Welcome to the PackTenna web site.
PackTenna makes ultralight, portable HF amateur radio antenna systems and accessories. PackTennas are light weight, compact, portable HF antenna systems ideal for operating on the trail, at the campsite, on Field Day, SOTA activation, air travel, or HOA restricted locations.
PackTennas use full size wire antenna elements that can be configured in a variety of ways including verticals, dipoles, inverted vee’s and long wires delivering full size antenna performance. The unique combination of backpacking quality hardware, a 10 meter (32’) tall mast that collapses to 26 inches and custom feed points and accessories make this the ideal portable HF antenna system.
PackTenna makes ultralight, portable HF amateur radio antenna systems and accessories. PackTennas are light weight, compact, portable HF antenna systems ideal for operating on the trail, at the campsite, on Field Day, SOTA activation, air travel, or HOA restricted locations.
PackTennas use full size wire antenna elements that can be configured in a variety of ways including verticals, dipoles, inverted vee’s and long wires delivering full size antenna performance. The unique combination of backpacking quality hardware, a 10 meter (32’) tall mast that collapses to 26 inches and custom feed points and accessories make this the ideal portable HF antenna system.
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Carlos, KD9OLN, deploys his PackTenna EFHW and RG316 coax as he skydives ! Check out Carlos' YouTube channel Life at Terminal Velocity Amazing ! |
New Product: VHF Mast Mount Feed Point
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The VHF MastMount antenna feed point is designed for small VHF and UHF BNC connected antennas. The MastMount is the ideal compact, light weight feed point for SOTA and travel. The MastMount supports vertical ground plane and horizontal dipole configurations. The mount can be strapped to the mast with Velcro or supported at the top from a mounting hole. The mount works great with a pair of Comet BNC-24 or other 2m antennas in the horizontal configuration for 2m SSB and CW. The quality of the match will vary between antennas and the length of feedline. Includes 2 Velcro straps. Antennas sold separately.
BUY NOW |
YouTube Videos |
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John, VE3IPS, deploys the PackTenna Linked Dipole antenna. Check out John's YouTube channel and blog for more great content. Note that the switch links John shows are an alternate method of making the "link" work. The standard method is using banana connectors and the switch method is quick and easy as well. Click here for John's Blog. |
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Part 2 of John, VE3IPS', video on the PackTenna Linked Dipole. |
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Shane KD9NJJ featured the new PackTenna End-Fed 20/40m Half Wave antenna on his Scout75 YouTube channel. Shane puts the antenna to the test working stations on 20m and 40m with his FT-891. Check out Shane's channel. |
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Charlie, NJ7V, from the Red Summit RF YouTube channel field tested the PackTenna TrekMount 2m antenna on a summit in Arizona running SSB. Check out his great video and channel.
Charlie's YouTube channel is full of useful information and interviews all about portable operating including SOTA. Check it out! |
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Carlos works New York, Canada, California and Alaska operating POTA from Florida with his PackTenna End-Fed Half Wave antenna.
You can usually find Carlos working the world while jumping out an airplane with his PackTenna ! Check out his channel LifeAtTerminalVelocity on YouTube. |
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Mike, K8MRD, did a great video showing the PackTenna End-Fed Half Wave antenna in action. Mike is operating from the park with a Yaesu FT-891 running 90 watts into the antenna.
Check out his YouTube channel K8MRD Radio Stuff
Check out his YouTube channel K8MRD Radio Stuff
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Portable HF Antennas - Think Like A Backpacker
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In this video we describe the origin of the PackTenna antennas and how to use them. This presentation was given at the QSO Today Virtual Ham Radio Expo in August 2020.
Customer Feedback
I wanted to briefly share my incredible satisfaction and joy from completing my PackTenna Antenna Farm now that I have a EFRW (actually 2 of them), inline RF chokes, a EFHW , a linked dipole and 2 compact masts. My portable HF setup has both qrp (Elekraft KX2) and QRO (Yaesu FT 891 + MFJ 939Y automatic external tuner) with Bioenno LIFePO4 batteries to power each one in 2 Go Bags (backpacks). I used George's instructions from his You Tube videos as well as the conversation of this group [groups.io] (thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts and ideas!) to get into modifying wire lengths using the banana plug and s clip components (I highly suggest purchasing these even if you are not yet into tinkering like I do - they are incredibly useful for repairs and string wires literally everywhere). I watched Mike K8MRD show the EFHW cut for 20M then added more wire using the banana plugs to make a resonant 40, 20, 15 and 10M EF antenna. Wow! It actually works without needing a tuner! A high efficiency system that (if there are trees around) can be used as a sloper or with a mast as an inverted vee! The flexibility of these antennas is mind boggling to me and I am starting to experiment with various configurations.
This has been so fulfilling for me that I have (or am in the process) of selling all my other portable antenna supplies simply because I no longer have a use for them. The PackTenna "farm" fits into my two Go Bags for my radios along wit the masts with room to spare. George, thank you so much for your vision in designing and building these incredible resources for those of us hams who love to make contacts in portable settings that allow us to remain compact and discrete as we travel (plane or train or even our cars) to sites to set up quickly with a robust, high efficiency antenna system. What else could we ask for? [think of that as a challenge for new product development :-) ]
73
Gailen N5GDM
Shane, KD9NJJ, works POTA with the PackTenna Mini Random Wire antenna
Shane worked multiple stations with his X5105, FT-891 and the PackTenna Mini antenna. He even worked our friend, Mike, K8MRD, in a park to park contact !
Check out Shane's YouTube channel Scout75.
You can also check out Mike's (K8MRD) channel as well.
Check out Shane's YouTube channel Scout75.
You can also check out Mike's (K8MRD) channel as well.
Greg, W4GAJ, Has a New YouTube Channel - Check it Out
Greg is an avid photographer and field radio operator. He is getting his new YouTube channel off the ground and just posted a video featuring the PackTenna EFHW antenna in action. Check out Greg's video and make sure you subscribe to his channel!
Carlos, KD9OLN, sets up for operating while skydiving with his PackTenna EFHW antenna !
Wow ! That takes guts.
In the video below, Carlos explains his skydiving loadout. PackTenna EFHW featured at time 8:00.
In the video below, Carlos explains his skydiving loadout. PackTenna EFHW featured at time 8:00.
Articles
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Videos |
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Thomas K4SWL operates his TX-500 radio with the PackTenna End-Fed Random Wire antenna and the awesome ZM-2 tuner.
Check out his channel and excellent web site The SWLing Post |
Gaston, The Tech Prepper, operates portable with the PackTenna linked dipole from Arizona.
Check out his YouTube channel |
Greg, VA7BC, operates his KX2 in the snow with a PackTenna Random Wire antenna.
Check out his YouTube channel |
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Portable Operations with the PackTenna Mini
By John Jacobs, W7DBO |
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PackTenna Debut and KX2
By Fred, VE3FAL |
PackTenna Mini End Fed Balun Up In Minutes - Review
By John Leonardelli VE3IPS |
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PackTenna Labs
Information about new products in development. If these projects look interesting, let us know in the form provided below.
Project: TrekMount
The idea is to have a compact feed point that mounts to a trekking pole for VHF portable operations. The main goal is to support both horizontal and vertical polarization. FM is always vertical and weak signal SSB is traditionally horizontal although some times vertical. The Trekmount provides 4 BNC connectors. One pointing up for a vertical radiating element, two horizontal BNC's to create a dipole and one pointing down for the coax feedline.
Gaston, KT1RUN, has been field testing the Trekmount prototype and has the following comments.
Project: TrekMount
The idea is to have a compact feed point that mounts to a trekking pole for VHF portable operations. The main goal is to support both horizontal and vertical polarization. FM is always vertical and weak signal SSB is traditionally horizontal although some times vertical. The Trekmount provides 4 BNC connectors. One pointing up for a vertical radiating element, two horizontal BNC's to create a dipole and one pointing down for the coax feedline.
Gaston, KT1RUN, has been field testing the Trekmount prototype and has the following comments.
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I was experimenting with the PackTenna TrekMount and had fantastic success running 2m SSB using the telescoping antennas @ 18.75”. First 2m SSB QSO. A big thanks to all the hams that welcomed me to the group. Also, the PackTenna TrekMount preformed beautifully with the two telescoping BNC antennas.
I’m planning on doing a 2m SSB SOTA activation with this setup in the next couple of weeks. There’s a 2m round table on Tuesday, so, I’ll be experimenting with two (2) Comet BNC 24 antennas. These are perfect for the field as they allow up to 20 watts and are made of flexible material so you can pack them in a loop that fits in the palm of your hand. There will be a dedicated 2m SSB video featuring the TrekMount. - Gaston
I’m planning on doing a 2m SSB SOTA activation with this setup in the next couple of weeks. There’s a 2m round table on Tuesday, so, I’ll be experimenting with two (2) Comet BNC 24 antennas. These are perfect for the field as they allow up to 20 watts and are made of flexible material so you can pack them in a loop that fits in the palm of your hand. There will be a dedicated 2m SSB video featuring the TrekMount. - Gaston
John, VE3IPS Field Testing the TrekMount
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