning and discovering the arts of antenna's.. I am a very old hat !! Merchant Marine Radio officer from the past ,, I was looking on the internet at how the modern day ham "looks" at wires antenna's of various descriptions. I was really amazed to see not much info at all !!! ,,,, and there you are !!! explaining the concepts,, through experimentation ,,, "well done" . It only gets better,,,, (good song that),,, thing can only get better !!!!.. At the moment I have 2 old fashion un-terminated V-beams, one is 320 mtr up at 40 mtr, and the 2nd is at 70ft and 120 mtr legs,, no1 points NW/SE,, no2, North and South over the poles,, not much in it really,, but amazing difference is signal strengths,,, I think when you get yours up a tad more, to lower the angle, the difference will be really there,,, to be seen.,, carry on, I will be looking with interest at your results,,,, my very best regards to you,, and your followers .. Carl
Hello.. I think your name might be Carl. Welcome.. Yes, I'm mucking about with wires! V Beams also fascinate me, not sure I have the room.. See you again soon, I absolutely LOVE your credentials!
I'm quite literally a 100watt guy with a wire in one of my apple trees (Yaesu FT-857 with N9SAB OCFD). Thanks for thinking of us! I actually need to admit that I have a piece of scrap wood clamped to a flag pole with some old 3/4" and 1" tent poles cobbled together for a 3 element 10m beam. Was able to get a fella from Ukraine using FT8 from Northwest USA pointing across the Pacific. As a new ham, this is all pretty fascinating. Measured the yard this afternoon and realized I can probably run a 130 foot long EFHW across the back yard for 10-80m. Now to save up to get the parts to build. Really appreciate your content!
Excellent video, quite interesting. And you have a great diction for us non-native English speakers. I shall never have enough space for such an antenna, but I've learned a lot from your experiment. Thanks for the entertaining 20 minutes.
Your antenna is working well. I've never been a fan of endfed antennas myself. I've built 1000 ft loops fed with 450 ohm line and they seemed to tune a lot easier with the auto tuners and with low Rx noise. I had one at my HF station in Maui on the beach at 35 ft off the ground with 14 guage wire and it worked well for 1.8 to 7 MHz operation. I used fixed beams pointed to the US mainland for higher frequencies.
I've built hundreds of antennas. End feds are very easy to deploy and great for general use and they definitely can yield gain compared to dipole when used as a long wire but if you have the time and space I believe that large loops are better for both performance and easier tuning. The largest loop I made was resonant for 500 kHz and I could hear stations on 7 mhz during the day that were 3000 miles away. Btw a good yagi or quad will get you better signals than 5-5 on 20 meters (even a wire one). I do have a 1500 ft long wire that I use mostly for receive that suspends itself between 2 mountain tops and is hundreds of feet off the ground. Multiple antennas in your arsenal is the key to success.
For some reason, this video is just hitting my feed. Fabulous video. I am so encouraged by your spirit of experimentation and innovation. This is what originally attracted me to the craft. I agree wholeheartedly with your thoughts on the need for more focus on antennas as a key--perhaps THE key--component of the experience. Although my CW skills are weak, I can imagine that this antenna would have just as dramatic impact on CW-receive as it does for SSB.
Thanks for the best source of information about end fed antenna as well as on 'Beverage' antennas. Just started to experiment with long wire, but my backyard is small and neighbors are noisy (including my own house). So far, long wire antenna do not outperform simple dipole, but hope to rise wire as much as possible to get more out of it. Thanks again!
Many years ago I met a American veteran living Canada, whom served in Italy. He is/was a ham. He told me he dragged a long wire on the ground up Monte Casino. He stated that long wire could reach his HQ better than anything the other guys had(with shorter antennas). He stated it was very directional. The part he hated was repairing the long wire when the German snipers kept cutting his wire. VE6KBI Dana - enjoyed your video. Thanks
I run a 80 to 10 meter 59:1 End Fed Half Wave antenna with about 132 feet long wire in a Inverted VEE up about 32 feet using a army surplus mast held up with a T-Post and rebar into the base wrapped with plumbers tape. I've had great results with this antenna, background noise is low. I also use a 20 foot counterpoise as well.
Callum, when you say the antenna faces the USA, does that mean the broadside length of wire faces SW or does the end of the wire face in that direction? Thanks
I've been using a "snake antenna" on 160m for years. I increased the length to 250 feet recently and worked 43 stations on the Stew Perry with only 5 watts from Massachusetts. (Both transmit and receive) The antenna sits on the ground but I was told to put it on top of some logs and that would increase the performance. Very nice presentation: Fantastic results.
not sure how I got here but this brought back fond memories. in the last 60s I built a heath kit receiver (still have it and last time I checked, it still works on the original tubes!) and ran a wire out my bedroom window to a walnut tree out in the field, end fed. I used to listen all night real quiet so my parents couldn't hear, keeping careful records of where I could identify the sender. This was in California and I listened all over the world. Good ole days...
Super interesting, I'm an SWL only but always been fascinated by long wires. That long receive antenna was so much quieter and really gave an edge in terms of signal to noise. Mind you, it should at 160m long! Love these experiments, only recently discovered the channel and made the DX Commander connection. Subscribed.
Thank you for these insightful and informative comparisons! I've been thinking about setting up something just like this and now I'm even more motivated
Inspired me to have a go at this, have the 64:1 built now, wire is ready. Just going to be 1 to 1.5 meters off the ground right now but looking forward to testing! *Now if it would quit snowing and do springtime that would be swell*
i'm in the center of Ohio and had a sched. with my father on Long Isand mornings for many years. I've tried several types of antennas. My best success came from a twenty meter dipole that is strung below the eves of my home. It is about 30 feet long and I can almost reach up and touch the feedline . It works best for contacting Dad on 40 meters!. Another oddball contact occurred on a CB whip antenna I tuned to 40 meters. I live below grade and the antenna was laying on the floor. I heard a station, called him, and he responded. I misheard his location and was shocked when he told me he was in Hungary!
This is brilliant, Callum, cheers! I've only recently begun to think about having a separate receive antenna. When I was knee-high to a hedgehog I used to string up longwires everywhere to try catching SW stations, and the occasional amateur operator. And despite the fact that I had no bloody idea what I was doing, I seemed to be able to pick plenty of low-level signals out of the noise. Fast-foward to when I got into ham radio, and once I learned about all these sexy new transmitting antennas, I just assumed (no doubt stupidly) that if they can transmit to the 3rd outer ring of Saturn, they should be able to receive anything! Turned out not to be the case. Anyway, this is really an eye-opener that takes me back to those wonderfully experimental days when I wasn't worried about being bloody precise or 'correct'. I happen to have a lot more land where I am now than I ever have before, so I'm really looking forward to trying some of these things out. I'm going to start with the LoG from your previous video (which you mentioned here at the end. Seems like it's way too easy to do, so I just have to try it!
Another great video Callum. I only wish I had the room to do a160 meter end fed ( and a radio with a receive any jack). Looking forward to more testing. 73, N2IMB
I just watched your video and I must say the "enthusiasm"you have for science/experimentation/ and ham radio is inspiring ! soi want to share my experience with 160M end fed, 1/4 wave. An Elmer I know taught about this, 1/4 wave doesn't require a balun. I have since added 3 more wires to that same coax, at a junction point , 160M, 40M, 30M, 20M. They run about 15 feet vertical, then out to a tree limb, horizontal. I compared these to an OCFD that I had ran for 5 years, only HF antenna I had ever used until this. The End Fed were quieter than the OCFD. WHen I compared RX to the 1/4 wave 160M end fed, it receives better than the OCFD where it is resonant. Looking forward to the next videos in this series !
Excellent video DXC, it lends a whole lot of credibility to the fact that you can use a chain link fence, barbwire fence line on a farm, a railroad track, the options re limitless. It's great to see you involved in the experimentation of long wire for RX & TX. I believe you have touched on a new and advanced method of using home made or existing long wire antennas for ham radio...go for it my friend, can't wait for the next video....:-) KI4TOL 73s
It's not that older information has been forgotten. It's that sharing that information seems to turn in to an argument. The massive influx of new hams over the past few years has seemed to breed a "buy a plug and play solition" mentality with a lack (and sometimes fear) of experimentation. Thank you for stepping out of that box!
I operate almost entirely portable. I've built and deployed dipoles, verticals and used hamsticks. By far, my best results have come from my homemade end fed and a 35 collapsible pole. I can deploy in under 10 minutes and work all of the US with very little effort with occasional DX.
land I have and wire is cheap! I am just considering what radio to buy but a long wire is a game changer. The snow fence is up and your low budget,long reach wire sounds like a good choice.
I just bought a 2.5 acre lot with a chain link fence around the perimeter. I am going to try this technique. Thanks so much for the inspiration Cal! 73 K6TjO formerly of CA now residing in OK
Love the down to earth approach Get R Done I have an arrow connected to fishing line ready to shoot over the tree for my new sloper. I just like to listen! First nice day! I practiced a few times took the tip off! I have a Boston terrier chasing the arrow ha haha just having fun! knew that bow would come in handy. I use a 1886 loop for mw reception I have received am radio stations 800 miles away on a good night. New York to Chicago. I was that kid with a transistor radio under the bedsheets.
That's been my experience too. I run an OCF random wire dipole on a 4:1 balun, 205' on one leg 90 something on the other leg about 3 meters up. The noise just disappears. It's awesome. Thanks for putting this out, can't wait to try this on a longer setup!
I believe you are doing more for the future of ham radio than 99.9% of the rest of us. Thank you again.
I do this for me - but it's fun to share too!
Thankful you like to share.
Being an End-Fed guy currently... I will now be buying a DX Commander because of your fair review. Thank You!
Have confidence :)
When I was a 15-16-17 year old I had an HF radio and I would listen during all of my down time and every single time I heard hams chatting about antennas, antenna testing, tips/tricks, debunking silly designs, etc etc etc. Your series of antenna testing videos are what I need! It wasn't until you tested the vogue LOG antenna that I actually decided to try it. Keep it up Cal!
Nice one Bob!
During Lighthouse Weekend we use a 400+ foot long end fed antenna. We were located on a cliff about 100 feet above salt water. The antenna was supported by a 40 foot tall flag pole in the middle. To date it was the best antenna we have used at this location. We were at the Horton Point Lighthouse in Southold, NY
Nice one Callum! I once had a 1000 feet Beverage at 5 feet above the ground, pointing to the USA, in a field sloping to the north-west. I did some pretty good measurements, and it seemed that it was giving me about 20dB signal to noise advantage over my transmit vertical on 80m trans-Atlantic! It was lovely to hear the delight in the voices of the state-side guys with their "apple-tree" wire antennas! 😀
Yes, I'll bet that was a delight!
This is the kind of stuff that keeps bringing me back to your channel.
Just thought I'd make a quick comment on this gentleman. I wrote to him once about something I don't even remember.
He actually wrote back in under ten minutes. I had never previously written to him either.
He's a very down to earth guy. Very innovative as well.
Glad you had a pleasant experience..!
A couple RX antennas I have is a 450ft loop on the ground, using a home-brew binocular torroid 9:1 transformer, and I also have a nearly 500ft beverage antenna, 7ft off ground, oriented towards Europe. I left my beverage "ungrounded", or without termination on either end, which enables it to be bi-directional on the RX signals. Both antennas are 14AWG stranded copper wire, and fed with 75ohm RG11 coax. Both are great tools in the ham radio tool box. My beverage, hands down, is my best RX antenna bringing weak signals to the forefront simply by reducing noise ratio from the signal. One TX antenna I use is an EFHW cut for 160m, 64:1 transformer, put up in an inverted-L configuration, also made of 14awg stranded copper wire.73 and thanks WD9M
Lovely!
Naturally, you are earth grounding the side of the transformer connected to the aerial wire. The other side of the transformer, leading back to the shack, is of course never earth grounded.
I love these presentations- Not a lot of “ums/uhs” and he speaks with confidence, his voice doesn’t drop out, and his pace is good. No 1.5x playback required!
He is ME! Thank you!
I’m just rewatching this again. This was a cracking experiment, science right in front of our eyes (or ears). This is what the hobby is about.
One of the local hams was big into DX. He had DXCC on all bands. He ran 4 beverages N S E W. All were up about 4 feet with wooden stakes in the ground. Each had a termination resistor. Worked great. Another great video 73 Cal.
Wow
When Callum started describing this I thought "Cool, a beverage variant, gotta watch this". But all band DXCC and 4 beverages. Wow indeed. That's dedication.
I've always enjoyed the older books, and not just on subjects like this. In the days before the internet and whatnot, it was more about making do with what you could actually get your hands on, as opposed to what you could afford. It is always neat to go through those old books and see the things that we have generally moved beyond and kind of forgotten over the years, but are still very valid and useful today. There's a lot of that "old school" stuff I learned over the years that I still find incredibly handy in my job as a bike mechanic, despite all the electronic doo-daddery they absolutely jam into those things these days.
Very, very cool stuff. Really looking forward to see what else you dig up from the book.
Yes Thor.. We will try a few more!
17:59 Bits of wire... I wholeheartedly agree! I'm still "young" in ham radio, but that comment resonates with me a LOT as I don't run an amplifier. Thanks!
Wonderful experiment and demonstration, really goes to show how much a quiet receive antenna helps. Not just signal to noise but it's also easier on the ears. 👍
Yes, exactly :)
Hello Callum: I love your energy as well as your continued strive for bringing us groundbreaking antenna information + the digital data thru your videos. Most hams think they know antennas but in reality it's what there buddy said or out of the ARRL HANDBOOK. O'l chap please keep on kicking it up,
73's , good health, 👍, God Bless. TMP, Unit 22 from N.J.
Erergy.. Yes, even though I might be wrong sometimes :)
Superb again Cal! Your enthusiasm is contagious 🤠
Haha.. You need to feel sorry for Wendy! :)
Cal I just had a conversation with a friend that has an end fed pointing east west and how he can hear Vancouver from his farm just outside of Moose Jaw. We didn’t understand why he could receive well along the length when we understood the transmit signal is strongest broadside to the wire. I still don’t understand but you just proved it’s not uncommon. Cheers from Moose Jaw
Tim VE5THF
THIS IS AWESOME. I operate portable (SOTA) so every activation is a set-up in a new location, new conditions, varying ground conditions... etc. I'm also packing light so I don't have a bunch of meters/analyzers with me and the majority of my time is eaten up by the drive and the hike. So... watching your in-the-field experimentation with those variables made me feel A LOT better about my gear. Everyone acts like their "No-Tune Antenna" acts the same on the summit as it did when they analyzed it at home. THIS VIDEO explains that... no, there are so many other variables other than your antenna length when you deploy. Grew leaps and bounds watching this several times. Thank You!
Wow... I'm about to put up a long fence around my property. Thanks for doing the experimentation. Really looking forward to following the progress.
Nice
Great video! Love seeing the two audio feeds in the headphones.
Absolutely brilliant and so enjoyable to watch. Every time you walk around a field with a reel of wire, sometimes in the cold or drizzle, you post a video, and it feels like we’re there with you! You continue to experiment with ‘things radio’, (which, as we know, is the purpose for which we were all granted amateur radio licenses), and you share your results, good or bad, with the rest of us, to increase our knowledge. For this, I thank you, and long may you continue to make these videos…73.. John..G4EIJ
Yeah, I know.. The colder and wetter it it for me, the more you enjoy it! LOL
Especially well done Callum, this is a prime example why most of the contest stations use beverages/recieve antenna's, "Phat" example of a good tech example/educational story. Respect!
Good point!
This video was awesome!!! Thanks for being entertaining and informative. Amateur radio needs more Elmer’s like you.
Wow, thanks!
Thank you for investigating the transformer end feds. I love my homebrew transformer and wire.
Your testing helps us in our ham radio practice. I am a visual learned so videos are priceless
Perfect!
Interesting stuff, I'll be watching. Transmitting on the long wire will be interesting too.
OK, so this long wire stopped "working" and I traced it to the fact that it was cut by some workmen putting a car park in. I did re-join it but it's shorter now and just doesn't have the "bang" it used to.
Hi Calem !! I've just come across you doing this really good bit here.. !!! Great, it's nice to see people learning and discovering the arts of antenna's.. I am a very old hat !! Merchant Marine Radio officer from the past ,, I was looking on the internet at how the modern day ham "looks" at wires antenna's of various descriptions. I was really amazed to see not much info at all !!! ,,,, and there you are !!! explaining the concepts,, through experimentation ,,, "well done" . It only gets better,,,, (good song that),,, thing can only get better !!!!.. At the moment I have 2 old fashion un-terminated V-beams, one is 320 mtr up at 40 mtr, and the 2nd is at 70ft and 120 mtr legs,, no1 points NW/SE,, no2, North and South over the poles,, not much in it really,, but amazing difference is signal strengths,,, I think when you get yours up a tad more, to lower the angle, the difference will be really there,,, to be seen.,, carry on, I will be looking with interest at your results,,,, my very best regards to you,, and your followers .. Carl
Hello.. I think your name might be Carl. Welcome.. Yes, I'm mucking about with wires! V Beams also fascinate me, not sure I have the room.. See you again soon, I absolutely LOVE your credentials!
Just found this channel. I live for antenna experimenting and I'm loving your content thus far.
Welcome aboard!
I love the leg kick when you're throwing the wire.
Yes.. I think I almost took-off!
I have a square loop on the ground, 40 meters on a side. I am always amazed at the clear signals when it works. Good show Callum. 73
Very impressive. I enjoy these antenna R&D videos. Please keep them coming. Can't wait to see the other heights and end grounded.
Thanks, will do!
Nice one Callum, you might also want to run wspr on that antenna for 24 hours and see what shows up on the map!
That's a good idea!!!
I’ve often wondered what a real long wire would do. Great presentation.
Brilliant! That length of wire did the trick! There’s always more to learn about this hobby. Thank you!
You bet!
Well done - great info. I may try this on my hunting lease, which is ~175 acres
Woah! Do it :)
Nice to see you so excited about your experience, which is what the best of Ham Radio is all about.
Couldn't agree more!
I'm quite literally a 100watt guy with a wire in one of my apple trees (Yaesu FT-857 with N9SAB OCFD). Thanks for thinking of us! I actually need to admit that I have a piece of scrap wood clamped to a flag pole with some old 3/4" and 1" tent poles cobbled together for a 3 element 10m beam. Was able to get a fella from Ukraine using FT8 from Northwest USA pointing across the Pacific. As a new ham, this is all pretty fascinating. Measured the yard this afternoon and realized I can probably run a 130 foot long EFHW across the back yard for 10-80m. Now to save up to get the parts to build. Really appreciate your content!
Diamond!
Very interesting! An antenna laying on the ground sounds exciting!
It is.. Mine is currently broken - I think I need to re-string it.
Hello from Kentucky,USA. I’m a new amateur..enjoying your vids…
Welcome!
Excellent video, quite interesting. And you have a great diction for us non-native English speakers.
I shall never have enough space for such an antenna, but I've learned a lot from your experiment.
Thanks for the entertaining 20 minutes.
Thank you! 😃
This was actually exciting 👍👍
Your antenna is working well. I've never been a fan of endfed antennas myself. I've built 1000 ft loops fed with 450 ohm line and they seemed to tune a lot easier with the auto tuners and with low Rx noise. I had one at my HF station in Maui on the beach at 35 ft off the ground with 14 guage wire and it worked well for 1.8 to 7 MHz operation. I used fixed beams pointed to the US mainland for higher frequencies.
I used to love those auto-tuners. And yes, they LOVE big antennas..!
I've built hundreds of antennas. End feds are very easy to deploy and great for general use and they definitely can yield gain compared to dipole when used as a long wire but if you have the time and space I believe that large loops are better for both performance and easier tuning. The largest loop I made was resonant for 500 kHz and I could hear stations on 7 mhz during the day that were 3000 miles away. Btw a good yagi or quad will get you better signals than 5-5 on 20 meters (even a wire one). I do have a 1500 ft long wire that I use mostly for receive that suspends itself between 2 mountain tops and is hundreds of feet off the ground. Multiple antennas in your arsenal is the key to success.
For some reason, this video is just hitting my feed. Fabulous video. I am so encouraged by your spirit of experimentation and innovation. This is what originally attracted me to the craft. I agree wholeheartedly with your thoughts on the need for more focus on antennas as a key--perhaps THE key--component of the experience.
Although my CW skills are weak, I can imagine that this antenna would have just as dramatic impact on CW-receive as it does for SSB.
Yes, I am sure too.. Imagine being able to hear that well on CW..? Hell, you could get anywhere! :)
Thanks for the best source of information about end fed antenna as well as on 'Beverage' antennas. Just started to experiment with long wire, but my backyard is small and neighbors are noisy (including my own house). So far, long wire antenna do not outperform simple dipole, but hope to rise wire as much as possible to get more out of it. Thanks again!
Many years ago I met a American veteran living Canada, whom served in Italy. He is/was a ham. He told me he dragged a long wire on the ground up Monte Casino. He stated that long wire could reach his HQ better than anything the other guys had(with shorter antennas). He stated it was very directional. The part he hated was repairing the long wire when the German snipers kept cutting his wire. VE6KBI Dana - enjoyed your video. Thanks
Great comment!
Congratulations on a great antenna project... I love it when a plan comes together!
Thanks!
I made a 160m square up 4m fed with 300ohm twin lead for receive only. Absolutely fantastic!
Nice!
Thanks for sharing the results of your work.
No problem 👍
Man with the tractor and hedge cutter will love you Cal. Interesting results I have a 240 m wire at my portable location. It does receive very well.
I did ask landlord if I could trim all these and he wasn't keen... Grrr.
Wonderfull! I will try. Thank ya Callum. HNY 2023!
Have fun!
Wow....!
Must be nice to have that kind of real estate !
Congrats !
👍😉
Very!
I run a 80 to 10 meter 59:1 End Fed Half Wave antenna with about 132 feet long wire in a Inverted VEE up about 32 feet using a army surplus mast held up with a T-Post and rebar into the base wrapped with plumbers tape. I've had great results with this antenna, background noise is low. I also use a 20 foot counterpoise as well.
I will have to live vicariously thru you on this one. Wish I had access to enough space to give it a try my self.
Brother you did it you got your 3to 4. More DB with the long wire wow. Works great. Thankyou. KC9LRA. Bob. . Indiana.
Yeah, it's truly wonderful..!
Callum, when you say the antenna faces the USA, does that mean the broadside length of wire faces SW or does the end of the wire face in that direction? Thanks
Off the end
The wire has end fire as on 20m its multi wavelength
Feedpoint is opposite USA..
@m0mcx I have a 49.1 balum with a 130ft length of element , would it be possible to run another element in the opposite direction.
I've been using a "snake antenna" on 160m for years. I increased the length to 250 feet recently and worked 43 stations on the Stew Perry with only 5 watts from Massachusetts. (Both transmit and receive) The antenna sits on the ground but I was told to put it on top of some logs and that would increase the performance. Very nice presentation: Fantastic results.
I really enjoyed this video!!
Thanks!
not sure how I got here but this brought back fond memories. in the last 60s I built a heath kit receiver (still have it and last time I checked, it still works on the original tubes!) and ran a wire out my bedroom window to a walnut tree out in the field, end fed. I used to listen all night real quiet so my parents couldn't hear, keeping careful records of where I could identify the sender. This was in California and I listened all over the world. Good ole days...
Great memories! And thanks for popping along!
Awesome experiment, I will watch the rest while at work.
Thank you! Cheers!
Super interesting, I'm an SWL only but always been fascinated by long wires. That long receive antenna was so much quieter and really gave an edge in terms of signal to noise. Mind you, it should at 160m long! Love these experiments, only recently discovered the channel and made the DX Commander connection. Subscribed.
Welcome and thanks for the great comment.
This is the kind of content that really inspires me with amateur radio.
Ah! Fabulous :)
Very good experiment. Thanks for posting. Love the long wire antenna, often underestimated.
Thanks for watching!
don't no the subject but this channel has energy in buckets
Awe - thanks!!
genius brother really cool
wishing you the best
God bless you and family
Thanks, you too!
Thank you for these insightful and informative comparisons! I've been thinking about setting up something just like this and now I'm even more motivated
Do it :)
Coming back to the hobby young man, this video is f*** epic !! Glad to see you’re fit and well brother ❤❤
Appreciate it!!
Nice Intro Callum. 73 Joe
good video. I am going to build one for Xmit and Rec.
This video is fantastic. Amazing experiment. Thanks Calum!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Inspired me to have a go at this, have the 64:1 built now, wire is ready. Just going to be 1 to 1.5 meters off the ground right now but looking forward to testing! *Now if it would quit snowing and do springtime that would be swell*
Wow this is fascinating. I know very little about this subject but I follow you
Welcome aboard!
i'm in the center of Ohio and had a sched. with my father on Long Isand mornings for many years. I've tried several types of antennas. My best success came from a twenty meter dipole that is strung below the eves of my home. It is about 30 feet long and I can almost reach up and touch the feedline . It works best for contacting Dad on 40 meters!. Another oddball contact occurred on a CB whip antenna I tuned to 40 meters. I live below grade and the antenna was laying on the floor. I heard a station, called him, and he responded. I misheard his location and was shocked when he told me he was in Hungary!
The fun of RF!! HAHA
Great experience! I love endfeds!
Glad you enjoyed it!
This sounds like a fun project.
Now this has me thinking how I can run a long long loooong wire here... very interesting info and tests .. great job Callum!!
Go for it!
This is brilliant, Callum, cheers! I've only recently begun to think about having a separate receive antenna. When I was knee-high to a hedgehog I used to string up longwires everywhere to try catching SW stations, and the occasional amateur operator. And despite the fact that I had no bloody idea what I was doing, I seemed to be able to pick plenty of low-level signals out of the noise. Fast-foward to when I got into ham radio, and once I learned about all these sexy new transmitting antennas, I just assumed (no doubt stupidly) that if they can transmit to the 3rd outer ring of Saturn, they should be able to receive anything! Turned out not to be the case. Anyway, this is really an eye-opener that takes me back to those wonderfully experimental days when I wasn't worried about being bloody precise or 'correct'. I happen to have a lot more land where I am now than I ever have before, so I'm really looking forward to trying some of these things out. I'm going to start with the LoG from your previous video (which you mentioned here at the end. Seems like it's way too easy to do, so I just have to try it!
Great comment.. Yes, conventional wisdom IS that the transmit and receive antenna should be same.. But hey, why not move into the past! :)
@@DXCommanderHQ And if it works, then all the better!
Interesting stuff! So wild to see what a dead simple wire antenna can do!
Take care and God Bless.
Yeah! :)
This is really cool. Thanks for the share.
You bet!
You've inspired me to do some experimenting myself, as I have about 100m long garden by 20m wide - loops and end feds sound very interesting. Thanks
Sounds great!
Thank you Lord Callum for your no nonsense, no bull video. 1959 is a great year 😊
You got that right!
Great video Cal. See you Friday for the livestream.
Very cool and inspiring. Thanks for posting
Glad you enjoyed it!
Another great video Callum. I only wish I had the room to do a160 meter end fed ( and a radio with a receive any jack). Looking forward to more testing. 73, N2IMB
That would be cool!
I just watched your video and I must say the "enthusiasm"you have for science/experimentation/ and ham radio is inspiring ! soi want to share my experience with 160M end fed, 1/4 wave. An Elmer I know taught about this, 1/4 wave doesn't require a balun. I have since added 3 more wires to that same coax, at a junction point , 160M, 40M, 30M, 20M. They run about 15 feet vertical, then out to a tree limb, horizontal. I compared these to an OCFD that I had ran for 5 years, only HF antenna I had ever used until this. The End Fed were quieter than the OCFD. WHen I compared RX to the 1/4 wave 160M end fed, it receives better than the OCFD where it is resonant. Looking forward to the next videos in this series !
Yes, there does not seem to be ONE antenna that does everything :)
Fascinating
Excellent video DXC, it lends a whole lot of credibility to the fact that you can use a chain link fence, barbwire fence line on a farm, a railroad track, the options re limitless. It's great to see you involved in the experimentation of long wire for RX & TX. I believe you have touched on a new and advanced method of using home made or existing long wire antennas for ham radio...go for it my friend, can't wait for the next video....:-) KI4TOL 73s
Yes, we need to try just the fence next!!
It's not that older information has been forgotten. It's that sharing that information seems to turn in to an argument. The massive influx of new hams over the past few years has seemed to breed a "buy a plug and play solition" mentality with a lack (and sometimes fear) of experimentation. Thank you for stepping out of that box!
Yes, mandatory!
Great stuff Cal mate.. see you on the bands.. 73
FAB!!
I operate almost entirely portable. I've built and deployed dipoles, verticals and used hamsticks. By far, my best results have come from my homemade end fed and a 35 collapsible pole. I can deploy in under 10 minutes and work all of the US with very little effort with occasional DX.
Great video Callum
Thank you!
land I have and wire is cheap! I am just considering what radio to buy but a long wire is a game changer. The snow fence is up and your low budget,long reach wire sounds like a good choice.
Great experiment with positive results, what more could a ham ask for
Absolutely fascinating. Yet another great video
Thanks again!
I just bought a 2.5 acre lot with a chain link fence around the perimeter. I am going to try this technique. Thanks so much for the inspiration Cal! 73 K6TjO formerly of CA now residing in OK
This is very interesting experiment thank you and I look forward to your future antennas
Yes Peter.. I'm loving it.. Already planning a switchable array..
Excellent, looking forward to your other videos on this
More to come!
Love the down to earth approach Get R Done
I have an arrow connected to fishing line ready to shoot over the tree for my new sloper. I just like to listen! First nice day! I practiced a few times took the tip off!
I have a Boston terrier chasing the arrow ha haha just having fun!
knew that bow would come in handy. I use a 1886 loop for mw reception
I have received am radio stations 800 miles away on a good night.
New York to Chicago. I was that kid with a transistor radio under the bedsheets.
Keith Fenner loves that expression "Get R Done" :)
great stuff about time lad keep it up 73s
Hi Cal! This is the content i love your channel for! Hope to catch you again on the air :) .
For sure!!
That's been my experience too. I run an OCF random wire dipole on a 4:1 balun, 205' on one leg 90 something on the other leg about 3 meters up. The noise just disappears. It's awesome. Thanks for putting this out, can't wait to try this on a longer setup!
Recently.. Performance has tailed off.. I need to check what's happened.. Maintenance probably!