Ham Radio: End Fed Half Wave Antenna - A Great Simple Multi-band Antenna

I keep coming back to the efhw as my go to straight up and away antenna. Four bands, no tuner, great performance.. what’s not to love with 20m/66 feet of wire?!
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[@johnnorth9355]

Great stuff Tim. Anyone starting off in HF should watch this and go this way for their first (low cost) antenna. I have mine in a crazy configuration to keep the wife happy that it does not spoil her garden and it still works well. Can't wait for the warmer weather so I can go on the hills with a simple inverted V setup either. With just 10 watts you can get some real distance when conditions are right. M7BLC

[@timg5tm941]

Thank you John. Yes they are very tolerable to bending and that’s useful when keeping the wife happy! 73

[@antenaseinterfacescb]

Great project Tim 7351. During two years I've made a study about this antenna, for 11 meters. Trying some toroids and one that works perfectly is from an old TV. So since 2022 I've made 5 antenna's, and that's my core business now in Portugal, with the Vertical End Feed JS20 Portable/Fixed. This antenna works perfectly from 20 meters to 10 meters without tuner. 7351 and good work Tim. Working with one from my QTH in Cartaxo compared to A99 receive a Tx better without qrm.

[@timg5tm941]

Sounds very good!!

[@paulcheesmur1858]

Hi Tim, Loving the content, Keep the videos coming. I just brought an end fed Half wave and 10m Spiderbeam pole for my small garden. Only passed a few weeks ago. I wasn't sure weather to buy a vertical or end fed wire but decided I can try different set up's with the wire. I also brought the Telescopic Antenna and Loading Coil for mobile use which I have set up in the garden on the Ground mount that M1Ecc sells which works Great. The End fed half wave is in the post to me from UK antennas so i'm just playing with the Telescopic. Having Fun. Thanks Tim

[@timg5tm941]

First of all congratulations on passing! You’ll enjoy the efhw it’s a great antenna. Appreciate your support too thanks!

[@paulcheesmur1858]

@@timg5tm941 Hi Tim. I will be putting up the end fed half wave in the next few day in a inverted vee configuration. The 49-1 transformer Will be up off the ground around 6m high and the centre of the wire around 11m high and it will run along to sides of my small garden. One leg will run east, West and the other north, south. Do I need to earth the matching unit? 7m long earth wire might affect the antenna? What's your view? Thankyou for your help.

[@ricktherecorder4416]

Very interesting. I’d call a half-wave wire an aerial. Antennas are pointy sticks, at least in the UK.

[@rivit90]

Hey Tim good shout regards the 10 meter band opening up ,, it's fantastic at the moment 😊👍

[@timg5tm941]

Thanks! 10 is rocking 👍

[@timbookedtwo2375]

I, too, enjoy using end fed half wave antennas. Currently, they are the only kind I have set up. I have a couple of mono-band antennas (2, 6, 10, 11, 15, 20m) and a multi-band antenna (10, 15,20, 40 and 80m). They are all resonant antennas (no "tuner" required). Of course, I don't have them all mounted at the same time. I hang the mono-band antennas vertically from a 12m Spiderbeam mast. They are from a German company and use no conventional matching unit, but rather a window line stub with a slider on it to adjust the SWR, very good solution when operating portable. The multi-band antenna is from a Dutch company and is 23 meters long. At the end is a coil and about 2-3 meters of additional wire for the 80m portion. The bandwidth is rather narrow, but if you want, you can adjust the length of the wire and get good resonance on any part of the 80m band that has no effect on the other bands. I have it configured as a sloper, the matching unit about 2m above ground, the high end about 12 meters above the ground. (I have the real estate for that configuration). Interestingly, there is some directivity (gain) in the direction of the slope. For good measure I did connect an auto-tuner to the antenna near the feed point and can get a match on the WARC bands and 160m band. It works. Kind of. Oh, one last thing. For none of these antennas is a counterpoise or ground necessary. Grounding the big antenna might be good to bleed off static electricity on the wire. Of course, if I had the money and the okay from my SYL I would like to put up a 20m tower and beam antenna. But that ain't gonna happen in my lifetime. Vy 73!

[@timg5tm941]

Sounds like a good collection!

[@rivit90]

Great video Tim as usual very informative, efhw antennas are super convenient, I myself did a bit of experimenting during the summer . I was interested in how a 20 meter band full half wave vertical would perform. Using a 10 meter DX commander pole and a 49:1 transformer I set it up , in a word phenominal ! . 10 meter band also fantastic. I actually connected a CB radio to it and a manual atu , It blew a imax200 5/8 wave CB antenna out of the water ! Everyone should own a 49:1 transformer Keep up the great work Tim and have a great weekend 👍 73s

[@timg5tm941]

That’s really kind of you! Yes I agree they are very adaptable and useful antennas 73

[@theoldhobbit3640]

Hi Tim, I remember watching a video of yours some time ago on the EFHW (49:1) and decided to make a couple of my own for QRP/P work. They work a treat and I never go anywhere without one. Unfortunately I do not have HF capability at home, but my /P makes up for that. Thanks for sharing......

[@timg5tm941]

Totally agree. Take care! 73

[@M0RMY]

Really good Tim - informative and useful for small gardens etc. I love the smell of hot ferrite!! 😀

[@timg5tm941]

In the morning? 🤣

[@StuartM0TTQAmateurRadio]

That's very similar to my arrangement at home, except I have the transformer about 2m up a 10m pole. So it goes up about 8m, down for 10m at about 45 degrees to a 3m pole and 2m fold back horizontally. All been swinging around nicely in the winds this weekend!

[@timg5tm941]

Sounds familiar!

[@DrHWO]

Nice video Tim. I have a similarly deployed EFHW which works very well. I have compared the placement of the longest vertical section between 2 positions. First was 2m from the house and second 10m from the house. Over a 4 week spell of each, the second position was 2S points lower in noise than the first. I guess the vertically polarised QRM sources in the house have decayed more at 10m. Keep up the good work. 73, M0YZT

[@timg5tm941]

Thank you! Yes being further away from the house will certainly reduce noise. They work well for sure, thanks for your support! 73

[@livingadamman7994]

Nice one Tim, great video thanks

[@timg5tm941]

Glad you enjoyed it, thank you!

[@stevesomers7366]

Thanks, Tim. Very informative. I have the same end-fed antenna. It's a great compromise without much performance compromise at all. I'm passing a link to your video on to my nephew, KN6PIL, to consider. 73, AE6SS

[@timg5tm941]

Thanks Steve .. they work well. 73 to you and your nephew

[@782matt2]

Hi Tim............Interesting video.................I have been using EFHW for a few years now (from Uk Antennas )....Even though its meant to be for 40/20/15/10 I still find I can use this antenna on 17 and 12 using the ATU inside the radio with very good results.................I would recommend this type of antenna to anyone ............My antenna is an inverted L and I have had very good results........Best 73s ............Matt

[@timg5tm941]

Thank you Matt.. they certainly work well 73

[@DK5ONV]

Hello Tim. I am a very happy EFHW User. I have 5 Enfed Antennas now 49:1 and 9:1UNUN Baluns. Shortest 48:1 has 11,90m lenght (39,1ft. with 34µH extension coil for the 40m Band) and the long wire Version 20,45m (67ft.) Lenght. The 9:1UNUN 's are 26,50m (87ft.) and 40,56m (133ft.) lenght. There's longer wire versions available to choose if someone has the Space for it to install such a Beast. I worked the whole World with these antennas as a portable station. I kinda fell in love with wire antennas...thx for the Video, Tim. Have a nice sunday. 73 de Your Friend Uncle Guenter

[@timg5tm941]

Thanks Guenter you take care 73

[@markg6jvy135]

Nice 👍👏👏

[@MatFarringtonInfo]

At 7:16 you show us the current distribution on 15m. Being an end fed I would have expected the current to be closer to zero at the feed point.

[@timg5tm941]

Not really. Although you are correct that the efhw is a voltage fed antenna, the current maximum of a single half wave is at quarter wave distance from the feedpoint. In this case for 15m this is just around 3.3m (11 feet) from the base. Of course, there will also be a steady growth of rf as we approach that point of current maxima from the feedpoint. 73

[@willian.direction6740]

Thanks Tim I have a link in mine at 15.6m it gives 9.6 mhz 18 mhz 24 mhz on same wire. Slight miss match for 30m but it works well on 18mhz. Close link and it works on other bands. Some fine tuning may be required to suit other "gardens" elsewhere. I been chasing JA SOTA ops with my FT 817 in my yard with it, this config gives best results on 15m 17m . vk5cz ..

[@timg5tm941]

Sounds very good

[@kirkp_nextguitar]

Since you state that no tuner is required I expected to see SWR or impedance data, but I only see pattern predictions. I’d expect some kind of tuner to be required to have a good match at all those bands. I’d like to see VNA SWR and Smith Chart sweep at each band. That’s how I’m evaluating theEFHW antenna I’m currently working on. But it includes a simple tuner.

[@timg5tm941]

The 49:1 transformer transforms high impedances when bands are a half wave or multiple thereof. No tuner is needed. So for example a 66 foot wire fed with the 49:1 provides a good vswr on 40(1/2): 20 (full); 15 (1.5 wave); 10 (2 wave). Only warc bands would need a tuner but losses would be high and power should be reduced a lot so as to avoid overheating the transformer. 73

[@brentjohnson6654]

Another good video. I am considering this for POTA. I want to throw wire antennas in the tree or a mast mounted to the vehicle.

[@timg5tm941]

Plenty use them for POTA and enjoy the results 👍

[@eddien2gsl]

Keep these great videos coming. I am also am a fan of EFHW antennas. I am going to be looking at using a choke coil for 20 meter resonance with a length of wire on top of the coil to resonate on 40 meters. This should result in a total length of 12.5m (41ft.) which is doable for a vertical orientation. This configuration should be resonant on 20, 40 and 10 meters. As a vertical it will easily fit in a small garden and the far field should behave as a vertical with no worries about ground radials as needed for 1/4 wave verticals.

[@timg5tm941]

Good point, those shortened ones work quite well on 40. Apprentice your support 73

[@brian.7966]

Hi Tim, I have been using a 40 meter half wave for some time I get great results, I also have a coil fitted so I can get onto 80 meters also without using a tuner.

[@timg5tm941]

Good antenna for limited space on 80

[@paulsengupta971]

@@timg5tm941 Tim, you seem to have a bit of vertical space at the far end of your antenna - maybe you could put in a loading coil/choke for 80m with its tail just hanging down and seeing if you could have the antenna be usable on 80m?

[@timg5tm941]

@@paulsengupta971 good idea 👍

[@cnick6]

Personally, this isn't the issue for me -- it's getting on 160 or 80 that's the real challenge with limited space. ;o)

[@timg5tm941]

Indeed it is

[@Jonshome337]

Any chance of a tutorial on the modelling software you use?

[@timg5tm941]

Check out DX commander and his modelling vids .. he’s done beginners tutorials on there

[@wx0mik]

I love my EFHW, it just needs some better tuning. I have the 80m version. I have worked the world from it. Long story short, I tired to tune it and ended cutting off way too much (do to a crappy nanoVNA). I will likely fix that this year. I can tune every band but 10m. As that opens, I want to make sure I have 10 working.

[@timg5tm941]

They work great!

[@fpaolo63]

pls share a picture of the installation :)

[@timg5tm941]

I will once installed 73

[@nickbernstein]

I've tried using a 49:1 EFHW but the coax seemed to be picking up rf and transmitting it back into the house. I need to try adding a choke, but I think that's a somewhat common problem with them as the coax effectively acts as the CP.

[@timg5tm941]

The solution many use is to run the coax about 5% of lowest wavelength from the 49:1.. then common mode choke.. then coax to radio.

[@franciscoalves5058]

Please send me a project antenna 10 -80m.

[@2E0RME]

Thanks for these uploads, they're really useful. How does your EFHW compare in terms of DX to your Ampro whips (20m or higher) when portable?he

[@timg5tm941]

EFHW are more efficient but being near the sea compensates a lot when using the Ampro

[@joekrepps]

Hi Tim, Always enjoy your videos! Would this antenna need a counterpoise or does that depend on each installation? Also is there a minimum length of coax or does that depend on the individual installation? Very best 73’s! WB3CFN

[@timg5tm941]

Hi Joe. At 100 watts or less I have found no counterpoise is fine. Coax has been variable lengths and so far no issues 73

[@johnpeterson7264]

Great video as always ! Which balun do you think is the best choice to feed this ?

[@timg5tm941]

Hi John any 49:1 transformer

[@RadioMalopolska]

SHON SHEEP ..:) . 73! South Poland .. SQ9FCB

[@timg5tm941]

That’s him! 73

[@kellypaws]

I tend to get the RFI from Hell with multi bend HWEFs. I have more coax chokes and ferrite beads than you can shake a stick at, but still a very unhappy solution.

[@timg5tm941]

Ah luckily thats something I’ve yet to encounter

[@kellypaws]

@@timg5tm941 Borrow a legal limit linear and test the system with that. Magically, it shall most very likely appear. Whilst you might not operate QRO often. or at all, the RFI is still leaking back. People claim HWEFs are resonant and have no need for grounding/radials. Including some manufacturers. Not so. Not so at all. At the very, very least, I'd have a 49:1 transformer with a grounding terminal and make sure it has either radials, or a good ground rod. Also an RF choke.

[@markdavies7827]

Hi Tim Great antenna and good to see it modelled Where are you from Mark 2w0mtd

[@timg5tm941]

Cheers Mark, originally Llanelli, now West Sussex. 73

[@andrewford2783]

Bore Da Mark, to paraphrase... You can take the man out of GW.... But can't take GW out of the man! I got my ticket back in 1974, and after many years of being silent, as I am due to retire soon, this wonderful hobby is overdue in being revived. That end fed would be ideally suited to my home as space is restricted too. I was in college in 1974 in the then Llandaff Technical College, Cardiff, doing an electronics course. My license has long lapsed, but I believe, they are not re- allocated, so GW8JHT may be back flooding the ether fairly soon. I had a part-time Saturday job back then and saved my pennies to buy a brand spanking new shiny Yeasu FR-50b, which was connected to a 200ft long wire going into a tree across the field in front of my parents house in Pontyclun. I distinctly remember that most mornings, ZL1GG would pound in on 20mt 5/9++. I tried explaining to my mother that he was on the other side of the world, it was lost on her😄 Things are very different now, and my (then) 'B' license is now like an 'A' ? I've still got my 2mt Trio rig, but QRP interests me. Time to get building and buy an Altoids tin 😄 My work took me to Llanelli this week, and I parked in Cowell street. Looking up, there was a large old sign on the shop fronts 'Pugh Brothers'. I guess you will remember. 73's.

[@andrewford2783]

Sorry, I meant TIM of course Dog.

[@andrewford2783]

DOHHH. What am I like!

[@BoB4jjjjs]

I hope Shaun the Sheep agrees. 🤣

[@timg5tm941]

He sure does!!!!

[@LarryAnderson-i2s]

Jones Jessica Martin Mark Robinson Thomas

[@timg5tm941]

@@LarryAnderson-i2s 🤔

[@dodegkr]

Do you ground it with a stake or do you have radials?

[@timg5tm941]

No ground. No radials. Optional choke at 2m or so from feedpoint.

[@dodegkr]

@@timg5tm941 interesting, I bought one recently and it has an earth lug, tried it with radial and stake and the ftdx10 will only tune 10mhz upwards with resonance in the cb band everything else circa and swr of 6 or worse. Inverted l up a dx commander 10m pole to top of house 20m away

[@TheArtofEngineering]

Me Tarzan me like 22222