Michael Heiler, KAØZLG, has been a ham since 1987. He is an ARRL member, and is the Emergency Coordinator (EC) for Clay County, Minnesota. Mike has an electronics degree from Northwest Technical College in Moorhead, Minnesota and is a Volunteer Examiner who teaches Amateur Radio classes several times a year.

Mike says, "As the Emergency Coordinator (EC) for Clay County, Minnesota, I wanted to make up a "jump kit" that I could just grab and head out the door with. I needed a good VHF/UHF antenna that would give me some gain, and portability, so my inclination was to use a J-pole but these antennas are somewhat long and cumbersome. I  made one out of 450 ohm ladder line and another one out of 300 ohm twinlead, but I needed a version for outdoor use that was physically strong, durable, and easy to transport.
I like the copper J-pole, so I started a design using that antenna as a model. The idea of a folding version of the copper antenna appealed to me, so I went to the  hardware store and picked up what I needed to make the portable antenna project a reality."