[Elecraft] Antenna suggestions for K1 w/KAT1

[Morrow, Michael A.]

Steve Kubisch / WW7Y wrote:

> Looking for good portable antenna to use with K1 w/KAT1.=20
> 40/30/20/15 meters.

Steve,

The best antenna I've ever found for portable operation, by far, after =
33 years of experimenting with nearly every other antenna type, is a =
resonant dipole.  I'd suggest a 66-foot center-fed (with coax, and =
forget the balun for portable applications) dipole, with three =
insulators spaced appropriately in each leg that can be jumpered (or =
not) as necessary to get a resonant dipole on 40, 30, 20, and 15 meters. =
 I have one end (on the outboard side) of each insulator to which I have =
permanently soldered one end of a short jumper, the other end of the =
jumper has an alligator clip.  For portable ops, it's usually no trouble =
to reach up and adjust the jumpers as needed to change bands.  I use 14 =
ga. "Flex-weave" wire...absolutely wonderful extremely flexible stuff =
that doesn't stiffen or fatigue fail or work-harden as it's rolled out =
or in.  The result is a very light-weight and compact (when stowed) =
antenna that is quick and cheap to make and adjust, has no heavy and =
lossy traps, and needs **no** earth ground connection.  I also believe =
in using RG-58/U coax.  RG-174 is nasty flimsy stuff not worth the =
trouble of finding the special BNC connectors needed on the radio end.

73,
Mike / KK5F
=20