Hi mate. I'm from the UK and an ex Royal Signals Engineer who is only starting to get back into the radio scene after a good few years out. Your video may not have had all the bells and trimmings that other channels have but never the less, shows that your a proper decent person trying to show other folk how to save money and get an antenna built and working, you did what you intended to do. Just wanted to say well done and keep up the channel

Someone finally showed me how to make an antenna with stuff I have thanks for your video

Thanks for the video!

Great demo. Setting the standard for code of conduct. It's always a pleasure to hear polite operators wait their turn. But the icing on the cake is making that DX QSO on a home made antenna. AI5BL, DE W4EMB. 73.

Really appreciate your help in getting a simple solution for a vertical antenna. Near darn least expensive too 💡💡 4:41 pm on Rainy Day in the hills of Middle Tennessee. So many other channels offer more expensive options Congratulations in accomplishing your goals first time around ! ! 73 Steve AA4SH

It works very well for 35 watts for 1500 miles. Good job!

I really like how you show how to get results on the cheap with stuff that you can pick up at the big box hardware store. I also like that you showed your results with the radials. I get that if the antenna is up in the air, like on a mast or tower, the radial length (and the downward angle) have to be tuned for the proper resonance and impedance. But, I thought that close to the ground any random length would couple to ground and be OK, like when you demo'd the Ham Sticks on 20 and 40 meters. I also like that you showed that just folding and twisting the wire back on itself was effective at shortening the wire. I thought that you would have to keep cutting off the excess.

Great video. Like the way you show what and how you built it and the real results. Got that same radio. Also great to see another Redneck Ham on youtube. Just south of the Tennessee River myself.

@kilroy205

Жыл бұрын

just south of chattanooga here

Hi Brad! Congratulations on the antenna, how cool, I was with one side of another station, it was little, when the side came out I could hear you just fine. A strong 73. Danilo PY2XL

Very good way to get on the air for very little money. Thanks for the video.

Man congrats on that quick contact on 10m. 10m is such a fickle beast it's hard to reach anyone at times.

Great build & a beautiful location.

I like your thinking and Enginuity. I did something similar for 20 meters. Just used stuff laying around. Gary KF6EWO

I made this antenna today and it worked great thanks for the advice and the video 🎉

Thanks for your time and efforts, must be a joy to have afield like that to play radio and mess with antennas. I know the video is 9 months old, as I only just found your channel, but happy new year to you and yours 73 de G0VCW

Some of the best antennas I have used are home brews... I've built cheap throw together antennas to well built.... That's what makes it fun.

For the record more ground radials is more better if ya got em laying around. Just spread em even. Should point out this works on any band also. 1/4 wavelength wires with some extra to trim to tune and a tall enough branch pole. You can also make a common loop on the vertical element and add multiple elements tuned for multiple bands tuning shortest first. Maintaining even spacing while parallel becomes important. Effectively a homebrew dx comander then.

@MarkoManiac

Жыл бұрын

Also I can't recall the exact numbers but testing shows if space or wire amoun is a concern you're better served by more shorter ground radials than a few long ones. There's diminishing returns at some point. I think I have like 25 15 foot radials off my dx comander.

Nicely Done Thank you for the info

Bought that same radio so I could start working DX as a tech. It got me hooked! So much that I went and upgraded to general. Sold the radio to get a multi band radio, but I’ll always respect that rig. Also, great antenna idea. That’s something that could be put together off grid if needed! I’m a redneck ham also, always looking for a cheap way to operate

@YourThermalWorld

Жыл бұрын

Now get your Extra!

Very down to earth kind of guy. I’d get along with you easy. I enjoyed the video I really did. 73s to you. KG4ENZ.

Heck I may need to give this a go

Next time you need to throw a line up over a tree, try attaching the line to a hammer and throwing that, I've managed to get some stuff up pretty high into my trees that way.....

Nice Pro Craft boat!

Fold the end of the vertical wire over and cap it with a plastic electrical cap to prevent loss. You can do it with the radials too.

Another idea is that I have heard some hams use aluminum screen door mesh for the ground plane instead of radials. I wonder how that would work with you 10m.

@RedNeckHamRadio

Күн бұрын

I'm sure it would work fine as a ground mounted vertical but seems to me that it would become a heavy wind load in put high in the air. Just my thoughts.

I’ve picked up skip waves with this cheap Cobra I got and the cheap antenna on the roof of my car

Thank you!!

PS.....You need to make some more videos!!!!!! Great stuff!!!!!! 73!!!! N8SOT

@RedNeckHamRadio

Жыл бұрын

Yes sir I do. More coming

@n8sot

Жыл бұрын

@@RedNeckHamRadio Looking forward to them!!!!! Stay safe, take care. 73!!!! N8SOT. We'll be watching for you on the bands.

I am a 30 year Tech. I need to try 10 Meters since the band has been opened up so much, this year. Thanks! PS. Heading to Biloxi, this weekend. Hope the weather has been good your way!?

Agree🌞😺💪

I guess you don't have problems with cbers I got r4a drake reciever on a imax 2000 but can tune it in but u have a nice build

Can you usr electric fence wire or does it need to be copper insulated?

That's awesome what guage wire did you use? or would it matter?

@RedNeckHamRadio

2 жыл бұрын

Mine was 14. Smaller would give a little less bandwidth.

So its been a long time since you posted any videos...I hope you are doing well. I was at a garage sale and saw an old beat up CB mag mount antenna for $2. Well, being the packrat that I am I had to buy it. SO I was thinking; Could I modify it and use it on 10m? I am just a tech (failed the general 3x, I hate taking test)

@RedNeckHamRadio

Күн бұрын

Thanks...yeah It's been awhile. You might be able to shorten it up enough to work on 10m. My recommendation for studying for the general test is to go through the entire question pool so that you have seen every question and then start taking practice tests until you start making passing grades on the practice tests. After that take more practice tests until you start making in the 90's. By then you should have seen every question multiple times and have them memorized. I know you can do it.

Hello from west Virginia and how long is your coax

Did you end up making the radials about the same length as the part strung up in the tree? I'm just getting back into the hobby and so far I've made a 10m dipole and had good luck with it. I'd really like to try out a vertical antenna and this looks pretty darn simple to make. I'm also wondering about the antenna analyzer...man those things are pricey! I don't have an antenna tuner yet or analyzer but do you think there is a way to still get a good result without that? I have the same radio by the way! Still works pretty darn well after all these years. I sure wish radio shack was still around haha.

@RedNeckHamRadio

Жыл бұрын

Welcome back to the habit....I mean hobby. The radials did end up being about the same length as the vertical. As far as antenna analyzers go you can by a device called a nanoVNA that's only around 60 bucks that also does a great job. Yep miss the Radio Shacks.

@Drew_Pearson

Жыл бұрын

@@RedNeckHamRadio Thank you for the reply and info, sir! I really like your approach to this tutorial and hope to see more videos coming down the line! I'm gonna check out your "talking to space" video next :)

@psychojim7590

Жыл бұрын

Welcome back to radio! Another low priced analyzer you might consider is called the Mini 60. Do an eBay search for "mini 60 antenna analyzer". They start at about $99 and I've done side by side comparisons with my MFJ 259C, a VNA, and the Mini 60 and all three analyzers gave the same result. What I like most about the Mini 60 is that it has Bluetooth and can talk to an app on my phone that displays the data in an easier to read graph. For someone on a budget (and who isn't these days) it's a great alternative.

So what was the final lengths of the vertical and the radials?

@RedNeckHamRadio

Жыл бұрын

Hey Mike, I'm sorry to say I didn't measure the final results.

Can you tell me how many meters are the cable lengths? TA3BFZ 73

@RedNeckHamRadio

Жыл бұрын

Sorry but I didn't measure the final lengths after I tuned the antenna.

What antenna tuner are you using?

@RedNeckHamRadio

Жыл бұрын

I have an MFJ-989C in my shack but only use it when I'm using my 80m inverted vee. I was not using a tuner at all in this video as this antenna was connected directly to my HTX-10 in my mobile.

@aaronjohnston1584

Жыл бұрын

Copy. That MJF Analyzer looks like a handy device.

Are you going to post any more videos?

@RedNeckHamRadio

Жыл бұрын

Hey Outlaw, Thanks for checking up on me. I will definitely be posting more videos. Sorry about the delay. Life has gotten kinda crazy. I should have another within the next week or so.

@moonshine4u96

Жыл бұрын

@@RedNeckHamRadio I get it.

Wrong! The very first thing you need is a beer.

Love this!!!!!! Great Vid!!!! The redneck side of things!!!!!!!!!! This will work great right now with the 10M opening we have now. And like you said........this would be perfect for a POTA. Thanks for the video!!!! 73, N8SOT Hope to catch ya on the air!!!!!

I'm in Pass Christian Mississippi are you close to me anywhere I would love to talk to you I had been wanting to get in the hobby I have the radios I just need to take my test

@RedNeckHamRadio

Жыл бұрын

Shoot me an email at brad.ai5bl@gmail.com. We can exchange information.

Picture this -one of your radials gets snagged by your lawnmower. It sucks the rusty metal spike out of the ground and flings it through the air at 200 mph. Or a barefoot child "discovers" it sticking up 1 inch. A tiny twig would work as well and deteriorate in a few weeks. Safe. Thanks for consideration. 73 de k2xt

@RedNeckHamRadio

2 жыл бұрын

I agree that this particular antenna design may not be ideal for a permanent installation. Also the use of a little common sense will keep the lawn mower blades at bay. Being a father of three grown children, grandfather of two with another on the way; the safety of my little ones is on top of my priority list. This is simply an example of what one may achieve with a little ingenuity. 73 de AI5BL

@feeatlastfeeatlast5283

2 жыл бұрын

@@RedNeckHamRadio Well, you know how I feel about them, they should be outlawed. You can be fancy and drill a hole in a pc of dowel and pound it down in. Any way you can hold down the end till grass grows over it (1, maybe 2 months) and then you don't need the rusty metal daggers. You know. But don't expect people seeing your videos to think for themselves; lots of folks recommend the metal spikes, so they are the defacto standard. 73, k2xt

@BryanTorok

2 жыл бұрын

I like the idea of the landscaping spikes for quick ground attachment points. BUT, I also remember at about 7-8 years old running around in a neighbors back yard with bare feet and stepping on the end of a metal tent stake that was sticking up. I tried to hide if from mom, but she saw me limping. When she couldn't get it to stop bleeding, she took me to the doctor's office. It took 7 stitches and a week, but I healed up OK. I still have a small scar on the bottom of my foot. Strange how a Ham Radio video brought that back.

@feeatlastfeeatlast5283

2 жыл бұрын

@@BryanTorok Roger roger, that's the spirit. Wishing you all the best. 73, k2xt

You made a 4800 mile contact into Sao Paulo Brasil south America not bad . If you elevate the radials better performance 73's...