Feed line

First is the feed line that connects between you antenna and your rig,  DO NOT SKIMP buying cheap or used feed line especially for your base station, and at the same time, don't buy RG8/RG213 etc for portable use.  If your antenna is a single band,  trap,  or OCF type antenna, buy the best RG-58 that you can buy. If it is a doublet, then there are a whole new set of issues which I enjoy experimenting with..  

How Long?  The  feed line should be long enough to reach from the antenna to the radio. There are some good guidelines to follow.  Don't leave coils of coax rolled up; be careful of trip or choke hazards,  check it before trip - common sense stuff.

How High? My throwing are arm allows me to reach about 20-30 feet depending on the wind (updrafts sometimes get me close to 30 feet).  When I started, I had two pieces of coax. One was 33 feet, and one was 16 feet. I never had the good fortune of needing more. I now use something different which is called a broadside doublet (Cebik), and feed it with 22ga speaker cord.  This is my most "minimalist" antenna.

Antenna

I used a 40 and a 30 meter dipole.  Here are the guidelines that are always broken.  

	A good dipole should be as high as it is long (66' for 40M)
	A good dipole should never be less than 1/2 the length,  high (33' for 40M))
	A good dipole should be in the clear

A 40 meter dipole is 66 feet; I'm happy when the center of mine is up 20 feet and is somewhat in the clear.  This is where you separate the serious operators from those who are just having fun.  A serious operator will keep hiking or climb trees.  Me, I like the operating part!

A dipole can be used on odd harmonics

This means that a 40 meter (7Mhz) antenna can be used on 15 meters (21 Mhz).  This is not totally accurate but it is close enough for us amateurs.  The exact harmonic will always be a little higher. But the length is also affected by proximity to the ground and surrounding surfaces which you know will typically not be that great.  So,.. set your portable dipole antenna up in your back yard, as high as you can throw it, and cut it so that it is a little low.  Mine was cut for 7 Mhz which is the edge of the 40M band which means in practice it is never going to be a perfect antenna because I don't operate on the edge.  Heck, at a height of 20 feet in the middle of the woods with several branches touching the antenna - who needs perfect! By cutting it that close to the band edge I can also use it near the low end of 15 meters (21.06) and it will be about as good as I need for reliable contacts without a high SWR. (Separate page)

If your favorite two bands are 40 & 20 meters, then you might also consider an OCF(OCFD) antenna which works well on the even harmonics.  You will need a light weight 4:1 balun at the feed point (33% from the ground end). There are other considerations about using this design but it works well if you are just having fun. An OCF will never work properly on 15 meters.  Read up on this one before you use it.  I did have one at my base station that I like and use regularly for a year...

If you are trying a doublet, which is a all band antenna, with a good 4:1 balun and a good tuner, then a good quality TV 300 ohm feed line works well.  (I constructed two of these before being satisfied with the performance. Now I am ready to test a third variation.) The main advantage is only having one antenna; the major disadvantage is the requirement for a good tuner and keeping the feed line off the ground. How much do you want to carry?

End fed wire is the most inexpensive antenna as it connects directly to a tuner to the back of your radio. An end fed antenna should be a single band antenna using the formula 468/f Mhz. However, if you would like to experiment with all band end fed antennas, try using a length that is non-resonant on any frequency.  39.5' is one possibility.  Some folks believe that this does not require a counterpoise but I disagree.  A counterpoise is a insulated wire that is connected to the ground part of the antenna connector, cut to the same length, run out along the ground in any direction.   It is not meant to be grounded!

Always be sure to check your connectors/coax/equipment every time before going out as they get more abuse in QRP operation. Getting excited about going out, arriving at your destination, setting up your equipment, then finding that something is missing or defective is no fun!