Bandspringer Midi HF Longwire Antenna System , 10m-60m
At a glance
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Bands 10, 12, 15, 17, 20, 30, 40, 60m with most tuners that are capable of tuning a random wire / long wire antenna (see details below)
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Power rating 125 Watts
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ATU needed? Yes
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SSB, CW, data? Yes. Fine for all modes
Details:
A great antenna for operators who like to travel fast and light; the new Bandspringer weighs in at just 190g (6 1/2 Oz). It's the ideal antenna to use with a KX3 or KX2 which have an internal antenna tuner.
The current generation of HF portable radios offer great performance on the HF bands—but to get the best out of them, an efficient antenna is required. The Bandspringer is a multi-band long-wire antenna. The length has been carefully chosen to ensure that it will work with the internal antenna tuners in portable radios such as the K1*, KX1, KX2, KX3 and K2. It will also work well with LDG tuners and the Elecraft T1. Note that the Bandspringer must be used with an antenna tuner - it is fine for use with an FT817 or similar radio, as long as you have a suitable antenna tuner connected between the Bandspringer and radio.
Note that for some radios with an internal antenna tuner, the internal tuner might not have a large enough matching range to match the Bandspringer, so you would need to add a suitable external tuner.
Suitable tuners will usually be advertised as being able to tune a random wire / long wire antenna. Some tuners state in the small print that additional equipment is required for this, please check your tuner manual for details. For example, it might say "Optional external Balun allows tuning of random length, long wire or ladder line fed antennas", indicating that the tuner is likely to need a 4:1 balun connected between it and the Bandspringer.
The exact range of bands may vary depending on your tuner. The Bandspringer Midi should work on 40m, 30m and 20m with any tuner capable of tuning a random wire / long wire antenna. It will work effectively on all bands from 60-10m with most such tuners, but not necessarily all.
If you want to support your Bandspringer on a pole, then any pole between 5m and 7m should be fine. Longer poles can be used by extending the nylon cord at the far end of the antenna.
How does it work?
The length is selected to give a moderate impedance at the end for easy matching. It is also designed to ensure that the current section (where much of the useful radiation comes from) is sufficiently elevated. This is the antenna that Richard (G3CWI) used on most of his SOTA activations to become the first activator to complete England, Wales and The Isle of Man.
You can read about the background to this type of antenna here:
https://www.hamuniverse.com/randomwireantennalengths.html
https://udel.edu/~mm/ham/randomWire/
NOTE: the antenna must always be connected directly to your tuner - not via a co-axial cable.
What do you get?
The Bandspringer Midi consists of two wire elements, both are made of high quality stranded wire, insulated with a yellow pvc. This wire type has proved a good compromise between flexibility and performance. The yellow insulating jacket makes it easy to spot on most surfaces which makes handling much easier. The elements for the Bandspringer Midi II version are approximately 42 ft (12.8 m). One element is the radiator the other acts as a counterpoise.
The wire elements are supplied wound on a Wirewinder to make deployment and recovery in the field as easy as possible. The radiating element has a braided nylon cord extension to make it easy to use. The extension is firmly attached to the wire at one end and has a pegging loop at the other end.
Each element is terminated in a good quality 4mm “banana plug".
The Bandspringer is also supplied with:
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nylon carry bag
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three insulators that can be used to attach the antenna to a pole and to our own pegs (supplied attached)
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three cable ties - to give more attachment options
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two aluminium pegs
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one 4mm to BNC Adapter
Note that the colour of the Wire Winders and bag may vary from the picture.
Instructions are available HERE!
Also available from our international agent(s):
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34 Reviews Hide Reviews Show Reviews
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Excellent product
I bought one of these , and first used it on Bardon Hill, very easy to set up and use, used with my FT817 and LDG Z817 tuner, well done Sotabeams.. Ken G0FEX
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Not usable
I'm sorry to tell this, but at my point of view this antenna is completely not usable. I tried out some setups but the SWR is always bad (with KX2 and tuner). But of cause, it maybe works for you and the money is not lost at all because you can build some kind of other antenna with this stuff.
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Lightweight & Easy to Set Up
I have only used my Band Springer Midi once, to mediocre effect, but that was due to being in the middle of lots of RFI. The antenna wire is suspiciously lightweight, but it works well. I am gentle with it, because I don't have access to an affordable fibreglass pole; I use a fairly heavy 4.5 metre extension pole that I've seen window washers use. Heavy, but it works. And I added my own third peg and some light cord to give the antenna more stability. The Band Springer Midi, FT817, Z817 tuner, and a Palm Mini paddle. What could be a more portable station?! Can't wait to get out of the city, to somewhere with less noise!
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Bandspringer Midi HF
The Band Springer Midi version is its exceptional antenna, very versatile for those who love Sota activation. The antenna has been tested in all frequencies, where I found it difficult to tune it and about 15 meters with a standing wave around 2.5. The test was done by including and excluding the counterweight but I have NOT found any difference. For the rest of the test I found that has a good yield in 20 meters. Is the antenna head with a pole 10 meters and a RTX FT817 and an automatic tuner Z-100 Plus, excellent relations 599 at a distance of over 3000 km. Unfortunately I did not go further because of poor propagation that there was this time, I hope this summer to do much more. From Richiards I bought many portable antennas and I'm very happy, I recommend you buy it is a viable alternative.
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Good in a tight space
The Band springer went well today I had a tricky summit with lots of trees and little clear space. The small MFJ tuner tuned it easily with out much adjustment to the capacitors and mostly just a change of inductance when swapping bands . I think the higher feed point of the link dipole probably makes it a better antenna but hey I made 22 QSO for the activation with local 40m signals very strong.
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Light and effective
This is a very light antenna, very easy to carry and setup. You will need either a tree or a pole+guying set to hanging it on and an ATU. I found that it tunes well with either a K1 internal ATU or with an LDG-817. As expected it doesn't perform as well as a dipole, but I have found it to be quieter, specially on 40m.
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bandspringer
Bought one earlier this year for a qrp cw set up in a portable case, using a HB1A, with outstanding results from Croatia through Europe, recently bought a second one to use with an ft817 and through an LDG 817 autotuner for qrp ssb, 1:1 on bands, I should have bought one sooner. It is so user friendly, well designed and does what it is supposed to to, ie plenty of contacts with good reports. This should be standard equipment for every ft817 sold! Many thanks, Peter, GW4 UWD
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nice portable antenna
verry verry good antenna use for /p in digital mode, quick instal :) use via atu ldg z100
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band springer & hi tee atu
Recently bought a band springer and hi tee atu, for QRP cw, absolutely brilliant, using a 3 band hba1 cw rig, kitted out into an aluminum case, totally portable. The band springer has proved to be so versatile, easily tuned in and can fit around the surroundings well, with excellent results, taking it all to Croatia on holiday, as it weighs practically nothing, thanks for designing some really good ideas that are practical, efficient and cost effective, 73, Peter, GW4UWD
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A smart antenna
The shipment was fast in three days the package arrived. I tried immediately easy to assemble, I spent using a couple of minutes, the antenna that despite its small size worked well I connected with the KX3 with 3 watt stations over 1000 miles in 20 meters with an excellent signal.
