Top 5 Vertical Wire Antennas for HF Ham Radio

[@kumasu]

Looking forward to the book and building these antennas.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks! 73, Walt

[@FIL357]

And me…. Looking 4ward to The Book! 😁 Phil, Suffolk, U.K.🇬🇧

[@mewrongwayKOCXF]

Better put me on the list too! Tying a wire to a pigeon just isn't working! Lol

[@JeffErdman]

Excellent video Walt! I built a 10m vertical dipole suspended from a tree in the backyard and have been working Europe regularly from Indiana. Amazing how much better it is than my normal g5rv with a tuner.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks! That’s awesome

[@67taylor94]

Hi Walt, I have to tell you that you have ignited my passion for the hobby again. I lost my best friend KB1MYE 4 years ago when he passed away, and I just did not want to turn the radio on knowing I was not going to hear him on the other end. You have me interested in POTA and remote style work. Just ordered the G90 yesterday and eagerly await its arrival. Thanks again, and hope to work you soon on the air. 73, Ed KB1LUO

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

@@67taylor94 thanks for the kind words Ed. Hope to catch you on the air soon my friend!

[@Baccala4641]

The time you offer and share with your videos provides a million $$$ of information!! You are truly a Radio Hobbyist that inspires. Don't ever compromise your values and stay Salty!! '73 N8OHV

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you so very much!!! 73, Walt

[@garypaulson5202]

Looking forward to the antenna book

[@williampeacock9473]

I wish you would put out your antenna book the ogo antenna book that definitely would be awesome. Please get your pen hot 🔥 and write a book about what you do for your antenna projects. 73 AE4OY WILLIAM PEACOCK EM-81UF Blackshear, Ga 0:02

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks! 73, Walt

[@RickPaquin]

Yep! Your video shows what you can do for great results at minimum cost. Great video!! As a novice, I bought a multi-band vertical where the ground wires lay on the ground. It didn't perform at all for 10m (the only band I'm currently licensed to use). It was basically dead. 20m had no activity either so I dragged my feet pursuing my general. Why bother? But yet others were using that antenna just fine. I then realized that they were using that antenna in big fields, or on the beach where they DO work well! Frustrated, I took it apart and taped the 98" 10m element up at the top, connected it to a 1:1 balun with guy wires connected as a ground plane. Since the ground plane needed to be about 106", I separated the guy wires at the 106" point with insulators and one hour later I talked with a guy 4000 mi away using just 20w. I'm now talking to everyone in a 3 to 4k mile radius. The band is now saturated during the day and there's lots of activity on 20 now as well which I'd never heard before. Now I'm enjoying 10m! So I have now decided to continue with my general because what I did was FUN, highly rewarding, and NOT that expensive (basically the mast, balun and a roll of guy wire) So when I get my general, I intended to do something similar with maybe another taller mast so I can have longer verticals for the lower bands and try to make it a multi-band! Basically, for my backyard anyway, I concluded that wire on the ground design just didn't work because the whole antenna was blocked by buildings and structures. For 10M, I just had to get it up above the structures.

[@mikesmith5139]

Hi Walt. Great inspiration - as always. I would love to see you try an "All Band Doublet" - 13.4 metre (44 foot) horizontal, or Inverted V top wire, fed in the centre with simple balanced twin feed line (not coax). Supported at about 8m above ground, using a 9 or 10 metre long roach pole / crappie pole / DX Commander pole / SOTA Pole. A 1:1 or 4:1 transformer will be needed just before the ATU to transform the twin line to a very short length of coax that connects to the ATU (or G90 in your case). It will need a wide range auto ATU or a manual MFJ travel tuner of some sort. I'd love to see your video thoughts on that!! 73, Mike.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks, I will eventually give that a try. 73, Walt

[@rodneyhefner6596]

Great stuff Walt. I was waiting for the Coastal 20 to make an appearance in your list. I am a land locked and HOA restricted new ham and have been looking at the Coastal 20 as a possible quick setup for my back yard with a 23.2 ft. painters pole and a Christmas light hanging attachment (gets the overall height to 23.5 ft.) for the setup with the LDG 4:1 UnUn. The no radial aspect is a great benefit for my situation (dog and XYL). Your channel has been a great source of information and inspiration for me and I just ordered my Xiegu G90 yesterday on a Black Friday early bird special as my first HF radio. Once again thank you for all your work and willingness to share with us. Rodney KJ5FWC 73

[@doc145]

Just be aware that the braid of the coax is acting as the radial. Most random wire antennas use this method. If you do, do not attach a 1:1 choke at the feed point. It will negate the braid. Attach it just before the connection to the rig. You can always add radials if you can which would be better.

[@Andrew-yx7sf]

I have two that are my go to verticals that kick butt on POTA. First is the 41' Random wire on my 40' Spiderbeam Pole. I use 4-16' radials with a slight slope to the antenna to accommodate the extra foot. I mount the 9:1 on and electric fence post. Second is the Rybakov with 4- 8' radials elevated on the same pole. I use the electric fence posts to hold up the radials. Both of these antennas are because of you and this channel. Thanks, N1XXU Andy

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

That’s awesome Andy! Thanks for sharing

[@Krispin291]

I can’t wait for that book!!! II’ll have to find a way to get it autographed!! Thank you for all the info. The info and suggestions that you have provided have helped me A TON! 73

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you so very much!!!! I'll find a way to make that happen.

[@timeinthefield]

My top 5 vertical wire antennas are: 1. Rybakov 2. Rybakov 3. Rybakov 4. Rybakov 5. Rybakov

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Hahahahaha that’s a nice list

[@wildweasel6898]

Also looking for a good book with simple diagrams for the noob. Thanks love your channel.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

@@wildweasel6898 working on one now, will be published soon.

[@sirtango1]

I ran across a no name 22 foot surf rod that was cheap back in the 90’s. I snatched it up and used it as an antenna mast for wire antennas while surf fishing there on the OBX. Just drop it into one of the holders on the rod rack. Worked like a charm!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

That's awesome

[@fredwatkins8177]

My favorite of these is the 29' vertical, fastened by tape and Velcro to my 10-meter DX Commander pole. I've found through some experimentation and collaboration with another Ham that a single 25' length of wire as a counterpoise works great for us landlubbers. LOL Oh, I almost forgot. One single counterpoise wire of 7 feet makes it perfect for 40 meters. Over this last weekend I put a 5/8 wave wire on the DX Commander for 12 meters and had a really good QSO with PA3GEG in the Netherlands with my new QT80. Worked great!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

That is a great antenna, I've worked some incredible DX with that antenna too.

[@rafaelgcpp]

A quarter wave for 40m is quite fun to build. BTW, I did it with 16 ground wires, 2.5m each and it worked absolutely fine! But I have to agree: EFHW vertical is a winner!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Roger that, I'm going to build one soon. 73, Walt

[@horaceseymour1379]

I agree with your list, especially #1. My 20m EFFW has worked from Australia to South Africa to Russia with no tuner required on 20m. With a tuner all bands above 20. The Tenntennas 49:1 is great.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Roger that, I love my Tenntennas 49:1.

[@F4LDT-Alain]

What a fantastic summary video, Walt. This is one I'll keep at hand every time I go portable to chose the right antenna to bring up. Many thanks for this invaluable information. Over the past two days I've tried 1/4 wave with 4 elevated radials and a vertical dipole for 10 meters. The latter wins. And it's so much easier to bring up. I'll have to try the vertical 1/2 wave. I now have a 49:1/56:1/64:1 unun (it has three outputs) that I've bought recently. It will be an excellent opportunity to put it at work. Best 73s dear friend.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you so much Alain! 73 my friend

[@boricuaprepper4949]

Great video Walt, I've used the 25` vertical telescopic antenna by Chameleon antennas but with the 4:1 Unun, so a Rubykov, and have it on the roof of my house and made all 50 states on POTA as a hunter, to say that's amazing considering I'm using only 100W and that I live in Puerto Rico. Take care Walt, 73' from KP4YAT

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

That's awesome! 73, Walt

[@SeaDogJak]

Hey Walt, another great video, just bought my QT80, hope your wife is getting better, 73

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you! She is doing well. 73

[@MrStanwyck]

Good morning Walt…. Another great video…

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks! 73, Walt

[@sailor382]

Made some great contacts this past weekend with a vertical 17M dipole connected with LDG 1:1 balun taped to my DX Commander. Of course, the Rybakov is on my DX commander at the moment. You should get royalties from Walmart on their 16 g. speaker wire!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

hahaha I actually need to make a Walmart run and get some more.

[@Bdub1952]

Thanks for another great video, Walt. My Rybakov has been up and functioning well in my backyard since your original video. I love that I can use it to check in to my 40 meter net. However, it now looks like it's time to experiment with a half wave vertical since ten has been so hot! Thanks so much for what you do, even us old-timers learn a lot from your experimentation!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you! You will really love a vertical half wave.

[@CandC_Farms]

Thanks Walt! Just what I needed. I’m a little limited on ununs and frequencies (I’m just a tech), but I have a 4:1 and a 9:1 so lots of options. Looking forward to your book, 73.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks! the book is coming soon!

[@JamesHindsW5ATJ]

Great video Walt. The 1/2 wave vertical is next on my list. Thanks es 73, Jim

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks, it's a great antenna for DX!

[@WECB640]

Great summary Walt.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you so much my friend!

[@hughpatterson1480]

Great top five antenna video Walt! I have built and used then am they work wonderfully. I have always felt that you have to have a number of different antennas because some situations are different than others. I keep an old fashioned technical journal in which I have blueprints for antennas, baluns, ununs, etc. It's good to be able to have designs handy for reference. All the antennas are your designs because they work so brilliantly. Of course, with the bands going up and down, you have to be a student of propagation to work HF. Thanks again for another great video. Take care...73...Hugh...KN6KNB

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks! Roger that, take care my friend. 73, Walt

[@robertmeyer4744]

Nice list Walt. I have done all 5 of them. work great . My list is from what worked best for me in a park. On ground. no salt water. #1 is 5/8 wave with a bunch of radials . about a full wave of wire on the ground. I have done 6 meter threw 20 meters. That about 43 ft . All work super. # 2 is the 1/2 wave vertical . done 6 threw 20 meter bands. lots of wire on ground. # 3 is the 4:1 random wire 25 ft with bunch of radials . needs tuner does 6 threw 20 very well. # 4 is the 1/4 wave vertical with lots of radials . # 5 is the 9:1 random wire vertical wit bunch of ground radials. I have done center fed vertical and offset center fed vertical . Not on my top 5. Hard to tune and deploy but did work well enough. 73

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Great top 5, thanks for sharing!

[@stevehutchings4339]

Great video Walt - very helpful! The notes / drawings on the quad paper was excellent. It reminded me of electronics books from Forrest M Mimms III, very clean drawings and writing on quad. Will you have links to these notes that we could download - or are they planned to be in your future book? 73, VY2SH.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

@@stevehutchings4339 thanks! Will definitely be in the book coming soon!

[@thomashardy9994]

Reminds me that I need a longer mast. Thanks for another great video.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks! 73, Walt

[@bevo65]

Great video. Lots of projects to look forward to! 🤠

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you my friend! 73, Walt

[@johnharrison5703]

Excellent info as always.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks! 73, Walt

[@RadioExpeditionProject]

Thank you Walt!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you!

[@escheytt9326]

Walt, thank you for all the great content. Given my limited space (40" x 30' patio) and HOA issues, I would be grateful to hear your comments on NVIS antennas. Appreciate any guidance you can give for my consideration. Living in the desert (Tucson) near lots of mountains in Southern AZ, my targeted distance would be around 300 miles. Plan on buying a FT 710 once I get the antenna situation somewhat sorted out. Have General license and a 2M radio currently. Thanks and best regards. Ed KK7UNA

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks, look into a delta loop. That might be the solution for you. 73, Walt

[@JimMest]

Great video Walt

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you!

[@PotaPower01-m2b]

Another good one ! Tanks Walt !

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks!!!!!!

[@cWatts-zv3oo]

Fantastic video Walt! Many thanks.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks! 73, Walt

[@eem3iii]

Great info on wire antennas! Just bought Ununs for 64:1, 9:1, 4:1, and a 1:1 balun you’ve talked about. Have tested all but the 1:1. Will several counterpoise wires help on the half wave vertical wire for 10 meters? I didn’t see them in your drawing.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks! with the halfwave for 10 I typically don't use a counterpoise because I try to get it up as high as possible. I also don't choke it at the feedpoint so essentially the long coax is the actual counterpoise. You can experiment with several counterpoise but at a half wave the roll of the counterpoise changes. It's the reason why you hear folks saying an end fed half wave doesn't need a counterpoise. Actually it does but just not an elaborate gound plane like a quaterwave does.

[@jimmcdonald3525]

Great show, Walt! But I’m still hungry…

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks, I need to get out and do some coastal exploring soon.

[@ChristopherMisterek]

5:17 hi Walt. Appreciate your advice and teaching! New general and I’m learning and ready to try things. Question- a 17.5 vertical with a 4:1; if i want to shorten with a coil, does this change the impedance / change the unun needed? Thank you!

[@bobsyris]

Great stuff. Could use the list and links to resources in the description!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks, I have several videos on all these that mostly have the resources.

[@montedodge341]

Thank you !!!!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks! 73, Walt

[@robertofernandez-x9p]

Thanks!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you so very much!!

[@timaust3764]

Top antenna for 80 meters half wave vertical using surf fishing pole letting out 135 feet half wave of copper wire pulled up into the sky by helium ballon’s. The bottom of wire fed by 49:1 balun with counter poise using using MFJ artificial ground tuner . Use ground rod on ground side on MFJ artificial ground tuner or ground radials . Planning on trying this for 160 meters soon .

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

awesome!

[@christophersmith1155]

i want to build a 5/8 wave for 11 meters. dead center 27.2050. So now after watching your video I will buy a 4:1 unun. I didnt know. Im planning on running 1800 watts .

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

That’s a lot of heat. I know my LDG 4:1 is rated for 200 watts. Take a look at Palomar Engineers for a 4:1 that could handle that.

[@christophersmith1155]

thx

[@TheMaddoguk]

Any suggestions on wire vertical wire antennas hidden in a gutter downpipe?

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

I'll have to give that some though

[@fm71450]

Hey Walt, thanks for this video. My lack of understanding about the need for a 49:1 Balun for the 1/2 wave vertical shows my need to continue studying. Question: if you had a 1/2 wave counterpoise, would that lower the feed point impedance? Anyway, I also love making wire antennas, so thanks again. From SE Tenn., KQ4IXD

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks for watching, I think you might see an affect on impedance by adding it but I don't think it would be anything greatly measurable. Would probably just force you to measure and trim the driven element to regain resonance.

[@jerryKB2GCG]

Thanks Walt. Looking to make one of these as a permanent installation, any advice on weatherproofing the balun? raise up 3 feet to avoid snow? (Rybakov in particular)

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

I think I would just wrap the coax connector with electrical tap and let it go.

[@bvds2007]

Bookmarked!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you!

[@johnnorth9355]

Been using my G90 on my neigbours fence but not much luck - may have to get the wire cutters out at night lol. 73 M7BLC . (also just bought a faraday cloth so experiments to follow ).

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Awesome! 73, Walt

[@MyHamRadioJourney]

I just put up your 20.5 with a 4:1 Unun at my house running 80 watts cw and making great contacts. I will have to try the 1/2 wave next. Thanks for your time. Do you have a link for the unun chart? 73s W3CT

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks, I don't actually have a link but I will try to post it somewhere and share the link. 73, Walt

[@simplemaninmichigan]

Great video! If I use a telescoping aluminum flag pole for a mast, will this screw things up?

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

@@simplemaninmichigan thanks! Unfortunately the aluminum flag pole will couple to the wire and not work.

[@Kinetic79]

You may have some success running it as a sloper, trying to keep the end 6” or more from the pole with a piece of light cordage. It will affect your radiation pattern, but metal poles and towers have been used for sloping antennas before. You could also light up the whole aluminum pole as the radiating element, but then you’ll want to isolate that from the ground (ideally by about a foot), and you’ll want to make sure there’s a consistently low resistance connection between every section (probably using conductive aluminum tape at the junctions or even a solid strip all the way up the mast, as your cheapest option)-and ensuring a good low resistance connection from the center conductor to the tape. Finally, not a vertical, but you could attempt to use it as a light inverted V support (like for an EFHW dipole with the matching box close to-but isolated from-the ground). You could attach the 49:1 or 64:1 to one of those plastic electric fence posts with the spike on the end, temporarily, to keep the strain off the flag pole.

[@simchun_p402]

좋아요!!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you!

[@Tech-NO-City]

What happens if you tilt the antenna to perhaps improve the angle of take off?

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

It can sometimes be an advantage. As you can see in my vertical dipoles it’s almost impossible to get them perfectly straight.

[@AdamPomykala]

Witam, możesz wrzucić twoje notatki do pdf i udostępnić. Pozdrawiam z polski 🇵🇱🇵🇱

[@chuckmcdermott7053]

Can a counterpoise ever be too long?

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Not really but theoretically you reach a point of diminishing return.

[@johng1560]

Is thicker wire ok if u don't have the thin stuff?

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Yes, it’s actually better

[@johng1560]

Thanks Walt, always tuned in for ur great videos 👍

[@michaellanders1601]

are u on a diet Walt where's rhe next seafood feed

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

I'm not on a diet, I'm on a budget LOL

[@richegan7381]

Too bad you ignored raised radials. A quarter-wave ground -plane with one to four raised radials is a proven DX antenna and there is plenty of proof on KZbin to their effectiveness. I usually enjoy your vertical presentations but you lost me on this one.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

I’m always operating by the world’s greatest RF ground surface, saltwater. Nothing wrong with raised radials, just not the option for how I operate. Sorry I lost you on this one. I asked in the video for YOUR top 5.

[@kumasu]

I don't believe this has ever been a "raised radials" KZbin channel. Were you expecting Walt to suddenly include a raised-radial antenna in his list, based on his nearly non-existent use of them in previous videos?

[@Kinetic79]

It was a good list! My thinking is maybe to just go with the tuner and forego the 4:1 in some cases, since it’s probably within the efficient reach of most tuners-but depends on how much you really need to run a longer piece of coax. You can’t always set your radio or tuner right over the water. :) Also a little curious if we think there’s a practical limit to the length of that wire that makes the ground connection by kissing the salt water. I’m thinking of getting a baby aluminum pizza plate or something-to kinda lodge into the surf, to give a bit more conductivity in a fairly light and small footprint without sharp edges. Let’s see what I come up with :) @rich The raised radials add to the complexity of the setup … but surely there are situations/contacts where one’s signal will be stronger at the receiving station while using raised radials right at the waterline-including DX. But I think Walt’s success with the simpler option has him feeling that it’s just not worth the effort. Even with raised radials you’re not 100% independent of ground, and will still get some benefit from the seawater. What raised radials is likely to do for you, I think, is attribute to a somewhat more omnidirectional pattern than you’d get by relying on the sea on one side.