[Elecraft] Re: KX-1 antenna help

[Albers]

Dohn wrote,

I am wondering what the groups opinions are about the best end fed antenna
lengths would be for taking my newly built KX1 mobile?  


Dohn,

a year or more ago I posted an article reporting my results with a (approx) 50 foot wire. 

Just re-capping here: I bought a nominally 50 ft roll of speaker wire from Radio Shack and un-zipped it to make two wires. When I measured it each wire was actually about 51 ft long - though I doubt the exact length is critical. In any case, I have used this antenna many times in many locations with very good results.  I put one 51 ft length up as high as I can get it, usually as a sloper from my operating position to a tree (I usually tie some nylon masons twine to a half-filled water bottle and sling it as high as I can over a nearby tree) and the other 51 feet is layed along the ground as a counterpoise. Direction of the ground wire doesn't seem to matter. The KX-1 ATU does a fine job of matching this, and as I said, results have been great. By the way, if you're in an upper-story motel/hotel room, it also works to have the antenna wire going out the window to a bush in the parking lot (sloping downward) and the counterpoise wire just hanging downward from the window to the ground and then layed along the ground. I have fond memories of a front desk clerk near Hazelton, PA calling up to our 3rd floor room and saying, "may I ask what that string is that's going from your room window to the parking lot?" (I worked France with that "string")
73
Ray K2HYD
KX-1 #608