I have the MPAS 2.0 almos 2 years now and made several SSB contacts @100w from Ireland to North/South America, to Australia. I do have the CAP hat which electrically lengthens the antenna and it probably does make a difference. I have a lot of fun in the Summer months or even this time of year when 20m is still open in the evenings when I can get on the radio. I got the MPAS 2.0 to use portable but because it performs so well I leave it up permanently on the front lawn and use it in my sitting room, it makes a really good SWL antenna also and it's a really quiet antenna. I put down more radials and SWR increased and I read that this happens when ground losses are being reduced and efficiency improves which is what you want, I especially noticed the performance improvement on 40m where SWR with single radial went from around 1.8 - 2.4. I use the MFJ-939Y auto tuner with the FT-891, a really good tuner, all I have to do is set AM to 5 watts in the radio and when I key up and press up on the mic the radio automatically sends a carrier and the tuner tunes automatically in seconds, I had to open the tuner and set a jumper to get it to work properly with the radio. After I added more radials I made a contact around 4000 miles away on 40m, couldn't get that far before. I now have 4 radials about 20 feet long, I will add around 10-12 more, if SWR changes a lot one thing I could do is remove the unun and install a remote tuner or installing different UNUN but probably better off buying a dedicated base vertical at that point like a 5BTV or 43 foot. For what it is the MPAS 2.0 greatly exceeded my expectations.
The number one thing in this situation was the ground, the dirt, the place that I’m in, was the number one reason why I had good residence. Now that I’ve been doing this for a little while, the water didn’t do anything, the radial might do something, but when it’s on the ground, it’s not as effective as if it was lifted. The things about these particular types of antennas, is that you need to lift the radial up above the ground. This gives it, better abilities to do what it needs to do. my suggestion, at this point of my ham experience is that you’ll need a tuner. For these types of antennas. I thought with rad I would get the SWR that I needed, but it never came to fruition. I gave up on these antennas because I did not want to use a tuner. So I figured out how to do a quarter wave ground plane Antenna you’ll find it in my channel. It’s super expensive to make and the results are wonderful, especially at this particular time that I filmed this video for the sun cycle was low. Overall, I think everybody goes through a very similar path, trying to find that antenna that really works for them. If you are OK with a tuner, then this will do fine. I’ve moved on and I like mobile much better. Keep watching my videos you’ll see the transition as I discovered more about Ham Radio.
I’m floored at the dx wins you got here. I’m a new ham and looking for something discrete for home and love the idea of the mpas lite as it would travel well too when I do SOTA. What are your thoughts on using this vs a inverted V using DS6BKW? Using 100w or less for DX work. 73 KN6RWM
For SOTA people do like it. I don’t use it for that, but I’ll usually go to the park and use it there. Only thing I don’t like is that it doesn’t resonate 40 through 10 m. Many times you have to have a tuner. Or maybe adjust the vertical element. Lately I’ve been using a quarter wave ground plane antenna. Very inexpensive and as long as you have the radiating element lifted it up buy a tree or a mast you’ll get results. I do have a video on quarter wave ground plane antenna.
@@forgetyourlife Very true. But is the MPAS a "vertical"? It has a vertical element and a 9:1 nun. Can I call my EFHW that has a 49:1 transformer a vertical, if I place the element vertical?
@@frankwc0o technicaly I think the MPAS is a random wire but yes it’s certainly a vertical. Your efhw in the vertical orientation would be a vertical yes. Not as good as a real “vertical” but that’s why inverted L antennas made from efhw out perform the same antenna mounted purely horizontal. Make sure it’s insulated from the ground. If I could hang my 130ft efhw from a tree straight down you bet I would.
@@forgetyourlife Yes, a random wire would be a good name for the CHA, thanks for that. That makes sense. I like my EFHW, but haven't used it for about 2 months now that I've found that a 1/4 wave ground plane out performs my EFHW, but then again, I might need some ideas on how to deploy it in the field better. Lifting it ut 130 feet is way too high. I usually slope the EFHW and the transformer is up 3 feet or so and the other end is about 30 feet. I see often people will place the transformer up 20 feet or so and do it as a horizontal. Finally, the propagation has improved in the last three months. More testing is needed.
What antenna analyzer are you using?
Ant Scope Rig Expert App. 73 KO4KHB
I have the MPAS 2.0 almos 2 years now and made several SSB contacts @100w from Ireland to North/South America, to Australia. I do have the CAP hat which electrically lengthens the antenna and it probably does make a difference. I have a lot of fun in the Summer months or even this time of year when 20m is still open in the evenings when I can get on the radio.
I got the MPAS 2.0 to use portable but because it performs so well I leave it up permanently on the front lawn and use it in my sitting room, it makes a really good SWL antenna also and it's a really quiet antenna.
I put down more radials and SWR increased and I read that this happens when ground losses are being reduced and efficiency improves which is what you want, I especially noticed the performance improvement on 40m where SWR with single radial went from around 1.8 - 2.4. I use the MFJ-939Y auto tuner with the FT-891, a really good tuner, all I have to do is set AM to 5 watts in the radio and when I key up and press up on the mic the radio automatically sends a carrier and the tuner tunes automatically in seconds, I had to open the tuner and set a jumper to get it to work properly with the radio.
After I added more radials I made a contact around 4000 miles away on 40m, couldn't get that far before.
I now have 4 radials about 20 feet long, I will add around 10-12 more, if SWR changes a lot one thing I could do is remove the unun and install a remote tuner or installing different UNUN but probably better off buying a dedicated base vertical at that point like a 5BTV or 43 foot.
For what it is the MPAS 2.0 greatly exceeded my expectations.
What were you using to get the SWR readings?
The number one thing in this situation was the ground, the dirt, the place that I’m in, was the number one reason why I had good residence. Now that I’ve been doing this for a little while, the water didn’t do anything, the radial might do something, but when it’s on the ground, it’s not as effective as if it was lifted. The things about these particular types of antennas, is that you need to lift the radial up above the ground. This gives it, better abilities to do what it needs to do. my suggestion, at this point of my ham experience is that you’ll need a tuner. For these types of antennas. I thought with rad I would get the SWR that I needed, but it never came to fruition. I gave up on these antennas because I did not want to use a tuner. So I figured out how to do a quarter wave ground plane Antenna you’ll find it in my channel. It’s super expensive to make and the results are wonderful, especially at this particular time that I filmed this video for the sun cycle was low. Overall, I think everybody goes through a very similar path, trying to find that antenna that really works for them. If you are OK with a tuner, then this will do fine. I’ve moved on and I like mobile much better. Keep watching my videos you’ll see the transition as I discovered more about Ham Radio.
I’m floored at the dx wins you got here. I’m a new ham and looking for something discrete for home and love the idea of the mpas lite as it would travel well too when I do SOTA. What are your thoughts on using this vs a inverted V using DS6BKW? Using 100w or less for DX work.
73
KN6RWM
For SOTA people do like it. I don’t use it for that, but I’ll usually go to the park and use it there. Only thing I don’t like is that it doesn’t resonate 40 through 10 m. Many times you have to have a tuner. Or maybe adjust the vertical element. Lately I’ve been using a quarter wave ground plane antenna. Very inexpensive and as long as you have the radiating element lifted it up buy a tree or a mast you’ll get results. I do have a video on quarter wave ground plane antenna.
Wow pretty much AWESOME!!!!
Your Groups IO page is pretty hungry for info on that pre order loop right about now.
Great stuff 👍👍
Thanks.
Great WC0O!!!
Thanks. I got very lucky.
Nice 55 signal reports for the contest 😂
Ya, I was shocked! After I found out how far it was. At the time, I thought it wasn't that far. Actually on both contacts. -73
Propagation was great last weekend so I’m not surprised. Especially with a vertical on a high band.
@@forgetyourlife Very true. But is the MPAS a "vertical"? It has a vertical element and a 9:1 nun. Can I call my EFHW that has a 49:1 transformer a vertical, if I place the element vertical?
@@frankwc0o technicaly I think the MPAS is a random wire but yes it’s certainly a vertical. Your efhw in the vertical orientation would be a vertical yes. Not as good as a real “vertical” but that’s why inverted L antennas made from efhw out perform the same antenna mounted purely horizontal. Make sure it’s insulated from the ground. If I could hang my 130ft efhw from a tree straight down you bet I would.
@@forgetyourlife Yes, a random wire would be a good name for the CHA, thanks for that. That makes sense. I like my EFHW, but haven't used it for about 2 months now that I've found that a 1/4 wave ground plane out performs my EFHW, but then again, I might need some ideas on how to deploy it in the field better. Lifting it ut 130 feet is way too high. I usually slope the EFHW and the transformer is up 3 feet or so and the other end is about 30 feet. I see often people will place the transformer up 20 feet or so and do it as a horizontal. Finally, the propagation has improved in the last three months. More testing is needed.