KISS-SSB Ground kit

[Phil23]

Considering utalizing one of these units any pros and cons comments please.

 

[diver dave]

They seem to be like hexbeams. Owners love them, but engineers dont understand or believe the results.

I am getting vg signal reports using a connection to only one saildrive. In seawater, its fairly easy to get a good counterpoise with just a few square feet of u/w metal.

 

[CharlieJ]

The KISS counterpoise works. The various radials are tuned for different freq. I recall an article in QST (ham radio monthly magazine) where a comparison was made between elevated radials and buried radials-the raised radials were far superior. The KISS is an elevated radial system

 

[diver dave]

The KISS counterpoise works. The various radials are tuned for different freq. I recall an article in QST (ham radio monthly magazine) where a comparison was made between elevated radials and buried radials-the raised radials were far superior. The KISS is an elevated radial system

Yes, I believe all that. The one issue is using only one tuned radial, whether elevated or buried. Its rare to see only one tuned radial on a vertical system. There are graphs to show loss of efficiency in using 1, 10, 100 tuned radials as counterpoises.
My other thought is wanting to 'remove' most of the Transmit field from my bilge, which is filled with battery control electronics, other radios, solar controllers, etc. So, the EMC situation might degrade with close field radials in the near vicinity.
But, I know debating antennas falls quote short from actual, field experience. Exceedingly few stories exist that include field strength measurements, while spinning the boat in circles.

 

[CharlieJ]

The KISS is a set of tuned radials. As I recall they are tuned for1/4 wavelength on the most used freqs. Lay it out and connect to your tuner. Easy-peasy. At $150, what’s to lose.

 

[denverd0n]

Yeah, it works. It is a set of "tuned radials." What that means is, a bunch of wires cut to different lengths. I don't dispute that it works, but the price seems awfully high for a bunch of wires cut to different lengths.

 

[CharlieJ]

Really??
$150 and virtually no labor cost to install as opposed to $150 -$600 for a DunaPlate, $500 for a quick haulout $500 to $1000 to install the DynaPlate and run the copper foil to the tuner.

 

[diver dave]

Lets give it a try on 75m. PM me anytime; i live near the boat.

 

[Jc180]

Have had one for years. Works fine.

 

[EngNate]

It's snake oil and works perfectly as such. FCC commercial license, commercial 2/W tech, radio station engineer before I started with boats about 30 yr ago. Customer had me install one, he had to try it. Performance was non-to-poor compared to simple bonding system connection. There is nothing tuned about it. At 2 Mhz a quarter wavelength is over 37 feet.