Enjoyed your video. You are correct, they are compromise antennas, but they work. I ran them for years on my mobile before I bit the bullet and got a Tarheel. The Shunting coil is a Feed Point Impendance Matching device. On 40 and 80 Meters the Feed Point Impedance on that type of antenna is quite low. On 80 Meters is way down around 3 to 5 ohm, the Matching Coil or Shunt Coil brings that Impedance back to something closer to the 50 ohm range. If one can find a copy of Don Johnson's "50+ Years of HF Mobileering" get it. It's a gold mine of mobile operation reference. I regret not having bought it. 73, N9XFX Dennis

@k2cjbradio

10 ай бұрын

Thanks for the info on the shunt coil. It really makes a difference!

Nice video, Chris. I make a ton of QSO’s, both domestic and DX, from my car, using Shark hamsticks. No complaints here! 73, Mike K3CXG

@k2cjbradio

10 ай бұрын

Yup! They work just fine! Thanks for watching!

now that was super information de wb8idy swansboro nc

Chris, thank for sharing the shunt idea. I would have like to see a close up of it. I've never seen over 2:1 on a ham stick. Maybe because it's low on your bumper next to the metal of your your truck? Anyway, I have good results on a mag mount stationary portable in top of the car. 40 meters is a challenge with them, unless your on one frequency calling CQ for POTA or something like that. 20 meters has good bandwidth; about 200khz. 73 de NX1Q

@k2cjbradio

2 жыл бұрын

It could be a proximity issue although the 20m stick doesn’t have the same issue. But, who knows? Antenna theory and practice can be really strange!

Hi..Chris, very informative must say, did hear about this Shunt Coil but watching it work first time....so thanx for that. 73s

@k2cjbradio

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks! I’m not really sure why it works, but it does. Very easy to make. 73!

Chris, Good to see you on the air again. Thanks for the video and the tip. 73 George KB3WAQ

Nice video, Chris. I am back viewing this as I am installing the pair of antenna mounts in my truck like you had for your mobile HF install. I will be operating with a desktop HF rig (520ST) initially. If I can verify the mobile installation with that I will get a mobile transceiver. Wish me luck! 73 de KI5HXM

@k2cjbradio

Жыл бұрын

Hope it goes well!

Thanks for the video. Nice and practical stuff.

Thanks Chris. I have mine (20 & 40 MFJs) mounted at the front of the bedrails on Breedlove stake pocket mounts. They tuned up without any problems at all.

@brentjohnson6654

2 жыл бұрын

That is similar to my plans. I want to install 20/40 HF antennas in my stake pockets and a NMO 2m/70cm on the roof of my truck. Do you remember the name of those sticks? I have been searching around and don’t get as many hits calling them ham sticks. Thanks. All the best. 73 de KI5HXM

@oldpreach

2 жыл бұрын

@@brentjohnson6654 try typing in shark or Mfj ham stick antennas. You can also call HAM Radio outlet or gigaparts.

Hello Chris, hope all is well. We have similar antennas here in the UK called Ampro and people see to have some success with them. I should try one sometime. 73 Chris M0RSF

@k2cjbradio

2 жыл бұрын

Hi Chris! Thanks for stopping by! Definitely try them. Like most mobile HF antennas, they’re less than ideal but they do work when band conditions are right. 73!

Thanks for sharing. I had to send my 7100 off to ICOM because I lost the 20 meter band. I found that if I used the shark hamsticks on the base of my wolf river coil setup with radials without the coil I could achieve a much lower swr than mounted on my vehicles. Also on my pickup I used a box stake pocket mount from Breedlove Mounts and that maybe centered my antenna on the vehicle's ground plane (maybe I say) I have made contacts from as far away as 5000 miles.

@k2cjbradio

2 жыл бұрын

Interesting idea using them with a WRC. I might try that!

Wish you could buy those.

If you can put a mount on the roof, any of the hamstick varieties work far better. If you are using the tri-magnet mounts, it really need a jumper to ground. On my last car, I used an RV/truck mirror mount bolted to the roof rack. At least 3 of the local hams who chase and activate Parks On The Air carry hamsticks if they can't get a wire up for their activations. When I was younger, I actually put an Antenna Speciallist ball mount in the roof of a full-sized Suburban! Best mobile antenna platform ever! Drive-ins were not an option, and despite being a ham, too, my YF (WB1GVL) always said it looks totally nutty... 73, Keith, WB2VUO here near Buffalo, NY

@k2cjbradio

Жыл бұрын

I think I could find a better spot for them. Having some extra metal near the base seems to change the resonance because the whips are actually much shorter than the instructions recommend.

I guess it would be a bad business plan to sell things that don't work?

Good job 73

Can't wait to try this. Mine is close to 3:1 and varies with everything I do. Need to find a solution for a mag mount.

@k2cjbradio

Жыл бұрын

The 40 meter version is really finicky to make resonant

Thanks for the tip Chris. I worked some DX on my 20 meter ham stick this summer. Thanks K7WHN

@k2cjbradio

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

Thanks much. Quite informative, just subscribed. Bill

@k2cjbradio

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for subscribing! Hope you enjoy the content!

The Lakeview Company that produced the original Ham Stick had a 160-meter version. I'm not sure if they stated its band width.

@k2cjbradio

2 жыл бұрын

Couldn’t have covered much of the band. Thanks!

@americaswayout4489

2 жыл бұрын

The Lakeview I had was nearly 8 ft long with stinger, that longer length did lower the Q possibly adding a few KCS. These shorter thicker coils are disadvantaged. because of the shorter bottom. If I remember correctly all their bands were longer. They actually owned Hamstick as a trading name?

Nice video Chris. I have a stick used a mag mount, and used it once for a POTA activation. I use a G90 with built in tuner and really works well. In fact I over tightened the alen screw used to adjust whip and stripped it. So no more adjusting..:(. I guess I need to drill it out but haven't bothered. Thanks for sharing the coil you use. A video on how to make one would be awesome. Enjoying your videos. Dave- KD2LMR

@usernamemykel

11 ай бұрын

Would I be correct that the allen screw was the one supplied with the MFJ stick - the allen screw which folks say should be replaced by stainless steel screws, as those supplied by SHARK hamsticks?????

To bad QuickSilver Radio does not fill their orders anymore. Ordered parts a month ago, when they finally answered the phone, lied to me about responding to my emails. Also lied to me about responding to PayPal emails. Lied to me again when they would ship. Had to go through PayPal to get refund. What a crappy way to run a business.

What i found was that you need to cut the antenna to tune it. don't put it inside the coil like you did, and the swr issue solve, tune in to the middle of the band, vswr in the middle of the band will be 1.1 :-)