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Mike.
We are?in violent agreement here. I have the MFJ 1898, essentially the same thing.
I can't understand why so little has been written about?it.? Especially because it usually eliminates the need for a tuner with IC705 and FT817 operations.
At the risk of being thought daft, I also run it on the KX2 handheld with a little bracket.
72 Scott
Doug, I too am enjoying this thread. Do you have a reference for the HB vertical, how it is used/connected, or is it a QRPGuys design? I am always looking for antennas to play with, test and experiment with.?
I am cheap, ie a ham, so bought a used, well priced KX2 that came with an AX1. It has become my favorite POTA activation rig right now, 99% on CW. Set up less than 5 minutes. Most activations when in a bit of a hurry less than 30 minutes. Practical experience indicates that counterpoise placement is important, usually with the radio on the hood of my truck with the counterpoise draped across it. Antenna directly connected to the radio using a printed antenna support.?
When backpacking a lot, I was one of those guys that cut the handle off my toothbrush for efficiency. Weight isn¡¯t as much of an issue today, but bulk is. Doug, I have put together my version of a vertical that will connect directly to the radio. It works, but not much better than the AX1, if at all. Again, almost only CW. Bicycle or walking portable is common.?
72
john, NS6X?
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On Wed, Mar 26, 2025 at 11:25 AM, Michael VE3WMB wrote:
Having 3/8-24 threading at the base means that this antenna can also be extended with Buddipole (or other antenna parts).
Asian and European components frequently have M10 threads, fortunately there are thread adapters available, like this one From Chelegance
The set consists of one male and one female of each thread size so the conversion works either way.? Nicely machined from (presumably) brass, I used mine to adapt a homebrew coil assembly from a European ham to my USA whip, clamp, etc.
73, Don N2vGU
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Thanks Don for the info on this adapter. I purchased one a while back from McMaster Carr but it cost more and is only ¡®one way¡¯-male 3/8-24 to M10.? Chelegance makes excellent products,and my favorite portable vertical antenna for local activating (car travel,short hikes,etc) is the Chelegance MC-750. It¡¯s a ground mounted vertical that is an adjustable quarter wave on 20-6 M and can be used on 30 and 40 (40 with supplied loading coil). ?It has a superb carrying case that¡¯s well padded with a good carry strap ( and quality zippers!) ,and the extendable whip has etched markings for correct length for each band. The radials are high quality flexible wire that uses mini banana plug jacks to plug into the base unit and a nice spike for ground mounting. The winder for the 4 radials is very well designed. I added their tripod for situations ?where using a ground ?. With the precise whip etchings it¡¯s very easy to set this muchJust before I found out about this antenna I purchased the knockoff version from Ali Express. Yes,it¡¯s certainly cheaper but not nearly as well made. No markings on the whip and definitely a much funkier system for attaching radials ) a hunk of multi stranded wire to sort out , and no case.? I Don¡¯t mind paying for a well designed unit especially as it¡¯s easy to deploy. I wish it was smaller, but it¡¯s pretty lightweight. and would¡¯ve carried on my international travel plans.? Dan Presley 503-701-3871 danpresley@me. com? N7CQR@...
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On Mar 26, 2025, at 11:31, Don N2VGU via groups.io <dsbrantjr@...> wrote:
? On Wed, Mar 26, 2025 at 11:25 AM, Michael VE3WMB wrote:
Having 3/8-24 threading at the base means that this antenna can also be extended with Buddipole (or other antenna parts).
Asian and European components frequently have M10 threads, fortunately there are thread adapters available, like this one From Chelegance
The set consists of one male and one female of each thread size so the conversion works either way.? Nicely machined from (presumably) brass, I used mine to adapt a homebrew coil assembly from a European ham to my USA whip, clamp, etc.
73, Don N2vGU
?
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FWIW, K6ARK came up with short wire antenna configuration for the KH1 for those times where you want or need a little bit more efficiency that what the supplied whip provides.? For those that are not already aware, the KH1 uses exactly the same whip as the AX1, except the coil is built inside the rig itself.?
?
Adam found that a 15 foot radiator and 7.5 foot counterpoise is about the shortest combination, when fed via a 4:1 UNUN, that can be matched with the KH1s internal tuner.??
His trick is to find a low hanging tree branch, chuck the end of the 15 foot wire over it and back away.? This is still a pretty short antenna, especially for 40m but it is very quick to deploy and should give you an edge over the whip.?
?
I have one of his UNUN kits and I plan to wind the UNUN as a 4:1 to give this antenna a try this year.? Of course you could adapt this idea by instead using a 17 foot telescopic whip, adjusted to 15 feet, an elevated counterpoise and any 4:1 UNUN to feed it. This combo might work reasonably well on a picnic table if you setup the whip on some sort of clamp mount on one end and ran the counterpoise across the picnic table.? I have one of those JAWS-style 3/8-24 mounts so I'll have to give this a try some time.?
?
The KX2 internal tuner is more capable than the one in the KH1 so I suspect that it would have no issues matching this antenna as well.?
?
Cheers
?
Michael? VE3WMB?
?
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Adam also released STL's and plans for making a coil that can get
you every band that the KH1 supports with just the provided whip
and counterpoise (plus the coil).? I tested it earlier this week
and got it to tune every KH1 band (15 - 40) to 1.1:1 or better.?
It is incredible.
I'm attaching a picture of my build of this coil - the unit that
I actually built and was testing earlier this week.? More info,
STL files, and build instructions were posted by Adam (K6ARK) on
Printables at
--Matt N3AR
On 3/27/2025 7:13 AM, Michael VE3WMB
via groups.io wrote:
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
FWIW, K6ARK came up with short wire antenna configuration for
the KH1 for those times where you want or need a little bit more
efficiency that what the supplied whip provides.? For those that
are not already aware, the KH1 uses exactly the same whip as the
AX1, except the coil is built inside the rig itself.?
?
Adam found that a 15 foot radiator and 7.5 foot counterpoise
is about the shortest combination, when fed via a 4:1 UNUN, that
can be matched with the KH1s internal tuner.??
His trick is to find a low hanging tree branch, chuck the end
of the 15 foot wire over it and back away.? This is still a
pretty short antenna, especially for 40m but it is very quick to
deploy and should give you an edge over the whip.?
?
I have one of his UNUN kits and I plan to wind the UNUN as a
4:1 to give this antenna a try this year.? Of course you could
adapt this idea by instead using a 17 foot telescopic whip,
adjusted to 15 feet, an elevated counterpoise and any 4:1 UNUN
to feed it. This combo might work reasonably well on a picnic
table if you setup the whip on some sort of clamp mount on one
end and ran the counterpoise across the picnic table.? I have
one of those JAWS-style 3/8-24 mounts so I'll have to give this
a try some time.?
?
The KX2 internal tuner is more capable than the one in the
KH1 so I suspect that it would have no issues matching this
antenna as well.?
?
Cheers
?
Michael? VE3WMB?
?
?
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This week I took my kx3/ax1 down to Siesta Key Fla for a little r&r. I haven't taken my kx3 on a trip like this before. Set up on the intercostal waterway patio and with little difficulty made 15 contacts in 15 states all POTA activators with 5w cw. So this antenna certainly has value for those looking for a small easily packable and deployable antenna.? Ill see what happens for tmrws wpx ssb contest.
?
Brian VE3GMZ 
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When I was there last Fall, sidewalks were still coping with hurricane debris. Is that pretty much cleaned up now?
Jack, W8TEE
On Friday, March 28, 2025 at 01:14:26 PM EDT, Brian Chapnick VE3GMZ via groups.io <chapnickbrian@...> wrote:
This week I took my kx3/ax1 down to Siesta Key Fla for a little r&r. I haven't taken my kx3 on a trip like this before. Set up on the intercostal waterway patio and with little difficulty made 15 contacts in 15 states all POTA activators with 5w cw. So this antenna certainly has value for those looking for a small easily packable and deployable antenna.? Ill see what happens for tmrws wpx ssb contest.
?
Brian VE3GMZ 
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There are certainly issues remaining. Many elevators are still out of service and some windows are still boarded up as are some stores but for the most part things are cleaned up and very enjoyable. Wouldn't hesitate to make the trip.
Brian VE3GMZ
When I was there last Fall, sidewalks were still coping with hurricane debris. Is that pretty much cleaned up now?
Jack, W8TEE
On Friday, March 28, 2025 at 01:14:26 PM EDT, Brian Chapnick VE3GMZ via <chapnickbrian= [email protected]> wrote:
This week I took my kx3/ax1 down to Siesta Key Fla for a little r&r. I haven't taken my kx3 on a trip like this before. Set up on the intercostal waterway patio and with little difficulty made 15 contacts in 15 states all POTA activators with 5w cw. So this antenna certainly has value for those looking for a small easily packable and deployable antenna.? Ill see what happens for tmrws wpx ssb contest.
?
Brian VE3GMZ 
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We rented a condo in Harbor Towers in Oct and one of the elevators was out as was the air conditioning, except for the first floor hallway. (??) There was still a lot of debris on sidewalks, especially on side streets. One huge condo complex had over 100 appliances (washers, dryers, fridges, etc.) piled up for removal. We still had a good time, but the people who live there got hammered.
Jack, W8TEE
On Friday, March 28, 2025 at 01:26:09 PM EDT, Brian Chapnick VE3GMZ via groups.io <chapnickbrian@...> wrote:
There are certainly issues remaining. Many elevators are still out of service and some windows are still boarded up as are some stores but for the most part things are cleaned up and very enjoyable. Wouldn't hesitate to make the trip.
Brian VE3GMZ
When I was there last Fall, sidewalks were still coping with hurricane debris. Is that pretty much cleaned up now?
Jack, W8TEE
On Friday, March 28, 2025 at 01:14:26 PM EDT, Brian Chapnick VE3GMZ via <chapnickbrian= [email protected]> wrote:
This week I took my kx3/ax1 down to Siesta Key Fla for a little r&r. I haven't taken my kx3 on a trip like this before. Set up on the intercostal waterway patio and with little difficulty made 15 contacts in 15 states all POTA activators with 5w cw. So this antenna certainly has value for those looking for a small easily packable and deployable antenna.? Ill see what happens for tmrws wpx ssb contest.
?
Brian VE3GMZ 
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Hi Brian,
?
Beautiful wx there, I sure could use a vacation...!? At the risk of seeming blatantly self-serving, the picture is lo-res and I couldn't make out the mount you have the AX1 on?? Is that the PAE AM1?
?
Signed,
Jealous in NC...
?
Cheers & 73,
Howie / WA4PSC
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?Weather has been? perfect. The mounting is the Buddipole clamp and ax1 bracket. Its a little flimsy but works perfectly, packs easily and is very light weight.
?
Brian VE3GMZ?
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Don N2VGU
Matt N3AR
jjpurdum
