[Elecraft] AXE1 extender?

[Keith Thomas]

I was going to ask the same question about the AXE1.  A AX1 was waiting here for me last week when I returned from a business trip.  I really wasn't sure what to expect but have a goal of doing more outside operating and antenna setup is always a deciding factor.  If you only have a short time to operate, I don't want to spend it all playing with the antenna - and I have done that in the past as I rush along and tangle a pull line or the antenna in a tree.  I will keep my wire antennas for sure - but want to get a little collection of tried and tested options for antennas that I can just take out and operate.

Friday evening I put it together and set it near the window and connected the KX3 at 15W.  I am never one of those "got it on the first call people" but in this case I got Maderia Island. with one call.  20M was closing up shop for the night so that was about all I got.

It has been raining here in SE PA non-stop especially on weekends. It dried out a bit finally on Saturday so after cutting the grass instead of operating, I took a camera tripod and put it in the front yard and setup the AX1.  It worked great just sitting on a bench nearby with my KX3.  Worked a bunch of stations in the AR QSO party on both CW and SSB.  Worked some special event stations and one Ecuador station on CW at 15W.  I have the tripod adapter as I want the antenna away from me a bit.  It works well but the 2 camera tripods I used (one with long extension legs and one with 3 little legs just to hold camera at table level) did not accommodate the adapter real well. When I put it on there, it made the BNC connection tight against the tripod head - but it worked.

In the next few weeks I am headed out to central PA for a fly fishing trip and will take the AX1 in case I get a few minutes to operate.   The most likely time is in the evening - which is where my interest in 40M and the AEXI comes in.......

73 de Keith KB3ILS




> On May 13, 2019 at 8:55 PM Wayne Burdick <n6kr at elecraft.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> Hi Mike,
> 
> > There was some discussion here about a possible extender add-on for the AX1
> > antenna to allow operation on 40 meters, called the AXE1. Is that still in
> > development?
> 
> 
> Yes. As an excuse to get out of the lab and enjoy the great WX, we've been hiking all over the place testing the prototypes on both 40 and 30 meters.  
> 
> The AXE1 is quite rugged. It's exactly the same length as the other two parts of the AX1 whip. All three easily fit into our smallest KX2 bag (the CS40) along with the supplied ground radials, a KXPD2 keyer paddle, earbud-mic, logbook, etc.
> 
> We hope to have the AXE1 available in late summer.
> 
> 73,
> Wayne
> N6KR
> 
> 
> 
> > I really like this antenna and would love to extend its
> > capabilities to 40!
> > 73's Mike AB7RU
> 
> 
> 
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> 
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html