Home-Brew Tree Vertical - Does It Actually Work? (Built from Scrap)
I often say "just run a vertical up a tree and throw some radials down" – but I realised I’d never actually shown it properly.
So in this video, I build a 20m tree-supported vertical entirely from scrap: old wire, abandoned radials, questionable coax, and whatever I could find in the workshop.
No spreadsheets. No perfection. Just get something in the air and test it.
Once it was up, I compared it directly against my main field vertical using a proper A/B WSPR test – same band, same power, same stations, swapping antennas every two minutes.
The result? Doing it "properly" still buys you margin and calmness on receive – but a tree canopy and a simple ground system do not suddenly make HF impossible.
Which is good news. Because it means if all you’ve got is a bit of wire and a tree, you’re not excluded from the game.
https://youtu.be/c845_k48EjI – The full ABABAB method.
Enjoy your radio — and try something for yourself! Callum.
RESULTS: What the Data Actually Says: Vertical vs Delta Loop on 40m
This video demonstrates a clean, repeatable method for comparing antennas using WSPR via fixed time slots, fixed power, and real data – not opinions. It is not about comparison done by ear, S-meters, or quick swaps – which can lead to the wrong conclusion.
What this video covers:
– A practical A/B antenna testing method using WSPR
– Why ABABAB testing beats day-to-day comparisons
– How to log RX and TX properly
– How I analysed the data using ChatGPT as a coding assistant
– Why time of day matters more than people think
What this video is NOT
– Not a propagation report
– Not a claim that one antenna is "best"
– Not sponsored or influenced
Hello ChatGPT.
I have conducted a controlled A/B antenna comparison using WSPR only.
Both antennas were tested:
at the same station
on the same band
at the same power
within clearly defined time windows
Nothing else was changed.
I am about to send you three files:
1 The Timeslots Log in UTC (which antenna was in use and exactly what time)
2 The Receive Log in UTC (work out which antenna was in at any time via the Timeslots log)
3 The Transmit log downloaded from WSPRnet in UTC
The logs are accurate and in clear two-minute chunks – there is no need to be concerned about the times.
My timeslot log includes the antenna label for every 2-minute WSPR slot (including RX-only slots).
Your tasks:
TX analysis: Identify which antenna was in use for each transmit period. For each antenna, calculate:
– total number of reports
– number of unique reporters
– median SNR (not maximum)
– median distance
Group TX results into distance buckets:
– short haul (0–2000 km)
– medium haul (2000–4000 km)
– long haul ([greater than] 4000 km)
For each bucket, show report count and median SNR.
RX analysis: Using the RX log, separate decodes by antenna and time window.
For each antenna, calculate:
– total decode count
– median RX SNR
– median distance (if available)
Output requirements:
Present results in clear tables.
Do not declare a single winner.
Explain what each antenna appears to be better suited for – based on the data.
Focus on differences in behaviour, coverage, and application rather than preference or opinion.
Base conclusions strictly on the data provided, not on predicted behaviour
Explain how you calculated the results
I will send the files in the next message. Please confirm you are comfortable with my prompt.
Someone recently described this channel as “influencer-led”. This video explains why that label doesn’t really fit. Most of what happens here is building, fixing, breaking, experimenting, and learning – usually involving antennas, towers, contests, or the chain between the radio and the antenna.
I’m not trying to persuade anyone to buy anything. I’m trying to show the process, including the mistakes, so others feel able to have a go themselves. If something I do inspires you to try, build, fix, or experiment – then the video’s done its job.
When Ham Radio Stops Being Fun (And How to Fix It)
Sometimes ham radio just stops being fun. Your station is set up, the gear works, but it’s sitting there unused – and that can create guilt or concern that something has gone wrong.
This video is a calm, honest look at why that happens, and what you can do about it without pressure, upgrades, or guilt.
We talk about recognising life factors, small ways to re-engage, changing direction inside the hobby, and why sometimes the best thing to do is simply accept a pause.
If this has happened to you, you’re not alone – and you haven’t failed at radio.
This video is not about which antenna is best. It’s about how to test antennas in a way that removes bias, guesswork, and misleading results.
– Why time of day matters
– What must stay fixed in a fair A/B test
– Why I used this method
– How I alternated antennas cleanly
– How TX and RX are handled differently
The entire unedited WSPR session is linked so you can see exactly how the test was run.
In the next video, I’ll show the results of a 40 m night-time test where antenna behaviour really separates one from the other.
ChatGPT Prompt:
Hello ChatGPT.
I have conducted a controlled A/B antenna comparison using WSPR only.
Both antennas were tested:
• at the same station
• on the same band
• at the same power
• within clearly defined time windows
Nothing else was changed.
You are provided with:
1. i) A WSJT-X WSPR RX log covering the entire session, including ii) timestamps that identify which antenna was in use at each time.
2. WSPRnet TX and RX reports exports for two callsigns, each corresponding to one antenna.
Your tasks:
TX analysis:
• Identify which antenna was in use for each transmit period.
• For each antenna, calculate:
o total number of reports
o number of unique reporters
o median SNR (not maximum)
o median distance
• Group TX results into distance buckets:
o short haul (0–2000 km)
o medium haul (2000–4000 km)
o long haul ([greater than] 4000 km)
• For each bucket, show report count and median SNR.
RX analysis:
• Using the RX log, separate decodes by antenna and time window.
• For each antenna, calculate:
o total decode count
o median RX SNR
o median distance (if available)
Output requirements:
• Present results in clear tables.
• Do not declare a single winner.
• Explain what each antenna appears to be better suited for – based on the data.
• Focus on differences in behaviour, coverage, and application rather than preference or opinion.
• Base conclusions strictly on the data provided, not on predicted behaviour
High-Power Delta Loop Repair - Water, Ice, and a Broken Ground
This was meant to be a quick 4:1 Balun check. It wasn’t.
What started as a bit of routine fault-finding turned into a frozen balun, a broken SO239 ground, and a reminder that antennas don’t always fail in sensible ways.
No drama, no theory lectures – just real-world diagnosis, repair, and getting back on the air.
This is a completely unplanned, mildly stressful, and frankly irresponsible attempt to change the battery in my DJI Pocket 2. There are no instructions. Things are bent. A heat shield is sacrificed. At least one screw escapes forever. I had some fun though – and learned a few things. Don’t try – never learn!
And yet… it works!
This little camera has earned its keep for years out in the field, so rather than bin it, I thought I’d have a go. If you’re looking for a proper tutorial, take note. If you want reassurance that mistakes can still lead to success – you’re in the right place.
Consider this a cautionary tale, a backup-camera rescue mission, and proof that gaffer tape is still a valid engineering solution.
