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Posted: 3/22/2022 11:43:32 AM EDT
[#1]
IN. I just bought a 6 foot whip from mfj, and was considering building something for 40 and up.
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Posted: 3/22/2022 1:05:55 PM EDT
[#2]
I bought one this winter but havent played with it much yet. This weekend I hope to get more radials built and do some testing.
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Posted: 3/22/2022 1:13:33 PM EDT
[#3]
A couple of friends have them. I watched one make a QRP 20-meter SSB contact to Germany.
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Posted: 3/22/2022 1:24:29 PM EDT
[#4]
They're pretty popular, it's just a manual inductor coil for a shortened/loaded ground-plane antenna. Same idea as the various "screwdriver" type antennas, but manually adjusted.
In general, the less of the coil you can use the better from efficiency, so use the longest whip you can manage on top of the coil, and if possible lift the coil up off the feed point as much as you can while keeping it within reach for adjusting the tap point. From there, it will need a ground side of radials or otherwise. Tuning those radials will help as well if you're not putting down a huge field, which you're probably not when portable. WRC's products are fairly well priced and well made, about the only issue I've seen is some people have melted the PVC coil form when running a long and high duty cycle at 100W (or more). They've made a new "platinum" series that is supposed to address the melt-downs, but I've seen at least 2 reports of people even overheating those. But for you're casual user for portable setups, it's a good product that's not super expensive, and they also offer other accessories like their tripod base. I run this type of antenna sometimes with my own home-made coil, a 17-ft whip, and a 3 foot extension to lift the coil off the feedpoint. For 20-meters and higher bands, that much whip means the coil isn't even needed, but then I can get down to 30, 40, 60, and 80-meters with the coil. For radials I use four 33-ft tape measures which I reel in or out to tune to the band in use. |
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Posted: 3/22/2022 10:50:19 PM EDT
[#5]
I have a few. Build quality is ok. They’re not too heavy or bulky. They work better than they should for the price.
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Posted: 3/23/2022 12:15:16 AM EDT
[#6]
I have one and used it for POTA some and JOTA. I only run QRP with it but it works great.
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Posted: 3/23/2022 6:48:55 AM EDT
[#7]
Yep. I use one for portable HF stuff. Works well.
A local guy uses their base with a Chamelon whip minus the coil with lots of success. One thing I did with my WRC was use more radials. I've got 9 total. I have one wire with a bullet connect coming off of my legs. Then the three wires into the other side of the connector. Makes setting it up super easy. I also saw much better SWR with more radials. There's also quite a few folks who instead of using 33' radials just set out more and use 11' radials. The guy I mentioned above does that and has no complaints. He can get SWR down to 1.0 easily. |
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Posted: 3/23/2022 9:58:06 AM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I have a few. Build quality is ok. They’re not too heavy or bulky. They work better than they should for the price. Do you see as much benefit inshore versus when you set up on the beaches? I was tickled when we made a contact. My first and only AK contact I think. |
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Posted: 3/23/2022 12:56:51 PM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Do you see as much benefit inshore versus when you set up on the beaches? I was tickled when we made a contact. My first and only AK contact I think. It works great on the beach. It’s like having big ears and 1,000 watts. I don’t know how else to describe it, but salt water beach is amazing. It works very well inland also. Not magic like a beach, but I’ve had great success with activations in Alaska hundreds of miles from salt using 100w portable. |
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Posted: 3/23/2022 1:04:55 PM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryQuoted: It works great on the beach. It’s like having big ears and 1,000 watts. I don’t know how else to describe it, but salt water beach is amazing. It works very well inland also. Not magic like a beach, but I’ve had great success with activations in Alaska hundreds of miles from salt using 100w portable. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Do you see as much benefit inshore versus when you set up on the beaches? I was tickled when we made a contact. My first and only AK contact I think. It works great on the beach. It’s like having big ears and 1,000 watts. I don’t know how else to describe it, but salt water beach is amazing. It works very well inland also. Not magic like a beach, but I’ve had great success with activations in Alaska hundreds of miles from salt using 100w portable. Thanks! Good to hear, that confirms my suspicions. |
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Posted: 3/23/2022 3:16:49 PM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Thanks! Good to hear, that confirms my suspicions. Beach = pileups Inland = still activations, but might take 30-45 minutes to get 10. |
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Posted: 3/23/2022 9:14:29 PM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Beach = pileups Inland = still activations, but might take 30-45 minutes to get 10. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Thanks! Good to hear, that confirms my suspicions. Beach = pileups Inland = still activations, but might take 30-45 minutes to get 10. IIRC you were on a beach when we talked. |
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Posted: 3/23/2022 9:42:01 PM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryQuoted: IIRC you were on a beach when we talked. I was on a freshwater goundplane when I worked tyrex13  
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Posted: 3/24/2022 9:55:16 AM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryThat could be an advertising pic! |
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Posted: 3/24/2022 1:11:59 PM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryQuoted: That could be an advertising pic! Quote HistoryQuoted: That could be an advertising pic! No kidding! That is a beautiful photo. |
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Posted: 3/24/2022 4:25:25 PM EDT
[#16]
that as a spur of the moment iphone pic of a late POTA activation
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Posted: 3/24/2022 8:05:22 PM EDT
[#17]
There is a guy using one in TX on 15m, 100w and I am getting him 5x7 in WI.
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Posted: 3/25/2022 12:39:43 PM EDT
[#18]
I had a chance to play with mine a bit yesterday. I made 12 16’ radials out of the wire Lorazepam posted(very nice stuff by the way) and put 4 each on a ring terminal to attach to each leg.
 Attached FileWith the antenna on the driveway Running 50w on my ft891 I was able to make a few contacts on 20m. New Jersey, Canada and Slovakia with signal reports from 5-5 to 5-8. I got the coil tuned and marked for 40 and 80m but didnt talk to anyone. Im going to try to use this setup for next Tuesday's net. I may play with more radials and add some longer ones. Ive got the portable rig setup on my shack desk so I can run the home station at the same time to compare reception.  Attached File |
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Posted: 3/25/2022 2:07:05 PM EDT
[#19]
It's a shame Wolf River Coils can't make an antenna that doesn't heat up.
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Posted: 3/25/2022 6:14:04 PM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryQuoted: It's a shame Wolf River Coils can't make an antenna that doesn't heat up. They could use a body material other than plumbing PVC that cost 10 times as much and much harder to manufacture using their simple methods and charge $300-$400 for it. Or people could understand what it is and not run 100w digi modes when it’s 90 degrees out until it melts. |
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Posted: 3/27/2022 2:09:17 AM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryQuoted: They could use a body material other than plumbing PVC that cost 10 times as much and much harder to manufacture using their simple methods and charge $300-$400 for it. Or people could understand what it is and not run 100w digi modes when it’s 90 degrees out until it melts. It sounds like you get what you pay for. I would rather pay a bit more for something more robust. |
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Posted: 3/28/2022 9:27:28 AM EDT
[#22]
I have a wolf river coil for portable and one in my truck.
In my truck, the coil is mounted to the rail system in my tundra, to a wire, through the fiberglass cap up to a mount that sits on the Yakima roof rack to a 7 foot whip. I made 2 extra taps for the coil and tuned all three. the radiating part of the antenna is about 10.5 feet including the wire under the fiberglass cap. then I hooked up general purpose 40 amp 12 volt relays and a switch in the cab where I can select which relay I want. The FT-891 is hooked up to an MFJ-993 tuner that the 891 tunes with the push of a button and the setup tunes 80-6 meters with the proper relay selected including warm and 60 meters. 80m is very inefficient on a 10.5 foot whip so I rarely use it. With another tap toward the bottom of the coil it will tune 160m but the efficiency is estimated at about 1/2 % so there is no point other than to listen. I also have it set up for digital modes while mobile, although I only use it while stationary or while some else is driving for obvious reasons. I routinely make SSB DX contacts on 40, 20, 17, 15, and 10 meters while rolling into EU, eastern EU, UK and South America.    |
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Posted: 3/28/2022 11:49:59 AM EDT
[#23]
@Mach Are you running 100 watts SSB? |
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Posted: 3/28/2022 11:54:19 AM EDT
[#24]
My POTA buddy was using the Wolf River but we have settled on the Packtenna EFHW wire and a push-up pole. The Packtenna works better than any other antenna we have used. We mostly run QRP in parks.
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Posted: 3/28/2022 3:45:01 PM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryQuoted: @Mach Are you running 100 watts SSB? yes 100 watts SSB even when the tuner has work to do like on 60m, and the warc bands and for digital 50 watts |
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Posted: 3/28/2022 4:01:22 PM EDT
[#26]
Ha, I spy the dollar general cutting board.
Nice plastic and thin too. I just cut one up, the handle I set aside for a hombrew EFHW and the remainder I cut into two pieces for dipole winders. |
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Posted: 3/28/2022 4:55:59 PM EDT
[#27]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Ha, I spy the dollar general cutting board. Nice plastic and thin too. I just cut one up, the handle I set aside for a hombrew EFHW and the remainder I cut into two pieces for dipole winders. damn good idea thanks |
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Posted: 3/28/2022 10:07:06 PM EDT
[#28]
Quote HistoryQuoted: damn good idea thanks Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Ha, I spy the dollar general cutting board. Nice plastic and thin too. I just cut one up, the handle I set aside for a hombrew EFHW and the remainder I cut into two pieces for dipole winders. damn good idea thanks Glad it helps! I got home with my dollar general loot and the noticed the big white plastic liquid totes I took out of their metal pallet squares for firewood handling. I might cut some pieces out of the tote plastic too. I am sure the cutting board stuff is tougher but the tote plastic isn’t bad. Either I trust not to break more than some online printed plastic gizmo. |
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Posted: 3/28/2022 11:34:55 PM EDT
[#29]
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Posted: 3/30/2022 7:57:03 AM EDT
[#30]
Quick test on the Tuesday night ARFCOM net 40 meters. https://www.ar15.com/forums/outdoors/ARFCOM-WEEKLY-SSB-PHONE-NET-Tuesdays-8-00-PM-EST-on-40m-See-first-post-for-the-latest-info-/22-696554/?r=-1&page=106&anc=12046235#i12046235 was about a 50/50 split on which had a better signal report Gyprat said the WOLF was 2 S-units higher than the TARHEEL II Others said the TARHEEL II was a bit better. I texted the ham I borrowed it from, and ended up buying it for $100  Attached Fileanother POTA option.
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Posted: 3/30/2022 8:21:49 AM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Quick test on the Tuesday night ARFCOM net 40 meters. https://www.ar15.com/forums/outdoors/ARFCOM-WEEKLY-SSB-PHONE-NET-Tuesdays-8-00-PM-EST-on-40m-See-first-post-for-the-latest-info-/22-696554/?r=-1&page=106&anc=12046235#i12046235 was about a 50/50 split on which had a better signal report Gyprat said the WOLF was 2 S-units higher than the TARHEEL II Others said the TARHEEL II was a bit better. I texted the ham I borrowed it from, and ended up buying it for $100 https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/2275/F7A923DA-7E2E-4163-91D4-0978ED172D70_jpe-2331148.JPG another POTA option. Portable, I put an MFJ 17 foot telescoping antenna on mine and it seems to be very efficient on 80 and 40m with 4 above ground (1 foot high ) tuned radials for 80 and 40 each |
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Posted: 3/30/2022 2:10:58 PM EDT
[#32]
I used mine for the net last night and am happy with its performance.
I couldnt tell a difference when you switched antennas. $100 is a good deal. |
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Posted: 4/3/2022 6:05:13 PM EDT
[#33]
i’m happy with it
easy to setup easy to change bands / dip swr with my old MFJ analyzer just about perfect for POTA  Attached File Attached File Attached File
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Posted: 4/3/2022 7:36:59 PM EDT
[#34]
Quote HistoryQuoted: They could use a body material other than plumbing PVC that cost 10 times as much and much harder to manufacture using their simple methods and charge $300-$400 for it. Or people could understand what it is and not run 100w digi modes when it's 90 degrees out until it melts. Everything has trade offs. They are very upfront about what you can and can't do with their stuff. |
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Posted: 4/6/2022 7:59:35 AM EDT
[#35]
I need to find a tripod bag or something to store and carry the WOLF RIVER COIL
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Posted: 4/6/2022 12:42:36 PM EDT
[#36]
Edited: double tap
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Posted: 4/6/2022 12:43:03 PM EDT
[#37]
An M60 machine gun spare barrel bag works very well. I have the TIA mega with the longer tripod legs. The cutting board winder has the counterpoises. If you have a Xiegu X5105 or similar small radio, you can fit that in the bag too.
Similar bag HERE   |
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Posted: 4/6/2022 7:57:06 PM EDT
[#38]
Well done on the bag usage. I used to carry one of those things in the marines. Those bags surplus can be expensive for reasons I don’t know!
Your link is as cheap as I ever saw them! |
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Posted: 4/6/2022 7:59:08 PM EDT
[#39]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I need to find a tripod bag or something to store and carry the WOLF RIVER COIL https://www.amazon.com/ALPS-Mountaineering-Zippered-Tent-Medium/dp/B06Y6J864W |
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Posted: 4/7/2022 11:20:50 AM EDT
[#40]
Quote HistoryQuoted: An M60 machine gun spare barrel bag works very well. I have the TIA mega with the longer tripod legs. The cutting board winder has the counterpoises. If you have a Xiegu X5105 or similar small radio, you can fit that in the bag too. Similar bag HERE http://i.imgur.com/4lSEjtz.jpeg http://i.imgur.com/gQCbI2c.jpeg That looks neat! |
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Posted: 4/15/2022 10:43:55 AM EDT
[#41]
Interesting side note to this thread. I emailed the company, and they informed me that you can tune 80m with the mini coil and a 17' whip.
I have a 17' whip already, and a mirror mount for CB that will do 20-6m, So I may get a coil from them to get 40-80m. |
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Posted: 4/15/2022 11:06:12 AM EDT
[#42]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I use a tent bag like this to carry mine with all the parts. https://www.amazon.com/ALPS-Mountaineering-Zippered-Tent-Medium/dp/B06Y6J864W got it just right thanks |
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Posted: 4/21/2022 8:29:12 PM EDT
[#43]
I've had a SuperAntenna MP1 for a few years that is very similar. Manual tuning coil. The one I have came with a tuning card that assumes you are using the supplied whip. The card will get you close, but you need to male final adjustments based on the setup and whatever is near the antenna.
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Posted: 4/22/2022 8:35:12 PM EDT
[#44]
Once you tune the WRC, you take a marker and put a line on the coil. I don't have to remember to bring a card with me.
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Posted: 4/22/2022 11:33:19 PM EDT
[#45]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Interesting side note to this thread. I emailed the company, and they informed me that you can tune 80m with the mini coil and a 17' whip. I have a 17' whip already, and a mirror mount for CB that will do 20-6m, So I may get a coil from them to get 40-80m. I have used the big coil, don’t have the smaller one, with the MFJ 17 foot telescopic vertical and 40 uses the very top of the coil and 80, about 3 inches down. I have talked to Europe and Russia on 40 and 20 watts and a regional 80 meter net with 100w It seems pretty efficient on both bands. |
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Posted: 4/24/2022 7:10:20 PM EDT
[#46]
I talked on a local net about getting one, and a guy had the mini and decided he didn't want to fool with mobile, so I got it for 30 dollars. I don't think he used it at all.
I am going to play with it after I rest up from the semper fi trip. Pretty draining physically and mentally. |
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Posted: 5/17/2022 12:09:20 AM EDT
[#47]
I played around with the coil, the 17' whip, and the radials for a while today. I also tried out the whip without the coil.
I was amazed at how much the radial length changed the swr between 40 and 20 meters. I had to shorten the radials by winding them up to get the swr below 1.5-1 on 20m. I got down to 1.32-1 rolling up the radials and unrolling them. I marked them with tape to make it easier to deploy in the future. I enjoy putting into practice the things I read and see. I am using 4 32' radials FWIW. |
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Posted: 5/17/2022 12:32:17 AM EDT
[#48]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I played around with the coil, the 17' whip, and the radials for a while today. I also tried out the whip without the coil. I was amazed at how much the radial length changed the swr between 40 and 20 meters. I had to shorten the radials by winding them up to get the swr below 1.5-1 on 20m. I got down to 1.32-1 rolling up the radials and unrolling them. I marked them with tape to make it easier to deploy in the future. I enjoy putting into practice the things I read and see. I am using 4 32' radials FWIW. 32' radials are about a halfwave long on 20 meters, so the impedance out of sync there (think of the high impedance on the end of an EFHW requiring the transformer). This is why I've come to like using tape measures as radials, so I can adjust their length to tune to different bands. The other solution is to get tons of radials out, even some of various lengths and maybe 30 or more total, as people do for permanent home installs of vertical GP antennas, but that's obviously a bit daunting for portable operation. |
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Posted: 5/17/2022 3:02:07 AM EDT
[#49]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I played around with the coil, the 17' whip, and the radials for a while today. I also tried out the whip without the coil. I was amazed at how much the radial length changed the swr between 40 and 20 meters. I had to shorten the radials by winding them up to get the swr below 1.5-1 on 20m. I got down to 1.32-1 rolling up the radials and unrolling them. I marked them with tape to make it easier to deploy in the future. I enjoy putting into practice the things I read and see. I am using 4 32' radials FWIW. Take all that wire and make 16 8’ radials or 12 10.5’ radials. |
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Posted: 5/17/2022 10:05:31 AM EDT
[#50]
Good idea. I can always solder them back together if it doesn't work.
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