[Elecraft] pedestrian portable

[Julian (G4ILO)]

I've never operated pedestrian portable (people already have enough reasons 
to doubt my sanity as it is) but if you want a compact antenna that can be 
used without a trailing counterpoise why not try a Miracle Whip? This 54in 
whip has a constantly variable matching transformer so it will give a 
reasonable match with whatever ground plane your back pack etc. will 
supply. Yes, I know that a bunch of people have set out to rubbish this 
antenna and have even produced figures to prove it, but these figures were 
all obtained using an elevated quarter wave counterpoise for the other 
antennas, which of course is going to boost performance since it is 
probably a more efficient radiator than the shortened whip it is being a 
counterpoise for. Although designed for the FT-817, the latest Miracle 
Whips have an uprated specification and can handle the output power of the 
K2.

73,
--
Julian, G4ILO. (RSGB, ARRL, G-QRP, K2 #392)
G4ILO's Shack: http://www.qsl.net/g4ilo