[Elecraft] AX1 Loaded Whip Antenna - Elevation and

[Grant Youngman]

I don’t think I’m missing anything.  You’re basically arguing for an elevated counterpoise.  Of course the AX1 needs a counterpoise.  And I run an elevated counterpoise on most of my portable vertical antennas. 

My 31’ portable wire works better than an AX1 most of the time.  It’s not always convenient or possible to put a wire in a tree.  And a wire counterpoise for your AX1, 3-5’ off the ground, straight as an arrow, won’t radiate much anyway (although it can help adjust the native imdedance of the AX1/counterpoise system).  When I walk to the dock, I take the AX1 and the recommended counterpoise.  The counterpoise goes over the end of the dock — no trees down there :-)

I’m not saying that an elevated counterpoise won’t work with the AX1, just that I’m having trouble getting my head around considering the wire as the main radiator, and the AX1 as a counterpoise???

Grant NQ5T
KX3 (8342)/KXPA100


> On Aug 27, 2019, at 4:31 PM, David Gilbert <xdavid at cis-broadband.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> The point you're missing is that the AX1 wants (needs) a wire counterpoise to work very well at all, and since it's that counterpoise wire that is doing most of the actual radiating you're better off trying to optimize what you do with it.  I don't see how that is so difficult to understand, especially since there have been several testimonials here that say the same thing ... the AX1 works much better when you keep the wire "counterpoise" (actually the primary radiator) as straight and in the clear as possible.
> 
> 73,
> Dave  AB7E
> 
>