First HF antenna...

This month, I have been very busy obtaining preps and other items that I consider necessary but have been putting off for a number of reasons, some valid some not. Anyway, decided to stop procrastinating and jump-in. I have increased my freeze-dried stores by at least 2 months (ouch! expensive) purchased a new high-quality piston AR, new individual water purifiers plus some Life Straws, and a number of other things to include a duel-fuel generator that I intend to purchase this weekend, already got a large propane bottle for it on a hand-truck (dolly) ready for testing it. Next improvement is communications and I will take my Extra test in January.

So, I have decided on a HF radio as that's where my interest lies, always wanted one, and I already got a couple of VHF/UHF that I never use mainly because I have no current interest in them unless, of course, the SHTF. I have a communications background and got interested in SDR radios a long time ago (late 80's or early 90's) when I sat in on a briefing concerning new and/or advancing technologies. I was working Intelligence Systems at the time and even though the major focus at the time was imagery this was part of the briefing and caught everyone's attention and it has held mine all these years so...so I'm going to purchase a SDR radio, probably the IC-7300 unless something better come out but it's worthless without an antenna and the antenna probably should come first. I have scoured the internet and got a few ideas but thought I would ask here also.

Yes, I have plenty of room (5 wooded acres). Yes, I do have a few tall trees close to the house that could be used. Yes, I could use the house as think wife is pretty easy with my projects - well - as long as I dress up the cabling to make it look nice, hide it would be better...

So, what recommendation would some of you guys give for a first HF antenna? I guess I really don't care if I have to purchase or build from scratch. I think something easy at first to help enhance my interest and also realize it is winter here LOL! so I might have to even wait until Spring but I would rather build it now as currently we have no snow and - well - I'm bored. The guy down the road has a tower but I think that is the wrong approach at this point in time because I don't know enough yet about reception here and exactly where I would want to put it. So right now intend to use the KISS principle (Keep It Simple Stupid) as much as possible before doing something real permanent.

What part of the HF spectrum interests me? Having never played with it - all of it. I honestly don't know and would ask your advice. Where is lots of activity? I mean, there is no such thing as the perfect multi-band antenna but for first endeavor something simple but sees lots of activity. We can then expand from there. Hell, I do have a throw bag and thought maybe just throw a cable up a tree to get on the air which would be enough to justify the radio purchase for Christmas That is more than doable and maybe that is the solution at this point...

So, advice and recommendations?

 

For ease of getting started - a vertical is a good start. If you have an antenna tuner...

I just stick up a piece of metal, like TV masting, more than 15 feet tall. The bottom goes into a 2 liter soda bottle cut to fit and the center conductor of the coax is attached to the pipe with a lug and screw. The outside of the coax goes to a length of chicken wire buried under a couple of inches of dirt. I used that setup for several years.

A commercial Vertical with a decent set of radials will work better, of course. A Butternut (6HF*) or a nice trapped vertical like the Hygain 14AVQ works fine as well. A vertical give a low angle of radiation, so you have a better chance for DX contacts. I have some bad weather/ice loading/high wind issues here that you may not face. So, I use the vertical as it is more 'survivable' in bad wx conditions.

Otherwise, a simple dipole as high as you can string it will work just fine.

You are correct that a good antenna is more important than a high powered rig....

 

HRO has the 7300 today for $999.95.

After today the price goes up $150

ICOM IC-7300 Transceivers Base HF-6M, IC7300

Today. Get that credit card out

 

@DKR "I just stick up a piece of metal, like TV masting..."
Yeah, I am thinking more and more just to get something simple up and working.

"I have some bad weather/ice loading/high wind issues here that you may not face."
Oh, I don't know about that... I know you live in Alaska so more severe but here in North Idaho we get high winds (50-70mph 2 years ago, I had trees down everywhere) and had 7 feet of snow last year which was more than enough for my taste. LOL!

"Otherwise, a simple dipole as high as you can string it will work just fine."
Yeah, I am wonder if I can use the two trees near my house for something like that...antenna would run North to South if I used those, not sure that matters at this point.

@ghrit "FWIW, a tuner is a needed accessory in the shack."
Yes, absolutely. And, I would like to hear any and all recommendations for one.

"If you have trees, you may be better off with a fan dipole."
Yes, I think I know those or can look them up. It is where the antenna leads are cut to different lengths to cover different spectrums IIRC.

@BTPost "Built an 80meter Dipole... out of a HyGain Balun... and #12 Stranded THNN Wire ...Manual Antenna Tuner... I got it strung up between a Couple of 120 Ft Spruce Trees, with .... 75 ‘ to run from the Balun..."
I could do almost do the exact same thing. I couldn't get it 120 feet up but certainly ~70 feet on a pair of pine trees, maybe a bit less...and the run to the house/radio would be about the same, 75 foot. That is definitely doable.

"The trick to make a good Cheap HF Antenna, is a Good Balun, a Good Manual Tuner, and high up in the Air..."
Got it! You would go with the 'manual' tuner instead of one of the high-end auto tuners? Got a recommendation? What about a Balun?

@AD1 That is a hell'va deal! Have never seen this cheaper, free shipping also...ends tonight, talk about pressure! LOL!

 

@BTPost I see your point and I see how that would be a real pain to write code for, writing to analog is always a pain and why they write it most of the time to be a range instead of a specific variable.

This IC-7300 has an auto tuner in it so my question is... Can I use a manual tuner in conjunction with the auto tuner? Is that a common knowledge question or is it something I need to ask the vendor? I honestly know...

 

Just turn the autotuner off. No problem.

 

I've been looking at HF rigs with SHTF/emergency as the driving factor. These have caught my interest as a good trade off between value, size, and performance.

For SHTF I value the ability to receive more than the ability to transmit, as transmitting may give my location. but for emergency comms transmitting becomes more important. Is the 25/100 Watt power spec coupled to a fairly efficient antenna adequate? What are some other good choices? Note I'm not interested in contesting, just good solid communications.

Don't mean to hijack the thread, but I think @Bandit99 and I are working along the same lines.

 

The cheap, easy, and effective solution would be separate homebrew mono band dipoles for the bands you most want to use. You have a lot of space so finding room for them should not be much of an issue. Since you don't have much experience to draw from, I suggest starting with 40 and 20 meters since that's where most of the HF activity is, and these bands are fairly consistently open. You can always add other bands later.

As for an antenna tuner...as already mentioned, most radios have one already built in, and if you build your antennas right you might not even need it anyway. @BTPost is technically correct in his analysis, but parsing the difference between auto vs. manual involves some hair-splitting and fussing over minutiae. Built in tuners can be bypassed...but it does not make a lot of economic sense to spend extra for a radio with a built in tuner and then go out and buy an outboard version to replace it.

The correct choice is to put up the best antenna you can and if needed use a tuner to correct small deficiencies. I can run my FT-950 across the entire 40 phone side and most of 20 without a tuner and the SWR never goes above 1.3. The only time you should heavily rely on a tuner is when you are using an antenna that specifically requires it, such as a random wire. Too many hams put up a antenna they know is crap and then use a tuner as a band aid to "fix" it.

If your antenna is good, then it won't matter what kind of tuner you have; and if your antenna is crap, it also won't matter what kind of tuner you have.

 

@BTPost Yep! It is right on the front panel and one can activate it on or off... I downloaded the manual.

I am going to start tomorrow looking for stuff to make up the antenna. I'll probably have to order most everything...no radio shack or equivalent around here that I know. I think I will hold off purchasing the radio until I get antenna up, might take a bit more work than anticipated as it appears I will have to punch a hole through my foundation wall as it's the best way to get cabling into the house then come up through the floor. I will look again tomorrow. I'm not too worried about finding another deal on the radio as Christmas is coming also. We'll see as got a couple of hours left...ordering and getting a radio is easy, setting up a good functioning antenna is the challenge since I have never done it before...

I do have a lot of trees around the property and there is no way in hell I can get higher than them...need to do some more research tomorrow...

 

@Bandit99 If you are looking for really well made terminated RF cable check out Bluejeans Cable. No snake oil, just quality cable and connectors assembled correctly to your specifications. I've used them in the past and will use them again.

RF Cables at Blue Jeans Cable

 

Great review of the IC-7300:


Also for the FT-991A (I'm kind of flipping back and forth between the two)

 

Have you ever acquired any 50 ohm cable from them? All I am seeing is 75 ohm tv stuff...