[MRCA] Manpack HF antenna Ideas?

[mstangelo at comcast.net]

My experience is not that severe.

I lot's into the Moose and Squirrel net and various 40 meter nets, at least once a week, during the summertime, mostly from the beach. If I can work into the net with the wire antenna I can also work them with the Hustler but with a lower signal strength.

My wire antenna was described in a previous email. I usually mount my Hustler on the car or on a table. I do not depend on the mag mount coupling to the car body for a ground (I have felt on the base to prevent scratching). I mounted a lug under the mag mount stud base to attach four counterpoise wires.

Proximity to the salt water may help the propagation but I have had the same experience from Vermont when I take my wife skiing.

The quarter wavelength wire is better, but the vertical ( with counterpoises) does the job when nothing else is available.

I normally run 40-50 watts from by FT-897.

Mike N2MS

> On 02/17/2023 9:40 AM Ray Fantini <rafantini at salisbury.edu> wrote:
> 
> 
> Perhaps its antidotal because it’s an opinion founded on my own experience but I have never found a small vertical to be of much use on forty and below.