POTA Antenna Basics with 17ft vertical whip and radials

The 17 ft telescoping whip with 12 radials connected to a Wolf River Coils Mega tripod base has been my go-to configuration for many Parks on the Air activations. In this video, I show you how to setup the antenna quickly, deploy radials attached to the WRC Mega tripod and roll-up coax using the over-under method.
I also have a quirky way to storing radial wire that I call the "bunching method". I simply bunch the bundle of wires in such a way that they don't tangle and deploy quickly. Silicon coated wire rather than PVC insulation also helps avoid tangles and kinks.
I hope this is helpful for POTA, field day or other ham radio portable adventures.
Not a sponsored video or affiliate links... just my advise on what works best for my POTA activations:
Silicon wire: www.amazon.com/BNTECHGO-Silic...
WRC Mega Tripod: www.wolfrivercoils.com/order....
17' BD7IBI whip: www.ebay.com/itm/353270667584 (also on Aliexpress)
Snakeclamp M10 to 3/8 adapter: snakeclamp.com/products/m10-a...
Mirror Mount with SO-239: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01...
Tripod bag: www.amazon.com/Padded-Tripod-...
To see just how bad my original deployment method was before these improvements, check out this video: • K-0708 Stones River Ba...
73
Pat NØHR
00:00 17 ft telescoping whip vertical for POTA
00:57 Antenna carrying case
01:22 Radial wire deployment
02:28 Mounting antenna on cheap landscape spike with mirror mount
03:09 Wolf River Coils Mega Tripod
05:06 Coax rapid deploy
05:50 Fan out ground radial wires without tangles
08:03 Wolf River Coil Platinum coil for 30m, 40m, 60m and 80m
08:35 Cheap 17 ft telescoping whip from BD7IBI
09:50 Tuning for best SWR on 20m
10:56 On the air CW QSO
12:22 Packing
13:54 Quick pack of radial bunches
14:23 Quick deploy of radial bunches - demonstration
16:10 Over-under method of coiling coax for rapid deploy

[@danshankle]

Pat, THANK YOU for NOT assuming we all know how to coil wire cand coax AND for taking time to demonstrate YOUR method. VERY worth while! I just, today ordered the WRC 1000 Platinum with the 213" whip. I already have the Chameleon 17 Foot whip. I know the coil will work on 75 and 80 Meters but have yet to find anyone with a Video actually using it. Best 73, and thanks for your excellent Video! Doc W7DOK

[@rupedev]

Hey Pat, I'm an ISU grad, moved to the Raleigh, NC area about 5 years ago, but I knew I recognized the park. I use the same chinese whip, usually mounted to a mount on my truck, using my truck frame as the counterpoise. It's great for 20 and up (to 6m~), and I have a coil similar to the WRC for 40. Great for colder days, since I can sit in my truck at the park! Go state!

[@n0hr]

Hey Michael - thanks for watching the video and the comments. Yes - the whip gets the job done... I'm actually thinking through what I might do this winter to be able to sit in the car for an activation. Perhaps the whip on a magmount on the car. 73 & Go State!

[@EvanK2EJT]

Pat, I can't begin to tell you how much this video helped me. I have a WRC 213" whip that's been giving me fits. It would tune on everything but 20m. I tried a pile of different radial lengths and combos and nothing worked. I just built an identical radial setup to what you have here in this video and now tunes up on 20m no problem. Thanks man!

[@n0hr]

So glad you found it useful Evan! SWR was frustrating in my first few activations with the WRC until I figured this out. Now, I'm very happy with the results. It's a performer! See you on the air! Pat NØHR

[@mrfarts5176]

Broadcasting on 20m is a felony.

[@user-fl3vd1nf1l]

Fellow Iowan here live on the Southside of Des Moines. I will be taking my Technician test March 21st. Enjoyed your video.

[@SteveH-TN]

Just getting active in Ham radio again after having been off the air for Medical reasons. Enjoyed watching this video. Your radial technique is very interesting. The time for take down is amazing too. I’ve enjoyed watching this video and learned quite a bit. Appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts and ideas. I plan to download the video to watch later. 73 Steve AA4SH, Tennessee

[@EssDave1]

Really great video and I plan to make one for my first POTA. Tnx and 73, Dave

[@n0hr]

Thanks Dave. Let me know how it turns out. 73, Pat

[@k2wo1]

Just found your channel. I've gone back and looked at several of your videos now and they are really are well done! the audio/video is excellent and your photos are outstanding. I'm a POTA guy too, but I do more hunting than activating. I love CW best, but will also chase FT8 and SSB. Keep up the great work. 73, George K2WO

[@hamradio_Tips_and_Trips_n0hr]

Hi Geroge, Thanks for the comment and subscribing. I'm the same in that my preference is CW but I'll work FT8 and SSB as well. Thanks too for the kind words. Hope to catch you from a park! 73, Pat NØHR

[@ronlaborde7528]

If you leave one tripod leg screwed into the hub all the time, it will still fit in your bag, and you can reduce the time screwing legs in by 33%.

[@hamradio_Tips_and_Trips_n0hr]

Thanks for watching Ron. I wondered the same thing and tried to do that. The bag that I have is just a hair too short to make that work. Even though it would have only saved a few seconds, I hoped that I would gain that savings. Great thought though.

[@marytryon8314]

I really enjoyed your info on the radials and especially your over/under method of the coax.

[@hamradio_Tips_and_Trips_n0hr]

Thanks Mary

[@deirdre_anne]

This is great. Faster deployments, especially on 20m, will make short activations on the way home from work, or even over lunch, possible for me.

[@hamradio_Tips_and_Trips_n0hr]

Thanks Deirdre. That's my goal. A quick deployment antenna that's a step-up from a mobile antenna. This setup has worked well. Thanks for watching!

[@BrianKolb71]

Nice video I use a super antenna tripod with the supplied radial wires and a 17 ft chameleon whip I found that each radial is tuned for that specific band. I was able to get the swr down to 1.0.1 on 20 and 10 meters in the Ssb portion I find it easier to tune then the coil 73

[@n0hr]

Thanks Brian. Yeah, I'm not sure that I'll use my coil other than on 30m and 40m. Maybe I should sell it. With a 17ft whip, you can easily get a great match on 20m and up. 73

[@jbrase2000]

I made up short 4" pigtails with a ring terminal on one end and a Power Pole connector on the other. The pigtail attaches permanently to the tripod leg. (You need to add a 3/8-24 nut to each leg.) The radials terminate into another Power Pole connector. The Power Pole has the added advantage of unplugging easily so if someone trips over a radial it pulls apart instead of pulling the antenna over.

[@hamradio_Tips_and_Trips_n0hr]

Thanks John. I've considered a clamp to replace the ring terminals or the Powerpole method... but in my mind, the best would be the ring terminals without a threaded attachment to the WRC hub. That would take almost zero time to deploy. Thanks again.

[@douglassharafanowich8605]

@@hamradio_Tips_and_Trips_n0hr: Recently came across an excellent Clamp attachment system for your Radials, and am in the middle of collecting parts to make it. LINK: kzbin.info/www/bejne/poWxoJ2InJ2rapI Hope this helps.

[@gitsum1985]

How did you attach the multiple wires to the power pole adapter? I’ve been trying to find a video on making these multiple radials with power pole adapter for the wolf river coil.

[@jbrase2000]

@@gitsum1985 My radial wires are small gage, so I just twisted the ends of three wires together and crimped them into the PowerPole connector. I also added a bit of solder just because. I have two pigtails on each tripod leg and three wires into each PowerPole which gives me a total of 18 radials. Mine are short - 102" long.

[@nonokodog622]

Smart idea...I've used spade connectors in the past...they tend to be very tight or too loose. Molex is cheaper so I might try that first.

[@ellisc.foleyjr9778]

Great Video Pat! nice setup and explanations on the antenna etc. radials. nice when thre is no snow to contend with. and all the creature comforts of the car was nice also. makes bearing the cold a little better. thanks for sharing! will keep and ear out for you in the future. 73. de Ellis WA1RKS

[@hamradio_Tips_and_Trips_n0hr]

Thanks Ellis. I appreciate it. Yes - looking forward to getting you in the log! 73, NØHR

[@DK5ONV]

That looks pretty neat. Over Under Method is a old Roadie Trick that works with pretty much any kind of Cables nearly everywhere. Good Job Pat. Happy Sunday de Uncle Guenter 👍

[@hamradio_Tips_and_Trips_n0hr]

I think the over-under method has been used for years but I thought it was worth sharing as I've seen many hams wrestling with coax. Thanks for the comments!

[@DK5ONV]

@@hamradio_Tips_and_Trips_n0hr You welcome. You did an exellent Job. Yes, any Method that makes you work more comfy and safer is always welcome at any time and any Place

[@johnclark2849]

I pretty much set up as you do, but lately I've been toying with 36"x84" aluminum screen mesh for the ground plane and it works just as well if not better than my 18 to 24 radials (depends on my laziness). Much quicker to set up and a smaller footprint on the ground than the radials.

[@nonokodog622]

Was thinking the same. Looking for affordable mesh that is light enough though hasn't been easy.

[@johnclark2849]

@@nonokodog622 I use an $11 roll from Home Depot.

[@kevingoshe4371]

Nice job!

[@hamradio_Tips_and_Trips_n0hr]

Thanks!

[@hamradiotimes5586]

Nice video, well informative thx 73s

[@hamradio_Tips_and_Trips_n0hr]

Glad it was helpful!

[@nonokodog622]

I run the almost the same setup. I'm about to try shorter and fewer radials, 8 at 10 ft each for 40 meters. Then connect them all with an outside wire around all of them. My quick and dirty calculations predict that you'll capture 85% or more of the radiation with 10 foot radials. Then to make up for losses due to a poor sandy soil I work in, add the perimeter wire to tie in all the radials. I also suggest using RG8X although she ain't cheap. I also prefer to always have a choke when I can. To avoid additional losses I add 10 type small diameter toroids to my coax and heat shrink in place. It's not a lot of rejection, but with a system like yours, it's really just cheap insurance. Lovely mini laptop ! I'd like to get one for digital modes since I'm still not proficient with CW.

[@curtmyersk2cwm477]

Great video, thank you..

[@hamradio_Tips_and_Trips_n0hr]

Glad you liked it! Thanks Curt.

[@alvarogaitan2529]

thanks, Great video 73 from kb2uew

[@KC3UVF]

I don't like mucking about with that many radials tbh. I use the KJ6ER PREDator system, which is just a 17ft mfj whip and 2 tuned radials. The feed point is 5-8ft above ground and the radials are elevated to about waist high give or take. The whip is mounted with a standard cb mirror mount on roughly 5ft of 3/4in conduit carved into roughly 1ft sections (so they fit in the tripod bag) attached to a standard 60 in camera tripod. I have 2 sets of radials, one for 20-15, and one for 12-6 (banana clipped like a linked dipole). Up and down in 10 minutes or less and the radials add a bit of directionality when separated to approximately 90 degrees. KC3UVF

[@hamradio_Tips_and_Trips_n0hr]

Raised radials are certainly another option and can give you some directionality. Here in the center of the country, I prefer a more uniform pattern. The "tuned radial" aspect is another consideration with raised radials. If I change bands with my system, I only worry about the radiator length, not the radials. I don't think I have a good tripod to support a raised system at this time, but may try that someday. Probably want to make sure it's not on a windy day. 73, Pat

[@KC3UVF]

@@hamradio_Tips_and_Trips_n0hr Tuned radials and band changes aren't that bad. It takes a bit of work upfront to work out the best length for the radiator, but the radials are just banana (or in my case spade terminal) clipped together at the appropriate length. For true "omni" just spread the radials to 180 degrees instead of 90, although that does seem to mess with the tuning a bit. Tripods are pretty cheap. 50 odd bucks or so on Amazon. The ones with adjustable leg angles are particularly sweet. Set your whip, clip your 2 radials to the shield side of the coax, stake the free end of the radials (I use fiberglass driveway markers) and boom you're on the air! KC3UVF

[@hamradio_Tips_and_Trips_n0hr]

@@KC3UVF Maybe a project for this year will be to model this. My guess is that a raised system is more effective on higher bands (raising a 80m system a fraction of a wavelength is less effective). Also, I'll need to ensure that the system is stable in the wind when raising (or guy it?).

[@KC3UVF]

@@hamradio_Tips_and_Trips_n0hr my old tripod didn't have fully adjustable legs, so I did stake that one down. The new one has a truly massive footprint if I need it. I've deployed for 20m (ie the full 17ft whip) in sustained 20 mph winds without a hint of instability. I haven't worked out a coil arrangements for 40m and below yet, but I suspect performance would be more nvis oriented because 6-7 feet is a tiny fraction of a wavelength above ground at those frequencies. Even 10-12 feet, the limit of what I would consider practical, isn't likely to matter much. That said, I work central and eastern Europe pretty much reliably on 17 and above. 20m starts to have some shorter stuff mixed in... though admittedly that may change some after dark. KC3UVF

[@MrToymod]

Just bought a cheapo whip off eBay going to give it a go

[@JayN4GO]

Hope ur doing well Pat

[@hamradio_Tips_and_Trips_n0hr]

Hi Jay. Yes - doing well... just eager for winter to end and get back to activating park more frequently. I'm enjoying your videos as well.

[@garyclark4930]

Nice set up and take down. KF6EWO Gary

[@n0hr]

Thanks Gary. Appreciate it! 73, Pat N0HR

[@Johnyrocket70]

Mfj recommends a 90° connection and 1-1 balun at the antenna. Not designed for a ground rod.

[@hamradio_Tips_and_Trips_n0hr]

Some guys use a choke which might be a good idea. I use one at my home QTH. So far, I haven't had any issues that would require a choke or balun. Not sure what you ground rod comment is referring to here. I don't use a ground rod in the field. Thanks for watching. Pat, NØHR

[@bulldogloverlover5496]

Very nice presentation. It would be better if you would give the sources and part numbers that the antenna is comprised of.

[@hamradio_Tips_and_Trips_n0hr]

Thanks for watching! The links for the parts are in the video description.

[@kelvin0mql]

Yelling at the screen for the 1st 6 min: “I don’t need to see all that empty sky. Tilt down! Show THE THING!” At 6:08 finally my frustration is relieved.

[@W4TRI]

Thanks for the notes on the whip. I have two of those from Ali. Did you find the adaptor "bottoms out" before it is fully engaged with the 3/8" side? I'm thinking I might drill , tap and die another couple. Little round blanks to star can't be too much. I had one of the whips extended fully and clamped to the folding table leg with a "CB style" vice grip mount. Got lots of comments and people asking where I got it.

[@hamradio_Tips_and_Trips_n0hr]

Hi Ronny, Thanks for watching. I have not had any issues with the my adaptor. It fully seats when threaded in. As you know, this is a very low-cost, but effective setup. 73, Pat NØHR

[@douglassharafanowich8605]

Hello! Just came across this post and your channel. Love the finger combing idea for laying out the Radials. 👍👍 Two questions: (a) Is there any advantage to coiling (over/under) a set of 6 Radials in one gathering? (b) Have you experimented with using only ONE SET of 6 Radials vs. TWO SETS of 6 Radials? Thank you.

[@hamradio_Tips_and_Trips_n0hr]

Thanks for stopping by Douglas. I haven't tried to use the over/under method with a bunch of 6 radials. My thought was that I'd have to first collect the 6 into a single group to treat it like a single wire to use the over/under. It might work - and might be worth a try. With regard to 6 vs 12 radials... you might know a few general principals with radials. 1) More and longer is better 2) You can hit the point of diminishing returns at which adding more delivers little improvement 3) Depending on the quality of the ground/soil, radials will impact your SWR/tuning 4) Radial deployment for a vertical can impact the pattern. If I only use 1 radial, the pattern will favor the direction of the radial. 5) There's a rule-of-thumb to use at least 2x as much radial wire as the length of your lowest band. That is, if you're planning to use 40m as the longest band for your vertical, you should use 80m in total radial wire. So, with all of that said, if you were planning to use the vertical on 10m through 15m, 6 of my 16.5 ft radials would be fine. However, for 17m & 20m, I wouldn't quite be hitting that rule of thumb for radial length (it would work still work of course, just not as well). I want to have a setup that has acceptable performance on 30m and 40m, so I'm considering a 3rd set of 6 to make sure I have a good system for those bands. I hope this helps.

[@BobBroeking]

Useful video… do you feel 12 radials is a good number for that antenna?

[@hamradio_Tips_and_Trips_n0hr]

Hi Bob, Thanks for watching. For 20m, 12 radials that are 16.5 ft really works well for me. I'm making another bunch of 6 to bring me to 18 radials total (one on each tripod leg). I think that will help with 30m and 40m. I'll be comparing them to see if it makes a difference. 73 Pat N0HR

[@kf5yqw608]

Where did you find the adapter that you used with the whip?

[@hamradio_Tips_and_Trips_n0hr]

The links for the products are in the video description. This adapter is from Snakeclamp.

[@fjrempel]

Interested in what computer you’re using there or logging. Enjoyed the video. Thank you. 73 KK7BN.

[@n0hr]

Thanks for watching. In this video, I'm using an Amazon Fire Tablet with the HAMRS app. Since then, I've switched to primarily using the Evolve Maestro III that I picked up for ~ $60. It's cheap and the display is dim - so I don't know that I've found my perfect logging laptop yet.

[@garylanders1470]

You could add three antenna quick disconnects to that Mega-Pod and it would be a snap.

[@n0hr]

I thought about that... but I figured as long as I have to thread on each leg, simply putting the ring terminal on before I thread it in doesn't really add any time. I think the biggest time savings that could be potentially gained is to get rid of the threaded legs altogether. Thanks for the comment Gary. 73, Pat N0HR

[@rs4425]

Good Video.. Make of your CW Paddle?

[@n0hr]

Thanks - the paddle in this video is from CWMorse. I like it.

[@halledwardb]

Is there a link for the wire? My 11 and 15 yr old daughter's hate the tangling, and are trying to get more kids into radio so this would help. Kids attention spans seem so short and my kids get frustrated with the deployment when they loose the new kids attention.

[@hamradio_Tips_and_Trips_n0hr]

Hi Edward, The link for the wire (with silicone insulation) is in the video description. I recommend it for radials. I would not recommend it for permanent installation of a wire antenna as it may stretch or not be as durable. Thanks for watching. Pat

[@n1bsbri]

Would it work to drill out the hub to eliminate the threads? Then you could slip the rods in. You could drill and tap the hub for a screw to attach the radials with an alligator clip. ‐-n1bs

[@hamradio_Tips_and_Trips_n0hr]

Hi Brian, I have thought about doing that. I've also wondered how well it would work to just use thinner rods for the tripod. (thin enough that they don't need to thread in, but not so thin that they aren't strong) Haven't tested that.

[@truckinguy92]

How do you expect the tripod to stay together if it doesn’t thread together? There’s lots of forces going on with wind and a 17’ whip. I wish I could get the knack of the over under, but I just don’t have the dexterity. What do you use to keep it from blowing over if there’s a breezy day? Great video!

[@hamradio_Tips_and_Trips_n0hr]

Thanks Mark, My thought was that if the WRC hub simply had unthreaded holes and the legs were not threaded, I could just stick them into the holes. You're correct that the wind is an issue and I've had my system blow over... but I don't think the threaded legs would make too much difference in keeping it from blowing over... assuming that in an unthreaded version, the holes in the hub were deep enough. On breezy days, I lay the tripod bag (which has some unused things in it) on one of the tripod legs to weigh it down. I'm going to try some cheap camping pegs on each leg of the tripod to further stake them down on windy days. Thanks for watching! 73 Pat N0HR

[@douglassharafanowich8605]

I have seen a recommendation to use a tent state (the ones with a hook on the end) on each leg to secure it to the ground. I will trying that with my WRC. 😎

[@markanderson8066]

I have the shorter legs. I cut a 10 foot pvc small diameter pipe into thirds and can slip them over the legs for a larger foot print

[@truckinguy92]

@@markanderson8066 that’s an excellent idea. Thanks

[@frequencywatchers]

Why Do Radial Wires Are Needed? The SHort Answer, Anyone?

[@hamradio_Tips_and_Trips_n0hr]

Not my answer but this may help... Radial wires are an essential part of a quarter-wave vertical antenna's design because they provide a ground plane for the antenna to operate against. The ground plane acts as a reflector, redirecting the radio waves radiated by the antenna back towards the sky. Without the ground plane, much of the energy radiated by the antenna would be absorbed by the earth, resulting in a less efficient antenna. The radial wires serve as a counterpoise, which is a conductive surface that acts as a mirror image of the antenna's radiating element. By creating a mirror image, the counterpoise minimizes the amount of energy that is lost as the radio waves propagate away from the antenna. Additionally, the radial wires help to establish a uniform current distribution throughout the antenna, which is necessary for optimal performance. Overall, the use of radial wires is critical to the proper operation of a quarter-wave vertical antenna. Without them, the antenna would not be able to radiate efficiently, and its performance would be severely compromised.

[@frequencywatchers]

@@hamradio_Tips_and_Trips_n0hr BEST EXPLENATION I HAVE GOT ON RADIALS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, NOW I UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY ARE AND PURPOSE FOR THEM. ALL CAPITOL LETTERS BECAUSE IM SO GREATFULL FOR SUCH AN ANSWER. THANK YOU FROM A BOTTOM OF MY HEART. GREETINGS FROM LATVIA, 73

[@andyleatherbarrow7322]

Nice video. Thank you. G8ZZF

[@hamradio_Tips_and_Trips_n0hr]

Thanks Andy! 73, Pat N0HR

[@o2bnov0307]

I took my setup out to the field today. It was deaf. I swapped out one coax for another, but the same results. Nothing. Does anyone have some troubleshooting suggestions? TNX!

[@Frisky0563]

What was your swr? WRC Antenna setup works great for me?

[@hamradio_Tips_and_Trips_n0hr]

Yeah.. sorry to hear that. If you're using the same setup as this video, I'd start by checking swr, and swapping things until I narrowed down the culprit. Swap the coax (you've done that), antenna, even the radio. For example, if that same radio and coax work great to a dipole, you know to check out the vertical antenna. Does that make sense?

[@o2bnov0307]

UPDATE: As I was taking the setup down I noticed that the coax had some off the PL-239 plug! Also, I disassembled the mirror mount, and reassembled it, checking each step with my multimeter. Continuity where it should be, and none where it should not be. A member of the local ham club installed a new connector on the coax, so I went out to the park (K-3503) today for an activation. SWR is 1:1!! First QSO on the new antenna setup was South Texas to Vermont at 14.059, using 3 watts!!