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military "random wire" HF or lo-band backpack antenna

towerdog

towerdog

one-niner-seven
Nov 18, 2009
644
133
53
NC
I saw a photograph somewhere of a soldier in Afganistan with what appeared to be just a random wire snaked through the molle webbing of his LBV. It looked like it had some sort of balun too and then his radio on his back.

Is anyone familar with this system. I would like to build something similar on my backpack for 6m/10m and most of all, yeah, CB.

I do not know much about random wire, other than of course its really poor radiation and something about you want the feedline to not be of certain lengths depending on factors.

This setup must work as well or better as a loaded 1/4 or 1/8 wave if the military uses it.

Well, any useful knowledge be appreciated.
 

From what little I know about any current versions of military radios, that 'long wire' / 'random wire' antenna you saw could certainly be a 1/4 wave on it's frequency of use. You can bet that if it was man-portable, or a backpack radio, it was for short range communications (unless is was for satellite stuff and the antenna would definitely be different than a simple wire).
If you are wanting to put together a 'back-pack' type thingy for the same sort of purpose, I'd consider some form of mobile antenna and a counterpoise for 'ground'. Not the 'best' by any means, but usable.
There's a big difference between a 'man-portable' and a 'back-pack' radio.
- 'Doc
 
Keep in mind also that a lot (most?) of the HF communications that the military does is NVIS type, which is what you need to do to facilitate close range comms that cannot be easily DF'd.

Of course, it's entirely possible that the guy you saw a picture of was also a ham operator and was just hooking up some sort of end fed wire antenna to have fun with.
 
his setup actually was not on his pack, he had on a mollie vest and the wire was snaked back and forth through the mollie loops on his vest and went to the radio in a pouch on his back.

Only reason I could think of for such an antenna is to use a lower frequency, better penetration of earth and rock.
 
towerdog said:
his setup actually was not on his pack, he had on a mollie vest and the wire was snaked back and forth through the mollie loops on his vest and went to the radio in a pouch on his back.

Only reason I could think of for such an antenna is to use a lower frequency, better penetration of earth and rock.
Click to expand...


I am thinking that the wire you saw was not an antenna.

Alice clips are not great on mole gear so some people run line or wire through different loops to make sure their gear stays with them.

Could this be what you saw?
 
I might be wrong, but it was definitely a cable. It could have just been the excess coax to shoulder antenna or RDA cable too.
 
towerdog said:
I saw a photograph somewhere of a soldier in Afganistan with what appeared to be just a random wire snaked through the molle webbing of his LBV. It looked like it had some sort of balun too and then his radio on his back.

Is anyone familar with this system. I would like to build something similar on my backpack for 6m/10m and most of all, yeah, CB.

I do not know much about random wire, other than of course its really poor radiation and something about you want the feedline to not be of certain lengths depending on factors.

This setup must work as well or better as a loaded 1/4 or 1/8 wave if the military uses it.

Well, any useful knowledge be appreciated.
Click to expand...

we use those for our HT's they are bendable whips (ef johnsons )
 
That's not what he's talking about.

The trooper likely had his long wire wrapped around his pack/LBE for easy deployment.

There's so much new stuff out now. Check with any local Armories around you. Catch one on drill weekend, maybe they'll show you around.
 
Last edited:
Havnt got a clue.
Perhaps a form of a fractal antenna ?
I can only imagine performance dropping fast.

From time to time you see "new" things comming.
also systems where you can recharge your battery by just the energy of walking.
Was really helpfull, cause one could get crazy with all the different battaries in the backpack hihi.

Sadly all this great inventions dont seem to do the job (at least not for the last 10/15 years)
Simply cause each time they break down in "real' situations.
When one deals with HF, it means you are at a distance location from your own troops.
you can not have failure, or you will have big problems.

HF is often still the only way to communicate.

Beeing ex Recon together with HF instructor

I can tell you what we did here.
The backpack normally has
Two long wires with "frequency" marks on it.
And a balun, there is also a whip, and a center piece for the dipole.

The first basic antennas you teach the "new ones" are :

1- dipole
2- windom
3- long wire

The dipole is one i still use quite often.
The two wires are long, and you just fold the ends back untill the SWR is oke at your freq.

From there you go and see if the guys have interest in "antennas"
If not...bye bye.
If yes....lets start taling about prop/nvis etc before we continu with different ants.

The coax always has BNC connectors on.


Hope it is of use.

Henry
 
Last edited:
m42duster said:
That's not what he's talking about.

The trooper likely had his long wire wrapped around his pack/LBE for easy deployment.

There's so much new stuff out now. Check with any local Armories around you. Catch one on drill weekend, maybe they'll show you around.
Click to expand...

still was used for the ef johnson radio . homemade antenna (coax ). we do it all the time . well im retired..

never deployed used on body only . i have the antenna still . some use the bendable whips and some use coax .
 

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