In plain language: “End-fed” describes the feed location, not one universal MPAS 2.0 antenna. Choose the documented sloper, inverted L, inverted V, or horizontal shape before building.
This page prevents a common mistake: connecting the 73 ft wire to a HYBRID, stretching it wherever it fits, and then treating every result as the same configuration.
Build the documented shape
- Name the geometry before deployment.
- Use the guide-defined support heights and counterpoise path for that geometry.
- Keep the HYBRID at the end of the radiator and isolate mechanical strain.
- Record the actual layout so the result can be reproduced.
Why an operator chooses it
The current distribution and pattern depend on where the wire goes after it leaves the feed point. “End-fed” alone does not tell the operator whether the system favors NVIS, a broadside direction, or a mixed pattern.
Read the site before opening the bag
Pick the geometry from the path and available supports, not from the fastest knot.
Common ways this goes wrong
- Using “end-fed” as a complete build sheet.
- Omitting the return path because the radiator is long.
- Comparing unlike heights or shapes as if only the transformer changed.
- Letting the feed line become an uncontrolled return conductor.
Before you transmit
- Confirm the exact radiator, matching unit, return path, feed line, and support arrangement.
- Keep conductors and supports clear of power lines and uncontrolled public access.
- Reproduce the guide dimensions before experimenting.
- Inspect every connection and begin testing at low power.
- Record geometry, band, tuner state, and the result before changing one variable.
Boundary: A mating connector and a matched reading do not define a documented end-fed configuration.
Use the current source before deployment.
This lesson explains the decision. The official guide controls assembly, ratings, configuration details, and safety.
Open the MPAS 2.0 User Guide · Open the MPAS READY Product Guide · View the current product page
