VP2E
The Vertically Polarized 2 Element antenna is a monobander developed by HB9SL (SK). Lauded as a portable antenna solution, it has a comparatively low deployment height (~14’) for the 20M version. Another perk of the build is that the feed point has a 50Ω impedance so there is no transformer needed. It boasts a circular radiation pattern, similar to a vertical antenna with a similarly lower take off angle for DX and it has +3dB of gain in the opposite direction of the feed point (towards the longer element).
Features
There are lots of appealing features about this antenna. The biggest is that you only need one middle support and then two on the ground. A small and light weight fishing pole mast or dedicated masts like the Lil Dude 6 are compact and convenient to deploy the VP2E. Or even a low-lying tree branch that you could toss a line over would work just fine. A throw line paired with a couple of plastic ground stakes (electric fence posts) and it’s deployed.
The feed point being 50Ω is a nice treat. However, it’s in an ‘odd’ spot. The coax will add weight to the feed point and pull it down as there is no direct support there. It is possible to sling another line over another tree branch to provide extra support but that gets cumbersome. Moving the feed point to the center mast location will throw the impedance off. I used RG-316 type coax to keep it as light as possible and it didn’t sag too badly.
Despite these positive features, it is a big antenna. It has a ~62’ or ~19m foot print. For this kind of real estate you could easily accommodate a random wire or an EFHW and get multiband use.
Other Frequencies
It is a monobander, but you can build this antenna for additional frequencies.
This chart from DD5LP gives the dimensions for making this antenna for other bands. This antenna is truly best deployed as a monoband antenna. For multi-band performance with a tuner, you’re better off with a random wire in an inverted V or inverted L deployment.
Build Notes
Wire
I cut the 18AWG stranded wire (speaker and hook up) to the specified lengths. I measured the apex point 10.4m from the end of the long wire. I tied off a paracord loop there and put a zip tie on either side to keep it from moving. I put loops with shrink wrap on both wire ends as a tie point for the ground stakes.
Feed Point
Using dollar store cutting board, I made a center with a BNC connector to use the lighter coax. I also added a 1:1 choke in the center. Using the wago wire nuts works great. It was very easy to make adjustments to the wire lengths with this mounting method. Once everything is tuned, be sure to tin the wire elements with solder to keep the stranded wire from going rogue.
Field Tests
I’ve read that this antenna is really fussy regarding the measurements and setup being exactly to spec. I measured everything, including marking the mast for the exact apex height. I did bring the ends up a little higher on the electric fence stakes than specified. After many trips of trimming wire, I got the antenna into resonance. The entire 20M band is 1:1.7 and under. The Smith chart shows it’s 44Ω and towards the capacitive end in reactance. Not too shabby.
The antenna was setup East-West with the broad sides pointing North-South. I setup the IC-705 and the computer to run some WSPR tests. 1 watt for about 20 minutes. Conditions weren’t super great, but the pattern looks pretty good and fairly omni-directional, much like a vertical antenna. But there is also a hint of the advertised gain towards the east in the pattern. Of the 184 WSPR signal reports I received, the range was +15 to -30 and the average was -9.
Performance
Is the VP2E’s feature set worth it for a monobander? In a word: yep. I was blown away about how quiet this antenna is. It was like, spooky quiet. Conditions were not great but there was hardly any noise!
After my WSPR tests were done, I decided to try to hunt some Parks On The Air activators. I only had the IC-705 and no extra battery, so 5w QRP and I went hunting. It was insanely busy on the bands with lots of operators activating parks on 20M. There were many multi-operator operations too, leading to enormous pileups. I broke through many of them! I couldn’t believe it. My average signal report was 51 and one operator on Vancouver Island said I was 59+. He asked for the details of this antenna!
Fellow ham John VA3KOT has an after action report about his experience with the VP2E on his blog so be sure to check it out for more info on this rather eclectic but stellar antenna!
73 de VE5REV
