My Favorite DX Antenna for HF Ham Radio

[@ErikTheVikingMechanic]

The infamous EFHW fed by 49:1. It can't get any simpler than that. Such an underestimated antenna. Packing a lot of potential for its size. All the best M7LDK

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Yes indeed! All the best and 73, Walt

[@NCBtrying]

Its awesome to see another DX person from the 757!

[@johnhess351]

Its amazing how easy it is to understand things after you have forgotten and re-learned them.

[@Zapruderfilm1963]

Always awesome to see another video from you Walt!! 73 de N1XV

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you! 73, Walt

[@adamny5e591]

Another GREAT vertical wire option. I’m with you…. telescopic fiberglass pole and 16AWG speaker wire. I used your “Coastal 20” for POTA this past Sunday from N. Central Florida, Running 80W (FT891) my first two replies were from Austria and France. Big fan of the versatility offered by these masts!!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Awesome, me too! 73, Walt

[@RingwayManchester]

Great scenery man! Love it

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks Lewis!

[@otrdriver6767]

I have the ten tenna and like it very much. Thank you for sharing your time with us. Have a great day.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you! 73, Walt

[@Py1axRADIOAMADORISMOSEMSTRESS]

I like T2LT

[@outnaboot]

Thanks Walt...going to try this myself...love working Australia on 20m at 1100 UTC. This is great since it is 8AM for me :-) being doing a lot of antenna tests with Australia lately on my channel.

[@Frank_K4FMH]

Walt, the 0.05wl counterpoise has worked on all of the EFHW antennas I’ve built for myself or friends. Good stuff…

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Yes it really works surprisingly well. 73, Walt

[@PatFortino]

Hi Walt. Love the simplicity of that antenna. I’ll have to try it.

[@corsavic1]

keep em going walt nice to see your vids mate, this is the way of the ham

[@Crusty_Camper]

I think your sunrise is about 6:20 M at the moment, which is 11:20 AM for us in the UK, so I'll be listening ! 73 ! Pete M0KNQ

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Hope to catch you! 73, Walt

[@pasjeihobby]

Hmmm I have to try this 5% counterpoise... It's a new tip for me. 73 and thanks for all !

[@kjb_tennessee]

I just purchased the TennTennas 49:1, I"ve been doing a lot of FT8 lately on random wire antennas, lets see where this takes us.

[@Andrew-yx7sf]

I bought the BH7JYR 64:1 from Amazon that you used in a previous video. Our last activation at a park we made a 20 meter vertical up the pole. The balun was about 1 meter off the ground and it worked like gang busters. Thanks for all of your inspiration. 73 N1XXU

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

That’s awesome, thanks for sharing! 73, Walt

[@loraz0]

Vertical antennas rock. Random wire, EFHW, quarter wave vertical, they are all simple to put up, and really get your signal out. You don't even need a beach, they work well even in the land of cheese and cowpies.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Roger that!!! 73, Walt

[@s8ultra732]

Hi Walt what is your RF Gain settings in this video? ❤

[@christophersmith1155]

i like a telescopic whip . no compromise.

[@agoraphobicadam1171]

Thumbs up! Ka-Pow! KO4HPC 73

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks! 73 my friend

[@jolu2469]

QUESTION - Walt, you wrap & tape the wire to a 10 meter mast. Roughly how many wraps is that? How many pieces of tape (I'm trying to figure out the spacing)?. Thanks for the help and always great content. (If I'm not careful I might actually learn something...) - haha -73

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Haha we will learn together! I tape it about every 3 or 4 feet up the pole. 73, Walt

[@jeff-73]

Fantastic vid. Thanks

[@JoeEbnerTuscWeather]

A piece of wire on a stick. Add a little patience and it works well even if you're not on a beach.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Roger that!!

[@georgebradshaw474]

Hi Walt, another great video, thanks! Question: does it matter if the choke is at the antenna vrs at the radio? Using my two QRP radios with an inline choked coax, I place it at the radio end. Haven’t noticed any difference. Am I missing better results? AC3EA

[@spython1553]

I think he chokes the coax at the transformer end because he has a separate 1m counterpoise wire. The choke prevents the coax from being used as the counterpoise. If you don’t have a separate counterpoise, you’d probably put the choke at the transceiver end effectively making the coax your counterpoise.

[@woo1517]

Great video. I'd love to make an Australia contact. I'd be curious that. How you recommend going about getting the far Australian contacts.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Listen around 14.238 at about 7am Eastern US time. You’ll find the Southern Cross Net and it’s probably the easiest way to do it.

[@josephgomes8543]

Thanks Walt, another good one. You're getting me fired up to try some verticals other than my WR coil setups. Enthusiasm Cannot overcome the cold wind outside here in Western Mass. I'll be ready when the warm comes though, 73, Joe KC1MTM

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

I hear you, it’s actually windy and cool down here in Southeast Virginia today. I’m ready for summer. Hope to catch you in the bands! 73, Walt

[@christophermarshall5765]

Great video Walt!! One of the other stations you worked is married to one of my friends. VK5MAZ is VK5PAS’s wife great people they are.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks! That’s so cool!

[@MrTommy001]

I'm envious of your beach sand. Here in Nevada our ground pretty much turns to concrete once summer arrives. The only time my yard is somewhat 'mushy' is in the dead of winter under a bed of snow. 🤣

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Yes that sand makes putting up a vertical easy.

[@scottmorris4914]

What if you go ahead and sink a pipe in the ground, and put a cap on it. Pop the cap off whenever you want to use it. You don’t have to put an antenna mount in the ground each time you want to put up an antenna, just sink a permanent one once it is mushy. Good luck.

[@scottmorris4914]

Nice video.

[@jerryKB2GCG]

Any much difference on vertical vs. a sloper deployment of an EFHW? KB2GCG😊

[@paulsengupta971]

The sloper will be a bit directional.

[@ChrisKD9YSW]

See I am going to try this by Lake Michigan and see how I do. Thanks Walt, 73

[@forgetyourlife]

Back to the big knob.

[@RJ-cf8jq]

I have a question. I am land locked in the middle of the country, Oklahoma to be exact. I run a G90. I will say I love your channel. What do you suggest for a portable antenna for POTA.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Nothing beats a good End Fed Half Wave antenna for portable. Sloping, hanging from a tree, whatever it takes to get it up. It works great and is a compact easy to deploy multiband antenna

[@loraz0]

A mirror mount for CB radios, with a 12" garden spike to push in the ground for your base, and add a 17' extendable whip and 4 30 foot counterpoise wires will get you contacts on 20, 17, 15, 12, and 10m. It is a great inexpensive option for a G90. Another great performing vertical antenna.

[@dantheradioman]

I always say it's a license to learn too! 3 years since I got my license in the same method. Few months & practice tests later I upped to General. You've given me the push Walt! I'll take the Extra in 4 weeks before the question pool is updated!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Go for it! 73, Walt

[@Julie-zy6bn]

I built this vertical to Walt’s exact specs including the 49:1 Tenntenna. The very best SWR I could get was 2.20 on 20 meters. Would have been a fabulous antenna for 70cm but want to operate on 20M. What am I doing wrong???

[@notvanpron4115]

My new favorite antenna is a DX commander expedition that I use for my POTA. It is just a vacuum and only takes about 30 min to set up in multi band. I really like this idea for being simple, as I have been casting wires into our pnw trees to do my 40m EFHW, but almost every time it has a bend over a branch and definitely messes with the tune.... 73s

[@castle5711]

Would a ferrite snap-on collar choke work? Placed at the antenna input end of the coax rather than at the transmitter output end? Thanks, 73 Ed KK7SAB

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Yes that would work great. 73, Walt

[@castle5711]

@@COASTALWAVESWIRES thanks 73 Ed

[@paulsengupta971]

Another half wave you could try is the T2LT flowerpot antenna, but it would be single band...though I had thought of trying some sort of fan dipole based on a T2LT, but watch this space for that.

[@mcdeadsquirrel]

Thank you, as always...from Upstate NY !!! temps going down to a little above freezing tonight. lc

[@dandypoint]

Definitely a good antenna. Can’t beat a straight full size halfwave for performance.

[@colincolin30]

Suggested video: what about a video showing if counterpoise is in the water compared at the same location not in the water and on the ground. I have not found any difference in reception. Could you please do this as I would like to know your experience. Vk2jcc

[@binhminh5304]

Great.... XV4K Vietnam

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you! 73, Walt

[@carypeaden4147]

I am new. I just started using a ~66ft wire with a 49:1 unun so I guess it is twice the length of yours. I want to optimize it. I am hoping to use it on 40, 20, 10, and 15M. I see you use a 1M counterpoise. Since my radiator is twice what yours is should I use a 2M counterpoise?

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Yes, 5 percent of a wavelength for 40 and that antenna would be a 2M counterpoise.

[@ronfirth5198]

For base station use, definitely my 6-20 meter cobweb. I use a 49:1 end fed for 40 and 80. For POTA/SOTA 9:1 and 32 foot sloper...results may vary! VA3IRF

[@mikegianfrancesco9431]

How long is the vertical element

[@Don008Ramon]

Thx for letting us know about your fav dx! I think I was one of the people who asked that question.

[@MyHamRadioJourney]

Thanks, Walt! Okay, now I am spending more money on a 49:1 Unun. I built a half-wave vertical over the weekend, and I used a 4:1 Unun with radials and got a 2.1 SWR on my NanoNVA. The Xeigu G90 tuned it fine. I only had a little luck with it. Would the 49:1 give me better results? Thanks for all you do. 73s.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

49:1 would absolutely give you a better feedpoint match and much better results. 73, Walt

[@mareksp9tkw908]

Another great video Walter, keep them coming. Did you ever try to putup a second mast with just a wire 1 foot longer than antenna? Place it about 16-17ft in opposite direction to where you want to call. It's kind of reflector to two element vertical yagi. Single element has gain of about 0.5dB at 18 deg, such vertical yagi has 4dB at the same take off angle. Have fun. 73 Marek SP9TKW

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Wow, I’ve actually got some wires cut for this. 73, Walt

[@robertmeyer4744]

that my Favorite DX antenna as well. ground mount veritable . has the low take off angle for DX. grey line DX ! getting all over the UK from NY on 10/11/12 meters as sun rise. quite fun. I used more counterpoise wires. on 10 meters . 49:1 with 100PF cap. type 61 ferrite gets me a super great tune. like dip is 1.1 or 1.2 to 1 depending wear I set. stays under 2 to 1 the hole band. and with a small fold over at end I get tune on 10/11/12 with colored heat shrink. fast set for the band I want. I made one for 6 meters and 15/17 meters . I put ring terminal on my wire with number beads so I know what wire for what band. DX commander gave me idea on the kids number beads in his video so i bought some. now I want to make 20 meter one like you did. next step is DC commander plates and do fanned veritable but 1/2 wave into a 49:1 at the base. like my Dx commander I have now that 1/4 wave fanned 40 threw 6 meters on 10 meter pole. 1/2 wave more gain at low angle for DX . so many uses for the end fed half wave. easy set up. great POTA antenna. and DX as well. 73's

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Roger that! 73 my friend

[@DJCee1973]

@COASTALWAVESWIRES Hi Walt A great video as always! I just wanted to let you know I got my first QSO to Australia last week with 10 watts and your 17 Five antenna and 12 radials! Thanks again for for all your hard work and inspiring me to build my own!!! Chris VA3COJ

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Awesome!!!! Thanks for sharing!! 73, Walt

[@garyh8315]

Walt, as usual a good subject and a great vid. I have this weekend used the Slidewinder at my local POTA site. Not the usual amouunt of contacts owing to the solar activity. However, I did manage to contact another POTA op in Tasmania, LP at 0820z, about 10500 mile. The radio was the G90 on 15w. Happy days. 73

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Awesome contact! Happy days. 73, Walt

[@VeteransHamShack]

Hey Walt! I built a 20m quarter wave antenna yesterday using speaker wire, inspired by your videos! I uploaded a video of it and gave you a shout out. I live in the mountains of eastern KY and I was able to get into TX, OK, NE. No saltwater groundplane for me tho haha. I probably should have added some more radials, and my crappie pole was only 12 ft tall so had to wind the wire around it. I've learned a ton off of you! I need to invest in a 4:1, 9:1 and 49:1 balun for sure. 73 Jeremy KF4CHW

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Awesome Jeremy! I’ll try to go check out the video later when I’m home. 73, Walt

[@IU3MAR]

I can't wait for the weather to improve so I can go to the beach and do some good DX's... I'll let you know how the antenna works qith the usdr qrp transceiver "red corner"! 73 de IU3MAR, Italy

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Awesome! 73, Walt

[@KeystoneInvestigations]

Gee Walt, haven't you learned anything from the ham radio gatekeepers? They say you need lots of metal on top of a 800 foot tower and 4000 watts to be a real ham! 😃 I love your examples when you prove them wrong!!! 👍

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you my friend!!

[@davidg5308]

I'm going to have to try that here on the left coast...is that DX Comm pole fiber? I have the 10m SpBeam version and I think I would need a concrete foundation for that thing. I'm only a few miles from the beach so I don't have an excuse not to try.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Yes that’s the Expedition version 10 meter DX Commander pole, very lightweight. Give this antenna a try!

[@northwoodsyankee3528]

Good stuff man. Showing again that you don't have to be rich to be a Ham operator and work the world.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks! Roger that my friend!

[@RunScared]

While I'm a baby new ham, always enjoy the content! 73 from Southern Alberta Walt!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you! 73, Walt

[@MikeN2MAK]

Love my TennTennas.

[@emielv7872]

Thanks Walt! How does the shape of the radiating element effect SWR? Is the SWR different when vertical compared to inverted L or inverted V? Thanks!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

I really don’t know the exact answer to that as there are so many moving parts to an antenna and SWR but yes I’m sure there is some slight differences.

[@wa6gxq]

Walt, where did you get the backdrop??

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

World Map Tapestry, World... www.amazon.com/dp/B0C4JT6YMP?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

[@Philip-KA4KOE]

Good stuff!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks!!!

[@TrinityCTStud]

I definitely thought the answer was the Rybakov... I experimented with it this weekend and did not get the results I wanted, but I'll try it again. Thanks for the video!!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Keep trying, conditions this past weekend were not that great. 73, Walt

[@davem0udb]

conditions have been shocking lately, keep trying

[@moozoowizard]

Are the Aussies your contacting all running beams on towers and 100W+? Any running the same setup as you? I have G90. The EFHW I tried picked up alot of noise and was really good at picking up the 720khz 50kw AM broadcast station ~2km from place, on multiple bands, but not much else. I have a Quarter wave with lots if radials for 20m that works okish. VK6MIK

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Great question, Cory VK4KA was running a 20M Moxon in that video so yes he’s doing the heavy lifting on his end. I’ve worked a 100w mobile VK a couple times and some guys with 100w EFHW. I wasn’t 5-9 to them as they weren’t back to me but we made contact with decent readable signals. 73, Walt

[@petemillis4666]

I'm UK based and work a lot of Australia and NZ, QRP and basic antennas at each end. It's all about knowing when to operate, what band to operate on, and a willingness on the part of each op to listen for smaller signals. 73 M3KXZ

[@daveorca]

A cheap BCI filter will sort out the noise from the nearby AM stations.

[@matthewtrail2538]

The DX poles seem to all be real-world specc’ed a bit shorter than their nominal rating. I assume your 10 meter is actually tall enough for all 32.89 feet?

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

If you look at the antennas in this video you’ll see the wire slightly loose and dangling in the breeze at the top. That’s how I do it.

[@chipweather]

Great video. Hoping to get my first vk from new jersey and my efhw.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Good luck! Check 14.238 MHz mornings around 7am for the Southern Cross Net. That’s the easiest way to do it.

[@chipweather]

@@COASTALWAVESWIRES thanks will try!

[@n0vty873]

Oh yes, they make a GREAT DX antenna!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Yes they do! 73 my friend

[@sonflower4him]

Great video

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you!