this post was submitted on 31 Aug 2023
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Amateur Radio

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Hello all!

I’m trying to get my foot in the door with HF digital and looking for antenna suggestions using FT8/JS8Call with a Xiegu G90.

I have ~60 ft if space in the backyard to work with & live on the second story looking down into the yard (~20ft up).

I’d ideally like something portable I can pack up and take around with me camping. I’m leaning towards a random length wire right now, but would love to hear what you come up with!

Thanks in advance!

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I think a 40m EFHW might be your best option. If you can keep the antenna up for extended time, you can make a window bulkhead with some wood or you can buy one of the fancy ones MFJ makes. Otherwise, you could just run your coax to the antenna and then tie (with parachord or similar) the ends to the tree, etc and something sturdy inside.

A more expensive solution would be to use a magloop inside. You could also get a vertical and put it in the yard and run coax to it.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

40 meter end fed half wave

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

If you don't have trees and want an easy, portable solution. Buy a $20 20 foot "crappie" fishing pole on your favorite online retailer, and run a 20m 1/4wave vertical wire up it. Add between 4 and 8 radials on the ground, and craft up a simple guy system with some rope and tent pegs. Cheap, lightweight, and highly effective, especially at this point in the solar cycle. Cut some shorter wires for higher bands and you can pick and choose which one to hoist on a given outing. The only downside is that right now, specifically js8call activity is still heavily on 40m. You will make boatloads of ft8 contacts on 20 though.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Do you have trees? Can you run a full wave loop for 40m? (40m circuference, does not have to be of any particular shape, triangle, rectangle or what can you fit should work okayish)

Like EFHW, it gives you 10 15 20 40m, and if you load it against ground, also lower bands, perhaps also 12 and 17 with tuner (can't do that with EFHW)

This is option for base station, for portable use EFHW is your best bet