# Setup Advice / Sanity Check: Attic EFHW Horseshoe Layout & Gear Selection (Tech -\> General)

**URL:** <https://community.worldradioleague.com/t/setup-advice-sanity-check-attic-efhw-horseshoe-layout-gear-selection-tech-general/46536>\
**Category:** Antennas\
**Tags:** in-progress\
**Created:** [September 29, 2026, 10:23am UTC](https://community.worldradioleague.com/t/setup-advice-sanity-check-attic-efhw-horseshoe-layout-gear-selection-tech-general/46536 "2026-09-29T10:23:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![KR4OZP](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/49beb7/32.png) [@KR4OZP](https://community.worldradioleague.com/u/KR4OZP)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2026, 10:23am UTC](https://community.worldradioleague.com/t/setup-advice-sanity-check-attic-efhw-horseshoe-layout-gear-selection-tech-general/46536/1 "2026-09-29T10:23:58Z")

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Hey everyone,

I’m currently a Technician preparing for my General, getting my first HF station put together. My primary focus right now is working 10m SSB/digital, but I want to be ready for 40m, 20m, and 15m as soon as I upgrade.

**Current Station Gear:**

- **Radio:** Ten-Tec Jupiter 538AT (with internal auto-tuner)

- **Power Supply:** Alinco DM-330MV

- **Coax Run:** ~75 ft from shack to attic

**Antenna & Installation Plan:**

- **Space Constraints:** Attic space with a 40’ wall-to-wall distance.

- **Layout:** A “horseshoe” pattern suspended in the attic. The plan is to staple heavy-duty zip ties directly to the roof trusses to act as wire guides, keeping the radiator suspended away from the wood. I’ll run the wire down one side longways (~40 ft), cross over, and run back down the other side (~24 ft) roughly halfway down toward the eaves.

- **Coax & Choke:** DX Engineering DXE-8XX075B (75 ft RG-8X assembly with integrated RF choke).

**Antenna Selection in Cart:** I’m looking at the **Par EndFedz EF-40-10-KW** (64 ft total length). My criteria for the antenna box:

1. 49:1 impedance matching transformer

2. Power handling of at least 100W continuous / digital (the KW version handles up to 250W digital / 1kW ICAS)

3. Covers 40m through 10m natively

4. Built-in static bleed resistor on the primary to protect the front end from static buildup

**Questions for the community:**

1. **Layout / Coupling:** Has anyone run a 64 ft EFHW in a horseshoe layout midway down the eaves? Any severe detuning issues or proximity losses I should expect from the house wiring/roofing material in this specific geometry?

2. **Suspension Method:** Any long-term issues with using stapled zip-tie loops as wire guides to keep the insulated wire floating off the wood trusses?

3. **Antenna Alternatives:** Is the Par EndFedz EF-40-10-KW the consensus pick for these specs, or is there another commercial 49:1 EFHW kit with a bleed resistor I should consider before pulling the trigger?

Appreciate any feedback or tweaks before I submit the order!

73