End feed antenna opinions

Started by Coldwater, June 15, 2015, 12:48:46 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Coldwater

I am considering this antenna for my new FT 450D 100 Watt radio with built in tuner. This is expensive $180 w/shipping. Atop my tower 70 feet slopping down to about 40 feet.

Orientation is either E BY NE TO W BY SW (aprox 70 deg NE) OR  W BY NW TO E BY SE (aprox 120 degrees E)

I am very open to alternatives both antenna and direction, but because of clear area among trees a center fed dipole will be in the trees. . This antenna will be across a metal roofed building with either layout and at about tree top height.

http://www.hyendcompany.nl/antenna/multiband/product/detail/3/HyEndFed_5_band_10_15_20_40_80_M

gil

#1
Hello,

I remember seeing a review of it on Youtube. The guy was pretty happy about the performance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGyAveQsf60

It's just a transformer on a toroid core mind you, easy to do. See: http://earchi.org/92011endfedfiles/Endfed6_40.pdf

Gil.

cockpitbob

Actually what Hyend  has there is more like a 200W version of the LNR Precision EFHW.  It probably has a broadband 64:1 (8:1 turns ratio) transformer, possibly with that magic capacitor across the primary side.   Reviews look great.

From what I've read, using an endfed as a sloper gives you a small amount of gain (<3dB) in the direction the base is pointing at.  The gain is so small that I wouldn't worry much about orientation.

It's got great reviews, and most of use here love EFHW antennas.  I approve.

Lamewolf

Sounds kind of pricey for what it is.  Could probably build it for a small fraction of what it cost.  I know the Off C3enter Fed Dipoles are very expensive, but I built one with a dual core Guanella 4:1 current balun that will handle at least 1KW and probably got 50 bucks in the whole thing including the parts to build the balun !  Covers 80, 40, 20, 17, 12, 10, 6, and 2 meters without a tuner except the upper end of 80 and 10 meters.

cockpitbob

Yeah, their antenna Is a little pricey, but you're paying for their secret sauce.  It's the first no-knob efhw coupler that covers that broad range of frequencies.  I've designed a few and couldn't get close to covering 80-10.

Lamewolf

Quote from: cockpitbob on December 09, 2015, 10:01:47 AM
Yeah, their antenna Is a little pricey, but you're paying for their secret sauce.  It's the first no-knob efhw coupler that covers that broad range of frequencies.  I've designed a few and couldn't get close to covering 80-10.

Maybe I should start building and selling off center fed dipoles, they are getting about 6 times what I have in mine !

cockpitbob

Quote from: Lamewolf on December 10, 2015, 10:53:00 AM
Quote from: cockpitbob on December 09, 2015, 10:01:47 AM
Yeah, their antenna Is a little pricey, but you're paying for their secret sauce.  It's the first no-knob efhw coupler that covers that broad range of frequencies.  I've designed a few and couldn't get close to covering 80-10.

Maybe I should start building and selling off center fed dipoles, they are getting about 6 times what I have in mine !
I have a feeling making money in ham radio is like several other things people have a passion for.  The old joke is that to make a small fortune in the business you first start with a large fortune, then know when to stop :D

Lamewolf

Quote from: cockpitbob on December 09, 2015, 10:01:47 AM
Yeah, their antenna Is a little pricey, but you're paying for their secret sauce.  It's the first no-knob efhw coupler that covers that broad range of frequencies.  I've designed a few and couldn't get close to covering 80-10.

Is it actually a "no tuner needed" or does it require a tuner to do what it claims ?  Gotta read the fine print !  A lot of this stuff is tested under lab conditions by modeling it on a computer, but remember that we live in the real world !  Is that "secret sauce" anything like SWR grease ? :o

cockpitbob

The way I read it, no tuner needed.  It's an improved version of the LNR EndFedz.

I think their secret is a standing wave hypoid bearing.  Or maybe it's the transformer core made from prefamulated amulite.  Unless, of course it's that the main winding was of the normal lotus-o-delta type placed in panendermic semi-boloid slots of the stator; every seventh conductor being connected by a non-reversible trem'e pipe to the differential girdlespring on the up-end of the grammes.  (See the Turbo Encabulator for full details.) 

madball13

Quote from: cockpitbob on December 22, 2015, 10:17:50 AM
The way I read it, no tuner needed.  It's an improved version of the LNR EndFedz.

I think their secret is a standing wave hypoid bearing.  Or maybe it's the transformer core made from prefamulated amulite.  Unless, of course it's that the main winding was of the normal lotus-o-delta type placed in panendermic semi-boloid slots of the stator; every seventh conductor being connected by a non-reversible trem'e pipe to the differential girdlespring on the up-end of the grammes.  (See the Turbo Encabulator for full details.) 

uuhhhhh, wut?

Lamewolf

Quote from: cockpitbob on December 22, 2015, 10:17:50 AM
The way I read it, no tuner needed.  It's an improved version of the LNR EndFedz.

I think their secret is a standing wave hypoid bearing.  Or maybe it's the transformer core made from prefamulated amulite.  Unless, of course it's that the main winding was of the normal lotus-o-delta type placed in panendermic semi-boloid slots of the stator; every seventh conductor being connected by a non-reversible trem'e pipe to the differential girdlespring on the up-end of the grammes.  (See the Turbo Encabulator for full details.) 

No, the core is made of unobtainium !

cockpitbob

This month's QST magazine does a 2 page write-up on the Hyend 80-10 meter EFHW antenna.  Basically, it works and the losses are so low they really couldn't measure it accurately. 

Like I said, I've designed  several of these things but I never got this wide a frequency range or high power handling. 

Lamewolf

Quote from: cockpitbob on February 17, 2016, 10:19:58 PM
This month's QST magazine does a 2 page write-up on the Hyend 80-10 meter EFHW antenna.  Basically, it works and the losses are so low they really couldn't measure it accurately. 

Like I said, I've designed  several of these things but I never got this wide a frequency range or high power handling. 

What type of coupler are you using Bob and what ratio ?  I've experimented with a lot of baluns and ununs and can get a very wide frequency range with them, but they are a fixed ratio of course.

cockpitbob

Quote from: Lamewolf on August 04, 2016, 08:08:11 AM
Quote from: cockpitbob on February 17, 2016, 10:19:58 PM
This month's QST magazine does a 2 page write-up on the Hyend 80-10 meter EFHW antenna.  Basically, it works and the losses are so low they really couldn't measure it accurately. 

Like I said, I've designed  several of these things but I never got this wide a frequency range or high power handling. 

What type of coupler are you using Bob and what ratio ?  I've experimented with a lot of baluns and ununs and can get a very wide frequency range with them, but they are a fixed ratio of course.
I'm using a home-brew wide band transformer 3 turns & 21 turns (49:1 impedance ratio).  At 28MHz it is a little big and the parasitics get in the way.  At 3.5MHz and 100W there's too much flux in the core and it saturates.  I could have used a bigger core and gotten 3.5MHz but the larger parasitics would have lowered the top end.

Lamewolf

Quote from: cockpitbob on August 04, 2016, 08:27:09 AM
Quote from: Lamewolf on August 04, 2016, 08:08:11 AM
Quote from: cockpitbob on February 17, 2016, 10:19:58 PM
This month's QST magazine does a 2 page write-up on the Hyend 80-10 meter EFHW antenna.  Basically, it works and the losses are so low they really couldn't measure it accurately. 

Like I said, I've designed  several of these things but I never got this wide a frequency range or high power handling. 

What type of coupler are you using Bob and what ratio ?  I've experimented with a lot of baluns and ununs and can get a very wide frequency range with them, but they are a fixed ratio of course.
I'm using a home-brew wide band transformer 3 turns & 21 turns (49:1 impedance ratio).  At 28MHz it is a little big and the parasitics get in the way.  At 3.5MHz and 100W there's too much flux in the core and it saturates.  I could have used a bigger core and gotten 3.5MHz but the larger parasitics would have lowered the top end.

I figured a high ratio, but on those you lose at one end to get the other.  I've played with the transformers some and could never get them to work the way I wanted them to.  Are you using ferrite cores - 43s or 61's or powdered iron ?  I'm thinking of playing with some using powdered iron because they don't saturate as easy, that is if I ever get time to do so.