HF Radio Packages - Overview
The following products are suggestions for licensed Hams for your HF (High Frequency) long-range radio requirements.
Following are four (4) Radio Packages:
There are also a number of antenna options which can be used with any of the radios above:
Info on Antenna Mounts is also available:
While these mounts are ideal for car bodies and other metallic surfaces, some Hams use cookie sheets to provide stability on non-metallic surfaces such as carpets and hardwood floors.
This page also contains information on Transmission Lines and Antenna Analyzers (see below).
HF Radio Packages
HF capability is not required for a full local group, as this is primarily for long range communications between local groups. With that being said, the only people who will be able to use HF are those with an Amateur Radio License endorsed to a minimum of Basic + Honors. Only 2 or 3 members of a local group require HF capabilities, and then the information can be passed within the local group via VHF/UHF radio.
Here are a few packages I have put together for HF use. Common elements of all packages include transmission line (coax), an antenna, and some form of power supply (normally a battery plus solar generator with inverter/charger).
Antenna Packages
Antennas are just as important as the radio one uses. A properly tuned antenna with a good gain can make the difference between hearing and contacting a distant station. Antennas come as base station, mobile or portable types. I will be focusing on mobile antennas and mounts that could also be used in a portable configuration as well. Each antenna is omni-directional unless specified.
Other portable antennas are available such as off-center fed dipoles, end-fed half wave wires (EFHW), Near Vertical Incident Skywave (NVIS). All depends on the space available, portability and application. Base antennas will require a tower and directional antennas like a yagi, cubic quad, or hex beam also require some kind of rotator to direct the antenna in the direction of the station you wish to contact.
Antenna Mounts
In addition to the Mounts shown above, other types of antenna mounts are available, including lip mount, truck hitch mount, tripods, ground stakes, extendable masts, drive on base plates, etc. One is only limited by their antenna configurations and imagination.
Transmission Line
For short lengths of transmission line (100 ft or less), RG-8X or RG-58 coax can be used. This is a small diameter cable, approximately ¼” in diameter. For longer runs, RG-8 or LMR-400 should be used to reduce losses in the cable run. Radio transceivers look for a 50 ohm impedance transmission line. Do not use coax cable used for Cable TV, as that has 75 ohm impedance and would introduce major losses into your system.
Cables also need to be terminated with the appropriate connectors, the most common being PL-259 (also called UHF) which plugs into a SO-239 plug (found on many antennas and transceivers). Lower power units (like the Xeigu G90 and Icom IC-705) will use BNC connectors. Some UHF applications use the N-type connector, which provides additional shielding for the frequencies above 500MHz. Cable TV coax uses F-type connectors, and are a different size than other connectors described. Adapters and couplers are available.
Antenna Analyzers / SWR Meters / Power Meters
This equipment is required for setting up antennas to ensure proper matching between the radio and transmission system. The SWR (also known as VSWR) is the ratio between forward power out of the radio to reflected power back to the radio. A perfect SWR is 1:1, meaning that all power coming out of the radio is radiated by the antenna and no power is being reflected back to the radio. An acceptable SWR is below 1.5:1 and above 2:1 many radios will cut back their output power to protect the final amplifier of the transmitter. An SWR above 3:1 should be avoided at all costs, as that could risk damage to your transmitter (final amplifier). Once the antenna is properly tuned to give the lowest possible SWR, the meter may be removed from the transmission system. Incorporated into many SWR meters are power meters, which will allow you to verify the output power of your radio. These meters are designed for HF/CB or VHF/UHF operation, and using the meter with the wrong frequency range will give you erroneous readings and/or damage your equipment.
HF SWR Meters
MFJ-816 HF SWR/Wattmeter - Radioworld ($80)
https://www.radioworld.ca/product/mfj-816/1-8-to-30-mhz-swr-wattmeter-30-300-watt-scales
MFJ-818 Mobile HF SWR/WattMeter - Radioworld (cross-needle design $176)
https://www.radioworld.ca/product/mfj-818/hf-mobile-swr-wattmeter-30-300-watt-1-8-to-30-mhz
VHF/UHF SWR Meters
MFJ-844 Compact Deluxe WattMeter - Radioworld (analog, $116)
https://www.radioworld.ca/product/mfj-844/compact-dual-band-144-440-mhz-swr-wattmeter-15w-60w-200w-ranges
MFJ-847 WATTMETER, DIGITAL, 125-525 MHZ, 120 WATT - Radioworld ($204)
https://www.radioworld.ca/product/mfj-847/digital-swr-wattmeter-120w-125-525mhz-backlight-uses-aaa-battery
Other types of antenna analyzers are available which will provide SWR and analyze the transmission line loss plus other parameters. Those will be used by more advanced users, especially for those building their own antennas. Minimum requirement is SWR for antenna tuning.
Following are four (4) Radio Packages:
- HF Radio Package A - Yaesu FT-891 (approx $900)
- HF Radio Package B - Icom IC-705 (approx $1800)
- HF Radio Package C - Xiego G90 (approx $600)
- HF Radio Package D - Icom 7300 (approx $2000)
There are also a number of antenna options which can be used with any of the radios above:
- HF Antenna A - Workman Hamstick (approx $125 set of 5)
- HF Antenna B - MFJ-2286 Big Stick (approx $240)
- HF Antenna C - MFJ-1624 Mini Bug Catcher (approx $200)
Info on Antenna Mounts is also available:
- HF Antenna Mount A - MFJ-336T 3 Mag Mount (approx $95)
- HF Antenna Mount B - Hustler MBM Magnet Mount (approx $65)
While these mounts are ideal for car bodies and other metallic surfaces, some Hams use cookie sheets to provide stability on non-metallic surfaces such as carpets and hardwood floors.
This page also contains information on Transmission Lines and Antenna Analyzers (see below).
HF Radio Packages
HF capability is not required for a full local group, as this is primarily for long range communications between local groups. With that being said, the only people who will be able to use HF are those with an Amateur Radio License endorsed to a minimum of Basic + Honors. Only 2 or 3 members of a local group require HF capabilities, and then the information can be passed within the local group via VHF/UHF radio.
Here are a few packages I have put together for HF use. Common elements of all packages include transmission line (coax), an antenna, and some form of power supply (normally a battery plus solar generator with inverter/charger).
Antenna Packages
Antennas are just as important as the radio one uses. A properly tuned antenna with a good gain can make the difference between hearing and contacting a distant station. Antennas come as base station, mobile or portable types. I will be focusing on mobile antennas and mounts that could also be used in a portable configuration as well. Each antenna is omni-directional unless specified.
Other portable antennas are available such as off-center fed dipoles, end-fed half wave wires (EFHW), Near Vertical Incident Skywave (NVIS). All depends on the space available, portability and application. Base antennas will require a tower and directional antennas like a yagi, cubic quad, or hex beam also require some kind of rotator to direct the antenna in the direction of the station you wish to contact.
Antenna Mounts
In addition to the Mounts shown above, other types of antenna mounts are available, including lip mount, truck hitch mount, tripods, ground stakes, extendable masts, drive on base plates, etc. One is only limited by their antenna configurations and imagination.
Transmission Line
For short lengths of transmission line (100 ft or less), RG-8X or RG-58 coax can be used. This is a small diameter cable, approximately ¼” in diameter. For longer runs, RG-8 or LMR-400 should be used to reduce losses in the cable run. Radio transceivers look for a 50 ohm impedance transmission line. Do not use coax cable used for Cable TV, as that has 75 ohm impedance and would introduce major losses into your system.
Cables also need to be terminated with the appropriate connectors, the most common being PL-259 (also called UHF) which plugs into a SO-239 plug (found on many antennas and transceivers). Lower power units (like the Xeigu G90 and Icom IC-705) will use BNC connectors. Some UHF applications use the N-type connector, which provides additional shielding for the frequencies above 500MHz. Cable TV coax uses F-type connectors, and are a different size than other connectors described. Adapters and couplers are available.
Antenna Analyzers / SWR Meters / Power Meters
This equipment is required for setting up antennas to ensure proper matching between the radio and transmission system. The SWR (also known as VSWR) is the ratio between forward power out of the radio to reflected power back to the radio. A perfect SWR is 1:1, meaning that all power coming out of the radio is radiated by the antenna and no power is being reflected back to the radio. An acceptable SWR is below 1.5:1 and above 2:1 many radios will cut back their output power to protect the final amplifier of the transmitter. An SWR above 3:1 should be avoided at all costs, as that could risk damage to your transmitter (final amplifier). Once the antenna is properly tuned to give the lowest possible SWR, the meter may be removed from the transmission system. Incorporated into many SWR meters are power meters, which will allow you to verify the output power of your radio. These meters are designed for HF/CB or VHF/UHF operation, and using the meter with the wrong frequency range will give you erroneous readings and/or damage your equipment.
HF SWR Meters
MFJ-816 HF SWR/Wattmeter - Radioworld ($80)
https://www.radioworld.ca/product/mfj-816/1-8-to-30-mhz-swr-wattmeter-30-300-watt-scales
MFJ-818 Mobile HF SWR/WattMeter - Radioworld (cross-needle design $176)
https://www.radioworld.ca/product/mfj-818/hf-mobile-swr-wattmeter-30-300-watt-1-8-to-30-mhz
VHF/UHF SWR Meters
MFJ-844 Compact Deluxe WattMeter - Radioworld (analog, $116)
https://www.radioworld.ca/product/mfj-844/compact-dual-band-144-440-mhz-swr-wattmeter-15w-60w-200w-ranges
MFJ-847 WATTMETER, DIGITAL, 125-525 MHZ, 120 WATT - Radioworld ($204)
https://www.radioworld.ca/product/mfj-847/digital-swr-wattmeter-120w-125-525mhz-backlight-uses-aaa-battery
Other types of antenna analyzers are available which will provide SWR and analyze the transmission line loss plus other parameters. Those will be used by more advanced users, especially for those building their own antennas. Minimum requirement is SWR for antenna tuning.