[Elecraft] "Random wire" vs Buddystick - myth, bias or luck?

Thu Sep 29 13:16:24 EDT 2016

Hi Michael,

Couple of points -

- Just about any random wire will work on some bands.  "Work" just means 
you can tune it with the ATU, but it may or may not be very efficient.  
Otoh, putting *any* signal on the air is better than none.  Tuning will 
be easiest the closer to odd multiples of a quarter wave the radiator is 
(and it might be fairly efficient too, if it's close to vertical).  Your 
36' configuration seems like it should work very well on 40m and 15m.

- Avoid half-wave configurations of the radiator length.  For example, 
66 feet on 40m won't tune easily or maybe at all using the ATU.  A half 
wave is very high impedance and not desirable to use in most cases.  
Some hams use this configuration, but it really needs an impedance 
transformer at the feedpoint to be "SWR-friendly" for the transmitter.

Your antenna sounds like it's certainly versatile enough to set up as 
you need it.  The big "lump" inductance at your spool is a lower 
impedance than the wire (to free space), and should have no negative effect.

The other view of all the mad science is, "If it works to your liking, 
keep using it."

There are a lot of hams that use Off-Center Fed dipoles (OCFs, they're 
called) with great success on multiple bands.  You might look into that 
type of wire antenna and experiment with it a bit. You'll need a choke 
balun to keep radiation off the feedline [except at resonance].

For a base station wire antenna, the doublet works well.  My favorite FD 
antenna is 70' and 70' balanced, fed with ladder line 61 feet long, and 
terminated in a 1:1: balun.  The other end of the balun is fed with coax 
(the lowest loss you can find - say LMR400), and as short as physically 
possible.  I used this configuration for many years with MARS 
out-of-ham-band operation and never really found a frequency I couldn't 
use between 3 and 24 MHz.

73,

matt W6NIA

On 09/29/2016 09:49 AM, Michael Wong wrote:
> Thanks Matt:
>
> This is pretty close to what I have, but I’ve done a 36’ radiator and 13’ counterpoise. So maybe it’s in the details. I have my antenna wire (100’) wound on a kite string winder. I spool out what I calculate I need and the other end is connected to my BNC/banana adapter. So I have 60+’ of wire still wound on the reel. Is the inductance effect of the remaining wire wound on the reel have any effect on the antenna?
>
> <Getting ready to be schooled.>
>
> Michael
> K2MAW
>
>
>> On Sep 29, 2016, at 9:39 AM, Matt Zilmer <mzilmer at roadrunner.com> wrote:
>>
>> Hi Michael,
>>
>> If your KX3 has the ATU, you can use the following random wire for 20 through 10m, and it will work under all conditions I've come across.  I've used it on 40m as well, but there are more dependencies on height of the radiator (to be effective).
>>
>> 28 foot radiator (I use #20 stranded).  If you have a tree or even a tall bush nearby, weight one end of the wire and toss it into the tree as high as you can.
>>
>> 13 to 17 foot counterpoise, or "trailer" wire.  This can be laid on the ground, usually opposite of the direction your radiator is sloped.
>>
>> Use a Banana to BNC adapter at the KX3, and attach the radiator to the red post.  The black post is attached to the counterpoise wire.  Use your ATU to adjust feedpoint SWR.
>>
>> As a testimonial to this antenna configuration, I've used it on multiple field days at 5W to score a ton of QRP contacts.  One year, I was outscoring our main station running a K3 at 100W while I had the KX3 using this antenna (at least some of that is technique and luck).
>>
>> When you're done at the site, pull your radiator wire back down and wind it up with the counterpoise wire.  Then - you're on to your next site.
>>
>> 73,
>>
>> matt W6NIA
>>
>>
>> On 09/29/2016 09:22 AM, Michael Wong wrote:
>>> Thanks everyone! Larry's was great, quickly actionable advice. I’ll do this the next time I go out. I don’t have a shack, and am still hunting around for a spot where I can try some of the other great suggestions (that I can fit in my backpack and if I actually find a spot where I can string up a wire.
>>>
>>> I do use a wire counterpoise for both my wire and Buddistick and try to keep it off the ground except for the end.
>>>
>>> Yes, I have an older copy of the antenna book and I’m in the transmission lines chapter. I guess I should just skip ahead to the long wire chapter.
>>>
>>> Given all the advice, I’m going to continue to try to find a good wire antenna deployment given the random locations I tend to drop in at.
>>>
>>> Thanks all!
>>>
>>> Michael
>>> K2MAW
>>>
>>>
>>>> On Sep 29, 2016, at 8:34 AM, Bill <k9yeq at live.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> That's great advice, Larry!
>>>>
>>>> Bill
>>>> K9YEQ
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: Elecraft [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Larry
>>>> Gauthier (K8UT)
>>>>
>>>> The most likely answer is "it depends." Despite the theoretical differences
>>>> between the antennas, there are situational differences where one will
>>>> out-perform the other: quality of ground, height, propagation, direction to
>>>> receiving station...
>>>>
>>>> BUT, you can measure those differences yourself. Tune-up on the Buddistick
>>>> in the CW portion and send the string "test test de <your callsign> <your
>>>> callsign>". Move your VFO 5 KHz and send the same string on the random wire.
>>>>
>>>> Then open your browser to the Reverse Beacon Network's search page and enter
>>>>
>>>> your callsign.
>>>> http://www.reversebeacon.net/srch.php
>>>> Compare your received signal strength on each antenna by the stations who
>>>> heard you. Run the test a few times to minimize QSB and propagation fading.
>>>>
>>>> What do you get? The results ("which is better?") may be different as you
>>>> move from one location to another. If you can carry both antennas use the
>>>> one that's working.
>>>>
>>>> -larry (K8UT)
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: Michael A. Wong
>>>>
>>>> Hey folks,
>>>>
>>>> KX3 and Buddistick owner here. I've been getting a lot of feedback that I
>>>> would get better performance (more contacts) with a random wire vs my
>>>> Buddistick. So, while I've noticed that reception is much better with the
>>>> wire, with the Buddistick, I get 1.1:1 according to the KX3 and have made
>>>> all my contacts with the Buddistick.
>>>>
>>>> Now, recognizing the DIY nature of our hobby might lead people to recommend
>>>> a random wire over a commercial antenna, if I actually manage to deploy the
>>>> wire "optimally", should I really see performance equal or outpace the
>>>> Buddistick? Or am I simply finding bad luck the times I try to get a QSO
>>>> over a wire?
>>>>
>>>> I've tried deploying from a 30' pole sloping down, the hypotenuse of the
>>>> triangle pointing to my desired direction. I tried deploying 40+ feet
>>>> between two trees about 12' off the ground. Now I'm going to get a Zebco 202
>>>>
>>>> and rig up my slingshot to deploy vertical. But honestly, I can get the
>>>> Buddistick up and running in about 3 minutes....
>>>>
>>>> Mainly, I'm on 20m and maybe I haven't read the right book on random wire
>>>> antennas, but I would appreciate the group's thoughts.
>>>>
>>>> ______________________________________________________________
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>>> ______________________________________________________________
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>> -- 
>> "Always store beer in a dark place." -- R. Heinlein
>>
>> Matt Zilmer, W6NIA
>> [Voignier]
>>
>> ______________________________________________________________
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-- 
"Always store beer in a dark place." -- R. Heinlein

Matt Zilmer, W6NIA
[Voignier]