End Fed Half Wave: Dual Band Vertical

Easy to erect and highly effective vertical antenna if you are chasing DX on 10 and 20 metres. Great for portable too!
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[@jamesleem.d.7442]

I have about the same apparatus as your setup shown here, and I have used it portably in Wisconsin running 100 watts or less from 12-volt battery power for my ICOM 7300. I killed the DX last week in a brief burst of activity on both 20 and 10 meters. I use a 49:1 box at the bottom, no radials, no counterpoise per se, but a Brick Wall choke is on my 50-foot coax cable about 6-7 feet out from the box. One guy I worked in Spain on 20 meters was thrown from his operating chair and suffered a broken arm, cut lip, and bruised groin -- my CW signal was that LOUD in his headset according to the XYL who sent me an email. Thanks for posting the video about your "garden pole". It's a killer when built correctly as you did.

[@timg5tm941]

Your set up sounds great!!

[@StuartM0TTQAmateurRadio]

Thanks for the tip about N8II that evening, and of course I worked him on the same antenna! Using my 20m EFHW on 10 this year I have worked French Guiana, Chile, Brazil, Canada, EA8 as well and about 100 other Europeans. The sporadic-E has really given 10 a kick and being able to jump between 20 and 10 while I am out portable is a big advantage.

[@timg5tm941]

My pleasure Stu. I struggle to think of a better /p option: quick deployment; multi band; resonant and no atu for harmonically related bands. Plus far less ground loss than a ground mounted quarter wave.

[@mike-M0MSN]

Yah 49:1 - 64:1 been using one of these, along with the DXC, for a couple of years now. They are brilliant Tim. Great video well explained..

[@timg5tm941]

Thanks mate 73

[@TheCrunchbird]

I enjoyed your really good video. I use a 120 foot wire with a homemade 49:1 UNUN that has a ground rod mounted below it. The wire is goes straight up a pine tree for about 33 feet and then slopes down to about three feet from the ground about 50 feet away. The antenna works 80 through 10 meters with my Icom 7300 being able to tune anywhere just fine. I have worked a number of UK and European stations from my QTH in NE Florida using 100Watts and even 5 Watts on 80 meter SSB. I have also worked VK, ZL, ZS and a bunch of exotic DX stations on both 40 and 20 meters on both SSB and CW. I have not done too much on 10 meters due to sporadic band conditions but I easily hit all over South America and sometimes into Europe. N2SN.

[@timg5tm941]

Great stuff!

[@alzeNL]

Fantastic video, and with skip on 10m coming in more than ever, what a perfect time to try !

[@timg5tm941]

Thanks! Yes it did better than I thought on 10

[@PrimulaCarniolica]

As always Tim, simple, effective & great for portable!!! 👍👌

[@timg5tm941]

It sure is! I need to do portable more often! 73

[@robertkennedy1960]

Tim, you can easily improve the design of your half-wave vertical by adding a1/4 wavelength counterpoise. An easy way to do this is by replacing the single wire half wave radiator with a quarter wave length window-line and a quarter wave length single wire. (One of the wires in the window-line acts as a counterpoise and the other as part of the radiator). Alternatively just tape a single wire counterpoise to the antenna mast or place the counterpoise on the ground. Most 49:1 ununs have a connector for a counterpoise. Without a counterpoise, your coax shield will be acting as the counterpoise which may or may not work. (You will likely need a counterpoise for your EFHW if your run of coax into the shack is less than 1/4 wavelength long).

[@timg5tm941]

I’ve never had an issue with that but in some cases (higher power especially) it’s more of an issue I’m sure

Hi there Tim, just realized we had a QSO on 10m while you were mobile I was in POTA reference in YT, working with endFed. I wrote an qsl card acctualy the other day :) cheers and thanks for the excellent content!

[@timg5tm941]

Hey great to hear from you and work you!! 73

[@philtuckerm0dpk212]

Great video Tim. Thanks for sharing. I love simple antennas like this so keep it going please.

[@timg5tm941]

Thanks, will do! Appreciate the support Phil 73

[@ianxfs]

Useful antenna Tim and a good point that you explained you were on SSB as some reviews/claims are all digital based over a timespan.

[@timg5tm941]

Yes SSB is the Litmus test for sure

[@TheNoCodeTech]

Very helpful, I learned some stuff. Thanks

[@timg5tm941]

Great to hear and thanks!

[@DonDegidio]

Hi Tim, Just checked all my aluminum tubing and have enough to put up a 40m end feed. Will probably guy it at the 5m level. Have to make a 49:1 balun. You and the family stay safe. 73 WJ3U

[@timg5tm941]

Good luck with the project Don and I hope all stay well there too 73

[@G3PWP]

Bang on Tim I use this set up they work really well at about 10 feet from the groud with three 1/4 wave 5M lengths (for 20 metre band ) counterpoise wires just spread out 120 degrees apart just roughly 2E0LVL Stoke on Trent

[@timg5tm941]

Nice set up yes there’s a little more gain at that height 73

[@samgrieg2542]

What a great video, thank you. I've been considering this same set-up.

[@timg5tm941]

Thanks! Hope you enjoy it

[@vincenzofidanza2539]

Nice presentation , but , but , but, feeding a 20 meters dipole at the center with ladder line you get consistent low radiation angle on multiple bands from 30 meters to 10 meters. I use this type of antenna and on 10 and 11 meters performs almost well as my 5/8 antenna. Plus is a very agile antenna. Needs a tuner although. W4RNL liked this antenna very much. Maybe you can present it here as well.

[@AmateurRadioUK]

Hi Tim. Great video. This is something that I have been looking at for a few months. I originally did exactly what you did with my 12m Spiderbeam mast but in my location (lots of buildings such as houses, metal sheds & industrial warehouses) it was a little disappointing. As you know, I put out a video quite a while back (one of my earlier videos) where I tried it on the Welsh coast & it worked very well. I'm thinking that I need to get it raised up above the roofline..........I'm swaying towards an 18m Spiderbeam mast which will have the feed point at around 8m above the ground. Could be an interesting experiment! I'm guessing that you've probably seen it, Peter (from Waters & Stanton) recently did video where he put a 17m choke in to make it work on both 20m & 17m. I guess that you could do the same with a 15m choke. The down side to this is that you would lose 10m.

[@timg5tm941]

Good points and im meaning to do a 15/17 version. The only thing peter didn’t cover is that you should avoid placing a trap in the middle of the lower frequency current maximum. So 20/12 for example isn’t a good idea (it’ll work but it must do something(?) to knock back 20). Similarly 20/15; 17/10 aren’t great combinations. However 20/17; 17/15; 17/12(just); 12/10 are good combinations as the higher frequency trap is away from the peak of that crucial current maximum for the lower band between 1/8 and 3/8 of a wavelength. I’ll have to take a look to see what the risk/gain ratio is like with a risky combination. 73

[@MirlitronOne]

Yep, great aerial, easy build AND no counterpoise or radials needed!

[@timg5tm941]

Spot on!

[@jamesleem.d.7442]

@@timg5tm941 Of course, the "counterpoise" here is coax braid for some modest distance starting at the box and running toward rig. Language is powerful.

[@homebrewham2786]

another great vid Tim, very informative 📡👍

[@timg5tm941]

Thanks Joe!

[@stevendevonside4647]

It would have been nice if you could have including the entering of the details into MMANA-GAL. I did enjoy the video and your others thanks.

[@markg6jvy135]

Good stuff Tim 👍👏👏

[@timg5tm941]

Thanks Mark!

[@samjones56]

great vid im considering maken a vertical thank you again

[@timg5tm941]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@w6dfmp242]

I've been interested in verticals and why so many people deal with radials when you can vertical an EFHW at least on the higher frequency bands. With this in mind I cut a wire to about 6m for the 12 meter band. I was surprised that with a 49:1 transformer I got 1.3 SWR but also had a dip in the 10 meter band albeit a little worse at 1.54 SWR. It seems odd to me that there is another low point so close as that shouldn't be a harmonic. I tested it and made Japan from Lower Alabama today on 12m and 10m at 10watts CW. Conditions have been great and SKM helps I'm sure but do you know why it does this. If I understood it I'd try to tweak it to get both below 1.5 SWR. Thanks and keep up the great content, it's very helpful.

[@timg5tm941]

Thank you. I think you’ll find a dip like you’ve seen on 10 and 12 shows a lossy transformer. Some are designed better than others for losses on bands above 20m. You’ll still enjoy the aerial though. 73

[@tristan4777]

Great video.

[@timg5tm941]

Glad you enjoyed it! 73

[@americaswayout4489]

Tim, over here some folks are using EFHW cut for 80 meters yet the harmonics get almost every other band except sometimes a little high in frequency so they add in the middle of the wire a capacitor that then changes and lowers the higher bands resonate point. My point is, could this antenna by adding a capacitor make 6 meters also useable" The core transformer would need to use a core that goes above 50 megs. Just a thought, but you are an antenna builder and might find adding 6 meters an improvement if possible? This video DID answer a question I have had on my mind recently !!

[@timg5tm941]

Hmmm I’ll see if it models ok and maybe just try it.

[@denelson83]

Looks like the optimum frequency you would want to cut your EFHW for on the 80-metre band would be 3537.5 kHz. In that case, the sixth harmonic is 21.225 MHz, right in the middle of the 15-metre band, which is proportionally the narrowest band between 80 and 10 metres, not including the WARC bands. 73 VE7NDE

[@techtrendzy]

Hi Tim, Nice video! Small question : I have the EFHW4010 66' version, Will it works as efficiently if its wrapped on a much shorter length fibreglass pole helically all the way up? Thanks De Vu3Cgb

[@timg5tm941]

It will change the tuning. Better to keep any helical winding as loose as possible 73

[@techtrendzy]

@@timg5tm941 Got it, thanks for the advice !👍

[@jkannegaard9191]

Works like gang busters. Adding a reflector is an interesting idea. Have you done it? I have another mast lying around so it wouldn't be hard to try. I might model it as center fed to get length and distance and find the new feed point on the matching section by cut and try.

[@timg5tm941]

Sounds interesting!

[@DAVIDGREGORYKERR]

A 16:1 UNUN might be better for an End Fed Long Wire antenna.

[@RuVi78]

20m the gain is 0.14 dbi? Maybe Im misunderstand.. but it has no gain? If is 0.14 dbi than dbd is negative?

[@davidevans6432]

If you feed it against an earth rod on 7 MHz (missing the un:un) is it any good. There only needs to be a simple DPDT switch at the feed (might bring in 21MHz as a bonus)

[@timg5tm941]

Well it might well tune but without a decent radial system it won’t do very well.

[@johnkiljan7441]

Same thought as David here. It would be a pretty simple modification to make the same antenna work into the night and pick up 15M as well. All that would be needed is a dozen short radials and the switch at the base of the antenna you need to throw when you paddle out into the back yard in your bathrobe and pajamas to make the change while the neighbors wonder what you are up to now. 8^)

[@timg5tm941]

Yep, my neighbours certainly do that lol. 73

[@paulsengupta971]

Use a relay and control it from indoors! This is the same as Steve Ellington's 80m EFHW switched for a 1/4 wave on 160m. I'm trying to do things differently, I'm trying to put a coil in so that an 80m EFHW will both be trapped and then loaded for 160m. There are lots of designs on the web for a coil which "extends" a 40m EFHW for 80m, but so far I've not been able to find one for 80m to 160m. If you have a little more length available on a vertical pole, it might be worth trying to load a 20m EFHW for 40m with a coil.

[@ErnestGWilsonII]

Thank you very much for making all the videos that you do and sharing them with us. This particular antenna setup is one that I want to try, but I would like to see what happens if we took the exact setup you have in this video and put a loading coil right after the 49 to 1 balun and use the loading coil such that that same piece of wire could transmit on 80 meters. Essentially what I'm asking is can we combine a 49 to 1 balun with a loading coil such that we end up with a multi-band vertical antenna? Specifically using the 33 ft pole for the vertical portion of the wire. If it works it would be lossy on 80 and 40, but at 20 m it's still a half wave. I'm asking because 33 ft is about the limit of portable pole and since that's a half wave on 20 m, I was hoping to use a loading coil to be able to work 40 m and 80 m, essentially making a multi-band EFHW that goes into a loading coil maintaining the 33 ft vertical portion. In theory it seems like this would work on all bands 80 through 10, obviously compromised very much on the lower bands. I think I've watched every video you have ever made, and I don't think I've seen you combine and EFHW with a loading coil to shorten the vertical element. Have you already done this in a video that I missed? What do you consider making a video on this topic? Thank you very much, I am of course subscribed with notifications turned on and thumbs up! 73 W3GUY

[@timg5tm941]

Hi Ernest. It may be possible to load 80 on 33ft but I fear performance would be dreadful. A version of the one in this video which has a 34uh coil and 2m of wire following (therefore around 12m long) gives you 40m (with restricted 2:1 swr bandwidth) as well as 20/10 as per this video. I know Hyendfed make a shorty version which adds another coil and a short piece of wire which in total is about 50ft long and gives 80 40 20 10. However, bandwidth and efficiency are a big compromise on 80. But if it gets you on the air 🤷‍♂️. 73

[@ErnestGWilsonII]

@@timg5tm941 thank you for replying. The reason for wanting 80 m had nothing to do with efficiency. I was hoping to have an end fed and antenna shortened to 80 m, so the resonant frequencies would be usable on all the other bands, 40, 30, 20, 17, 15, 12, 10 Really I was imagining a single antenna based on end fed so it would be resonant on every harmonic not just the odd harmonics. The problem is the base frequency needs to be 80 m to achieve the starting frequency for all the other harmonics. And I don't want to have a very long antenna on 80. As a result I was hoping to combine two technologies: A shortened 80 m element that would fit on a 33-ft mast Hook that to EFHW 49 to 1 so I could use it on multiple bands. Essentially I'm asking if you can combine those two items, a shortened 80 m that fits on a 33 ft pole and still use it with the EFHW so we get have multiple bands on every single harmonic?

[@troyclancy3160]

Very interesting for sure, I am new to mmana software, how do you simulate the 49:1 transformer in the software?

[@timg5tm941]

For VSWR it does mad when you feed the antenna at the end above ground level. I change the swr parameters to 2450 ohms when ground mounted to get the 49:1 swr estimate

[@yamakawa511]

Interesting, I'll have to check mine at 10m. Also see the videos from Alex VK2PRC on portable operation and balun construction/tuning. Y

[@timg5tm941]

Thanks I will

[@tropenband]

Did you try to use it on 40 meters also? I have got the same antenna setup, get a perfect SWR on 7 MHz, but no signal at all 🤔🤔

[@timg5tm941]

No I haven't - as its 10m long it would be a 1/4 wave on 40m so not fed with a 49:1. However, you have two options. Firstly, feed it with coax ad radials as a 1/4 wave. Or keep the 49:1, add a 35uH coil at the top of the 10m wire and then add 2m of wire to the top of the coil. You may need to carefully trim the top wire - but you will then have an antenna for 40 20 and 10m. 73

[@davidnewman7490]

Nice video Tim. What's not to like about a EFHW , simple and no ground required! What happened with the video on the vertical doublet you were going to do? I was looking forward to that as fancy trying it myself. Dave G1NNR

[@timg5tm941]

Thanks Dave. I’m afraid life got in the way for a while. I might revisit that in the future. Thanks for stopping by and commenting 73

[@paulsengupta971]

Hi Tim, did you specially construct the transformer for 20m-10m or was it just a generic one you used?

[@timg5tm941]

Generic Paul - single core 140-43 49:1 off the shelf. 73

[@-----REDACTED-----]

I wonder if this can be adapted for 70cm to be placed directly on a HT... 🤔

[@timg5tm941]

The 49:1 won't work on UHF. However for a hand held you can purchase some good extendable whips. You can also run portable with a small fibreglass pole and a flower pot antenna for 70 cm taped to it.

[@peterbriggs3408]

No ground connection at the antenna of any sort?

[@timg5tm941]

Nope. Very high impedance at feedpoint therefore at 100w no practical need for grounding.

[@paulsengupta971]

I believe an EFHW will benefit from a 0.05 wavelength counterpoise, though of course the braid of the coax will work for that.

[@timg5tm941]

Not an issue at 100 watts and a well matched system 73

[@Nick_G7IZR]

How does this compare in performance (on a single band) to the T2LT as referenced in your May 22 video "Simple DX antenna for 10m"? I was just about to buy a 7m pole and make your T2LT for 10m, but would this perform better and give me the added advantage of 20? 73, G7IZR

[@timg5tm941]

Hi Nick - The radiation angle would be better for DX as a half wave as when an antenna is a full wave the gain below 10 degrees begins to fall away. 73

[@paulkazjack]

Both of my branded 49:1 transformers get rather hot after a few minutes use on Tx. Do you know what the efficiency of these transformers are Tim?

[@timg5tm941]

Which mode are you using?

[@hamshackleton]

Did you buy or build your 49 - 1 transformer? How about a short vid showing how, and what with? I've tried a couple (in sealed tubs) that were purchased from 'reputable' sources, and they were rubbish - got quite hot on 50 watts - and deaf as a Beethoven's doorpost!

[@timg5tm941]

Hi there it was a commercial one from Hamtenna in the UK. Fine at 100w and rated at 400w pep. Your “reputable” sources ... not eBay or involve the letters MFJ perchance?

[@hamshackleton]

@@timg5tm941 - Definitely not ebay! (and it didn't say MFJ on the box - which now resides in the bin anyway!

[@paulkazjack]

They all get hot!

[@hamshackleton]

@@paulkazjack too hot to hold hot?

[@paulkazjack]

@@hamshackleton Yes just about.

[@Massey_Fferguson]

Annoyed I only have a 7m fibreglass extending pole 🤔

[@timg5tm941]

Inverted L?

[@alniittymaa7074]

Go up the 7M and finish off the rest as a inverted-L design - roughly 22 feet up and the remaining 10 feet horizontal or slightly sloped down. You may need to adjust the length a bit but it will work. Al, VA3KAI

[@timg5tm941]

Yep 👍👍

[@pd9rd]

@Big Massey I had the same "problem"... So I made a short EFHW that's 7 meter in length for the 20 meter band. I have it on a 7 meter glass fiber pole. It's 5 meter wire and than a 8 uH loading coil and then another 2 meter wire. Keep that a little longer to cut it for 1:1 SWR on the frequency you want. It can be used for the whole 20 meter band without using a tuner. Contact me if you need help making a 8 uH coil. @Tim G5TM thank you for the video!

[@timg5tm941]

Great info .. thanks 👍👍

[@donalfinn4205]

Tops.👍☘️

[@timg5tm941]

Thanks 👍

[@om0wt]

Hi Tim. Can you share the MMAMA-GAL model with us? Or list all params? Thanks a lot. 73 de OM0WT

[@timg5tm941]

Email me via QRZ

[@ataboyboyboy8895]

I like this but I am worried how ti stands against English weather. it is very high, higher than my house, I am worried that it may fall and hurt the neighbours, there are children around.

[@timg5tm941]

The pole itself is light fibreglass. If you attach it securely to a fence you should be ok. Easy to take down and re erect following storms

[@ataboyboyboy8895]

@@timg5tm941 Good to know, I was thinking I need to dig some foundation for it which will ruin my messy garden :-)

[@g7npl]

Hi Tim great video you can make and add a 34uh coil and 1.85 of wire and get the 40meter band well and still under 12 meters tall thanks DE G7NPL,

[@timg5tm941]

Indeed you can and I have one here. Time for a video I think lol

[@alvinpope9315]

Hi I'm a cb operator could I use this in 11meter 73s from 416 Trinidad

[@timg5tm941]

Yes you MAY need to make the wire a full 10m long but there’s every chance you could squeeze 11m out of this. You may need a tuner to trim off a little but it’ll work

[@paulsengupta971]

If you wanted it just for 11m, you could make one just for that band, with about 5.5m of wire or so.

[@agrxdrowflow958]

It looks like a dipole because it's a monopole.

[@williamhowell1791]

So since it does 20 and 10 meters, how well would it do for 11 meter??? and would the same 49:1balun work on 11 meter? and if on 11 meter would it then be a full wave antenna?

[@timg5tm941]

It should be fine for 11

[@jest.s50si83]

👍73🇸🇮

[@timg5tm941]

73 👍