The Truth About Random Wire Antennas for Ham Radio

Discover the utility of random wire antennas for ham radio! In this video, we'll explore the benefits and advantages of using random wire antennas for amateur radio communication. From improved signal strength to increased flexibility, we'll dive into the world of random wire antennas and show you how to get the most out of your ham radio setup. Whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting out, this video is perfect for anyone looking to upgrade their antenna game and take their ham radio experience to the next level. So sit back, relax, and get ready to learn about the amazing world of random wire antennas for ham radio enthusiasts!
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[@HOAHamRadio]

Catching up with the show this evening; loaded with a ton of useful information as always. Thanks Ape and friends.

[@TheSmokinApe]

Hey Bob, thanks for checking it out 👍

[@Wayde-VA3NCA]

Randoms are great! Efficiency can be managed by minimizing feedline length(even down to zero, direct into the tuner) and the longest practical radiator length. My favorite antenna, thanks for show!

[@TheSmokinApe]

Right there with you, thanks for watching Wayde 👍

[@TheBrokeHam]

I was literally just going to experiment with a roll of 200ft 75 ohm coax i've had for a couple years, this is very useful! thanks!

[@TheSmokinApe]

Thanks for watching TBH 👍

[@Dusty_Ham]

Watching this has convinced me I need to try a random wire antenna with a pole. I've been using a buddistick pro since I got my radio but I think it's time to experiment.

[@TheSmokinApe]

Do it Dusty!

[@cheifreal]

Personally I like my 107' inverted L random. Does great on 20m. Can't tune in 80m but can get 160m. I just tweek it a little for 10m. Got Japan from Texas on 20m bout 07:30 with bout 20watts during early summer. Played with shorter lengths but 107' seems to give my best compromise.

[@TheSmokinApe]

Sounds awesome, thanks for watching chiefreal!

[@bertsteele]

I grew up in Alamogordo. Waves from Arizona.

[@TheSmokinApe]

👋

[@macgyver5108]

"Manual tuners are hard"... LOL when I first started out about 4 years ago I built a _ginormous_ quad band coax based collinear for my TYT 9800 and an awesome local ham I talked to on air about it said he'd mail me some "spare" variable air caps he had to get my nightmare of tuning this 28' tall 9 element stack of 70cm/2m/6m/10m elements in order... Expecting some smaller 365 pF caps like I'd mentioned to him, a week later this LARGE HEAVY BOX arrives!? I was blown away what was inside... I built my own Pi network tuner out of the 365 pF and _MASSIVE 1800 pF_ variable air capacitor from an old AM radio he gifted me! It works great, and I could probably even tune the Eiffel Tower up to most any band! Fun ham fact: they used the Eiffel Tower as a "stealth antenna" during WWI and WWII! Would that be considered the world's largest "random wire"?! 😅 I think if I can find one that fits the shaft size I'll eventually add a big reducing gear later on to that giant 1800 pF cap to tune it finer, as it's VERY touchy to tune!😁 51:24 I use boxes with clear tops, that way I can both admire/show off the turns and see if the box gets moisture inside. Also helps to use a trick my Pro CCTV buddy uses in outdoor cam bodies, add a silica gel packet to suck up any moisture inside. Best part is they're FREE with any pair of shoes, vitamin bottles ETC and if you microwave them for like 15-30 seconds or stick them in the oven at about 200° for 20 min it dries them out so they're "fresh" again! Or you can even buy fancy color changing ones that tell when they're dry/wet on amazon. Works great inside repeater installs too! 55:34 use some cut up and flattened out 32oz Miller Lite cans to make a divider! 😁

[@BigJohnsHamShack]

Awesome show guys. Sorry I was not able to watch it live.

[@TheSmokinApe]

Better late than never 👍

[@zero_G.0]

Great show guys…antenna experimentation is so much fun😎 a non resonant random wire length into a tuner with the x 0.05 counterpoise at lowest frequency always works for me 😅 I’ve found the random end-fed inverted L or V with the first half length of wire mostly vertical works well for local and DX and gets you on all bands 73 VK3GBE

[@TheSmokinApe]

Thanks Zero, I appreciate the comment 👍

[@75ohmHAM]

( the .05 length comes from the approx CP for a 40m long, 80m fundamental efhw ) So any is better than none, more can be fun. The best thing for a random (imo) is multiple different length "cp's" that teeder between a ground radials and true counterpoise, it's ALL random anyways it's going to flow where it wants to flow 😅

[@75ohmHAM]

(the formula works with smaller or larger fundamental efhw's also, I always use one, but I can hardly tell a difference bc the feed is a large part of that antenna (mostly)

[@zero_G.0]

@@75ohmHAM totally agree 👍🏼 I’m using a 203ft (61.9m) non res length have tried the multi random lengths CP as well for radiation pattern effects with great results…and always use a CMC right at the tuner before the coax run back to the shack and at the shack. Sometimes an additional tuner at the shack especially if using 75ohm cable, just as a final touch up match 😁 building a new shack closer to my antennas to avoid long feed-line losses especially at UHF and up. cheers 73

[@zero_G.0]

@@75ohmHAM ah yes I gather a long coax run from what you were saying about the free 75ohm run of RG-6 or similar especially if you haven’t choked it out at the 9:1 UnUn or tuner end it can still act as part of the CP system (don’t tell the Smoking Ape)😩

[@scubasky]

When doing a sloper, why not get 9:1 up high, that’s the current end?

[@MikeN2MAK]

Great show. #TeamReplay

[@TheSmokinApe]

Thanks Mike!

[@75ohmHAM]

It's RG6 Hardline !!! Thanks BigJohnsHamShack

[@TheSmokinApe]

Boss Level Coax 👀

[@Thump2030]

Good show

[@TheSmokinApe]

Thump!

[@escheytt9326]

Enjoy the candid discussion and learn something new every live session.

[@TheSmokinApe]

Glad it was helpful, thank you for watching 👍

[@johnlew5972]

Would you post what tunners you each use?

[@TheSmokinApe]

Here is a playlist that has videos all about them: Learning about Antenna Tuners for Ham Radio kzbin.info/aero/PLm8ROkpFeqopRurCLezTQgGYX7UOyIkop

[@johnlew5972]

@@TheSmokinApe Thank you!

[@75ohmHAM]

MFJ 945E

[@johnlew5972]

@@75ohmHAM Thank you

[@Tech-NO-City]

Ive been ripping open microwave oven transformers for the magnetwire.

[@TheSmokinApe]

That sounds like real work 😮

[@mortimersnerd801]

@@TheSmokinApe Amazon is your friend for enameled wire... stuff's cheap. Just don't buy any EFHW cores from them though.. cheap Chinese junque... and that's from personal experience. For any core DigiKey is your friend.. also, they ship fast and prices are really reasonable..

[@philhayward8696]

I am sure there is good information to be had in this video......but I just don't have enough hours in the day. Cheers Phil ZL3CC

[@TheSmokinApe]

Thanks for stopping by Phil 👍

[@johnlew5972]

I am currently looking at MFJ 941 E..... 948 ...962 E . Any opinions to help me decide?

[@TheSmokinApe]

I’ve been using the 949F as my primary 👍

[@johnlew5972]

@@TheSmokinApe Thank you

[@75ohmHAM]

If it's got an inductor and 2 caps, you're in the ballpark, there's lots of small changes between models but fret not, they hold their value

[@billryland6199]

For NVIS the radiator has to be horizontal, not vertical.

[@TheSmokinApe]

Right 👍

[@edbeckerich3737]

Where does the 17ft counterpoise come from? It isn't 5% of anything

[@75ohmHAM]

A full fundamental 80m efhw is what you're talking about

[@TheSmokinApe]

WHen I first started making antennas someone told me to start with 17' and work from there and that's what I have done. 17' is about 1/4 wave on 20m and kind of fits into the "harmonic relationship thing"

[@edbeckerich3737]

@@TheSmokinApe Today I helped my son put up a random wire antenna with a 9:1 unun and 41 ft wire, and 17ft counterpoise, his G90 has no problem tuning it!!

[@TheSmokinApe]

@@edbeckerich3737 nice 👍

[@AngryBoar]

White Sands Missile Range is nearby. 🚀

[@TheSmokinApe]

We should ask for a site report

[@slick8086]

When WWF fighters have to wear 3-piece suits to fight in... "Let's get ready to RUMPLE"

[@TheSmokinApe]

Lol

[@shanerorko8076]

I don't even need to watch this, the truth about random wire is it's inferior to a proper setup end fed half wave. This is because they're similar antennas in some ways, but the EFHW negates the need for a tuner when built correct, so you can run radio to one ferrite and that is it, no other ferrites in the sig path so it's ultra low loss. Both designs though are at best a dipole in radiation pattern, I would much prefer a yagi for 20m and below, or for 40m a raised 1/4 wave with short non tuned radials, then just tune it with a big vacuum cap tuner. 80 and 160m a 4 square.

[@75ohmHAM]

That sounds like a whole bunch of money, my wife watched me save for 3 years just for my radio, I am a huge fan of a true end fed half-wave, I'd love to talk to you more about the transformers I make in the discord

[@basilburgess8415]

Tedious! I wanted to get some info. Learned nothing! Rag chew some other time.

[@TheSmokinApe]

@@basilburgess8415 glad you liked the video Champ!

[@mikesradiorepair]

"Can't work DX on a NREF antenna." 🤣 That comes from people who have never used one. You can work 50 states in a day and DXCC in a weekend during a contest with a NREF antenna. Have done it several times during Field Day and CQ World Wide contest.

[@TheSmokinApe]

It’s crazy that people say that stuff right?