Simple Ham Radio Antennas--Homebrew 20 Meter Dipole Antenna -- Home Depot / Lowes Part 2 - AF5DN

This post #662. If you're having difficulty viewing this video, please insert this address into your browser search box: https://youtu.be/kyhQMilOwVI.  This is part 2 of  a 3-part series by Dave (AF5DN) on how to design, build, and use a homebrew 20 Meter Dipole Antenna.  Most of the parts can be obtained at Home Depot or at Lowes.  Construction is simple and requires only basic tools.  The only thing I would add would be a 1:1 balun from the dipole connector to your 50 ohm coaxial cable feed line.  Dave doesn't use a 1:1 balun for this project, and that omission doesn't seem to impair his performance on the 20 Meter Amateur Radio band.  Dave adds that he is running QRP (low power) and that may help him manage any excessive unbalanced currents on the antenna.  As a precaution, I would use a 1:1 balun and an antenna transmatch (tuner) to complete the project.  However, if the antenna is properly designed and cut to a length where SWR is below 1.5:1, I wouldn't worry too much about a balun.  This homebrew dipole would make an excellent portable or emergency antenna.  For the latest Amateur Radio news and events, please check out the blog sidebars. These news feeds are updated daily.  You can follow our blog community with a free email subscription or by tapping into the blog RSS feed. Thanks for joining us today! Aloha es 73 de Russ (KH6JRM).