Short random sloper

Waffle kept shortish today. Just wanted to share an antenna setup that others might want to try if short of cash or wanting to get on a chunk of the HF bands real quick in a small garden. On face value looks like it would be rubbish, but actually isn't. Whilst definitely not a "DX" antenna I have managed contacts in the UK and around Europe on all bands from 10m to 40m inc 11m, sometimes with reports of "booming signal" using just foundation power. 40m not just NVIS either as some contacts have been 900 to 1100 mile distances.

SWR under 3:1 on all bands and under 2:1 on some. Fine for very low power 'as is', or ATU can easily bring in to line better if wanted.

Just 2 mins to setup or take down. Perfect for me for a Saturday morning whilst doing housework downstairs (my rigs are usually upstairs in bedroom running into loft antennas). Hopefully pics make sense, it's pretty simple really just like me

Very approximately to scale...




Choke at feed point, 2x turns in each 43 type ferrite clip-on. Needed as not RF grounded and caused ghost in the machine effects to my PC and router without it. This forces the wire counterpoise to be used rather than the coax shield...


Highest point tied down to trampoline frame...

"Any antenna is better than no antenna"  

Cracking work there Neal and a perfect example of fitting in what you can with what you've got. Awesome stuff mate and glad it's working well for you.

A big thanks for the share.

Thank you Victor. Just after posting this I took the dog out for a walk and listened to the Monday night Swindon net via the 2m repeater. A large part of the discussion was around a member who does not have a HF setup yet and has been pondering for a while what antenna to set up and where, what would work best, are baluns needed etc etc. I say just stick a cheap bit of wire up and get on air, you will make contacts and have fun, and you won't miss out on radio action then whilst you're pondering.

Absolutely spot on!

Any antenna is better than no antenna. I've made some amazing contacts on very compromised antennas.

Good luck with the sloper.

73's Gary.

Most of my HF is on compromise antennas. 

I did just do a test comparing a 43' end fed vertical with a 4:1 UnUN and a decent radial system against a half wave 28MHz vertical with a Guanella 49:1 UnUn and no radials.

At 40km the half wave was 7dB better and at 3000km it was 6dB better on average.

Just one 'S' point, nothing too much to worry about. The results may have been different if the end fed was in the more traditional sloping arrangement.

When I came back on in 2018 I had no HF ants apart from a rotten Hustler 4BTV.
I ditched the traps and saved enough of the tubes to make a 20metre quarter wave vertical with an elevated groundplane, groundplane is just one wire. This worked very well with the the vertical at about 3metres and the groundplane wire angled down about 15degrees.

Nicely put there Neal and exemplary words of wisdom.  

Too many get put off by technical jargon, recommendations, antenna modelling etc. and never get anywhere. Some basic knowledge and a length of wire can do wonders as many can attest to.