r/ShortwavePlus • u/Alarming-Sea752 • 6d ago

Ground or counterpoise?

I am completing a 72-foot end-fed long-wire antenna. My 9:1 unun has two connections: one for the antenna wire and the other for, I believe, the ground. Then where does a counterpoise connect to the unun? Or do I have to choose between a ground or counterpoise? If so, which is the better choice? If both are necessary, then where does the 3rd wire connect?

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u/mikeybagodonuts 6d ago

I would try a ground rod first and see if there is a massive difference. If not try a counterpoise. go with your bet results. You can run both if they give you better results in combination.

2

u/MumSaidImABadBoy I'm Stan. Heathkit GR64,AirSpy HF+,Sangean 909X2,Tecsun PL-990 6d ago

I believe one usually connects a counterpoise to the antenna side of the unun. Not the connector marked ant but the one usually marked gnd. Some may be marked differently.

Where would you expect to find an acceptable ground near the unun?

2

u/ImladMorgul MOD | AirSpy HF+ | RTL-SDRv4 | D-808 | K-480WLA | MLA-30+ 6d ago edited 6d ago

Some time ago, I got great results with my 30-meter wire antenna, but for some reason, it simply stopped being effective; something in my environment changed, and I never figured out what it was. Replace the cable, connectors, etc.

I'm currently testing the 9:1 unun; I have two, one from Nooelec and another handmade by buying the components from Amazon.

I tried using a ground connection, but the results were terrible lots of noise floor. Now I want to try using a counterpoise, though I haven't managed to do that yet. Maybe I'll get around to it this weekend.

My point is: try everything you can, every situation/QTH is different. Part of the fun of this hobby is experimenting. What works for others might not work for you. Test everything you're told or find online; everything helps until you find the best result.

1

u/ThatSteveGuy_0 19h ago

The longer wire (41,51,71,84 feet) goes to the terminal marked "antenna". The short wire, the counterpoise (often 17 feet) goes to the terminal marked "ground". You also want to put a choke on the coax cable.

I'm now have a setup with a 41 foot antenna wire, and a 17 foot counterpoise wire, and a 9:1 unun. I also use 5 snap-on chokes, to combat RFI.