The Best Ham Radio Antenna: POTA PERformer HF Vertical

[@marionmc1]

I tried one of these. The performance is unbelievable and MUCH better than ground mounted radials. I got SWR of 1.2 or less on every band from 20-10M. Most were 1.05 or less as measured by my RigExpert analyzer and the AntScope Windows software. A HUGE find for POTA or EMCOMM operations. Make sure to put a little crimp pressure on the spade connectors so they will allow the elevated radials to pull taught and stay off the ground. Try it, you'll be amazed. I was!

[@gregmihran8616]

Wooo hooo! You got it right Marion! I typically measure 1.10 SWR on each band once tuned. And yes, keep those elevated reasonably taught ... it always droops a little and that's ok. I'm glad you have had success with the antenna 😀 73 KJ6ER

[@martinsmith2984]

I built one but mounted it higher off the ground so the radials were angled down at 45deg worked great..👌

[@gregmihran8616]

@@martinsmith2984 Yes, you're right Martin, sometimes angling the radials down a bit brings the impedance closer to 50 ohms if it's not there already. Ground conditions and nearfield surroundings always impact resonance so it's good to have the option of playing with the radial end height 😀73 KJ6ER

[@slkgeothermal]

Thanks for sharing with the HAM community. I was able to get Greg's plans just after watching your video showcasing Dave's version. Greg is an amazing person who has no problem sharing his findings and accepts questions with a quick response. I find the setup and take down takes less than 5 minutes so I am really happy with that aspect. 73 my friend.

[@gregmihran8616]

Thanks so much for your very kind words! I'm so happy you are enjoying the PERformer and appreciating both its performance and ease of deployment 😀 73 KJ6ER

[@Ammed_KN6STX]

@@gregmihran8616Greg, would the Chameleon SS25 25’ whip work with your setup???

[@gregmihran8616]

@@Ammed_KN6STX Sure it would, any telescoping whip at least 17' would. While the sections are slightly different lengths, the PDF shows the measurements which would be a good place to start 😀 73 KJ6ER

[@RickEiss]

Been using the POTA Performer for a month or so. Very pleased with the performance. I have been setting it up for omni and have repeatedly been told my signal was "booming in" - something I've never heard before!

[@gregmihran8616]

Fantastic! I'm so happy to hear you've had success with the PERformer. I've had similar responses from hunters since I began using the antenna way back in 2021 - "You're the loudest signal on the band" is always great to hear. Since then, I've never used ground-coupled radials for my quarterwave antennas 😀 73 KJ6ER

[@tomw3380]

Thanks for the informative video Michael. After the video on the big rock, I ordered the 17 foot Chameleon and built the single elevated radial. It was an enjoyable project and now, the experiment continues. One of the best channels on KZbin for ham operators. Tom - WA4EOD

[@peterhume3474]

Big thanks for a easy-to-follow build + how you actually use it in the field, video. Big thanks also to Greg and everyone who developed all this. Even the idea shown in your last video where he uses a white cord from the top of the telescopic whip with simple knots indicating the actual height for each band. GREAT STUFF

[@janiceemery2008]

Fantastic Micheal, that looks like a great antenna. I think I will give it a try. I just received my FT-891 today in the mail. Thank you for sharing. I don't think I have seen you so excited about an antenna. Love it Michael.

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

I see a lot of antennas, and I have to admit this one blew my socks off.

[@jtn104]

One of the best antenna setups o have ever used in the park. The PERgormer is fantastic and props to Greg for his efforts documenting and sharing!

[@gregmihran8616]

Thanks so much for the props, I sincerely appreciate it! And Michael did a wonderful job sharing the POTA PERformer with his audience. I'm so glad you enjoy the antenna 😀 73 KJ6ER

[@KC3UVF]

Greg is the best. I've been using the PERFormer since it was known as the PREDator . It just works. The redesigned Dominator is even better yet.

[@gregmihran8616]

Oh shucks ... thanks for the kind words 🙂 I'm so pleased you enjoy my antennas, I am a self-proclaimed antenna geek and proud to be one! And so is Michael, he has an amazing channel! 73 KJ6ER

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

Thanks, stay tuned as the Dominator will be coming to the channel soon.

[@gregpearson7013]

@@gregmihran8616just found this video. Where do I find the current measurements for the antennae? I have the 25 foot chameleon whip.

[@gregmihran8616]

@@gregpearson7013 Hey Greg, my email is good on QRZ, just send me a note and I'll send you free antenna plan PDFs with all the build details 😀 73 KJ6ER

[@terrywebster726]

Like everyone else I think Greg is really helpful and a credit to ham radio. Had a problem getting SWR down to a good level. Reached out to Greg and he was very helpful to me in figuring this out. This is my first antenna build and I wanted it to be successful. Realized my new whip antenna was really stiff and the sections were not pulled out completely. SWR 1.06 after that. Thank you Michael for presenting these videos. KD9DWU Terry

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

That's awesome that Greg was able to help you out. The stuck section on the whip has often tripped me up too.

[@QRP-CREW]

Michael, that system is amazing. Thank you for taking your time to show this to us. I can’t wait to build it. All the best from Nova Scotia.

[@gregmihran8616]

Michael has done a great job sharing the POTA PERformer and how to build the two elevated radials. I've used that antenna for almost five years for POTA (QRO and QRP) and it works so well. Feel free to review the plans and let me know if you have any questions, I'd be happy to help 😀 73 KJ6ER

[@PeterSavini]

Thank you Greg for sharing this incredible antenna with everyone. Michael keep up the great content. I'm new to amateur radio and used your antenna to reach Japan from Cape Cod, MA with 100 watts on 15m. Such a simple to make and use design! 73 and happy holidays to both of you!

[@bland-b7e]

Awesome video Michael!!!! Thanks so much! Greg's plans are truly amazing.

[@gregmihran8616]

Thanks so much for the kind words! I'm so happy you found the plans beneficial 😀 73 KJ6ER

[@rossbassette7518]

I'm about mesmerized by this as I was when I first saw your first Magic Carpet video. HAMS ARE JUST SO DARN SMART!!!!! Thanks, Ross K8RLB

[@gregmihran8616]

I agree! One of the smartest and friendliest communities in the world 😀 73 KJ6ER

[@roadgoggles8856]

I built this with 14 awg wire (didnt have a whip), even without the common mode choke, it worked very well. Thanks Michael & Greg.

[@gregmihran8616]

It will work but I don't recommend running it without an RF choke. It will give you unpredictable radiation patterns, higher SWR, common mode currents (CMC) and RFI down the coax. Insert that choke in there and it will smile 🙂 73 KJ6ER

[@HowToHam_Tom]

@@gregmihran8616 I maintain a choke at the RADIO end so no matter what, I'm all choked up, lol Will this antenna perform better with it at the feedpoint instead?

[@gregmihran8616]

@@HowToHam_Tom LOL bad joke ... absolutely, you must choke at the feedpoint so that the coax shield does not become a rogue radial causing much lesser performance. A choke at the rig is great for alleviating RFI in the shack but does not prevent CMC down the coax from the antenna which create a mess for your quarterwave. Of course you can still make QSOs but your performance will be compromised 😀 73 KJ6ER

[@HowToHam_Tom]

@ thanks much. I’ll move it now. Best regards.

[@gregmihran8616]

@@HowToHam_Tom ... or you can have both! No issues with one on each end. That's how I implement the chokes at my home shack: one at the antenna feedpoint outdoors and one as the coax enters the shack near the rig 😀73 KJ6ER

[@DEKINDY6065]

Thank you so much. Easier to setup and takedown plus best performance. I could not be more grateful for you making us aware of this configuration. I really appreciate you. Getting lots of "booming signal" reports.

[@N8ESP]

Great video! The POTA Performer is a fantastic portable antenna and Greg is an absolute class act for sharing it with the community. I'm eager to dig into the updated Dominator design he recently shared.

[@gregmihran8616]

Awe thanks ... I sincerely appreciate the nice comment. We are also very fortunate to have Michael run an amazing channel for ham radio. Yes, take a look at the Dominator halfwave and let me know if you have any questions, I'd be happy to help 😀 73 KJ6ER

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

Stay tuned, the Dominator will be appearing on the channel.

[@LarryBingham1971]

Great job, Michael. Greg has come up with a great design. Works like a charm. Cheers and beers!

[@gregmihran8616]

Thanks Larry! Great to see your comment 😀 73 KJ6ER

[@johnb.8428]

Thanks, Michael, for the build video and Greg for the design. I'm always watching your videos. I'll some day build this for pota but for now I have a question about 80 meters. Could it be modified for 80? I have a Wolf River Coil Platnum 1000. I need a simple, easy to tune antenna when camping in RV and want to rag chew with brother and gang on 3755. I don't like tuning the coil, running back and forth way too much. Any ideas? Thanks John KW4CP

[@gregmihran8616]

@@johnb.8428 Yes John, you could modify the design for 80M. Similar to what I recommend for 40M (using the WRC Sporty Forty coil), you can use their bigger coil to electrically lengthen the whip. However, you would need to elevate a long radial for 80M ~65'. While that is doable, it would require four elevation stakes along the length. Alternatively, you could just go with a single ground-coupled radial since 80M is fundamentally an NVIS band. 😀 73 KJ6ER

[@johnb.8428]

Thanks Greg. Are you saying I could use my big WRC and mod it somehow, which makes my vertical whip electrically longer for 80? Like the sporty 40 does for 40 meters? Sorry. I want to make sure I do this right. Then, one or two 65' ground radials elevated or on the ground. I appreciate your help. John KW4CP

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

You wouldn't have to modify the coil at all, just replace the Sporty Forty with a longer Silver Bullet 1000 in the the vertical portion of the antenna. For the counterpoise, it will need to be 65 feet long, so you will need up to four fence posts to support that counterpoise wire as you don't want it to touch the ground.

[@marilyn9501]

Got it up yesterday and had to put it pretty low on my deck to get it more resonant & SWR down. It certainly seems to be directional because I got a park in Oklahoma & I have never been able to hear OK on my dipole, EVER! Got a 59 report too! I heard you Michael yesterday, but couldn't break thru the pile up, so I'm going to try a few more adjustments. Thanks guys again for another great option. Just wish there were more parks around here and it wasn't 100 degrees!

[@gregmihran8616]

I'm so happy it worked well for you - especially getting some directionality! Yes, a deck is an element of the 'near field surroundings' that could impact the resonance of the antenna, and thus the SWR. Lots of variables in the deck including all the materials and frame. Keep having fun with it 😀73 KJ6ER

[@radiofanuk]

Been in the shack all day, having a tidy out and getting the RV portable antennas together. I’ve been inspired. Thanks for all your interesting content.

[@johnk8091]

I just use tape measures for my elevated radials, with a ring terminal soldered to the end. Then simply extend or retract the tape measure to the band you are using. Advantages, are that it is compact, and adjustable to any length so the SWR can be fine tuned

[@traceyisom6681]

Right in the nick of time. It’s is so hard receiving signals in my back yard due to noise, and band conditions. Especially, on 20m. Thanks for the inspiration.

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

This antenna system is a great antidote to the propagation 'summer doldrums' we've been experiencing.

[@jamesloder7241]

Thank you for another great video. I really appreciate the walk-through and Greg's research to make this a very easy rig to put together. It is so refreshing to have videos that actually show you how to do this sort of thing as opposed to other sources that sort of wave their hands and say something like "elevate the radials but you will need to tune them" but give no guidance on the details. Jim KQ4AVP

[@gregmihran8616]

I agree, Michael has done a great job demonstrating how to build the linked PERformer radials. If you get a chance to review the PDF, I'd appreciate your feedback on how clear it was for you to understand the model, construction and performance. These are living documents and I'm always refining to improve them 😀 73 KJ6ER

[@jamesloder7241]

@@gregmihran8616 Thanks, will review and PM you!

[@willian.direction6740]

Thanks Michael and Greg for demonstrating this antenna system. I made one up using my old Hustler loading coils with a 2m vertical shaft. Get good results on my Analyzer and the ft891 likes the low VSWR I get once each coil is tuned in the back yard. Regards vk5cz ..

[@jamescoffey5225]

The idea about the segemented, elevated counterpoise is a great idea! I have most of the parts already in my possession and may try this. Looks to me as if you are trying to give Buddipole (actually a Buddistick!) some real competition. 🙂 Great video. Thanks. 73 de AE5ZX

[@randyn5ilq]

Thanks for the demonstration Michael. I’m hoping the directionality will be a game changer. I’m using the 213” WRC whip with ground radials exclusively now and being able to direct my signal will be a great addition.

[@gregmihran8616]

I expect you will have better performance with elevated radials over ground-coupled like I did. When I first designed and deployed this antenna for POTA back in 2021, I was amazed at how much better the hunters heard me. Not only do the elevated radials at 90 degrees alleviate ground losses for more radiated signal, they also give you some directivity and gain within the span 😀 73 KJ6ER

[@christianknight2905]

​@gregmihran8616 thanks for designing and sharing this radial system. I have the chameleon mcc coil and curious measurements are the same to include putting them in series for 40m?

[@tsdelaney]

This is great! Thanks for the video, Mike! Definitely something I’ll have to brew up!

[@P.SeanCoady]

Nice get rid of the ground loss. You can use traps as well. I had a multi band vertical up 45 feet with elevated resonate radials using traps it worked very well

[@thesavo]

This looks like it would also work as a spouse friendly back yard antenna as well. I would like to start building one myself. Do you have a substitute for the MFJ MFJ-915 RF Isolator, as MFJ has shutdown?

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

I'd check out the common mode feed line chokes from Palomar Engineers. They are an excellent replacement: palomar-engineers.com/antenna-products/Coax-Feed-Line-Common-Mode-Chokes-c21444165

[@elitegoodguy]

The website is still up and running to sell out their existing stock. I just ordered one today from the MFJ site.

[@MrJimmy440]

Thank you for this video. I wish more people would get more detailed like you did here. These build vids are very helpful. And thanks for the P2P today, Saturday, on 20M FT-4 Jim K2WPA

[@LinnKeller]

I spread my window screen out on a wooden picnic table, connected grounding strap to a second windowscreen on the ground, and also ran a counterpoise wire from the tabletop window screen, to an adjacent picnic tabletop. I'm a firm believer in overkill!

[@gregmihran8616]

LOL, yes that is overkill. Keep in mind, any 'radial system' on the ground, even if just part of the overall, will add capacitive losses and lower your efficiency. I recommend keeping any radial system at least 3% wavelength above ground to alleviate losses 😀73 KJ6ER

[@raywilsonsr1239]

Great video. Thank you. I've been holding back on POTA because I've been focused on getting my Extra. I finally did a couple of weeks ago. I've been looking for this type of antenna setup for POTA. Thank you again. 73's KE8VUW Ray

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

Awesome. Congrats on the upgrade

[@OregonOrcadian]

Awesome video, Michael. Many thanks.

[@DavidHart-i5e]

Get 4 or 6 extra of the electric fence posts. Get a roll of the wide yellow or orange ribbon tape. Then run it around your antenna and radial area, thus securing it from people walking in the area. Easily done and only takes a couple extra minutes to set up this Safety Area.

[@Frank_K4FMH]

Nice work, Michael!

[@gregmihran8616]

I agree Frank, he is a wonderful POTA PERformer evangelist 😀 73 KJ6ER

[@joe-kb9rcr]

Another great video, Michael. And a great antenna design, Greg. I might trip over my own feet running to the garage to get everything I'll need to build the radials. Im sure I have everything, including the fence posts and a WRC Sporty-Forty with the 213" whip. But instead of the quick disconnect terminals, I have knife terminals that I was going to use on a linked dipole project one day. The great thing about the knife terminals is that they are non-polarized. And they are a little easier to connect together and disconnect. 73, Joe KB9RCR

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

Knife terminals would be a good substitution. I didn't have any on hand nor did Menards carry any in stock.

[@joe-kb9rcr]

​​@@KB9VBRAntennasMichael, I used this antenna setup this past weekend for the second time. The only change I made from the first time was that I replaced the black 4 ft. Step-In Fence Posts, similar to the ones you used in your video, with the same garden stakes that Greg shows in his pdf. That held up the wire much better than the fence post did. I found the plastic fence post to be too flexible. But the fiberglass garden stakes held up the wires with less sag. There's still a slight droop on the wires. But it doesn't look like it's about to drop like the fence posts. I got an SWR of 1.2 on 20m right off the bat. So, I didn't even try to get it any better than that. I was able to break through several pile ups this weekend. Thank you for telling all of us about this fantastic antenna setup. And Greg, thank you for sharing your fantastic antenna design with us, as well. 73s

[@robertruth3281]

Michael this was a great video! I am an antenna nut by heart.

[@gregmihran8616]

Isn't it great to be an antenna geek? Nothing better for me in our amazing hobby 😀 73 KJ6ER

[@ChrisN9XC]

Thanks for the info Michael !!! I enjoyed our QSO the other day, on 20 meters....

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

Awesome. It was with this antenna.

[@unclemikeyplays]

I just picked up some of those exact fence posts when I realized I need a way of getting my feed point of the ground for the EFHW I've been experimenting with. On a lark, I bought four of them, which was more than I thought I needed...but now, clearly, I can find a use for at least two of them when I eventually get a tripod or some other way to get verticals off the ground that isn't my magmount (which really doesn't need radials, of course). So now that's on my list to play with 😀

[@gregmihran8616]

My first POTA back in 2021, I used a 17' whip on a Tram Triple-Mag Mount on top of my car (no radials of course) for 20M-6M. I remember how easy it was to make QSOs with that elevated vertical configuration. Soon after, I tried the whip on the ground with 3 ground-coupled radials and felt it didn't work as well for contacts. It was that elevated setup on my car which inspired me to create the initial version of the PERformer 😀 73 KJ6ER

[@unclemikeyplays]

I just built out two sets of these. I deviated from what you did, Mike in three ways, none of the major: 1] On the Mueller ends, instead of wrapping and soldering the bare wire, I used #8 spade terminals. The idea here is that I also have a Dually dual-transformer, and I could use these counterpoises there, as well, unscrewing the spade terminal from the Mueller and screwing it down to the counterpoise lug on the Dually. 2] I used narrow enough weed-whacker line (.065") that it fit all-right in the red blade terminals. 3] Being relatively new to this work, I tested each segment and then the complete chain with my multimeter to ensure continuity was achieved (and broken) where expected. Thanks for doing this video, and thanks to @gregmihran8616 for coming up with the idea. I can't wait to put these to use!

[@miket7184]

I'm using basically the same setup, except I just made a 4 16' lengths of wire cut in half and soldered alligator clips to the ends (all bundled at one end and soldered to a ring terminal for one connection to ground). So, I use the 16' length for 20, 17 and 15 meters, then shorten it to 8' lengths for 12 and 10 meters. I normally get the SWR down to 1.8 or less no matter where I'm at along with adjusting the whip length, and then I'll try to find trees, shrubs or anything I can clip the alligator ends to to raise at least a couple of the radials. Using a Yaesu FT891, a thrift store tripod I got for 6 bucks and the 17' stainless whip. I've also put a carabiner on the center shaft of the tripod at the base and use it to fill a cloth bag with rocks (plentiful here out west) and clip it on to weigh it from toppling over from wind. Or if rocks aren't available, a few water bottles stuffed in the bag work. LOL...I've bent a couple of whips from wind knocking antennas down, but stuff happens when you're a POTA activator! I've contacted Greg several times....Woo Hoo! I like the extra links and think I'll go with his idea too. Thanks Michael. Mike in AZ - ND7E

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

Thanks for your spin on the elevated radial system. I like how there's no one right way to do things in ham radio as you can achieve similar results by taking a slightly different path. When I've been setting up the POTA PERformer, I angle the radials towards the west, so I hope to get you in the log again soon.

[@VE7GGH]

A great bedtime story !

[@billssimplepinedesign8878]

Great video. Thanks for sharing!

[@tonyrousos9201]

This looks like a great setup and want to give it a try, as I have most of the components. Where can I get more information/details on the choke that is needed for this system?

[@ths3900]

Wago connectors work well.

[@yowsa52]

I heard you this Friday evening. Never have you been stronger. You said you were pm wet ground but I'm not sure if permeability matters with raised radials. Awesome signal down here in SE TX. I figured you hauled along a linear amp. ha,ha.. I'm going to experiment with raised vertical with my DX commander. I'm sure one could use linked radials with 40 also. I have already the components to make the version you are using. 73 and good job.

[@K6SM]

I use the single radial version of this extensively. The dual radial variant is also known as the predator. In both cases if you can get the base of the vertical up to about 5’ off the ground and have the radials slope down to about 2’ you can improve SWR and, more importantly, lower the angle of radiation slightly for better DX.

[@gregmihran8616]

Oh yes, when I first shared the prototype a few years ago, I called it the PREDator (portable, resonant, elevated, directional). Then I realized there was a popular CB antenna by that name so I 'rebranded' it as the PERformer (portable, elevated, resonant). In general, you should experiment with radial height and 'droop angle'. In many cases, drooping the radials down 10-30 degrees will increase the radiation resistance (the good stuff) and increase feedpoint impedance closer to 50 ohms (for great SWR). However, not all ground and near-field surroundings are equal. I've found that the 'droop angle' can vary considerably so I encourage builders to experiment. If you use my Mueller clip-to-fiberglass stake implementation as in my PDF, it's easy to slide it up and down on the stake to modify the angle. Quite frankly, I've found that 80% of the time, it works best for SWR by keeping the radial end as high as the stake will allow 😀73 KJ6ER

[@babblebits8318]

I guess I will have to experiment a bit more. I've been successfully using the single elevated radial 17 feet long with 213 inch WRC vertical up 4 feet at base and had to collapse the vertical down 1 and 3/4 sections for a near 1:1 match on the lower portion of 20 meter band. I tried using the same setup by adding the 2nd radial and shortening both for 20M according to the design chart, but I found resonance was above 15 Mhz with this setup with the 213" whip fully extended. I had to add some wire (had to adlib, was Ata park) to one radial to get down to 1.5 to 1. But now wondering if there's some magic to raising the base up one additional foot to 5 feet so that the radials had a slight slope down to the 4 foot fiberglass poles. Now that I'm back home, I'll have to experiment a bit more. I still made many good cw contacts with my QRP-Labs QMX.

[@jackK5FIT]

Got all the stuff on hand so I will put this together maybe tomorrow. Btw I just got a Chameleon SS25 whip but haven't tried it yet. Thanks for the video and info.

[@gregmihran8616]

You will love that CHA 25' whip! I use it for my Dominator halfwave vertical antenna for 20M-10M. I believe Michael may be trying to build that antenna soon. I'm a big fan of Chameleon 😀 73 KJ6ER

[@davidgettman4695]

Excellent video! thanks Michael.

[@mikesmith5139]

Hi Michael, thank you for another wonderful video. A really interesting project and so well executed. 73, Mike, M0MTJ

[@erving-n1ecc230]

Interesting video. Very similar to the Buddi-Pole "Big Stick Pro" in principle at I think would be a cheaper cost. I will have to try the two-radial system. Keep up the good work! 73

[@AlvinMcManus]

The only way to get this is via DIY? Okay sounds like fun. The string trimmer line is a brilliant move, because it won't fray or degrade from exposure to the elements!😁

[@gregmihran8616]

Hi Alvin, yes I design 'reference antennas' with free PDF plans which u can build yourself (which has always been the heart of ham radio). I spec parts and pieces but u can use whatever u have on hand. My goal is to inspire operators to DIY. My email is good on QRZ if ur interested in the plans 😀73 KJ6ER

[@johanrosman11]

Thanks again Michael ! I wondered if there is any benefit to achieve a better reach if one raises the antenna to, say, rooftop level. Would it be bad if the radials slope down a bit ? Cheers and thumbs up for great work. Merry X mas !

[@jolebole-yt]

Hi Michael. The document linked in the video how to build the antenna seems to be revised in Oct ‘24 that shows different lengths for the radial elements vs the image that you are showing at 12:45. For eg. the 10m element shows 34in here and 37in in the document. The 12M section is 19in here and 16in in the document. The document does not state anywhere if the radial elements total length is with the spade connectors included or not. Thanks!

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

Greg, KJ6ER, is constantly refining his plans and there could be some slight variation between what is in the video and what the latest plan version is. The lengths in the video will certainly work, but there may be an added gain on those two bands with the new counterpoise lengths. As for the spade connectors, cut the wires to length, strip the ends and add the spade connectors. The difference in including vs not including the connectors is slight and does not affect the overall performance of the antenna.

[@jolebole-yt]

@@KB9VBRAntennas Thank you for clarification.

[@gregmihran8616]

Michael is correct! I recently revised my computer models for slightly improved performance and did adjust the radial lengths slightly for a couple bands. Since the radials are linked, if you adjust one band, it affects the incremental lengths of the other bands beyond it. But if you already use these lengths in the video, keep them - they're fine! (The new lengths 'theoretically' provide fractions of a dB improvement based upon the enhanced model.) And yes, the fractional lengths of the spade connecters in the radial system are minor relative to the overall length of the string (I did take them into consideration for the length calculations, primarily for 20M-17M). The whip is your primary field adjustment variable 😀73 KJ6ER

[@jolebole-yt]

@@gregmihran8616Thanks. Greg. If you want to use this setup with a coil for 40m, is it better to have two radials for 40m or one? (both the 20m linked radials tied together) My idea was to add two straight 198in radials to the linked radials if it improves performance vs having only one.

[@gregmihran8616]

@@jolebole-yt Oh yes, 2 radials at 90 degrees is better than just one but elevating those require you to carry two more fiberglass elevation stakes for portable ops. But if you're looking to deploy at home or don't mind the extra stakes and wire, go for it! I recommend you trying 40M with one radial initially (the two 20M radials end to end requires just 2 stakes, one in the middle, one at the end). See how that works and, if you want to experiment, try adding a second radial at 90 degrees . Let me know what you try, I'd be interested 😀73 KJ6ER

[@pakeck1]

Could provide model# of the 40 m Wolf River coil you used in this video? Tnx

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

It's the Wolf River Sporty Forty. www.wolfrivercoils.com/order.html

[@ths3900]

Always good videos!

[@frasermderry]

This seems to be a reimagining of the Buddistick antenna. Elevated feed point and elevated radial system. The elevated radial is marked per band. Merely an observation. Best, M. (N1QGM)

[@truckinguy92]

Agreed but this doesn’t use a loading coil for 20-6m. It also uses 2 elevated counterpoise wires and the BuddiStick only uses 1.

[@gregmihran8616]

@@truckinguy92 exactly right! Both radials go out at 90 degrees and are completely elevated to alleviate ground losses and create some gain/directionality. I recommend all builders to label the segments by band so they don't get mixed up. I also never use a coil (except on 40M) to minimize any radiation losses due to the coil. See my PDF for details 😀 73 KJ6ER

[@deankq4adj125]

Another great video Michael. As always, it's an amazing tutorial.

[@gregmihran8616]

Yes I agree, Michael has done an excellent job showing how to build the PERformer elevated linked radials 😀 73 KJ6ER

[@chadchurch2368]

wow thanks for the video, I am going to try and make one.

[@HamRadioN0CKL]

I use a 29' length of 26gauge stealth wire ran up my 10m spiderbeam paired with my IC-705 and AH-705 tuner for my fast and lightweight pota setup. Or a packtenna 20/40 efhw setup the same way. This setup looks fun also 👍

[@hunt555fish]

Thanks for the great info Mike.I wonder where you buy the silicon wire for your radials?

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

I'm using BNTECHGO silicon wire, either 20 or 22 gauge. It's available here: amzn.to/3BrjjhG

[@robertmeyer4744]

Great antenna system. This will be great for parks with poor soil conditions. I ran into that problem a few times. This takes the ground out. I bet if I play around with this using traps on ground radials . switching bands will be even easy . This works with half and 5/8 wave vertical as well. just more work. I only have a 10 meter DX commander pole. But I made a end fed 5/8 wave at 39 feet with a 4:1 UNUN ran as sloper. This easy tuned 20/17/15/12/11/10 with my IC 7300. The common 25 FT works great vertable. 20.5 ft and 39 feet are outher length to try. The 25FT will be easy to raise above the ground and just use tuned radials with that linking system. I would like to try 39 ft Vertical as 5/8 wave . I need longer pole. The RX I got from 5/8 wave sloper was amazing. I thought my pre amp was on. My 66FT 49:1 works great but on 20 meters the 39 ft has better ears ! Now I want to try elevated radials . 73

[@Sagart999]

Just to keep my brain straight on which length of wire corresponded to which band, I wanted to label the wires. I found the Gardner-Bender Wire Marker Booklet on Amazon. The labels will not stick to silicone insulation, but they will stick to each other. So, peel off a strip of 3-4 of the numbers for a band (the labels are made to do this) and wrap the strip around the wire and overlap the marker strip.

[@frankhanson2177]

Nice video, and the instructions are clear enough. HOWEVER. The lengths shown on your video do not correspond with the download PDF of Greg's instructions. For example: The 10M length on your video shows 34" while his downloaded file shows 37". Did I miss something...such as an updated instruction manual. Subsequently, the remaining bands are all different by 3" for each band. Ideas?

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

What happened is this video is a snapshot in time and Greg's instructions are a fluid document. He's done some tweaking with the radial measurements to get a slightly better match. But this makes the measurements in the video obsolete. You can follow what's in the video, the antenna will still work great. But I would use the latest measurements in his instructions.

[@frankhanson2177]

@@KB9VBRAntennas Thanks Mike...appreciate you response and look forward to another POTA with you soon. Get ready for winter. Sincerely.

[@redman840]

Commonly known as a “groundplane” antenna.

[@DEKINDY6065]

The lowest SWR that I can achieve using the Sporty Forty is 2.7 using either ground radials or elevated radials. Any thoughts as why SWR is so high? I get a 1.16 SWR with ground radials on 20 meters with just the telescoping antennas. With elevated radials 1.04 at 14.1 and 1.21 at 14.3 and X varies from -2 to 6. Your tutorial on the elevated radials was outstanding as I got exactly the expected results with no adjustments! I have tried Chameleon and Wolf River telescoping antennas, Wolf River spike and tripod mounts, and 3 different coaxial cables. I have tried 2 different Chameleon RFI chokes. One is small diameter and I thought I was reordering the same choke and the other is a very thick diameter choke. I have also tried 7 windings of the coaxial cable as a choke. One commenter said he had similar high SWR and location change was the solution. So far I have only tried it in my back yard and it is extremely dry.

[@WB3BHT]

Great video. I am going to try the elevated radials with my BBV7. The BBV7 doesn't work for me in NH rocky soil. Fortunately, I have a great efhw,

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

Our club has a BBV7, so I do have a bit of experience with it. Diamond says no counterpoise is necessary, but I think this antenna really can benefit from a good ground network. I'm not sure if elevated radials are the solution because it is a non resonant antenna, but certainly give it a shot.

[@wildbill1]

Excellent! going to build one myself!

[@chrishet]

Another great Vid! Any reason you use linked radials vs just winding up the excess...seems like a lot of work and just shortening them on a winder should do the same thing, right???? Keep up the great work!

[@gregmihran8616]

Sure, you can use whatever elevated radial system you prefer. I did try the 'roll-up' radials but I found the linked system to deploy faster (for me). They remain a constant (for each band) so all I have to do is quickly adjust the whip to resonance. If you do coil them up, keep in mind the 'coil' at the end adds some inductance in the line so the lengths will be different than what I've published. Have fun 😀 73 KJ6ER

[@K9TPT]

When changing to a higher band do you adjust the whip or leave it fully extended and just change the radial ? Great video.

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

When you change bands, the whip will need to be re-adjusted so that it is a 1/4 wave radiator for that frequency. The instructions in the video description have suggested whip lengths for each band.

[@Sonicgott]

This is definitely a project I’ll have to tackle in the future. I currently use the EFHW POTA-ble that you mentioned in an older video, but I’m debating on whether a whip with a counterpoise(es) works better than an EFHW. I noticed that Wisconsin stations sound way too quiet to me from Minnesota on 20 meters, perhaps 40m might be something to try for closer stations. Nice video as always, Michael. You’re a plethora of good information! ❤ de KF0QNM. One of these days I’ll have to make a trip to Wisconsin.

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

I'm not going to say one works better than the other, just different. I get great results in using the EFHW and the Vertical. I usually pick and choose the antenna style based on the physical constraints of the location. If I have trees or supports, I may do a wire. If I'm in an open space, the vertical may be the better choice. 20 meters is tough from Wisconsin to Minnesota as you will be under the skip zone. I do get a lot of MN stations on 40 meters though. We'll be camping on the Mississippi River this Labor day weekend, so look for me on 40m either in the evenings or morning hours. I hope to get you in the log.

[@kc8opv]

Excellent video Michael and a great antenna design Greg! Greg, I'm going to email you to see if you have any thoughts on my alternate design that brings the base up to about 10 feet and includes 2 sloped radials. Curious if theres any advantage or disadvantage to sloping. 👍

[@gregmihran8616]

Sure, send me an email! As you probably know, sloping radials positively impact the impedance of the feedpoint, especially on VHF/UHF antennas. I did experiment with sloping radials on the PERformer (both in my computer model and in the field) and it really did not offer much improvement. It was already too good! I found it's best to keep the radial string about 3' parallel to the ground along the entire length. But let's discuss your ideas 😀 73 KJ6ER

[@Michael-t4c]

Question? When changing bands, Are you leaving the whip at 17 feet and using the tuner even on ten or six meters, or are you also changing whip length? I came up with a method to adjust my whip to change bands in ten seconds accurately whether I am on grass or my concrete patio ! I will be doing more testing in a few days. Another way to adjust the counterpoise is small cheap knife switches you can find at hamfests. There was an old article in CQ magazine that used. small toggle switches. 73 Mike

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

When I change bands, I readjust the whip length so it is resonant on that band. The little knife switches are a great idea. Dave, KZ9V, uses spacers made out of plumbing pipe to keep his counterpoise in one piece. Here's a video of him demonstrating it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mqm3dn2ibM-kers

[@gregmihran8616]

Hey Mike, I design highly efficient, resonant, one-band-at-a-time antennas. I'm a 'purist' and like to maintain predictable and efficient radiation with that configuration. The PERformer averages 90% radiation efficiency across 20M-6M (100 watts in, 90 watts out). For each band change, u adjust the radial length (I use a non-conductive segment insert as Michael showed) and the whip length. It takes me less than a minute in the field. As far as the radial connectors, use whatever u prefer. The Wirefy spade connectors mentioned in my free PDF plans are fantastic - they include both shrink tubing and internal glue to keep them strong and tight. I did try mini switches early on but their collective weight sagged the line a bit. I found spade connectors the easiest to install and deploy in the field 😀73 KJ6ER

[@ArturSentsov]

Wolf river doesn’t sell coils anymore. Any other good known 40 m coils?

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

Wolf River's store is temporarily closed as one of the owners is going through some health issues. Rez Antennas makes the Recon 40 coil (but it's not cheap) and I know Chameleon is working on a 40 meter coil, but I don't believe they've started selling it.

[@PD5RM_Robin]

Look for the mad dog coil. Superb coils.

[@tlcoucke]

Look up the MJF Big Stick. I have mine on an MFJ tripod.

[@AA7WI-Mike]

Great video - Quick question: when measuring the lengths of wire, shouldn't the measurement come after the first connection is made so that the stripped wire used for the connection doesn't end up making the length shorter than it should be, and then take into account the same for the 2nd connection ?

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

I was initially concerned about this, but quickly realized that the connectors themselves take up space, so any loss through the stripping process is gained by the additional length of the connector.

[@brannonwestall4242]

Michael, you have the MFJ 915 RF Isolator included in your build list above which is Spec'd at 1-30 MHZ, but in your video you mention using this system for 6m also. Does it matter? Is an RF choke here an RF Choke? thanks for all you're doing, and I got you in the log Saturday afternoon. (KM4RJF)

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

I don't think it really matters. The purpose of the choke is to keep stray RF energy from returning down the outside braid of the feedline, turning it into part of the antenna. As you go beyond 30 MHz, the MFJ choke will lose a bit of efficacy, but it won't just 'stop working.'

[@christianknight2905]

Thanks foe the video! Is the coax choke the same type of choke that chameleon sells attached to their coax? Also, can powerpoles be used or will they pull apart too easy?

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

It's similar. The choke I'm using is from MFJ, but the concept is the same, it's just a series of ferrites in a case. Chameleons shrink wraps the ferrites to the coax, for the same effect.

[@KeepEvery1Guessing]

It occurs to me that, having built two link radials, you could unscrew the whip, connect one of the radials to the whip socket instead of ground, and have a link dipole for NVIS.

[@gregmihran8616]

Yes you could ... it would be an NVIS antenna given its low height above ground, but it should work. This is the seed of experimentation 😀73 KJ6ER

[@angelscomputers]

Im going to build one soon, I just have an idea, how about get those number beads people use to identify the DX Commander radials to identify the bands in that elevated radial? will be cool so you dont have to be counting like in the video.

[@gregmihran8616]

Sure, that will work but make sure they're not too 'heavy' when you extend the radial string (I assume they are light). I used a Brother lightweight label folded over itself for band indicators as shown in my PDF. Other folks just took thin tape and wrote the band number on them. Whatever works best for you. Just be sensitive to the radial droop 😀73 KJ6ER

[@brianhagen9244]

When creating the segments, do you account for the additional half-inch added by the spade connectors? For example, the first segment is 43", including the Mueller connector (1 1/2"). I would assume you subtract the length of the connector from the wire (if the exposed part is 1/2", not including the clamped portion), which would make the total wire length for that segment 41". For the next segment, which has two connectors, one of them overlaps with the previous segment, so I would shorten the next 37" segment to 36 1/2" to account for the end connector. While this may not make a significant difference, I’m curious if you take this into account.

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

You can take the length of the connectors into account. Greg, in his plans, really doesn't specify. But he has said that the difference is minor and any variations in counterpoise length can be fixed by slightly adjusting the main whip.

[@kiethlowry2862]

You have to cut both counter poise wires?

[@spareiChan]

Makes me wonder if a trapped dipole used as the radials would work as the counterpoise.

[@byron-w9bcm313]

@KB9VBRAntennas great video, I want to build the radials, but I don't have the mueller clips. if I use something else that might be smaller than 1.5 inches, would I be able to make the feed point pigtail and end point pigtail longer to make up the difference? keep up the great videos thank you 73

[@gregmihran8616]

You don't have to worry about that little difference in the clip size. In the big picture, the telescoping whip (the radiator) is your variable tuning element in the field. A small change in the radial will ultimately be made up with a small change in the whip length. Use whatever component you have on hand or works best for your implementation 😀73 KJ6ER

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

You can add a little bit of length to make up for the shorter connectors. But I wouldn’t sweat it too much. The 1/2 to 3/4 inch difference really shouldn’t affect things in an appreciable manner.

[@byron-w9bcm313]

Thank you both for your assistance 73

[@marilyn9501]

Thanks Greg and Michael for another POTA antenna. I've been wanting to try this at home first and wondering if it will work effectively on my deck which is almost 15' from the ground to the south and pretty much ground level at the driveway to the north. House is on piers with a pretty good slope to an extremely dry lakebed. Also, I have a metal roof but it does not cover the deck. I am planning on mounting the whip on the deck rail at the 15' point and taking the radials north towards the road and east to start. What do you guys think?

[@gregmihran8616]

There's only one way to find out - experiment! I have learned over the years that every portable installation is different and affected by near-field surroundings. But, my gut says you have a good idea to install the whip at the 15' point and run the radials out from there. Make sure it's easy for you to tweak the radials for each band change (inserting the non-conductive segment) 😀 73 KJ6ER

[@europa8117]

Is it possible to make that antenna model for a 2m VHF antenna?

[@BarefootBeekeeper]

Could you not just use a single length of wire on a reel and unwind it to the appropriate length for each band?

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

You could. That's what Chameleon does with their MCC vertical system, demonstrated here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4STho2Zl6qMpJI. Having used their reel and this linked counterpoise, I find the radial with the fixed links a bit faster to set up and using two wires 90 degrees apart also creates directivity.

[@Michael-t4c]

OK! It was mis leading you did not mention it in the video. I watch your videos all the time. By the way on using a window screen. I stapled a piece of wood 1x3 or 2x4 to each end to makei unroll and stay down. It also makes it easier to roll up. I haven't tried Faraday cloth yet! But I have some more testing to do with the window screen first in more places And some more testing with my quick whip tuning method.! Also I may try cheap 15a power poles In the tuned radial. I found decent Quality really cheap power pole kits from China. I bought a bunch of stuff From ALI Express and the quality was decent and really cheap! By the way the best power pole contacts I found for sale is from 12volt power! They have good prices and they do not gouge you on shipping like DX Engineering does.

[@joeytrahan]

Thanks Michael and Dave, & Greg! I have been coming back to this video for a couple months, but each time I start to order the pieces I realize that the MFJ MFJ-915 RF Isolator is out of stock everywhere. Can you offer any alternative? Thanks in advance

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

The MFJ-915 line isolator is nothing more than a series of ferrites snapped onto a piece of coax and encased inside a section of PVC. Both ABR Industries and Chameleon Antennas have ferrites heat shrunk to coax abrind.com/product-category/ferrite-assemblies/. Palomar Engineers also has a line of chokes and isolators prebuilt or in kit form: palomar-engineers.com/antenna-products/Coax-Feed-Line-Common-Mode-Chokes-c21444165

[@DEKINDY6065]

What about 4 radials spaced at 90 degrees?

[@gregmihran8616]

I computer modeled using 4NEC2, 1 to 3 radials for directional coverage and 2 was the sweet spot @ 90 degrees apart. I also modeled 2 to 6 radials evenly spaced for omnidirectional coverage and found so little difference beyond 2 that it wasn't worth the benefit to add another 2 or 4 elevated radials in the antenna package. I designed the PERformer antenna with both performance, as well as portability and deployment ease in mind. I settled on 2 radials @ 90 degrees for directional, and 2 radials @ 180 degrees for omnidirectional. It works beautifully 😀 73 KJ6ER

[@DEKINDY6065]

@@gregmihran8616 Thank you.

[@u2fanforever1]

I see I have a fall project ahead of me

[@axi6ne8us]

How do you improve the magic carpet indoors?

[@GeorgeAdams]

Could you have one long wire on a winder? I think that’s what Buddipole recommends for their elevated counterpoise kit.

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

You could. That's what Chameleon does with their MCC vertical system, demonstrated here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4STho2Zl6qMpJI. Having used their reel and this linked counterpoise, I find the radial with the fixed links a bit faster to set up and using two wires 90 degrees apart also creates directivity.

[@hawkeyeCH53E]

Michael what is the purpose of the 2" end segment after the 20m segment? Seems if you use the 2" string trim piece a conductive wire has no purpose. Thanks for the idea of using that by the way. I have a bunch laying around. For folks building radials - 18 gage you use the red terminals like you showed. I wasted some $$ buying the blue which was too big. Wouldn't pass slight pull test. Great material as always. Your videos have helped my ops a great deal. Need to get that Heil headset and build your PTT switch next. Thanks 73 KM6QAQ

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

The break at the end is a bit of a tough call. It does give the non-conductive insert a place to sit when you are using the 20 meter band, but otherwise you could just terminate the end of the 20 meter segment with the Mueller Clip. since this is Greg's design, I'd have to defer to him and maybe he'll jump on here and drop a comment.

[@gregmihran8616]

The 2" endpoint pigtail (not the non-conductive insert to terminate the radial for a band change) is merely there for a physical connection to the elevated stake at the end. It does not have to be conductive just strong enough to attach to a Mueller clip that, in turn, attaches to the stake. I used 18-gauge wire in my design for the radial segments, including the endpoint pigtail. But you can use anything that works best for you. Makes sense? 😀 73 KJ6ER

[@PhilON4VP]

Very nice video on the elevated portable setup. Like to give it a try myself. What is the model Heil headset you are using? I have a Yaesu myself and would like to buy me one. Thanks and 73. ON4VP, Phil

[@truckinguy92]

@@PhilON4VP it’s the Heil BM-17 dynamic element.

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

It's the Heil BM-17 dual side headset.

[@tmccusk1]

Thanks for the video. I think I heard myself calling “Park to Park”. How did the SWR hang in when you changed the band? Was is still around 1.18? 73 KB1LQX

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

SWR always hangs around 1.2:1 or less when you change bands. That's because you readjust the whip to resonance after changing the counterpoise length.

[@tmccusk1]

@@KB9VBRAntennasThanks Michael!

[@rossw9764]

Can’t you use one of those electric fence posts as antenna stand?

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

You could. If it's rigid enough to support the antenna, it will work.

[@ths3900]

I used yellow ski rope to hold the wire.

[@robertbower9862]

Thanks for sharing and a question. For omnidirectional how does the two radials of the POTA Performer compare to the one radial of Dave's , KZ9V, antenna?

[@gregmihran8616]

I can't speak for Dave's one elevated radial antenna but I did a lot of computer modeling and testing of two elevated radials. If you want some directional gain between the span of the radials, you place the two elevated radials 90 degrees a part: at least 0.4 dB gain and 4-6 dB front to back. My PDF shows the computer generated radiation pattern. If you want omnidirectional coverage, you simply place the two elevated radials 180 degrees a part, opposite each other. Both my model and the infield testing has shown that configuration to be omnidirectional. When you just have one elevated radial, there is some gain in the direction of the radial, although not as much as two. It will not be perfectly omnidirectional, but I would guess the front-to-back of the radial would be relatively small 😀 73 KJ6ER

[@ChrisMichael-x8j]

Michael, I assume you adjusted the length of the whip to match the counterpoise/frequency. Chellagance makes a whip that is marked for frequency.

[@gregmihran8616]

Hey Chris, yes every band change requires the adjustment of both the whip length and the elevated radials (with the non-conductive segment insert). I never recommend marking your whip because, based upon my experience in over 800 POTA activations, the ground type and near-field surroundings, impact antenna resonance. In my PDF, I encourage the operator to generally remember how many sections each band requires and tune from there with an analyzer or your rig. See my PDF for more details 😀 73 KJ6ER

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

Yes, the counter poise lengths are fixed, so I did make minor adjustments to the whip length to get a good match. Scribes on the whip will get you in the ball park. But ground conditions can add a bit of variability, so you will still need to tweak things a bit.

[@n0aye4]

Have you thought of using toggle switches instead of the terminal/lug system? Just wondering if that would give you enough isolation. That for your videos. N0AYE

[@gregmihran8616]

I actually tried microswitches in a very earlier PERformer version. It certainly worked but the switches, even these light ones, weighed down the radial to increase sagging. I found inserting the non-conductive segment to terminate the radial at the band was much easier and had no impact on radial sagging 😀73 KJ6ER

[@trevorming8925]

Hello how many feet does a 2m slim jim need to be above a metal roof (building)?