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Flying Pigs QRP Club, International, W8PIG
No Dues, No Rules, Just Fun - and if we don't like it we fix it!
Star Blue Antennas P1 Portable
By Ev Catlin N5MZX FP#1192
This year at the Capital City Hamfest I had the pleasure of meeting Bob and Linda of Blue Star Antennas. We were looking at the QRP radios on display and discussing which types of portable antennas to use with them. My favorite was a 20 mtr dipole with light weight coax and over the past year I have had a lot of fun with my Yeasu 817 and this dipole. On the negative side I have been limited to one band of operation. This led me to try various portable antennas, needless to say some were gimmicks and some just were flimsy.
A little later Bob came back to the table with a Blue Star P1 Portable antenna. This antenna immediately commanded my attention. Unassembled the antenna was less than 12 inches long, weighs 1 ½ pounds. The antenna is easy to put together and only takes about 5 minutes to assemble. This antenna mounts to just about anything with a provided “C” clamp. The P1 antenna covers 7- 150 MHz. Bob offered me a prototype antenna to use and write a review. I agreed to use it but send it back to him after the review for the Flying Pig BBQ. Enough about disclaimers so on to the review.
As I did not have a set of instructions I dove right into it. The antenna was assembled in the blink of an eye. The antenna was mounted on a 24 inch metal stake driven 18 inches into the ground. I connected the coax and hooked it up to the radio. I went to 20 meters and soon I heard all sorts of signals. I tuned to a low SSB signal and adjusted the slider on the coil until the signal peaked.
Did I just mention the coil? This coil is something we need to describe. It is of ingenious design. So many of the other portable antennas use alligator clips or flimsy banana plugs that can become loose or can wear out. The Blue Star coil is well made and will last for a long time. The antenna and coil are rated to 150 watts, although no self respecting QRP operator would use more than 5 watts. I digress! The coil looks like a old fashioned wire wound resistor with a adjustable metal tap. The coil wiper has a spring loaded wiper that makes positive contact with the coil. It can be readily adjusted one turn at a time with precision.
Operating my 817 from a 7 amp hour battery charged with a Coleman 5 watt solar panel I worked Wisconsin. Tennessee. Mississippi. Oregon, Texas, and California. After the first contact I noticed that my SWR was over 3:1. I continued to play with the coil with no improvement. My wife asked me what was happening after the consumption of 2 Coors Lights. I responded by saying that the antenna was not working as I had hoped it would. Her next question was “What did the instructions say?” With the help of my youngest Son I found the instructions on Blue Stars web page. There is something to be said about reading the instructions first. The instructions covered whip length, coil settings and something about counterpoise. A funny thing happened and the SWR fell to under 2:1. I shouted for joy and my wife mumbled something about men and instructions.
I look forward to putting this antenna on other bands and see what I can work. I will be ordering a P1 of my very own and be sending Bob back the prototype. I do not mind spending my money for this antenna. I have had the luxury of trying it out before I bought it. The review is written to give you information needed to make your own decision. The Blue Star Antenna P1 should be part of every QRP/QRO shack. It is well built, small, and produces excellent results. The antenna also works well as a SWL antenna. Visit Blue Star Antennas a www.bluestarantennas.com .
“Vi Minore Plus Gaudium”
Rating:  [5 of 5 Stars!] |
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