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If you work DX on 40 meters, what antenna do you most often use? Comments please...
Posted: Apr 03, 2001 (1057 votes, 37 comments) by K6SQL

Survey Results

Simple wire antenna (dipole/vee)	50% (524)
Sloper or quad	5% (51)
Multi-element wire array	2% (24)
Yagi	9% (90)
Vertical	25% (259)
Yagi stack, phased verticals, 4-square	2% (20)
other/don't operate 40/hate DXing	8% (89)

Survey Comments

Absence of Directivity on 40M
This survey confirms that most of the antennae used have little or minimal directivity and are thus heavily influenced by the high-powered broadcast stations on frequency. It is a difficult frequency to work with nondirective antennae because of this interference. Some antenna genius should come up with a way to build directivity into a small package. And before I get angry e-mails - that's a joke, folks. Posted by K1BRF on April 6, 2001
40m antenna
I picked other. I haven't done any dxing lately( other than random qso's on psk). I dont't HATE 40 but not on it much. I tend to be a "modal" ham....I go where my current favorite mode takes me. At one time, on cw I only ran 40& 80m. And the other antenna.....160m fullwave loop. Works great on all bands and is a good gen. purpose antenna.I also have a multiband homebrew toploaded vert. 73 de Matt, KF4ZGZ Posted by KF4ZGZ on April 6, 2001
Favorite band!
Forty Meters is my favorite HF band. It requires serious antennas to operate competitively, but nothing as "unwieldy" as 80m or 160m require. Over the course of two years, I went from a low inv-vee to a slightly higher 2-el phased inv-vee array and finally a 2-el beam @33m which worked so well that it was hard to "go back" when I moved. I still have fun on 40m with the low inv-vee I currently run, but a beam would be so much better. This summer I hope to get up a stack of 3 over 3 at 42m/21m - God willing. Forty will then be "real" fun again! 73, Mike N2MG, webmaster Posted by N2MG on April 6, 2001
40m DX Antennas
I'm now using a true 80m sloper with open wire feeders that works very good on 40m, but nothing has beaten the 3-ele Quad fed with open wire feeders fixed into Eu. Could work Asia easily during the evening greyline. 320 worked on 40m CW. Tom/W4BQF Posted by W4BQF on April 6, 2001
G5RV Inverted Vee
I'm very happy with a G5RV wire antenna configured as an inverted vee. 7 3 de Jim K7LA Posted by K7LA on April 6, 2001
40 Meter Antenna
Use a full wave loop in the vertical plane. Square, top wire at 55 feet strung between two tall pine trees over a 1 acre pond (which probably has nothing to do with it) and performs very well. Fed with 300 ohm twin lead and Johnson Matchbox. Loads all bands 80 - 10 but as expected works best on 40. Posted by N5LB on April 5, 2001
GAP Voyager
My GAP Voyager DX-IV vertical kicks tail on 40. No, it's no match for a Yagi, a rhombic, a curtain array, a four-square, or any of the other real estate intensive possibilities, but it does allow me to work the world on 7 MHz. Don't get me wrong, at 45 feet tall, it's no "low-profile" antenna, but it sits nicely in the corner of my suburban lot (with its three 57 foot counterpoise wires laid out just under the turf line). 73 de Bob, K5IQ Posted by K5IQ on April 5, 2001
Beam on 40m
I started to like DXing in 40m after I installed a 2 element mono bander. before that I was using simple slooper which I hate. with beam only you can enjoy dxing and contesting. Posted by 9K2HN on April 5, 2001
2 ele phased loops
I use 2 element phased full-wave loops with about 19 feet of spacing (about .15 wavelength). First contact on them was a VK. I used to use 2 ele phased verticals at quarter wave spacing with a Colatchco (W1CF/W1FC) divider at a prior QTH. That worked OK, but the front-to-back never seemed that good - probably my fault! Dick, K1HC Posted by K1HC on April 4, 2001
5 slopers
I used to use the 5 sloper arrangement that's in the Antenna Handbook. It's the cheapest gain you can get on 40m! It's just a bit of a pain to tune it and get all the slopers down to a good SWR. Interestingly, if you treat it like 5 verticals, with single radials each, it's easier to tune. I once made one for 80m and we used it at GM7V in 1997 CQ WW, but it seemed to be too 'high angle'. Posted by GM4AFF on April 4, 2001
Rhombic
Very few stations beat my rhombic, 270 feet on a leg at 70 feet, in to Europes and points beyond on great circle route, buthave to come down to a simple vertical for other directions. N4UH Posted by N4UH on April 4, 2001
Big simple dipole
Since I upgraded to extra and get to use the lower 25 kHz on CW, I have thoroughly enjoyed 40 meters. My antenna is an off-center fed dipole that is over 200 feet in length, with the short leg being 66 feet in length. I use this configuration because it fits my space and puts the feedline near the shack. Ladder line fed it works well on 30 and 40 meters, and is useful on 80 and 160 meters. Currently its not very high, averaging about 30 feet high over sloping ground. Still DX is very workable on 40 and 30 meters, even at QRP levels. 40 meter DX is definitely workable with low dipoles, more antenna is only necessary to break pile-ups versuses having communication capability. However, on 80 meters something vertical is necessary in my experience to consistently work DX. Posted by WB8YYY on April 4, 2001
My only antenna
I have an R-7000 vertical mounted on top of a twelve foot length of pipe. It seems to get out best on 40 meters. Have worked and confirmed 220 countries in 39 zones on 40 m since 1996. I run about 700-800 watts. Forty meters is my favorite DX band, now. It's truly amazing what happens via the grayline-- you have to be there to believe it! I'm planning on replacing my R-7000 with an HF-2V soon, so I can explore 80 meters next! 73 to all in this great hobby! Chuck, NI0C Posted by NI0C on April 4, 2001
40m DX antenna
At home use a vertical dipole hanging in a pine tree. As guest op at contest stations have used 1) rotary dipole at 90 fet 2) 2 el cushcraft at 115ft on hill 3) 3 el KLM linear loaded yagi at 120ft 4) on several times have used 3 over 3 stack of FULL SIZE yagis on 40m. Each upgrade was very much noticed!!! The 3 el KLM LL did great! but the STACKS were QUANTUM LEAPS in performance - Even the rotary dipole at 90 feet on a ridge did very very well. Most guys have NO IDEA of what they are missing if all they have used are simple verticals and low dipoles. With the 2 el at 115 ft I did some QRP contest and would also chase some DXpeditions at the low end of the band with 900 w output ( same evening). Alternately QRP and QRO ! I could copy QRP guys on the EAST coast under 500 mw on 7.040, at the low end with QRO stations in South India Ocean copied NO PROBLEM ! All this from Colorado USA. Josh N7XM Posted by N7XM on April 4, 2001
Simple dipole
I use the typical all-band ladderline feed dipole 30' in the air and it sucks on 40mtr dx........HI! 73 Posted by K6SDW on April 3, 2001
wire wire wire
Wow , no wonder you cant win with all that aluminum in the air. Ive got two 40M dipoles, one running East/West at 40 feet, and another running North/South at 25 feet. Both are the multi-band types with 80/40 elements fed with one feedline. Also an inverted L at 40 feet with the flat top running South to North. Have a 14AVQ sitting other there that gets ocassional 40 meter use also(no radials on it, but planted in middle of my drain field). I have about 265 countries on 40 meters from all this wire, using a coaxial switch in the house to figure out which one has the best incoming signal at the given time. And, never run more than 100 watts. Posted by N7DC on April 3, 2001
Nothing like a beam...
At home I use a roof-mounted vertical at about 30' above ground, with 16 tuned radials. DX is not a problem at all...but "hearing them" is frequently a problem (noise level). On a quiet day, I can get a DX run going with a single CQ on CW, around either gray line. On a noisy day, I won't bother even calling CQ, I'm too embarrassed that DX will be calling me and I won't hear it! But when I contest, I go back east to a large station (K2XR) and use, typically, a 40m yagi up 80' or so over the top of a large hill with a dramatic falloff in all directions. Egads, way better, a much quieter location with a much quieter antenna. It's fun to "point and shoot" by just aiming the antenna over the pole and calling CQ, to be answered by a flood of stations in the Middle East, India, and southeast Asia. And it happens frequently from there. Like falling off a log. Oh, I wish I had that system at home! Steve WB2WIK/6 Posted by WB2WIK on April 3, 2001
40 CW DX
I once used a double sized G5RV (206' @ 50' hight) for a while, and it worked okay, but I've returned to a perfectly tuned dipole with a balun at about 40'. The dipole is much better. I hear the world now. My DX work is much better. 100 Watts fully adequate. 73, John N7QF in Utah Posted by N7QF on April 3, 2001
HF6V
I use a HF6V with limited ground radials. Works well. Posted by KC4IWO on April 3, 2001
A pair of 3el full size yagis @ 150/75 ft. in a stack
There's nothing like it! Posted by WW2Y on April 3, 2001
Rotary Dipole
I use a rotary 40m dipole at 75 feet. It is fascinating how well this antenna works. DXCC on 40 is currently 309. I also have a Hy Gain 18HT Hy Tower vertical but the dipole almost always outperforms the vertical. Posted by W4FOA on April 3, 2001
Best 40 Meter Antenna
I like a 40 meter Delta-loop, with ladder line feed. It's a great, low-angle DX antenna. With ladder line, it can also be used on 20~10. Posted by K3YD on April 3, 2001
Bazooka
I use a home brew Bazooka (flat top) mounted on a fence, it works great on 40 Meters and equally well on 15 Meters (with a tuner). $13.00 in material, and 1 hour to make, you can't beat it. Several people don't care for them, but it works for me. 73 John, KM5LO Posted by KM5LO on April 3, 2001
G5RV
My G5RV (102 feet) is horizontal, about 35 feet above the ground. I have worked over 200 countries and 39/40 zones (need 24) since October 1997. It works! Posted by AD1C on April 3, 2001
DX on 40 meters
I use a Half Square, well almost, that is not realy cut for the band. It is 70' up, 120'over and 70' down. It is end feed with a home made remote tuner. run the EZ-nec plots and you will see why this is a good ant. for 40. It works darn good on 160 - 30 as well. Posted by KQ2P on April 3, 2001
Vertical
I use a Hy-Gain Hy- Tower vertical on all bands. I do not have radials, lot is to small. I use 8 10 ft ground rods with copper clad wire to interconnect.. Works great. Rig is Yaesu Ft-1000 MP. Posted by W3BL on April 3, 2001
Usually a dipole, but it depends...
I usually use either my rotatable dipole or my Cushcraft R-7000 vertical. Sometimes I sill use a 40 meter wire, other times I will use my 80/40 meter wire combo. Occasionally I use my OutBacker Outreach portable antenna system. While portable I sometimes use a double Slinky antenna, a B&W AP-10, or an MFJ-1621, or perhaps a random wire. Usually the afforementioned Outbacker, but again, the situation depends, this time on what I can put up where I am at. (Asking a ham what type of antenna he uses is a question you will get many different answers on, from the same ham!) I suppose that it depends upon which one is hearing the station(s) that I want to talk to the best, or which antenna I have me if I'm operating portable. For home use (back in Az), I plan on a large yagi in the future, but will still keep wires and verticals handy.. 73 Clinton AB7RG/9 Posted by AB7RG on April 3, 2001

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