Simple Ham Radio Antennas: A 5/8 wavelength vertical for 15 meters. Post #273
Over the past few weeks, I've been experimenting with a 5/8 wavelength vertical antenna for 10 meters. The antenna is a marked improvement over my 1/4 wavelength ground plane vertical for 28.400 MHz. Some antenna experts believe the 5/8 wavelength vertical can deliver a 3 dB gain over the conventional vertical presented in most antenna books. According to William I. Orr (W6SAI) and Stuart D. Cowan (W2LX), the "5/8-wave vertical provides improved performance DX-wise over the ground plane antenna and is recommended for those amateurs with restricted yard space who have 'nowwhere to go but up.'" With that in mind, I spent part of Saturday, 03 May 2014, building a 5/8 wavelength vertical for the 15 meter amateur radio band, with a preferred frequency of 21.260 MHz in the phone (SSB) portion of the band. The antenna was simple, requiring some wire, a few wooden support stakes, some ceramic insulators, a "ladder lock" support for the feed line, a length