Monday, February 4, 2019

Experimental H-pole antenna

It has to be a year ago I got this vertical all band antenna info from dutch antenna "guru" PG0DX Henry. I almost forgot but when experimenting with the vertical I suddenly remembered it. The vertical aside the tower is no success, I tried it for a few days on several bands but it is not as good as the inverted-V, even not at low angles. Of course I read some comments on verticals compared to a full-size dipole and most of the times a dipole wins. A vertical is no miracle antenna. Though I had excellent results with my coppertape vertical before I managed to get the tower up. I'm confident there is a way to improve. So, this is about the experimental H-pole antenna which is described by HB9MTN. It is a allband antenna off center fed and kind of small due to the use of  lineair loading at top and bottom.The antenna needs a tuner to work and that is exactly what I want. It is quite easy to make with about 30m wire, some electricity tubes, rope and some insulating parts. It can be hung on top of a tower sloping down or on a fiberglass pole. Polarisation is vertical. HB9MTN simulated some take off angles with EZNEC and it looks good enough to try this vertical. Since it is about 10m long the buildings that are now affecting my vertical are less of a problem since the bottom is about 3m above the ground the way I want it to hang from my tower.

Sunday was a real beautiful day to work on antennas. Constructing the H-pole antenna was piece of cake. Actually making the ladderline was just as much work. Since Henry told me the antenna is sensitive for steel constructions like my mast I should try to mount it at the fiberglass pole. So I did, but I didn't trust it at all, shure it went up and shure it does well in this beautiful weather. But what if some wind will blow....I changed plans and went to the original plan. Sloping it down from my tower. I figured this would work as good as the vertical aside the mast. And actually it does.

This time I had DX stations to compare:


Actually I was surprised to see YB9AY (Indonesia) just after first receive tests with the H-pole. Actually first 2 white reports are with the vertical. But with the TX differences in mind I switched to the inverted-V since I didn't want to miss a new DXCC on 60. Last green report is with the H-pole.


Later in the evening I saw C5YK (The Gambia), a new one again...it's my lucky Sunday. After I worked him on the inverted-V I decided to change to the vertical. The 3 reports -13,-18, -18 are on the vertical, then I switched back on the inverted-V. No, the H-pole isn't a miracle antenna but for the short length it is working fine. I'm shure if you hang it free the results are excellent. A nice experiment though...

Still, to improve the signal on 60m I need something different I guess. 

I also tried the H-pole on 20m. Signals were equal to my HF5B but interference was a lot worse. On 160m signals were the same/better as on the inverted-V. Not bad...

To finish the sunday I had a QSO with LU8HF on 60m FT8 with the inverted-V, I was finally heard in South America. It really was my lucky Sunday!

Interesting spot from 9M2CNC (West Malaysia)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello, If the results were from CW Qso , it was more conclusive ! I will try myself this antenna, I believe it wil will be better then all the aluminium 10m sticks with n radials sold at hundred Euro. Edgar, YO8BDW

PE4BAS, Bas said...

Hello Edgar, The H-pole isn't a miracle antenna. There are way better designs around. Building an antenna is most times better. The only commercial antenna in my tower is a 4 elem. LFA which I could build myself but I got it from a friend exhanged it for a homemade YU7EF duoband 4m/6m antenna. 73, Bas