[Elecraft] EFHW

[Wes Stewart]

I'm pretty sure the laws of physics are still in place.

What you describe isn't much different from my situation on 160 meters.  I have 
an inverted vee dipole with the apex at 45' and the ends at 6 feet or less.  
With 500W I have worked about 60 counties.  But I am under no illusions that 
this is an effective antenna; it is not.

Several years ago on a Field Day when the locals were all on mountain tops 
calling CQ and not listening, I worked a JA using the same antenna, at that time 
still fed with 200 feet of RG8 (now Heliax) and a barefoot K3 with no ATU. An 
hour later I worked a second JA.  But do I recommend this setup for working 6 
meter DX? Of course not.

So you make some contacts.  Good for you, maybe you're having fun.  However, I 
submit that you (and I) would have more fun with better antennas.

Wes  N7WS

On 2/11/2017 10:19 PM, Kevin - K4VD wrote:
> ​So what we are saying here is that all the local and DX QSOs we make from
> a picnic bench with an end fed or random wire thrown up in a tree and a
> short or no counterpoise doesn't really happen or, at best, is a fluke. The
> end fed is only 10% efficient (did I get that right) and most of our QRP
> signals are going to heat worms. Pretty hopeless situation I guess. ​I
> might have to just stick with the local repeater and Google Hangouts for
> communications.
>
> Or, for those of you that are thinking the situation isn't so hopeless,
> grab your portable antenna, head out to the campsite, throw your wire up in
> the tree and I'll catch you on the air. Let's warm up the worms.
>
> 73,
> Kev
>