Experiences from country living; self-sufficiency; Christian values; amateur-ham radio; a hard working good life; and Humor is the Essence of Survival.
Okay, let's review. By the title you can tell that this is going to be a review of an end fed antenna. Now, the review part. A wise man once said, write what you know about, and me being an advocate of advanced humor, I'm going to try to combine a little bit of knowledge with a little bit of humor.
A disclaimer. Anywhere on this site, whether it is radio or chickens or pigs, we make no profit off of anything. There has been no gratuity awarded for any product endorsement. For those that do profit off of what they write, great! It is just not our forte. It's been 3 years since I posted any type of article. A lot happens in three years. I have tried some antennas, some radios, I decided to try out heart surgery. I've now got one of those zippers from stem to stern. Not literally of course. And not being a person of nautical persuasion, I do not know the difference between stem and stern. But for those of you that are interested, I will share information about the bypass at a later date. At a radio meeting one night, I heard a guy talking about his new antenna, and he was raving about it. Now all this guy does is CW, or morse code, he doesn't even have a microphone attached to his radio. Let me back up here a little. This article is not being written at an entry level knowledge base. I'm sorry. So, if we're speaking of CW and end fed, then you know I'm talking about HF radio. And yes, I know there is some CW on VHF, but that is not what we're talking about here. So, continuing. I listened to this guy, and he is a senior operator. So I listened for a while, and this guy learned CW from the United States military. And this guy talks CW all over the world. I'll get back to this part of the story later. Okay. The antenna I'm going to review today is made by MyAntennas.com Yes, that is the name of the company. I will start off by saying I am highly impressed with this product. Are they pricey? Yes. Could you build your own? Probably. And if you would like to do that they will sell you the parts to do so. I bought the EFHW-8010.
It is 130 feet long, resonant on 80/40/30/20/17/15/12/10M. It is rated at 1kW maximum. These are the specifications. If you're not familiar with an end fed, which at the time, I was not, it is basically half of a full wave dipole, in this case, for 80 meters. Because if you remember, the number 468, that is your magic number that you use to figure the length of a half wave dipole. A small example, 468 divided by 3.5 equals 134. 3.5 is the lower end of 80M. So, 468 divided by 3.5 is 134 feet. If you were building an 80 meter dipole, it's full length would be 134 feet, which would be 67 feet on each leg of the dipole.
Now follow me here. Through the miracle of using a balun, using the end fed half wave length antenna, then you can tune all of the afore mentioned frequencies. Or that's how it works in theory anyway. Now I'm going to tell you how it works for me in reality. Equipment used. My power supply is solar. The radio is an IC-718. I have approximately 100 feet of RG-8X from the radio to the end fed antenna. The feed end of the antenna is at 30 feet in the air, it runs approximately 50 feet to an apex of 40 feet and then continues whats left to a 30 foot height. This works okay for me. Your mileage may vary. I have a power transformer from the electric company about 50 feet away, and the apex of the antenna passes over a metal roof that is about 16 feet from ground level. These are the parameters that I have.
Now. This antenna will not transmit on 160M, but it will receive. I did not check for SWR on 30, 15, or 12 meters because I don't use those. It did work great on 40M, so 15M should also be good. Here's what I got. All the following readings are SWR. 80M - lower end 1:1.1 80M/75M - right at the higher end 1:2.5 40M - entire band 1:1.1 20M - entire band 1:1.1 10M - lower end 1:1.8 10M - middle and upper part 1:1.4 60M - the 5 channels 1:2.5 11M/CB - 1:2
As you can see, these are all easily tunable without a tuner. But with a tuner, your radio is happier. So, example. If you have a radio with a built in tuner, it would easily tune these numbers. If you have an external tuner like I do, then for most bands I don't even use a tuner, and if I do, it just makes my radio a little bit happier. Because this is a review of an antenna, I'm not going to discuss the theory of SWR. It's one thing if you're running 100 watts power, and another if you're running a 1000 watts. But if you're looking at this antenna, then you already know the difference. This company, MyAntenna.com, also provides higher power antennas, just look around. They also sell baluns, RF isolators and other assorted goodies and toys.
Here is a link to eHam.net. I think you will find the reviews impressive.
If you have the space, or the desire, I would highly recommend this antenna. For me, it works. You can also configure it like you would any other dipole. Yes, it is a little pricey and it takes up 130 feet. What do I use it for? I do not contest, nor do I use CW, therefore there is no review of 30 meter. I have made contacts on 80/40/20M, and mostly on 40M. I seldom DX. And I seldom talk, but the reports I receive back are all 5/9, or easily intelligible. Again, I have no other end fed experience, I have never used a directional antenna, yes I know these are directional, but you know what I mean. For 10 & 11 meters I primarily use a vertical A99.
I would appreciate your feedback, how your antennas are configured and what type of results you get. We're all in this ballgame together, and if we can help out a fellow man, let's please do so. If you have found mistakes in my writings or calculations, please let me know. This is just my experience. I look forward to hearing from you. My XYL just reminded me that I need to let you know why I do this. First off, I listen. I want to know what's coming down the road. As mentioned earlier, I operate from solar, not my whole house, but all of my radios, and that's what it's for. The system I use is simple. For me simple works better. The man I mentioned earlier that I learned about this antenna from operates all over the world when conditions permit. In a future article I will tell you about my IC-7300 experience and why I went back to an IC-718. Thanks for being there. We'll talk more later. 73, Frank
Unbelievable.
This is a word that is heard around our house frequently now days. Why?
There are so many events that happen in our world almost daily that we
find unbelievable. Recently? The false representation of a young man's
actions that
lead his Catholic school to temporarily shut down. The reactions of the
media and some members of congress to the false allegations, without
corroborating the information, was unbelievable. Literally. The immediate, strategic, hate filled rants blew up into a national confrontation in a matter of hours. The problem? It wasn't true. It was portrayed as something almost totally opposite from reality, but that doesn't seems to matter much anymore. It doesn't matter if something is true or not, spreading rampant lies doesn't matter any more. What matters is if you can portray information in a manner that will support your viewpoint or purpose, be it good, bad or otherwise.
I ran across this statement recently and it stuck with me. "You do not fear investigation unless you suspect it will
give the wrong answer." Remind you of anything happening in our country? Special counsels, collusion, liars, deceit,
undermining the integrity of our government. Why should anyone be afraid of an investigation or questions if they have done nothing wrong? Now days it doesn't seem to matter if you have done anything worth investigating or not, it may happen anyway. For years. And who knows what the end result may be. It may ruin a life, end a career, cause the loss of home, family and friends. All based on lies. All of these events have existed for many decades in our country. I didn't want to believe it and many days, I still don't want to see the latest layer of unbelievable corruption and decadence that haunts the halls in Washington, D.C., as well as every office of the country that houses any elected official be it national, state, county or local. One gift President Donald Trump has given us is the peeling back of the curtain that helped to maintain the illusion of honesty, integrity and character in our government offices. I once thought of the nation's capital as a place of hallowed halls where the focus was the well being of the nation's citizens. I know, naive, right?
How did it become okay to prevent someone else from voicing an opinion if it differs from your own? When did discourse about differing ideas become hate crimes or reasons to doxx or revile someone on social media to the point of oppression? When did it become almost criminal to be white, Christian, male, veteran, etc.? The list goes on and on. When did it become wrong to be okay with being that pale skin color, that the very appearance of it should bring shame, guilt and a wish to be dead? When did being what we consider to be a regular ole' American become a terrorist, racist, hate monger? Unbelievable.
Frank has a new saying. "This is where we are." This is the new reality in our country. Like it or not, agree with it or not, wishing it away won't make it so. Tap yourself on the forehead and try to wrap your mind around the new normal, get beyond your normalcy bias like I am trying to do, and wade through the cognitive dissonance that has become the staging area for the changes that have created the new "this is where we are" reality.
I find the reactions of many of our elected officials, from both sides of the aisle, and media personalities to be sickening. Truly sickening. But what I have to come to grips with, is the reality of the condition of our country. There are many people that truly believe what they stand for, just as vehemently as I hold my beliefs. Does that make them wrong? Does that make me wrong? How can it? If I have the right and privilege of choosing what I believe and support, why don't they? Even if I find their choices to be unbelievable in the extreme. Like Frank says, "this is where we are." In some ways, it seems that this is a good time to hunker down, go totally dark, exist in the world as grey men and avoid all unnecessary contact and attention.
On the other hand, it also seems like a good
time to stand up and join with others in stating the obvious attacks,
retribution, lies and deception that appear to be growing at a
phenomenal rate. Keep your eyes open and your wits about you. Always
follow Ol' Remus's advice to avoid crowds. Don't take for granted the truth of what you read or hear without doing what you can to verify. It is getting harder and harder to see the truth anymore. I have become very skeptical about anything I read or hear, choosing to wait a few hours or days to see if the information stays the current narrative or is shown to be another illusion meant to draw the attention and emotions of the audience in a particular direction. Hang in there. The ride continues to be bumpy and full of unbelievable events. Believe it. This is where we are.
We have reached a major milestone on the blog. Since we began writing here on May 30, 2013, we have had 1,000,000 pageviews. Yes, one million, because an unbelievable number of folks have dropped by, and for that, we wish to thank you. These words hardly seem adequate. We are humbled by the number of folks that stop by to read and comment.
The time has also come for us to say farewell. The condition of our world is such that, if you've been reading here long, you know our efforts are focused on completing projects that will hopefully make our lives a little easier when the collapse occurs. Time is precious and there aren't enough hours in the day to accomplish the things we see as imperative to our survival. Thus, this will be our last article for the foreseeable future.
We have long been fans of Jeremiah Johnson and wanted to share this clip with you.
It does seem like far, the distance we've come and the amazing amount we have learned since starting this blog. The knowledge and experience shared by readers has enriched our lives in innumerable ways. As you watch Jeremiah and see the facial expressions caused by the difficulty of survival, know too, this is coming to all of us. The challenges that await us are unknown, but the sure knowledge of their arrival is clear.
We encourage you to apply the final touches to your preparations. The events unfolding in the world appear to be creating the perfect storm. How that storm will come crashing down around us, we do not know, but it is no longer way out there on the horizon, it is at the door. The wind is blowing in our faces, bringing with it the still small voice of warning which gets louder everyday. Time is short, get everything accomplished that is in your power.
What thoughts can we leave you with in parting?
Pay attention and be vigilant.
Don't be distracted by things that are not important.
Sift through all the fakery of the world and focus on what is important, not what others tell you is important.
Hold your family close and prepare them for what is coming.
Mental preparation is the most important part of your preps.
The will to survive can overcome many seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
Avoid crowds.
Always remember, humor is the essence of survival.
Don't get on the bus, or the truck.
Ask God for direction and inspiration.
We pray that God will bless and keep each one of you in the coming days, that He will give you strength and guidance. We pray that you will Fare Well.
Seeds. I love seeds and the potential nourishment they represent. If the truth were to be told, I have too many seeds, so some of them age past their prime and lose viability before they have the opportunity to grow. A waste? Yes, could be, but like our preparations, I would rather have too many, than wish I had something grow because we were hungry. Frank has heard me say many times that seeds are worth more than gold. The food that seeds provide can keep us alive. If there are no seeds to be had, all the gold in the world is worthless.
I am grateful that we have had the last seven years here to learn the climate, soil conditions, pests and temperature variations. No two years have had the same weather conditions, which has offered even more to learn. Our first two gardens were grown under extreme drought conditions. This past year we lost some of our hard earned topsoil to flooding, and it was so wet that seeds rotted in the ground.
During the first few years we tried growing the same varieties of vegetables we had grown else where, some did well and some did not. We experimented one year with about six or eight types of peppers, tomatoes and winter squashes. That gave us a very good idea of which ones would produce well here. Some of our favorites made the cut and some did not, fortunately we found better producing varieties that have now become our new favorites.
It took me three years to figure out how to grow lima beans only to discover we really didn't like them. Until two years ago, I didn't like fresh tomatoes. We started growing two old heirloom varieties, and surprisingly, I liked them. Frank has always liked tomatoes and he describes them as more acidic than many of the newer varieties. I have also discovered that my back cannot pick a row of bush beans. I just can't do it. This has led to experiments with several types of pole beans until we found one that we really enjoy, that produces well into the fall.
I wish I could figure out how to grow a head of cabbage. I even wrote an article about it. And onions. Those are things I will continue to work on because we eat a lot of both. I also need to be more diligent at saving our seeds. It has always been easier for me to order seeds instead of planning ahead for seed saving. There will come a time when the only seeds we have will be the ones we save, so this is not a skill for me to continue avoiding or neglecting.
The greenhouse has given us a whole new learning experience in growing food. As would be expected, the cool weather crops are happier than those that like the heat of summer. We have picked one yellow squash and the tomatoes are blooming, but with 38* lows at night, I don't expect much from them. I will soon be planting seedlings in the greenhouse. The window I've used for the past few years has now been replaced by the greenhouse entrance and I find that to be very comforting. I'm excited about the greatly expanded room to grow many more seedlings that won't be leggy and leaning over sideways in an attempt to reach the sunlight. I'll be learning much more about the timing for growing, hardening off and planting these seedlings.
There are many beautiful seed catalogs arriving in the mail now days. They all have something to offer that is new, different or interesting, but I have found a company that has a very wide variety of quality products for a fraction of the cost. With few exceptions, we order our seeds from R.H. Shumway's, which I have no affiliation with, except as a very satisfied customer.Their catalog is not shiny and showy, but it is packed full of seeds and information. I would highly recommend them.
So, what have the seeds taught me? Patience, diligence, responsibility, the power of observation and learning, conditions for success, hard work usually pays off, and that hope springs eternal in the miracle of germination and growth. In a recent article I said, "Our future will be one of incredibly hard work, grubbing in the dirt for our survival." That's what seeds mean to me. Life. Survival. I am continually fascinated that one tiny little seed can produce so much food. In the coming days if you have a few seeds and a shovel to spare, a man could help feed his family. Do you have enough seeds for this year, and the next, and the next?
If you are new to your area, or plan to go somewhere else when the SHTF, do you know someone that can help you with invaluable information about local growing conditions and varieties that produce? When is the average first and last frost date? What insect pests cause the most destruction? Do you know how to deal with them without running down to the local garden center for a fix? Has the soil been turned and worked? Is it fertile enough to support the production you need? There are so many things to learn and know before those seeds will turn into food. I have read many places that people feel prepared to replenish their food supply because they have a can of survival seeds. Unless these people have figured out, and made accommodations for many of the things I have mentioned, they will starve. Not that these cans of seeds are a bad idea or contain inferior products, but the conditions necessary for adequate food production are dependent upon so many factors that the odds are stacked against them.
Grace's garden
We have a friend, Grace, that gardens just a few miles down the road. She can grow things we cannot. We have pests she doesn't, and she has some we don't. Conditions can change quickly, from location to location, as well as year to year..
What have you learned from your seeds? Please share with us because we are all in this together. Any knowledge we can glean now, before it is a vital means of survival will be of great benefit. As soon as I get back the use of these two hands I will be rolling up a new batch of pot makers and planting them in the greenhouse. I can't wait.
