Simple Ham Radio Antennas

If you can't see the video, please insert this title URL into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SBGdPMnH-E. Thanks to Don Johnson (N4DJ) for this excellent discussion on how to design, build, test, and tune an 80 meter half square antenna. If you have the space and want an excellent DX antenna, then the half square is for you.  The general pattern of the half square is broadside to the antenna, giving you a takeoff angle near 15 degrees. If you can't make an 80 meter version of this antenna, try a 40 or 20 meter version.  You won't be disappointed.  Don does an excellent job of taking you step-by-step through the antenna building process. Here's what Don had to say about his new half square antenna: "My 80 meter bent half square was probably the best antenna I ever had. I had it broadside to Europe at my Hampton Va QTH, I had it broadside to the Pacific area for one contest at my New Kent location and then installed it again ...

If you can't watch this video, please insert this title URL into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SBGdPMnH-E. You can also insert the post title into your browser search box to bring up the video. If you spend much of your operating time contacting certain sections of the world, you may want to design and build a half square antenna for your favorite band.  I've used half square antennas for 20,15, and 10 meters with good results. At these frequencies, construction of this phased, bidirectional vertical antenna is fairly simple and can be aimed in the direction of your choice.  A theoretical gain of 3dB is possible, making the half square a worthwhile experiment. In this post, Don Johnson (N4DJ) takes the half square a step further by building and using an 80 meter version of this antenna.  In the 80 meter band, this antenna can be quite large, often necessitating extra help in building and aiming the antenna in the preferred direction. ...