DX Boost for Your HF Vertical - Simple Low Cost

[@alan4cars]

Great advice. I used a 4btv on the roof of my home for years with amazing results. Working portable, I also found much better results with my vertical configurations off the ground with the radials also off the ground. Playing with antennas is a really fun part of this hobby. 73's WA6MOW

[@watersstanton]

Great to hear from you. 73 Peter

[@johnallsopp8260]

Thank you, Peter, for your time presenting practical educational videos,s for the new ham and old-timers like me. There's always something to pick up from watching video presentations. I have tried many verticals, some ground mounted with a minimum amount of radials, ie 16. Using a simple homemade field strength meter at my QTH, which is surrounded by trees concrete and other houses, I have found that most of the time the ground-mounted verticals I have built, on 10,15,20 meters are down around 6 to 9dbs at one halfwave distance from the feed point, one wavelength and three wavelengths were similar. Raising the bottom of a 20-meter vertical from ground level to 5 meters above I gained the 6-9dbs. Wonder what a vertical for 14 Mhz at 16.5 feet will do if mounted on the chimney stack with radials lying on the slates, I, 'll report back when completed, I use the reverse beacon network for checking received signals, it is a very handy tool. VY 73 de JOHN G4YDM

[@watersstanton]

interesting to hear. well done.

[@drjtgill]

40 years ago I had a Hygain 18AVT 5 band vertical (very similar to today’s 6BTV). I had it mounted at the eave of my house (~10 ft) and had 2 wires for each band in a ground plane configuration. It worked very well for several years. The radials weren’t at ideal angles, but it worked. A SSB contact from Texas with an Indonesian station using a Kenwood TS-520 is still one of my most memorable QSOs.

[@watersstanton]

Yes I remember that antenna. 73 Peter

[@nattyras1984]

If antenna companies are wondering why sales are dropping. Is because we are learning all the secrets slowly but surely from uncle Peter. Thanks again for a great one.

[@watersstanton]

Glad to help. 73 Peter

[@RobertMacCready]

I have an aluminum flag pole that I separated at the bottom by about 1'. So the flag pole is about 23' up. Used sheets of aluminum around the base, and attach the radials off the edges of the aluminum sheets. I used random lengths. Got about 9 right now. Longest one is about 25' and shortest is about 6'. 8-foot grounding rod at the base of the antenna. Got an MFJ remote antenna tuner and she tunes up nicely from 6 to 80m. Been playing with WSJT-X FT8 and 4, and it works amazingly well. From North Central Florida I've worked New Zealand, several Russian stations, Australia a few times, Brazil and Argentinia, and Kuwait, to name a few. Have over 1000 contacts in just a month and 1/2. I can run up the stars and strips (it is a flag pole) and so no one sees an "antenna".

[@watersstanton]

Sounds great. Keep flying the flag!

[@erpece]

Great information, Peter. I would like to add that if you use a metal support for a fiber glass pole, make sure the feed point is (just) above the top of the metal support. This will minimize the effect of the metal support.

[@watersstanton]

Yes indeed. 73 Peter

[@mikes6844]

I cut circular disks out of a plastic used from a kitchen cutting/preparation board. Slide over my Spiderbeam - 3 band only and could add more, 20/17/10. Radials 18” off the ground. Every day is a learning day. Thanks Peter.

[@watersstanton]

Hi Mike, if you have a picture of the method or of the discs, let me know. 73 Peter

[@_tor]

Thank you for your videos sir. I have taken your advice very seriously. You have made this hobby enjoyable with all your tips. My friends and I are greatful.

[@watersstanton]

So nice of you 73 Peter

[@loraz0]

Hello Peter. I have had a 10m fiberglass pole supported by a piece of pvc plumbing pipe set in concrete for two years now. It is ready to start it's 3rd Wisconsin winter. The biggest issue I have had is the pole collapsing, especially in the winter. I pull each section as tight as possible, use a good grade of electrical tape to cover each joint well, and put a zip tie on the upper section at the joint on the tape. Use needle nose pliers to twist-pull the zip tie tight. It has stayed up fine since I did this, and is a great antenna overall. Very fast to take down for storms or hoa silliness.

[@db3mi]

yeah - i buildt my 3 band vertical last week and now the vertical vids on youtube are booming ;) THX and cheers, 73 - i made it exactly as you describe. The capacitive effects from the elements interacting and other metal stuff near the antenna make it a sport event to bring the pole up and down to tune the system .... Snapping Wago clamps are a good help (series 221)

[@watersstanton]

Great to hear from you. 73 Peter

[@bobblacka918]

Great video. I had a brand new 18AVQ vertical in a box left over from the 1960's that I never had time to put up. This antenna had no traps instead using a loading coil at the base. I repurposed it as a 20m mono-bander trimmed exactly to one-quarter wave length. I mounted it on a section of galvanized steel conduit about 5 meters above ground. I always use a 1:1 balun with my antennas to prevent coax feedline radiation. Having room for only one radial, I gave it a try anyway. Amazingly, after tuning, the SWR was 1.05 at the center of the band rising to only 1.2 at the band edges. Haven't tried WSPR yet, but from reception reports, it appears to have good DX propagation in all directions. The lesson here is even one elevated radial can work if you don't have room for more.

[@watersstanton]

Yes I agree. I have used a similar setup in a tight situation. Enjoy it. 73 Peter.

[@smfridley2460]

Greetings from Texas Peter! Thoroughly enjoy your vids and suggestions to the ham radio community. My favorite antenna is an EFHW on a spiderbeam and a drive on antenna mount. Superb DX. Now motivated to build a better vertical for my HOA location (very hot here at the moment though). Keep up the great work. Your are a true gem!

[@watersstanton]

Nice to hear from you. I spent a week in Texas several years ago at the 6m BBQ. Great time. 73 Peter

[@johnmarron1944]

Another great video ,.what you have described is how the dxcommander is constructed..thanks again keep them coming. 73 john

[@watersstanton]

Glad you enjoyed it. 73 Peter

[@DL1GKC]

Great video, Peter. Useful information. At the end of your video, you are describing Cullum‘s DXCommander 😁 good ideas taken from old books. 73 de Chris DL1GKC

[@watersstanton]

Many thanks

[@asddbdsd3620]

Another great video, thanks Peter. Meanwhile I own three 12.5m Spiderbeam fiberglass poles and I'm totally happy with them. 73, DF9CK

[@watersstanton]

Very nice!

[@alangoulding4252]

Another video with excellent advice Peter, I replied to your previous video regards the choice of verticals and the installation of my Cushcraft MA5V on a 10ft mast on the side of my house making it around 30 plus feet from the ground. I thought i would add another bit of my install that may interest the viewers. The alloy mast is 2 inches dia with a 3mm wall thickness, by trade I am a manufacturing engineer for 40 + years so am a little handy on the lathe, I turned a nylon bush for a tight fit inside the mast and bored a hole to suit the aerial base to slide in snugly. To look at my MA5V it looks as its just one very large antenna no U bolts to fix to the mast for location. Now I wasn't sure if my fixture would affect my install as the 4 ground radials encircle the mast to a point but maybe I was lucky its had no adverse results on SWR or the way the Cushcraft performs...just thought I would share my idea Peter..(I have 2 Diamond 2/70 mounted in exactly the same way again with no effect on performance) 73s de G7WBB Alan

[@watersstanton]

Very many thanks for sharing your idea. 73 Peter

[@MrDbone75]

A very good Monday afternoon to you all from Wellington Somerset

[@theradiocommsgeek8631]

I agree with you mostly with elevated radials the 45 degree will bring down the sdr. I plan on a multi band vertical like the commander I live 400 feet off the beach at a elevation of 2 feet of sea level. The salt water is a better ground by 1000 percent so I can't wait its like magic. And probably ground mount. I might try it also with elevated radials. Keep up the good work! Chuck AA4CP Fort Pierce ,Florida USA

[@watersstanton]

Hi Chuck. Salt water is amazing. you can hear and work stations that others cannot hear a trace of. Go for it.

[@Dan-56]

I like using the LDG 1:1 Balun at the feed point of my homemade verticals. And I’ll bet you have them for sale in your shop 😉! Another great inspiring video to get out there and build an antenna 📡😃👍! de Dan WD4DB

[@watersstanton]

Many thanks. 73 Peter

[@g0ooq537]

Enjoyed the video, sound advice. And yes Spiderbeam masts are the way to go.

[@watersstanton]

Many thanks.

[@ehayes5217]

As always, great info & I plan to have my vertical just as u described & thanx! Best 73 de WA4ELW in TN 🇺🇸 dit dit 😃

[@watersstanton]

Ok, thanks

[@smfridley2460]

Peter, following your suggestion and I'm building an elevated tri-band vertical in the back yard. Using mono band mobile antennas for 17 and 20m, and 2 resonant radials per band. Purchased an aluminum plate, cut as a hexagon base and have antenna spacing of approximately 6 inches. (BTW, tuning the 17m was a bit touchy but finally got SWR below 1.5.) Remember, a decent antenna analyzer is your best friend! To elevate the antenna I am using two sections of my spider pole mounted over a copper rod driven into the ground about 8 inches. Antenna base is up about 6 feet. Peter, I am curious about the degree of effect on SWR of trimming the radials versus simply adjusting the antenna stinger? I will be happy to provide details and photos to anyone interested in my design. Working great so far and will be adding 15 meter antenna today. Cheers!

[@watersstanton]

That sounds an interesting arrangement. Ideally you want to ascertain if the whip is resonant ny attaching random wires to it. Don’t worry about VSWR, just look for the dip. Then try and get the lowest VSWR y just adjusting the radials. 73 Peter

[@smfridley2460]

@@watersstanton Thanks for your nice reply Peter. Always enjoy hearing from you. I just recently completed building a triband quarter wave in my small backyard and it’s performing quite well after a lot of tuning. I wanted to suggest a topic for one of your future videos. Antenna tuning, especially for an elevated quarter wave multiband and all the factors that effect it such as feed point height, radiator separation distance, radial angle and length and coax length. In my own experience the most difficult thing was getting the 15, 17 and 20 meter radiators to play nice together. I’m using electrically shortened mobile antennas from Shark Antennas as the three radiators.

[@basshorseman998]

Thank you Peter once again...

[@watersstanton]

You aew welcome

[@davem0udb]

Another interesting video Peter

[@richarde735]

you should collaborate with Callum McCormick M0MCX aka DX Commander and see about elevating one of his multi-band ground mounted vertical antennas. he has a strong following on KZbin as well and that may benefit both of your businesses.

[@stewartrv]

I'm thinking of building a variation on this. I plan on having a vertical EFHW. If I cut for the 20M band it will 20M of course and all higher bands as it's resonant on all harmonics and it doesn't need radials or counterpoise (other than the coax). Finally as far as I know the take off angle is even shallower than a quarter wave so it will be great if mounted up high! Have you ever tried this?

[@watersstanton]

A 20m half wave EFHW will only work on 20m and 10m. You are correct, the angle is slightly lower than a quarter wave. 73 Peter

[@stewartrv]

@@watersstanton I suppose I'll have to get a 18m SpiderPole and then make a shortened EFHW for a 40m EFHW and more bands! 😉

[@brianfields4479]

Hi Peter, nice video. As a user of a 40m vertical on the ground in the corner of the garden, and radials layed on the lawn in the winter, now completely hidden, and getting dx zl to eu everyday, what improvements do you think I will get by converting to a raised Vertical ant, maybe better rx or tx, you may have said that in previous videos, I may have missed. Thanks 73.

[@watersstanton]

Ground mount results very much depend on what is around you up to several wavelengths away and whether you have benefit of ground sloping away. With extensive tests at my QTH I am seeing 6-9dB. gain on DX. And that with just three radials which I can easily fold away.73 Peter.

[@jamesgeorge1709]

I've been thinking about a 20 thru 6 meter vertical with a 49/1 unun at the feed point and put it up 10 ft above ground with a couple of 1/4 radial. Somethiing to play with.

[@robhorsch3669]

Brilliant! Many thanks, Peter. I live on an island with a 40 cliff to the beach. I will be trying this down by the beach and up on the bluff. Any prediction which will work better? 73 from N7RLV

[@watersstanton]

Have fun! 73 Peter

[@alphasxsignal]

Just put up a endfed 1/2 wave res antenna by My Antenna company.

[@GreyGhost-r4z]

MFJ poles are $200.... I could have got 2 from you. I'll order soon. You ship to USA ?

[@z3r0c00l2]

I have a sirio 827 on my roof. I have it on a mast of 2.5 meters . This antenna has 8 radials around it . Should I change the mast to a 5 meter one or not ? I am always looking to make long distance DX. So what are your suggestions?

[@brandonhawkins3266]

If I add radials to my 6BTV from a chimney mount and lay them out on the roof , will this work?

[@mikeymouse4629]

Thank you for this video. For the radials coming down from an elevated vertical antenna, you suggested ~ 30-45 degrees. But how long should the radials be (a full 1/4 lambda of the band you want, 1/8 lambda, or does it matter) ? I believe you said 1/4 lambda radials, but that will make the radials as long as your antenna, if you are using a 1/4 wave vertical. What about 2 radials each 1/8 wavelength - that would give you a steeper angle, but would that reduce the efficiency of the antenna? Thank you for any advice.

[@AusProbiz]

Each radial should be around 1/4, 1/8 won't work, and adjust to minimum SWR, assuming the vertical radiator is also 1/4, it can be longer then the radials may be shorter.

[@pauls8456]

Cheapest way is to reuse an old CB / 11m vertical- they are readily available and a 1/2 wave on 11/10 is a 1/4 wave on 20.

[@watersstanton]

Providing you bypass the match section.

[@pauls8456]

@@watersstanton Yes of course, some are easier than others, the ones with a coil inside the base require a few pop rivets to be drilled out to remove the coil etc.

[@bobblacka918]

Great idea.

[@tomsteuverkb8dxn132]

I have a Hustler 5BTV on the ground and it performs pretty well. I want to raise it up. Thanks for the explanation. The two radials you mentioned would give me what I need for 10m, 15m, 20m, and 40m or do I need more at different lengths? The antenna does do 80m but if I can't match it for that band, not a deal-breaker. What kind of wire do you recommend to be the best for radials?

[@watersstanton]

The recommendation is 2 radials for each band. You could run different band radials close together with spacers if that helps.

[@tomsteuverkb8dxn132]

@@watersstanton Thanks!

[@kierongreen9789]

Thanks Peter.K

[@francismcclaughry3794]

i hav a nine band vertical laying the hall way. my mate is always complains. when i bought . i never considred the traps had to be set. i have m f j for setting the traps 'but have no idea of h.ow to use the darn thing.

[@markheil6374]

Hello, I live in southern California and have struggled to put an antenna on top of my roof. I live in a 3 story house at the beach and have run an extremely heavy gauge ground wire up there, with two 10 foot ground rods into the earth below. I have purchased two different (long) antennas that don't require a ground plane but couldn't bring myself to install them. It's legal as a homeowner, but they are massive virtual (another 30+ feet). Our homes are long and TALL and close together due to the real estate costs, and I think it would look odd and potentially bring down the value. I never thought about creating a ground plane 50 feet up on the flat part of my roof using a smaller antenna. Thoughts?

[@watersstanton]

Go for it. Quarter wave vertical on roof will work great. 2 or 3 radials will work and you have benefit of nearby salt water. 73 Peter

[@markheil6374]

@@watersstanton Thanks, I will give it a try. Cheers!

[@jeremyolive1132]

Commander money for old rope. Is there a vertical for 160 I ask . Love the tutorials Peter. 73 G7GNS

[@watersstanton]

The only practical 160m for most of us is a loadide vertical, but will have a very narrow bandwidth. 73 Peter

[@jeremyolive1132]

@@watersstanton thanks fir getting back. I've never used top band and you never hear people talking of it. Must take a look at it.

[@Ressy66]

Thanks Peter, how about the BB7V, I've seen you do one before on a stand a foot or two above ground, no radials, how would a BB7V work at about 8feet above ground with and without radials?

[@watersstanton]

The design is for use without radials. It is not a quarter wave design - it performs similar to an EFHW in that respect.

[@DonzLockz]

So it's like a raised DX Commander with 45⁰ elavated radials? A vertical trapped end fed?

[@watersstanton]

All quarter waves benefit.

[@Coldwind12]

if my UHF/VHF antenna (2/3 of the lenhth of HF) is mounted 1m away from my vertical HF DX-88 HyGain (very old, 1.5kW sometimes I use) does it hurts much my HF vertical antenna performance? Both antennas are mounted on a chimney c.a. 7 m above the ground and the roofis covered with a sheet metal. Thank You for the comment in advance - Best regards - Adam SQ8JI 73's

[@watersstanton]

Probably not. Some HF verticals have parallelelements much closer and seem to work.

[@AliReza-zx8km]

Nice.....................

[@briantrask8173]

Hi Peter, Should the end of the radials also be above ground?

[@AusProbiz]

No though it likely won't matter, you could lay them on the top of the ground, or have them elevated and end in stakes insulated from the ground, test and see. Don't mount a quarter wave vertical higher than 1/4 above ground at base though, if you do the next low angle radiation height is more than 1.25 wavelengths up.OH and be careful because if the ends of those radials are in reach of animals, children, they'll get very nasty shocks from them if you are transmitting, so they are best kept out of reach.

[@jerryblankenship9908]

Fiberglass mast for C B radios how do you ground the antenna

[@watersstanton]

Why would you want to ground the antenna?

[@55555netman]

how do you tune the 4btv if you are mounting above ground , if tuned at ground hight then elevated does the tune alter? cheers john zl1jre

[@watersstanton]

Yes it will change slightly, This is covered in the User Manual.

[@stevepatterson2290]

question. I have a 4BTV what if I wanted to put that on a elevated mast?

[@watersstanton]

No problem. it is covered in the user Manual

[@KeepEvery1Guessing]

Do beware of the high (transmitting) voltages at the ends of the radials. Keep them out of reach of pets, children, and the hands of guests who may not understand the hazard. And keep them clear of anything combustible, like your house, trees, etc. And note that elevated radials (unlike a radial field on or buried in the ground) must be of resonant length for the frequency of interest (multiple sets for different bands each need only be resonant for that band). Not a big deal, but, for lower bands they might need to extend beyond the horizontal limits of your garden.

[@watersstanton]

Loaded radials will be covered in an upcoming video.

[@smfridley2460]

@@watersstanton Looking forward to this video!

[@colrowsell3216]

All good

[@watersstanton]

Thanks

[@엄영수-e5x]

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