[Elecraft] KAT2 with EFHW antenna

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

33 feet is a 1/2 wave on 20 meters all right. I was using the figures given in the homebrew article that suggested a much shorter wire.  

Yes, Wayne came up with the 28' radiator with 33'counerpoise as a combination that the little ATU in the KX1 could handle on all the bands it covers. The KX1 ATU has a more limited matching range than most of the tuners, including the other tuners in Elecraft rigs, because there simply wasn't room for more inductor/capacitor combinations in very limited space available. 

73, 

Ron AC7AC



-----Original Message-----

Ron, the one I purchased for $42 is for 20 meters and came with a 33 
foot radiator.  A mathematical half wave at 14 MHz would work out to 
32.8 feet.  It did not come with a counterpoise nor was one recommended. 
It loaded up nicely for me as received.  I later tried a short 
counterpoise and did not note any difference in performance.   I use a 
short coax of about 12 feet for portable work.  It seems to work very 
well and only having to worry about hanging one end is convenient.  And 
the wire is a nice quality that resists tangling.

The documentation that came with mine warned that for 40 meter use, I'd 
need to replace the radiator with a 66 foot length and a wing nut 
arrangement is provided for that.  I've never tried it on 40 meters.

Ron, I'm no antenna expert (hence "more money than brains") but I'd like 
to add that the precursor to this EFWHA came right out of the KX1 
documentation.  It's just a double BNC connector with a 28' radiator and 
a 33' counterpoise.  I moved to the EFHWA because I got tired of 
untangling the two wires.

In a side by side test, both antennas sounded the same to my ear.  I 
retired the double BNC affair in favor of the EFWHA because I figured 
the EFWHA was a more efficient radiator, as you pointed out.  Something 
my ears wouldn't necessarily disclose to me.

I apologize for not having re-read the material on those links I 
provided.  Apparently something has changed since I purchased mine.

73, Stan WB2LQF