One of the reasons I like your channel is because of your perspective on the hobby. You build things. You try things to see what works, and you learn from them. You aren't afraid to toss something up in the air and try it to see what happens. You learned Morse code, and it's a great tool in the ham radio toolbox. You don't run $50000 worth of equipment, and you don't really need it to have fun and communicate over whatever distance you really want to once you figure out what you're doing. You have found the heart of amateur radio. I hope many others will learn from you and follow suit. Well done.
It has been several years since this video was uploaded, but I keep on watching it over and over again. It is just amazing to refresh and learn CW, subtitles being very helpful and the speed realistic. It is just amazing how such videos not only encourage, but help to improve - the feeling is as if I am myself behind the key answering that Chinese station. Thank you so much for this video, and I hope you will continue making more! 73 de R2ARM!
@@RadioPrepper Oh yes, you are right, that was a Swedish station! I remember you acknowledged it at the end of the film. But still impressive for 5 watts! Hope we meet one day on the bands, as I am at about installing Cushcraft R8 vertical! 73 de R2ARM!
This worked out well and you achieved a lot with lightweight kit. Age and poor health prevent me carrying heavy kit but I might manage something like your set up here.
@@RadioPrepper I too use a Waterman paris fountain pen here in Newport South Wales UK. Thank you for recording and sharing your videos. I love watching amateur radio videos, to learn as much as possible hopefully and get inspired to take the plunge into amateur. radio.
Thanks for the video and the text display. Just finished making my own 9:1 unun and hope to have it in the air this weekend. Happy to see you have some warm cloths since it looks cold and damp. 73 wd4dda
i want to try to make an end-fed 30 or 45MHz resonant wire antenna. Can you point me to directions how to make a 49:1 transformer for said frequencies?
th-cam.com/video/Q3LC14L7MLU/w-d-xo.html but I would suggest a ladder-line J-pole instead: th-cam.com/video/jMNtMG4PAy4/w-d-xo.html as the toroid matching does not work so well on VHF.
I use a 6m fishing pole as my wire antenna mast when portable. I 3D printed a handle for it so I can use it as a walking stick when en route to set up site.
I am wanting to set up an NVIS antenna system to be installed in the Attic of a church for emergency contact in the event of power outage or blackout. I suspect 80 & 40 would be the best choices although I hear 75m is actually preferable to 80. What would you recommend in terms of an antenna and transformer from a 50 ohm radio to give the best performance under these conditions. We would like to reach about 500 km from our location to the other churches in the area
+Al Alan I think I was on 40m. I used the longest wire I could with the pole, but 19ft works well with 20/30/40m. A longer pole and wire would be better of course.
So basically, a wire just hanging + unum and conected to the radio? That simple? That might be just what i need. I'm looking into buying the IC705 once it comes out, (hf, vhf and uhf portable, batery fed transceiver) and if all i need to have an hf antena is basically cable the unum and somewhere to hang it, then its super useful. Having full HF capability in basically something that can be carried in a kid's school backpack is crazy, Specially for new hams
Yes but with a 9:1 UNUN you must avoid half-wave wires for any band you will use. I prefer a 49:1 with half-wave wires: More efficient and no stray current problems...
@@RadioPrepper excellent! I'll keep it in mind! But still, its super small and convenient. Heck, for how small the "antena" can be made for storage, you could even have different lengths cut and change them without much husstle
@@RadioPrepper Alright, so while the wire on 40m is highly capacitive the unun transforms it so less induction in the atu is needed to match the antenna?
Interesting. I envy your code skills. At age 82, just starting Amateur Radio 4 yrs ago....no way for me, but I do have a FT-818 that I want to try SSB or FT8. The 9:1 unun sounds great. I could really be interested in this setup.
@@RadioPrepper Thanks. I looked at their web site. No manual, No instructions that would do me any good. I only use Linux OS and my radios are Yaesu...primary FT-991 with built in sound. Anyway....it's certainly a thought....maybe later when they get straightened out. Meanwhile I'm enjoying FT8 with DX all over the world. I'm a geographic nut....use QRZ on every call plus maps to check out the locale. In most cases, I feel as I know the person...if they have also participated. Over 10K QSL via LoTW. 142 DXCC in about 2-3 yr. Thanks, Ken KB4XT
Radio Prepper, Will a 66' of 18g wire wrapped around a 20' fiberglass pole work from 80-10 with low swr with using radial's. Will the polarization be vertical or horizontal? Marcius
is your Un-Un changing the impedance only? because I have a vertical and do not use a Un-Un and I get on the air fine. My SWR is down to 1.22 vertical 1/4 wave 20 meters Thank you
Yes, and of course voltage and current Your vertical is a quarter wave, not a half wave. The ground , coax shield or some other conductive element is providing the other quarter wave to make a half wave and radiate properly. A quarter wave is never truly a quarter wave, or you would not get a good SWR.
What would you say is a great U.S military portable radio to start off with as a first radio ? I live in the USA. I love your Videos, very informative. really looking forward to one or two of your suggestions. Thank you
Another great video, Gil. You know you can run that wire straight to the tuner without any coax or unun, right? That's how I've always done it and it works great.
@@RadioPrepper Possibly. (Haven't tried.) But I've always run a random wire straight to my tuner(s) and except in extreme cases (trying to tune up very low HF bands on very high HF band-compatible wires) it works a charm. That's what those binding posts on the ZM-2 are for. I generally also run an off-freq counterpoise, and at 100W I use an artificial ground, though QRP doesn't tend to need it. Worth knowing; does make life easier for outdoor operations.
Just a couplea questions. Doesn't the Elecraft have a builtin tuner? Also, why did you go for the pole when you had trees you could just throw the wire up over? I have the KX3, BTW. Your english is excellent! 73s de W0QR
When I was about 10 or so a friend of mine and I were reading about the titanic and how radio payed a part. We looked into the radios they had back then, the old spark gap radios. we had enough electrical background to get electrocuted. My friend burned down his house playing with electricity and I blew some fuses. You see where this going rite? Well we built a couple of spark gap transmitters and even even learned some code. You could receive it on any radio or TV. We never got real good at code because guess who came knocking on the door? YEP ! Long story short, they took the transmitters and put the fear of god into us. Apparently every evening after supper we were messing up every radio and TV in 5 miles for about three months.
merci gil pour ce super qrp . ton anglais est remarquable et tu es également un bon télégraphiste . un de ceux qui font plaisir à écouter . 73 de F8FCA ..._ ._ ..
Nice to see you using Morse well that's odd the spell checker on my Samsung Phone is showing Morse as a misspelled word LOL...Great to see you having fun with the Morse and Qrp it's a long time since I last used CW about 19 years ago..but listening to your sending it was all coming back to me, I did notice that when the other station was replying they increased the Speed instead of trying to match what you where sending at about 10 wpm is what yours sounded like to me. ...looked very cold that day thanks for the great video...I agree with what you where saying about the Italian Stations they always seem to be in a hurry LOL...take care Steve M0BFM Liverpool ZL3LFC
Hello, about 12wpm.. I can copy 20wpm on a good day.. Thanks, I just love the efficiency of using CW. Usually when voice does go through you can almost always make a contact using Morse!
One of the reasons I like your channel is because of your perspective on the hobby. You build things. You try things to see what works, and you learn from them. You aren't afraid to toss something up in the air and try it to see what happens. You learned Morse code, and it's a great tool in the ham radio toolbox. You don't run $50000 worth of equipment, and you don't really need it to have fun and communicate over whatever distance you really want to once you figure out what you're doing. You have found the heart of amateur radio. I hope many others will learn from you and follow suit. Well done.
Thank you, much appreciated. It just sort of happened... I think we can learn anything if we don't let our ego interfere...
It's addictive to watch qrp radio on cw more then other areas of amateur radio
Thanks for the video Gil, nice way to spend a few hours. Thanks for the text display as well, makes it easy to follow when you don't know CW.
The pen cap... genius!
Scott Russell..
Agreed ...100%
It has been several years since this video was uploaded, but I keep on watching it over and over again. It is just amazing to refresh and learn CW, subtitles being very helpful and the speed realistic. It is just amazing how such videos not only encourage, but help to improve - the feeling is as if I am myself behind the key answering that Chinese station. Thank you so much for this video, and I hope you will continue making more! 73 de R2ARM!
Thanks, I certainly will. I don't think it actually was Chinese... But still a lot of fun 😀
@@RadioPrepper Oh yes, you are right, that was a Swedish station! I remember you acknowledged it at the end of the film. But still impressive for 5 watts! Hope we meet one day on the bands, as I am at about installing Cushcraft R8 vertical! 73 de R2ARM!
That would be cool 😎
Thanks for leaving the screw-up over the call in the video. It’s nice to see real-life CW without lots of edits.
This worked out well and you achieved a lot with lightweight kit. Age and poor health prevent me carrying heavy kit but I might manage something like your set up here.
Never give up!
That's grand thanks Gil. Worth watching for the Biro cap tip alone, but I love your presentation style Sir. +10!
Thank you!
Surely it was SM3? Sweden?
Wow! I thought my Cross Fountain Pen was the last of it's kind in use! Good to see another old traditionalist!
+neubert500 They are common in Europe. I used to own a Mont Blanc but a $12 Waterman writes better. Fountain pens are a real pleasure to write with.
@@RadioPrepper I too use a Waterman paris fountain pen here in Newport South Wales UK. Thank you for recording and sharing your videos. I love watching amateur radio videos, to learn as much as possible hopefully and get inspired to take the plunge into amateur. radio.
Great, it is worth it!
Thanks for the video and the text display. Just finished making my own 9:1 unun and hope to have it in the air this weekend.
Happy to see you have some warm cloths since it looks cold and damp.
73
wd4dda
i want to try to make an end-fed 30 or 45MHz resonant wire antenna. Can you point me to directions how to make a 49:1 transformer for said frequencies?
th-cam.com/video/Q3LC14L7MLU/w-d-xo.html but I would suggest a ladder-line J-pole instead: th-cam.com/video/jMNtMG4PAy4/w-d-xo.html as the toroid matching does not work so well on VHF.
Still don't see the point of owning a 9:1 Unun.
Can use fishing pole to make inverted V with a proper end fed.
No tuner needed.
Isn't it SM4EZG, not 3M4EZG?
I use a 6m fishing pole as my wire antenna mast when portable. I 3D printed a handle for it so I can use it as a walking stick when en route to set up site.
Great idea!
Where did you obtain it, and what is the mfr/model name/number please?
What is it's composition?
Thank you!
Th8s one I think was a cheap ($20) fiberglass pole from the local sporting goods store. Check out Spiderbeam...
I am wanting to set up an NVIS antenna system to be installed in the Attic of a church for emergency contact in the event of power outage or blackout.
I suspect 80 & 40 would be the best choices although I hear 75m is actually preferable to 80.
What would you recommend in terms of an antenna and transformer from a 50 ohm radio to give the best performance under these conditions. We would like to reach about 500 km from our location to the other churches in the area
What's the longest span you have for a wire?
What frequencies were you working? Was 19 ft. the best wire length, or did you experiment with other lengths?
+Al Alan I think I was on 40m. I used the longest wire I could with the pole, but 19ft works well with 20/30/40m. A longer pole and wire would be better of course.
Thanks! What length would you recommend if one just wanted to work 10 or 12 meters with the unun?
+Al Alan 22.5ft, 5/8w for 11m.
+Al Alan Just avoid half-wave lengths without an end-fed tuner. If you can spare $20 then get the MEF-1 end-fed tuner...
Is it on Amazon or ebay?
Very fine video, merci beaucoup. What kind of keyer sre you using, it seems awful small?
73 de VE2AW
One so made I think. I have a video on it..
Merci Gil, 73
Que j'ai fabriquée je veux dire ;-)
What is the composition of your fishing pole, please?
Thank you!
Hi, fiberglass.
@@RadioPrepper Could one use a metal rod if the antenna wire is insulated from it?
Thank you!
No, but in that case maybe you could use the metal pole as the antenna if it is insulated from the ground and anything else...
@@RadioPrepper
Now THAT is interesting - use the pole as an antenna - I'll have to try that. It'll wait until my NanoVNA arrives.
Thank you!
Falun is in Sweden
Thank you!
@@RadioPrepper And that was SM4EZG not 3M4EZG
Thanks!
So basically, a wire just hanging + unum and conected to the radio? That simple? That might be just what i need.
I'm looking into buying the IC705 once it comes out, (hf, vhf and uhf portable, batery fed transceiver) and if all i need to have an hf antena is basically cable the unum and somewhere to hang it, then its super useful. Having full HF capability in basically something that can be carried in a kid's school backpack is crazy, Specially for new hams
Yes but with a 9:1 UNUN you must avoid half-wave wires for any band you will use. I prefer a 49:1 with half-wave wires: More efficient and no stray current problems...
th-cam.com/video/0zF7bDoqkG4/w-d-xo.html
@@RadioPrepper excellent! I'll keep it in mind! But still, its super small and convenient. Heck, for how small the "antena" can be made for storage, you could even have different lengths cut and change them without much husstle
Hi, did you use the 9:1 unun on 40m? If so, why if the antenna is shorter then a quarter wave? Thnx
Hi, I did, but that short a wire on 40 is pushing it. Efficiency suffers...
@@RadioPrepper Alright, so while the wire on 40m is highly capacitive the unun transforms it so less induction in the atu is needed to match the antenna?
I was going to ask about a counterpoise or earth until you mentioned the UNUN and coax feeder
Counterpoises are for sissies ;-)
Well you have convinced me this is the way to go. A lot less messing around.
Indeed. A half-wave end-fed is more efficient but for multi-band a wire and UNUN works well enough..
Vous pouvez également connecter trois cellules 18650 en parallèle, pour que la tension reste plus stable.
Oui mais il en faudrait neuf pour faire 12V...
Interesting. I envy your code skills. At age 82, just starting Amateur Radio 4 yrs ago....no way for me, but I do have a FT-818 that I want to try SSB or FT8. The 9:1 unun sounds great. I could really be interested in this setup.
Try JS8...
@@RadioPrepper Thanks. I looked at their web site. No manual, No instructions that would do me any good. I only use Linux OS and my radios are Yaesu...primary FT-991 with built in sound. Anyway....it's certainly a thought....maybe later when they get straightened out. Meanwhile I'm enjoying FT8 with DX all over the world. I'm a geographic nut....use QRZ on every call plus maps to check out the locale. In most cases, I feel as I know the person...if they have also participated. Over 10K QSL via LoTW. 142 DXCC in about 2-3 yr.
Thanks, Ken KB4XT
Radio Prepper,
Will a 66' of 18g wire wrapped around a 20' fiberglass pole work from 80-10 with low swr with using radial's. Will the polarization be vertical or horizontal?
Marcius
Polarization will be verticale. By wrapping it you will add inductance, so who knows what the length will need to be... You will need to experiment...
Nice coat were did u get it from 😀
EBay. French jacket.
is your Un-Un changing the impedance only? because I have a vertical and do not use a Un-Un and I get on the air fine. My SWR is down to 1.22 vertical 1/4 wave 20 meters
Thank you
Yes, and of course voltage and current Your vertical is a quarter wave, not a half wave. The ground , coax shield or some other conductive element is providing the other quarter wave to make a half wave and radiate properly. A quarter wave is never truly a quarter wave, or you would not get a good SWR.
Radio Prepper thank you, I already knew that. My question is why use the unun if I get a good swr?
Because a half wave wire is more efficient than a quarter wave.
I dont see the antenna.
All those US measurements .... .. Can you also use metric for those living in Europe like yourself ?
Great vid, tnx.
If only everyone used metric...
What would you say is a great U.S military portable radio to start off with as a first radio ? I live in the USA. I love your Videos, very informative. really looking forward to one or two of your suggestions. Thank you
Thanks, I'd start with a British PRC-320... American HF sets are hard to find...
Otherwise, PRC-104 maybe, if you can find one...
Another great video, Gil. You know you can run that wire straight to the tuner without any coax or unun, right? That's how I've always done it and it works great.
Not a half-wave wire; the impedance is too high.
@@RadioPrepper Possibly. (Haven't tried.) But I've always run a random wire straight to my tuner(s) and except in extreme cases (trying to tune up very low HF bands on very high HF band-compatible wires) it works a charm. That's what those binding posts on the ZM-2 are for. I generally also run an off-freq counterpoise, and at 100W I use an artificial ground, though QRP doesn't tend to need it. Worth knowing; does make life easier for outdoor operations.
Yep, just avoid half-wave lengths and you ZM2 will do the rest. In have one too.
I tried that Earchi antenna but my results were not as good as yours. I might have to recheck my work and try again.
Check your wiring... What length wire did you use? You might try a longer coax cable too. See: hamuniverse.com/randomwireantennalengths.html
Hi Many thanks for the Video, But the station WAS in fact Sweden SM4EZG , take care and many thanks Ray,
Would like 2 c how you built that keyer kg6mn
+jerome grzelak You mean the paddles? I have a video about it...
@Radio Prepper < do u use Hamshpere?????
Never heard of it before tonight! Thanks. I'll Check it out, though I use real radios, so not sure it could be useful to me...
Just a couplea questions. Doesn't the Elecraft have a builtin tuner? Also, why did you go for the pole when you had trees you could just throw the wire up over? I have the KX3, BTW. Your english is excellent! 73s de W0QR
Thanks. The tuner is an option. Using a pole is slightly easier/faster, but not by much...
When I was about 10 or so a friend of mine and I were reading about the titanic and how radio payed a part. We looked into the radios they had back then, the old spark gap radios. we had enough electrical background to get electrocuted. My friend burned down his house playing with electricity and I blew some fuses. You see where this going rite?
Well we built a couple of spark gap transmitters and even even learned some code. You could receive it on any radio or TV. We never got real good at code because guess who came knocking on the door? YEP ! Long story short, they took the transmitters and put the fear of god into us.
Apparently every evening after supper we were messing up every radio and TV in 5 miles for about three months.
LOL, great story.
Not a very efficient design but simple and easy to deploy. Might give it a try on the beach.
+Mark Weaver Indeed, but it worked surprisingly well. With a salt water ground you should have good results!
Can´t you hear he is SM4EZG, one of the old cw ops not is qrz.
I did later, added a note on the video but it does not show on mobiles.
I hope more ppl in 2018 get there license and transmit qrp radio cw
+Dan Baudelio Especially more Morse code users!
Radio Prepper I'm hoping to be one of them Morse code on qrp radio is very interesting
Hello Gill I heard S M 3 instead 3 M 4
De YV5FCK in Michigan USA
I follow your videos and expect to be on the air very soon
Merci
73s
Super!
merci gil pour ce super qrp .
ton anglais est remarquable et tu es également un bon télégraphiste . un de ceux qui font plaisir à écouter . 73 de F8FCA ..._ ._ ..
+jean luc Ettore Merci :-)
You forgot the ground connection.
+Guillermo Sempron The coax shield does the job...
You always have good and interesting topics
Thank you. I hope I won't run out!
Ufb! Tnx a lot fr report on this small ant. 73 es gl de DL4SFC. Hpe cu on the band.
Nice to see you using Morse well that's odd the spell checker on my Samsung Phone is showing Morse as a misspelled word LOL...Great to see you having fun with the Morse and Qrp it's a long time since I last used CW about 19 years ago..but listening to your sending it was all coming back to me, I did notice that when the other station was replying they increased the Speed instead of trying to match what you where sending at about 10 wpm is what yours sounded like to me. ...looked very cold that day thanks for the great video...I agree with what you where saying about the Italian Stations they always seem to be in a hurry LOL...take care Steve M0BFM Liverpool ZL3LFC
Hello, about 12wpm.. I can copy 20wpm on a good day.. Thanks, I just love the efficiency of using CW. Usually when voice does go through you can almost always make a contact using Morse!
Always amazed at your cw work.. Half your brain on the key while the other half is watching cyclists.. I'll get it someday!
Only for stuff I often send, otherwise any distraction makes me mess-up..
Thanks for the video !
Good job!
Fantastic video my friend 73 from kb2uew
good video, thanks
Great Video on Morse Code....it's like another language!!!! ( it always confused me, but i might try it again )......
It takes time. Even after six years I still struggle, but in the mean time I do communicate...
buillt my paddles by your info tnx om kg6mn
+jerome grzelak Excellent. Please post a photo on radiopreppers.com
It is NOT China, but Sweden sm4ezg