Ham Nation - HF Mobile Antennas

Gordon West (WB6NOA) talks about HF mobile antennas, and getting the feed-point impedance at 50 Ohms. Also covered, is a recommendation on the type of antenna vehicle mounts to use, and those to avoid.

[@JITProductions]

Gordon West cracks me up! First the high top socks with shorts, the assortment of vehicles, well used gear, and the already damaged Yaesu 817 radio he chucks into the floorboard. I enjoy Gordon's videos. :)

[@wadesuhr]

That Plymouth Fury wagon is OFF THE HOOK! Love it! My folks bought one brand new before I was born. What a classic.

[@KX4UL]

Good mobile antenna info Gordo! Thanks for all you do promoting HAM radio. And also for all the great study books and cassettes that helped me learn CW and get my license back in the 90's.

[@WelshWidgetMan2O1O]

Great video, and and as others have jokingly mentioned, it is quite funny how he tosses his gear onto the floorboard of the dune buggy as he reviews each one! Gordon is definitely one of the good guys and I still have my Radio Shack Novice & Technician study guide which he authored back in the day. It has his picture on the back page with a short bio and was given to me around 1991 when I began studying for what was the Novice class license at the time. Good memories :)

[@ComputerLearning0]

Indeed, I also have the same study guide still to this day, and it is quite funny how Gordon just tosses his gear after showcasing each one! When he picked up that Yaesu FT-817 I was thinking Oh God, I hope he doesn't . . . CLUNK - Yep, he did. But you're right, Gordo IS indeed one of the good guys. I just wouldn't want him borrowing any of my radio or test equipment!

[@user-tz2xk4cz5z]

I Love this guy. I understand where he's coming from. He just throws the shit on the floor of that buggy and rolls forward.

[@wadepatton2433]

GORDO! I recall your cassette tapes and books way back in the 90's (like everybody else then). 73 OM!

[@Inkling777]

Excellent, practical about HF mobile antennas. They best I have seen on KZbin.

[@Irish_Wanderer_cooks]

Great video. I loved it when you wee throwing the tools and stuff on the floor. Made me smile.

[@matthew2000tx]

no wonder that 817 was missing a button. Gordo likes throw ham gear!!! OUCH! -K5NON

[@kd1s]

Yeah I notice that too. But then considering how many of us got into the hobby buying his study guides at Radio Shack. I got em' for my tech and general.. Went ARRL for my Advanced - much heavier on theory which was cool. And for my extra - a buddy and I drilled on the question pool for a weekend and then took the test and passed. Even did element 1C.

[@InternetGoldMiner]

you people are whining about that little flip? get a life.

[@W0AAA]

Great video Gordo! Thanks for all your efforts to make this a better hobby!.

[@alphaantenna]

In addition to the antenna placement & grounding statements, A VERY important point is made 14 minutes and 36 seconds into the video, "on the air for 10, 15, 20, and even 40 meters you really can't tell a difference between the less expensive lighweight whip and the more expensive $300-$500 big antennas". GREAT INFORMATION!

[@JimN5QL]

I really enjoyed the video Gordon has quite a sense of humor throwing the equipment around and to top it off at the end tried to build that flange with the pliers. I was really excited to see that diamond K400 mount because I had a full size screwdriver on the back of my Chevy Blazer but I sold it and got a Kia Soul. I could not find one way in hell to mount an antenna until I saw this video. I found it on Amazon for $89 and I got sick to my stomach. But, they had a deal so if I got their Amazon credit card I could get it with a big discount. After getting the card and checking out the total price was $8.85! Can't wait to get it! Tell Gordon thanks for me.

[@sorinv68]

Very instructive. The last few seconds at the end take the cake :) 73!

[@joeframo3347]

Gordo such a great video thank you for sharing especially that whip some people do jam it all the way down they don't realize they have to trim it if they want to achieve a good SWR what some people run that thing all the way down and it breaks the wires in the helical wound antenna keep up the good work your best friend in Atlanta Georgia

[@RadioHamGuy]

Excellent video explaining mobile antenna set-ups, Great job. I did see it on Ham Nation also. Glad you added it to your page Julian, thanks. Good one to pass around.

[@billrizos7565]

I love how he throw's the stuff on the floor love the video

[@GiantSequoiaNation]

Hey, I'm installing an L-type bracket with an NMO mount for a quad band VHF/UHF antenna to the center of my ladder rack behind my rear window close to the cargo light. The ladder rack isn't resting on the metal rail but its bolted through the plastic rail cover to the metal bed. I already have a Wilson 5000 mounted to the center of my roof for my CB. Is the ladder rack a viable option and if so should I run ground straps from the rack to the frame? Thanks. (KD2MOT)

[@joeframo3347]

Hello Gordo I worked you a couple years ago it was on 40 meters good seeing you on KZbin your best friend from Atlanta Georgia

[@ppger44]

At 5:20, I was showed that aluminum can strips need to be placed between set screws and car hood or trunk, so you don't break the paint and develop rust. Just a thought. Keep the the videos up Gordo!

[@taddtorborg8745]

is there anybody who has reviewed the available cars to decide which ones are appropriate for HF mobile operation?

[@W6OWH]

Hi Gordo, Great little video. I have always wondered about using the little MFJ capacitance or inductance boxes. I have struggled in the past with high swr on 40 m and now I see how with a little extra adjustment I could bring it right down. N6BOB

[@bill45colt]

this guy sure throws his hardware around roughly....

[@noybi76]

Thanks for the video, the best in this topic. 73!

[@FireAndEMS]

are you allowed to have VHF 700/800 mobiles in personal vehicles where your located like for fireman EMS and law enforcement

[@TREEHUGGAH1]

gordo is one of the coolest people in amateur radio. much love and respect sir!!! 73,KB3AUM former KB3YJO

[@BoboAthanassion]

Nice video. Really helped out a lot. I've been a Technician since 1987 and last year finally received my General Class License. I'm leaning more towards a screwdriver type antenna for my van. Can't wait to see your next video on good tips for mounting a motorized screw driver antenna. On another not, I'm in a very antenna restricted area. I was wondering if I can mount various single band stick antennas in my attic that will get me on the HF air effectively. Anyway, 73's and have a wonderful day. N3NQP ;)

[@aurtisanminer2827]

At 8:00 I was doing this on my car. When I touch the insulated loading coil on my hf antenna it would really cut the noise down. Glad it’s a good sign! When tree branches brush against my antenna and coil it does the same thing.

[@richa1187]

Wish there was a video on HF Antennas for us full time RVer's Thanks AA1RM

[@cattail3]

Will the K400 articulate enough to be used on the back "hatch/door" of an SUV (like the 4Runner)? I have a number of hustler antennas from way back when and just now getting back into ham radio with the FT817. I do not want to mount this antenna with my usual ball mount. Thanks!

[@jyunte]

+cattail3 Yes, it rotates in all directions, and I've seen it holding up antennas in the 90-degree position.

[@giovannimai2717]

Hallo, which is the producer of the antenna with this very large coil ? 73, Giovanni

[@KandiKlover]

I like some of those old HTs he has sitting in the background there. I wish I could still get some that work and have the batt and charger.

[@KandiKlover]

I just got one that works and still has the battery and charger. Icom IC-03AT with BC5 charger. Too bad nobody uses 220 much though.

[@josephkopeczy2644]

Great video Gordon do you have Charlie high q antenna or the scorpin antenna there very nice cost alot of money

[@itakeyourphoto]

Nicely presented video. That 817 has seen better days!

[@dang25272549]

Thanks for the useful tips 👍.

[@VacationGetaways]

Shouldn't the antenna be fully inserted before turning radio on?

[@769270865]

I currently have a discone on k400. Never know that it is also strong enouph for hf size antenna

[@philnyc]

Very good video. I love how he throws his shit around the car lol.

[@bigred4860]

thanks for the info I like how he showed ohm on the trunk lid im checking everything now LOL but I play with CB lol

[@sparky42]

I loved the way he just threw everything on the floor of the dune buggy ...lol

[@joekrepps]

Can’t say I’ve _ever_ intentionally tossed my ‘817ND on the floor. 😳 Now, sitting on my dashboard, it’s “gone for a ride” on a fast, hard turn but I’ve usually made one-handed grabs. HiHi!

[@joeframo3347]

The diamond mount is a excellent excellent mount Universal you could use it on everything SUV car it's a great Mount thank you for sharing

[@waldan1701]

Am I the only one that about had a stroke when he chunked his 817 nd into the pole or gear.

[@TubeYouFrancois]

+waldan1701 No, I also had a WTF! moment. But I like this guy, no BS, just getting to the point.

[@kevinj8258]

+waldan1701 That freaked me out also. Thats a $600 radio if you buy it cheap and used on ebay.

[@billrobie5134]

I like the guy, too. Among other things, he's a dead ringer for my Great Uncle. Still, I cringed when he started pitching gear around like it was a pile of rocks. I'll read everything I can get my hands on that he writes, but I've made a mental note not to buy gear from him. :-)

[@davidroygodden]

If you look at his gear its all broke up

[@JimN5QL]

EBay : " for sale Yaesu 817 cosmetically 1 out of 10"

[@radiowavz]

Gordon great video!

[@jyunte]

No one in this video disparages CB, but the differences between CB and Ham radio is pointed out where necessary. Antenna matching becomes more important when you're sending 1500 watts into an mismatched antenna, than when sending only 4 watts.

[@sweetgyy]

hey gordy what happened to the cb band ? the most popular "hf" band?

[@mikeydvd1]

great Job on the Video Some great ideas for mobile Hf.. Awesome Job Gordo,, 73s Ai1i..

[@inthenameofjustice8811]

I have been searching for an active antenna build for VHF/UHF work. No luck though.

[@Jack_Torrance.]

I am going to make a copper cactus J-pole with some old copper tubing I found in a neighbour's garage.

[@wattstarr911]

Hey the guy across the street has a few nice trucks

[@ClusterHeadSurvivor]

Love your wagon...wish I could buy it!

[@SuperHemiDodge426]

I can't believe he just threw that ham rig down like that unbelievable

[@wndy59]

Thanks, that was pretty fun!

[@andhanwer]

why didn't he throw the analyzer on top of the radio? I was waiting for that ! how disappointing...

[@bandit269u]

So if you decide you need to use a bridge. How do you know which one to use?

[@SWRadioConcepts]

Ideally the MFJ-907

[@bandit269u]

Why that one?

[@bigal69111]

Gordon, I used your book and passed my tech test. I can not wait to read the next one. kg7olq

[@jyunte]

This is not Gordon's page, so he won't see your comment. I made the video.

[@nolllabsproductions4620]

I like the way you throw the equipment on the floor :( AF6DE

[@rowdyraider556]

I got away from mag mounts when I was in high school (I was only running CB at the time). Haven't really planned a HF setup yet, don't really have room or money to begin with. If I just wanted to add a 10m radio, I have a CB antenna I really liked that I'd probably mod.

[@ifrarrow7039]

Excellent, by an oldtimer like myself

[@Colin_In_VK]

great video

[@baileysthree]

Fantastic information, loved the chucking of equipment. 73 KN6CWT

[@bandit269u]

Come on anybody help me out. If you need to use a bridge. How do you know which one to use?

[@ericbnyc]

As long as it's the first item to hit the carpet. . . Everything else landed one on top of the other - you can hear the clanks as they hit! :)

[@du2lx]

superb

[@K9GVF]

Good basics, but experience and "HF Mobileering" have taught us a lot about the difference between DC ground and RF ground in practice. 5w at 27MHz won't care too much. The energy of 100+W will circulate all over the vehicle. Need a follow up on the before and after effects of serious RF ground strapping. And if the 'resonant' antenna needs feed impedance matching, something else is wrong... (Um, good RF ground?)

[@JWW922]

Thanks! I appreciate your time and knowledge.

[@caeruleum780]

Hey....they are all Mil-Spec...throw them....no worries. Beside that he is a legend in the hobby.

[@agush8082]

great video, very useful information. throwing radios and tools made me laugh but its okay. again thanks.

[@mikebelanger4165]

We,, TECHNICALLY, Gordo, it's 28.300-28.500, but being USB, it's actually 28.300-28.497 in order to keep their entire signal "in-band".

[@_JoeMomma]

I love how sometimes he just kinda throws it in the car haha

[@kellypaws]

He's solid gold. But he doesn't fuss much for looking after stuff.

[@jasonhowe1697]

Personally I would recommend if you plan mount antennas to a boot I would be inclined to mount it on a scrap boot and fixit to 1-2" steel bar. I suggest a scrap boot to save cash on repair off boot before resale, Omn average rigs go from $450-7,500 here with medium being $750-3,500 the latest yaesu's start at $450-2,000 mark

[@jyunte]

+Jason howe I was lucky... I bought the car, new, for $15,000, had it for 5 years, put 75,000 miles on it, and sold it for $11,000. I couldn't have rented or leased a car for $4,000!

[@Jack_Torrance.]

I have had my vehicle 19 years. It started off red. It was in a wreck in 2001. The replacement parts I installed on it were yellow. I liked it so much that now my vehicle is yellow. I am planning to keep it another 21 years. It is the ultimate economy vehicle. Even the transceiver in it is as old as it is.

[@brucepresley5106]

Hello , I am sure there is some good info here, but the reverb unit is a music devise or 11 meter gear back in the day that was not appreciated then, and is distracting here.

[@jyunte]

I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. Reverb unit?

[@jyunte]

It's actually Gordo's wagon, not mine. But he says it's not for sale! :-)

[@MrSmithChart]

get a kick out of seeing Gordo chuck gear around... sometimes you got to throw stuff. Regardless - the man has forgotten more than I'll ever know... Thanks for the video - have been researching supergainer K400 for my 897D installation.. 73

[@ei4fjb]

nice video, its a shame that you dont think much of your equipment, when you throw you mulimeter and ft 817 onto the floor of your vehicle

[@user-gj1gm7hk7r]

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍💎

[@JamesJ7851]

Good basic information for a beginner. However, I don't really believe using an inline impedance matching device is the best approach. I wished Gordo would have touched on winding and tuning your own impedance matching coils for installation at the feed point. 73

[@majes1305]

Damit Julian!

[@jyunte]

Not my equipment, but Gordon's. And a 4" drop onto carpet is not going to hurt anything! LOL.

[@brucepresley5106]

Hello again. my apologies to this gentleman, the reverb was my problem on my mixer that I listen to , cheers.

[@robertmimm]

Thank you for answering my question. 73 de kn4wur

[@Sky1]

I need a Dune Buggy first!! :-)

[@wadepatton2433]

Use an adjustable (Crescent-type) wrench to bend mount at 6:44 to avoid raising burrs from serrated jaws of most "pliers". Notes from a fabricator.

[@daverhodes7235]

“I love my gear” (...toss)

[@WW5RM]

Gordo got so much money he just throws a 700 dollar FT-817 and a 300 dollar MFJ analyzer!! LOL Gordo is a trip!! =]

[@teresawade1661]

Thanks this was so very helpful to me. K5KA

[@k4rjjradio]

Must be nice to have an 817 to "toss around" LOL!

[@lkemmler]

Nicely done......KC3JBR

[@robertalbright224]

this guy put the "am" in ham

[@ezbzee]

Poor Julian got ran through the wringer

[@capncharlie7894]

throw the voltmeter. very entertaining

[@berkmanyt]

You should remove the mount that you are bending with pliers as you may DING the trunk lid when you attempt to bend the tab that hit the car body.

[@jyunte]

It's called "acting". He didn't bend anything.

[@chrisbaker2903]

How can I trust electronics knowledge of a person who throws his equipment around in such a careless fashion?

[@TheJacobY7]

very helpful thanks!

[@Icycoldcoke]

LOL i wish i could get a 20 or 40 meter whip for hf for 25 bucks here in VK try 90 $ each

[@iyaesu]

I must remember not to buy any used equipment from Gordo - everything gets thrown on top of one another :)

[@HarryHydro]

Looks like the 817 lost the power button.

[@djskinz454]

CB is HF, just not 10 or 12 meter ham band

[@steveoshaughnessy3736]

What do you mean you don't need hundreds of dollars worth of test equipment? The antenna analyzer alone is $250. Although yours looks like it came out of a junk box.

[@PeterNgugi]

Old wise Guru this one.

[@lovoldm]

just toss everything on the floor.

[@kamaledirisinghe]

Great info. But I didn't like him throwing his equipment on the car floorboard. No respect for the ham gear at all. - 4S7AB

[@royalbraindamage]

Captain kangaroo of radio!