A Simple and Very Effective 40 Metres to 10 Metres Portable Antenna

Quick to deploy. Tunes 40 through 10 metres. Efficient. What’s not to like?
Let’s take a look!
Connect with my channel by subscribing and commenting.
Email me: [e-mail]

[@timg5tm941]

Just to confirm that the 9m length of wire was chosen to avoid a half wavelength on any band (and therefore very high impedance) and thus be tuneable across a range of frequencies from 40-10m.

[@OH2023-cj9if]

It might be tunable, but it is NOT resonant! All you are doing is making something not resonant appear to the transmitter as 50ohms so it doesn't blow up. Using a resonant aerial would be of far greater benefit and give far better performance.

[@timg5tm941]

@@OH2023-cj9if for a single band yes. I think you are confused with the compromise I am happy to accept whilst working multiband portable with a non resonant antenna. Your tone implies I am saying this is the worlds best antenna. I’m not.. it’s an option for a quick and effective activation.

[@nickl3872]

Nice contacts i got to finish watching at lunch today.. 73s

[@WECB640]

Tim, I'm elated to see you mention the Diamond MAT-50! I had a ham friend that was having difficulty with SWR on his screwdriver antenna mounted on his trunk. The car was a new Mercedes, and we found out that the trunk was made of carbon fiber, thus there was a terrible groundplane at the antenna base. The fenders were steel and the MAT-50 cured this beautifully when mounted there. Once we found the solution, it was shared on one of the weekly tech nets in NYC so that it could be helpful for others with these newer cars. Keep up the great work Tim. 73

[@timg5tm941]

Great stuff and thanks!!

[@jackjones-er1ts]

i bought a Hawkins thunderbolt wire antenna last year and although it's advertised as 10/11/12 i was told if used with an external ATU it should at least in theory work between 10-20

[@timg5tm941]

Very lossy though away from it’s designed bands

[@32_bits]

9m choice makes sense. Reading the MAT40 instructions, they advocate 12m as being the optimum length for max efficiency. 12m might be possible with a 12m pole and getting the angle correct to the tuner.

[@timg5tm941]

True, but as a vertical 12m exhibits weaker gain at lower angles on 10 and 12m.

[@johnnorth9355]

Oh no more stuff to buy - I am running out of places to hide it all from the wife Tim !

[@timg5tm941]

Ha!!

[@richardgroves290]

Who wears the trousers in your house? Doesn't sound like it's you.

[@MatzeF-jj8en]

Hi Tim, please let me know: What is your favorite radio for portable HF operation? I like QRP, but sometimes a bit more pwr is also fun. Thanks and vy 73 Matt, DL5MAY

[@timg5tm941]

I love the FT891

[@nickl3872]

Thanks Tim

[@kevinsmith9350]

Great video Tim do you have links to the tuner and mat 50 please ?

[@timg5tm941]

Hi Kevin - Martin Lynch and Sons stock both - the tuner is the MAT-40 (not a Diamond product).

[@nickaxe771]

Very interesting Tim....what sort of prices for that antenna set up?

[@timg5tm941]

Tuner about £230 but of course you can use this for any antenna. The Mat50 was £30.

[@nickaxe771]

@@timg5tm941 Thank you tim.

[@Andrew-yx7sf]

Cool idea Tim. 73 N1XXU

[@timg5tm941]

Thank you!

[@F4LDT-Alain]

Quite interesting setup here Tim, thanks for the video. Unfortunately I don't have such a tuner. But I do have a MAT50 that I had bought based on the promise that it would improve the b/w and efficiency of my magnet-mounted single band 20m and 40m Diamond mobile antennas. Well, it didn't make a noticeable change 😕 Maybe I'll give this thing a second chance with a setup similar as yours? a wire hooked to a BNC to banana plug connected to the magnet-mount SO239 and either my G90's ATU (I doubt it'll handle this) or my ATS130 external ATU at the end of the coax. Of course I know that it's not as good as putting it at the feed point, there will be a big impedance mismatch there. Oh well, experimenting is the best part of our hobby, isn't it? and you just gave me an idea of something to try. (edited for additions)

[@timg5tm941]

Nice thinking! Experimenting is the best bit!

[@basshorseman998]

Never seen the "ground" mat before, clever. Thanks Tim, always food for thought

[@timg5tm941]

Thanks!

[@Andrew-W6OR]

I'm going to try this in the backyard for some testing. Great video, Tim!

[@timg5tm941]

Have fun!

[@MikeN2MAK]

I’ll be keeping an eye out for a deal on a remote tuner like this.

[@timg5tm941]

Nice one Mike!

[@che59v]

Great antenna, I use one as a base antenna, small footprint and great results, the fact it got no loading sections is a big plus. thank you for one more great video

[@timg5tm941]

Glad it works well for you!

[@aeron-mw7ofs]

I use the matt40 tuner , it's amazing what it will tune.

[@timg5tm941]

I agree!

[@PeterJavea]

Youpee Tim. Great to hear you!

[@timg5tm941]

Thanks Peter!

[@paulsengupta971]

Geoff on Hoy, great!

[@timg5tm941]

Always a great signal!

[@ralph9987]

How did you get to 9m?

[@timg5tm941]

Non resonant length so theoretically tuneable across a range of frequencies

[@anthonyglaser929]

very interesting.

[@timg5tm941]

Thanks!

[@LoloDuSoubestre]

Thanks for sharing your ideas! 73s de F4HZN op. Lawrence

[@timg5tm941]

Thank you Lawrence 73