[Elecraft] Miniature self-supporting HF antennas

[Vic Rosenthal]

Well, I never operated from uncomfortable locations like above the tree
line, but my experience with portable antennas has been the same. Short
loaded antennas are not as good as wires. I prefer a dipole that can be
configured as a sloper, V, etc. I have  a 33' collapsible fiberglass
pole that has been useful where there aren't enough trees. It's not
really suitable for backpacking, but smaller and lighter ones are available.

73,
Vic, 4X6GP/K2VCO
Rehovot, Israel
http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/

On 20 Jul 2015 12:46, Rick M0LEP wrote:
> So far, I've found nothing that comes close, and there's nothing
> more frustrating than getting to the top and then finding the antenna
> you have is doing a poor job. I now regard anything which relies on
> loading coils with deep suspicion. That coil's usually doing a fine
> job of converting RF to heat. One such antenna I tested against an
> inverted-V dipole turned out to be over 20dB down on the dipole for
> 40 metres.
>
> On Sun 19 Jul Wayne Burdick wrote:
>> But the search for the ideal miniature HF antenna continues:
>> something both very compact *and* highly efficient. Ideally it
>> would break down to a length of 8" or less, do an excellent job on
>> 20 meters and up, and earn a passing grade on 30 and/or 40 meters.