K6ARK QRP Antenna Matching Unit Kit | Portable HF Antenna
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ก.ย. 2024
- Building the K6ARK QRP Antenna Matching Unit Kit. Quite possibly the smallest Portable HF Antenna for Ham Radio that exists. Make either a 49:1, 9:1, or 1:1 out of this versatile kit.
Find it on Amazon:
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BNC Female: Back Ordered. I will link here when available.
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#hamradio #k6ark #parksontheair #pota #EFHW #49:1 #9:1 #1:1
Congrats on the successful build and thanks for all the kind words. Glad you are stoked on the antenna! These things are a helluva lot of fun.
Absolutely my pleasure. Thanks for designing an amazing antenna that we can all build!
I just had to order a kit myself. Not because I did not have the parts to build 10 more or already existing antennas built after your initial videos. But because of the great concept and the support you gave during my initial builds!
Just got two of these in today. Looking forward to building them.
Great job Mike. One thing I like to do with tiny little PCBs like that is roll up a small piece of scotch tape to make it double sided, and use it on the back side of the board to tack it down to the work surface. It holds it lightly in place while you solder surface mount components, and comes off easily when you are done. Personally I don't like helping hands, I like the board down flat, so the tape works a treat.
See, now you tell me. Where were you when I was building this haha?
That spliced connection looked like the perfect place for a power pole for different elements
Your comment on your soldering and seeing us post our soldering - EXCELLENT!!!! And winding an FT-50 torroid....FT-140 is a tough and small size for me to deal with! And for all the good solder joints I have made.....well, lets focus on those the not the poor one.
Enjoyed the video - your attitude is great, good coverage of the build and your words about Adam made for a Class Act video.
That'll hopefully shut up the soldering keyboard commandos :) The toroid winding was the easiest part I thought. Really not a hard kit to build. The grain of sand capacitor was a bit nerve wracking but still not as bad as it looked. Thanks for your kind words and thanks for watching. 73
I just got the shipping notification for mine yesterday, should be in tomorrow. Excited to get started on it.
Excellant!
Hi Mike,
Very good build. When I watched Adam build it, as he was getting the capacitor out of the package, I was thinking Don't Sneeze. 🙂 Stay safe. 73 WJ3U
Okay...You got me. Your "ONE...ONE TURN AROUND THE FOROID" I was sipping my coffee when this blurted out! Needless to say, coffee out of one nostril did it for me! Thanks
Adam is just a QRP genius. And a true minimalist...
Great build instruction video! Trust me, your soldering skills are superior to most of the ham fisted hams out there! Don't need to go anywhere else for the how-to on this cool antenna!
You're very kind, thank you!
Loving the sense of humor you use in your instructional video! LOL! Great stuff!
Thanks so much!
I was excited about this one but in Amazon the final price is about 50 cad with a delivery date of about 2 months, if you live in Canada.
What?? That's crazy. It's just crossing an imaginary line that separates our countries.
How frikken awsome is just this...? Adam is a genius I swear to god
He's a mad scientist.
@@hamradiotube That's for sure
I ordered mine a couple weeks back. Waiting for shipping which is estimated end of January. Looking forward to using it with my KX2.
Wonder why it's taking so long. Unless you bought the BNC Female I suppose. If thats the case, they should be back in stock later this week and ship next week.
@@hamradiotube It's the male version. Amazon just updated to expected delivery date to 1/21. Maybe I'll record my build. If I can do it, anyone can!
I ALWAYS use a counterpoise with my EFHW antennas. The counterpoise has to be the right length and height above the ground for the best match. I make my own 49:1 transformers. You can buy the toroids cheap and make your own for less than $20. I use type 43 mix with 3:21 turns ratio.
Drinking coffee when you did The Count impression. Now I have coffee spit all over my tablet, lol
Haha sorry not sorry!
Great video, K6ARK is the man! You've given me the confidence to finally put mine together. :D
Do it!! It really wasn't hard at all.
Well done Mike Happy radio with the antenna Happy Life, bit like the XYL.
Thanks! Every new antenna brings so much joy to all the little girls and boys lol!
Good Job Mike, that Choke was a brilliant Idea, I recently built a hwef over Christmas, had similar results, wish I thought of the choke, will be building another soon, cheers n have fun with the qrp k6ark antenna!! 73 mate
Great video again Mike. I love the activation videos and appreciate them. I really like how you always keep things fun! Have a Great day buddy!
Thanks so much for watching! Glad to have you here.
Great video Mike, enjoyed it, gives me a heads up on when I build mine lol. 🤘
I'm sure you will do even better than me.
@@hamradiotube your inspiration is respected and honored, but I don’t expect it to be better, just another perspective. I was glad to hear you say 68’ of wire, I found a company that just happened to sale me a 70’ roll of yellow 26ga lol. I wanted orange to make it different than my ACK efhw, but they only had it in 500 or 1000’ spools.
Strong Work Mike! Don't listen to the keyboard whackos complain about your soldering - if you built it and it works, the soldering is good enough.
I don't listen to them anyway. It's just the comments that I have to read and get rid of. It's more work for me.
@@hamradiotube I can agree with that!
This is cool. Great job!
It's the coolest.
Glad I’m not the only one that strips enameled copper wire that way. If I have to do a lot now I break out the Dremel tho
You say that as if there is another way to strip it.
Good video Mike 👍 and your soldering is not that bad at all❗️
Thanks 👍
Absolutely loved the Count impersonation! “1 time around the toe-roid” HAHAHAHA! 🤣😂🤣
(Credit to Ape for the “roid” spelling)
Another great video Mike 🤠👍🏼👍🏼
nice work, may i suggest that you get some SMD solder paste for soldering with, just smear on to the contact points, place the parts on and stick the heat gun on the area you want to get soldered, much better than getting the solder tip in the gap.
Fortunately I don't do enough surface mount components to necessitate solder paste. I'll stick to melting wires together.
Hi Mike
Another great video, keep them coming
Still awaiting mine from the US to VK
Just wondering how much coax you are running
Phil. VK2JDL
What are you worried about? You soldered that little cap like a pro!
Thanks to the magic power of editing, you only saw the good part lol!
Also regarding the neverending story reference: NERD
Yeah but you got it...NERD lol!
hand soldering SMD is insane!
Looks good. I would’ve almost wanted to put the bunch connector on first so the toroid wasn’t in the way
You'd still have to solder it on at some point. I don't know if the other way would work. I'll expect a full report when you try it lol!
This looks like a great bit of kit. Such a shame thatcwe can't get them over here in the UK..... yet
That is too bad. This antenna need to be world wide.
Looks like a great little kit. It would definitely test my abilities lol
Oh you got that right! There was much editing on this one to mask my lack of skill :) It really wasn't that bad honestly. Quite a bit of fun.
*Your work is getting better day-by-day and I am following, Congratulations!!!! ***** * * * * * * * * * **
Well thank you very much, I appreciate the kind words.
Mike:
U have regularly watched your videos and have been a long-time subscriber.
I enjoy your channel.
I have also lost family members and friends to COVID 19. You of course had nothing to do with their infections and deaths. You didn't know them.
But I cringed when you referred to the deadly virus that killed these friends and family the "human malware virus".
I guess it was intended as humor.
Maybe their passing was too recent, but it struck a nerve with me and perhaps with others.
Just thought i should share this observation.
Sorry for your losses but I can't and won't live my life worrying about what people may or may not get triggered over. Human Malware Virus is something we've been using from the beginning of Covid as TH-cam would instantly pull your video or demonetize you for mentioning covid.
Adam’s 9:1 was my first antenna build, my first time winding a toroid, and my first time soldering. How’s that for jumping in head first?
That's one way to get into antenna building!
Hi Mike, I do believe that if you ant strait to the radio it will not be good as the coax do be come the counter poise do need it but do try with just short 6-12 inch patch and have a go my feeling it will be bad not as good as it was, Pieter
Not acceding to K6ARK. But yes that is the general consensus.
I hate when heat shrink scoots on me like that. GEnerally when I'm using a thin strip of it like that I use a candle instead of a heat gun. You'll have to wipe the soot off it after but it doesn't move the heat shrink around
I just kept heating it little by little and adjusting it. My OCD wouldn't like the soot over everything. But burning my fingers is somehow ok lol!
You did better on the surface mount than I would have done. Terrifyingly small.
It's really not that bad. I was nervous though.
I bought a strip of SMD capacitors because I tried to make one similar to his original video, so when mine comes I'm set when I inevitably drop it.
Mine flew across the table when I took it out. Fortunately it didn't go far.
Not out of the bag two minutes before it fell into the abyss. Thankfully I have a strip of these pesky surface mount caps. 🤣😃🤣
It's possible if you lifted the transformer, you might have squeeze some lower SWR results.
@K8MRD RADIO STUFF...Mike do you remember the wire thinketh for 10m 20m 40m 80m on this antenna. K6ARK 20W Antenna Matching Unit Kit - Male BNC .Thank you.
If the K6ARK sticker adds 6dB you are gonna have to drop your power lower than 5 watts. 😂
Good point. Wouldn't be qrp anymore.
Great build video. I'm interested in what you used to attached the swivel to the end of your mast. I've been looking for a solution for my Goture telescoping rod that I use as a mast.
Thanks. George from PackTenna put that on before he sent me the mast. I don't know the size but it's something like this: www.homedepot.com/p/NSi-Industries-0-125-in-x-0-375-in-Standard-Duty-Nylon-Cable-Clamps-100-Pack-NC-125/307349130
@@hamradiotube Thanks! I will give that a try.
Thanks!
Hey thank you so much, I really appreciate the support!
Is it bad that I am using your channel as a shopping list? Hahahaha
Yes. Yes it is lol!
@@hamradiotube Damn it! Hahaha
I’m new to all this. But when you tune by putting a loop near toroid can you use anything to hold loops together? Such as Messi and Paloma Velcro strip?
Build a 49:1 version and cut a wire for 40 meters. Then put it up as a 20 meter half square for a pota. Run it on 20 and 40 meters and let us know the results. It should operate as a pair of phased verticals broadside on 20 meters. KE6VG
Hmm, now I'm torn. That sounds like a fun thing to try, but that also sounds like way too much effort to put up. I just want to get on the air as quickly as possible.
Yeah does require 2 poles. 16' of wire up one pole and 32' over to the other pole, then 16' back down the second pole. But it does have the feed point either at the ground or partway up a pole. Depends on how long the poles are.
I was able to follow right along! Thanks so much! I'm curious how many feet of wire you ended up with? de k2sch
Nice Job Mike. Kind words and a gentle hand. Thanks for the links. KM4SON
Thanks Don.
Mike, where can I purchase the wire that you use for the 66ft antenna . I can’t find anything like it at the hardware store .
Bill ac6ox
A great video. Did you end up using it with the choke on 3-4 turns? What was your final length?
Great video.
Glad you enjoyed it
Great video Mike. Where did you get your poly-stealth wire?
Are you the CW Morse that 3D prints the keys??? I meant to link in the description but the PolyStealth wire comes from www.amateurradiosupplies.com/category-s/218.htm
@@hamradiotube No sir. That's not me. Just a guy that like portable cw. Thanks for the link. Enjoyed the video as always.
I'm going to get one and hook it to the Acom, its fine, I need a back up way to toast English muffins.
It'd be great for out at sea.
Fun fact: The Neverending story had sequels and a young Jack Black was in part 3
The sequels were terrible though. Didn't know Jack was in the 3rd one. Not even sure I saw that.
Imagine if the capacitor was electrolytic! Shame they’re not available on uk Amazon
I don't know what that means but it sounds even worse.
@@hamradiotube a polarised capacitor would be really hard to see at that size?
Nice video! Thanks!
Thanks for watching.
I solder 0402 all the time. Going to do POTA this weekend or just today?
POTA all the time!
What happened to K6ARK? I don't see him online anymore is he ok?
It's great, thank ... 😳
It is great that these kits are available for those who want to actually learn, rather than being an appliance operator. However, I am very skeptical that a small capacitor as shown will work for very long before damaging the radio at anything more than 1W, regardless of what is advertised. What is the voltage rating of that capacitor? What is the equivalent series resistance at HF frequencies? Does it present capacitive reactance? Good luck folks.
Nice project fantastic build and there is nothing wrong with your Welding skills
KQ4CD Paul
What wire did you use, The slick wire and got it from??
Thanks Paul. I went with the SotaBeams 26awg wire with this build.
@@hamradiotube tnxs
Hey Mike I'm studying for my general
I have a yaesu ft-891 with mfj qrpocket tuner. How would you run this antenna through tuner or directly into radio and why counterpois ? Thx.
Turn the power down to no more than 10 watts first. You typically don't need a counterpoise with this kind of antenna as the shield on the coax acts as the counterpoise. You don't need a tuner either. If you want, you can build this as a 9:1 random wire and use an external tuner to get all the bands.
@@hamradiotube 👍
When should one use a counterpoise with an EFHW antenna? Does it depend where the transformer is (i.e., in air or close to radio)?
You know I've still not found that answer out. I never use them and haven't found a situation where I needed one.
Mikey, at 3:58, say toroid ... "toe-roid". No Mikey, say tor-roid ... "toe-roid". No no Mikey, try again, say tor-roid ... "toe-roid". OK, fine then ... just go out there and play with ur new toy :) KJ6ER
Well, you're calling me Mikey. It's pronounced Mike. Like Ike but with an M :) TOE-ROID. Toeroid. That's how TheSmokinApe pronounces it, thats how i'm gonna pronounce it. He's never wrong.
@@hamradiotube Dude, the Ape is a star ... but he's no Papa POTA. U da King on HamTube 😄73 Mike(y), KJ6ER
great
"One strawberry tart without so much rat in it later"
I don't get the reference??
@@hamradiotube Monty Python skit where the "some time later" voice announces the passage of time by what the restaurant patrons ate.
Very nice do not try 1 more it will not be the same very nice I like it good dx 73,Pieter
Oh I have too. I have the BNC Male version too. It's gonna happen.
Nice..................
Thanks
I need one
There's 2 models, so, you may need 2.
@@hamradiotube I like the way you think. I need two.
Watching it on TH-cam doesn't do the size of the parts any justice. I've had the kit sitting on my workbench all weekend because I looked at it and was like "uhh I'm going to need another pair of tweezers to mess with that capacitor"
Another great Video Mike, well done! I think I might give it a go! You think your soldering skills are poor, mine are way worse :)
Keith - V31ZA
Go for it!
😂😂 oh, camera's rolling.
Hate when that happens.
Is that cap supposed to sit on its side like that? lol
I don't think it matters.
I see you guys trying to burn your finger off with these heat guns made for 500MCM Utily cable work. The Solder-IT Solderpro 70K kit has a heat blower that is perfect for this small work. Its also handy for soldering but I use mine pretty mutch for heat shrink. And no I don't have any affiliation with the company. Otherwise keep up the good work.
Video interupted 5 times by TH-cam ads using Amazon Stick. Not worth watching your videos due to ads. 73, AA4EZ
That's TH-cam buddy. Everything has ads, monetized or not. They changed that a couple years ago.
@@hamradiotube Not as bad as on your channel. HRCC has very few, Ask Dave has none, Explaining computers has none. I think it depends on how much revenue the channel wants from TH-cam. 73, AA4EZ
I don’t buy the intro… I think you knew the camera was rolling!
Lol!! You caught me red handed!
Wait untill they come out with the BNC LGBT youthink this ones confusing your deff gonna be screwed when that one comes out lmfao
This antenna identifies as a G5RV good sir lol!!
Great video. Your soap opera piano music in the background cracks me up.
KG5HMG
What are you talking about? That music is way too edgy for soap operas :)
@@hamradiotube appreciate what your doing for ham radio and totally can stand behind how your paying it forward to teach and show others how much fun ham radio is.