Simple Antennas for Amateur Radio Operators--a continuing series
KH6JRM's Amateur Radio Blog Post #176 A compact 40-meter vertical There are times when a small vertical comes in handy. You could be in a space restricted environment such as I where neighbors are almost back to back or you could be looking for an easily portable antenna useful for mini-DXpeditions or a casual day of operating from a park or beach. There is a solution to this often vexing problem. If you have the resources, you may want to consider screwdriver antennas, adaptations of various mobile antennas (ham stick), or event the handy Buddipole sytem. But if you're on a restricted budget and willing to "roll your own", you can find all the materials you need at the nearest hardware store. What I wanted to build was as a top-loaded "vertical helix" that could be erected in my backyard and easily hidden by bushes and trees bordering my qth. Based on various readings in antenna literature, I found that if you wound a half-wave length of ordi...