[Elecraft] Elecraft AX-1 Whip Antenna

[David Gilbert]

Well, the reason I mentioned the 50 ohm resistor is that a year or so 
ago somebody on this reflector mentioned that he did a direct comparison 
between an AX1 with the recommended 13 foot wire counterpoise and with 
no counterpoise at all.  I don't remember for certain but I think he 
said he used the RBN.   I do remember that he said the difference in 
signal strength was about 30 db.  For grins I used EZNEC to model a 
single 50 hm resistor 15 feet off the ground with and without a 13 foot 
wire hanging from one end of it.  I got 30 db difference in calculated 
signal strength.

I am by no means claiming that is a definitive or even relevant test ... 
I just think it would be interesting to actually do an empirical comparison.

It is my opinion, however, that most of the radiating on an AX1 (or any 
other short loaded whip) is being done by the counterpoise wire and/or 
the shield of the coax.  The coil and whip are matching aids.  If so, 
it's possible that a resistor would accomplish the same thing.  ;)

As I said, I'd be willing to do the comparison if anyone is willing to 
lend me an AX1.  I'd be happy to be proven wrong.

73,
Dave   AB7E



On 9/21/2022 6:46 PM, john at kk9a.com wrote:
> Thomas Schiller, N6BT once wrote an article titled "Everything Works". In
> the article he discussed how he worked all continents on CW (a mode that you
> can actually hear) using a light bulb antenna during the ARRL DX contest.
>
> The AX1 appears to be a 45" whip with a base inductor made of 20AWG wire. I
> am not sure what is inside the base, if anything, to bring the impedance up
> to 50 ohms. With some sunspots, I am sure that it is fun for pedestrian
> mobile use which is what it's designed for. A 1/2wl dipole or 1/4wl vertical
> will be a much better radiator.
>
> John KK9A
>
>
>
>
> David Gilbert ab7e wrote:
>
> A comparison to any other antenna would be useful.  A comparison to a 50
> ohm resistor with a similar counterpoise wire would be even more useful
> as a baseline measurement.  If anyone wants to lend me their AX1 I will
> do that.
>
> 73,
> Dave   AB7E
>
>
> On 9/19/2022 10:33 AM, Ron Gruner wrote:
>> I've been impressed by how well my little AX-1 whip antenna performs on 20
>> meters. Here's a photo of the rig: https://gruner.com/k4rhg/andover_ma.png
>> and the propagation map:
> https://gruner.com/k4rhg/wspr_2watts_sep16_2022.png
>> A friend, Derek Rowell (AK1WI), gave me a two-watt WSPR kit he had
> designed
>> -- easy and fun to build. I connected the unit to the AX-1 sitting in a
>> window sill facing west and strung the out-of-the-box counterpoise over a
>> lamp shade and bed headboard. No idea what the SWR is, but it must be
>> pretty good.
>>
>> I immediately began receiving propagation reports and within 24 hours had
>> reports from 240 unique stations. The farthest was VK5ARG (17,276 km) with
>> a SNR of -21. Even though the window faced the west, propagation into
>> Europe was strong with SV9KI (7,800 km) reporting -26 SNR. The
>> propagation report is from http://wspr.rocks/  <http://wspr.rocks/>
>>
>> I've found that WSPR is a great way to evaluate antennas. The AX-1 seems
>> to be performing very well.
>>
>> 73,
>> Ron Gruner
>> K4RHG
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