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=cQfj9879K_c. Nicely done video tutorial by Bob Plank (KK4DV) on how to design, build, and use a multi-band dipole antenna.  Bob's dipole covers the 40, 20, 17, and 10 meter amateur radio bands.  According to Bob, this antenna is "an easy project done in 1 day."  He used the customary formula for half wavelength dipoles and a simple antenna program called N2IMP from hamuniverse.com. Although I have no issues with the antenna design or its construction, a far simpler way to get multi-band HF performance would be to use a 40 meter dipole antenna fed by open line wire such as 300 ohm television twin lead or 450 ohm ladder line coupled to a 1:1 or 4:1 balun and run into an antenna "tuner" with a short length of 50 ohm coaxial cable (RG-8,RG-8X, or even RG-58). Either way, you'll have an antenna that will perform on several amateur ra

If you can't see the video, please insert this title URL into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQfj9879K_c. Here's an ultra simple, inexpensive dipole antenna that you can build in a few hours.  Using locally available materials, Bob Plank (KK4DIV) shows us how to design, build, and use a dipole antenna which covers the 40,20, 17, 15, and 10 meter Amateur Radio bands.  Calculators for element lengths can be found online.  Bob used an antenna design program he downloaded from http://hamuniverse.com.  For a bit more flexibility, you may want to substitute 450 ohm ladder line for Bob's coaxial cable feed.  By using ladder line and an antenna transmatch (i.e. "tuner") coupled with a 1:1 or 1:4 current balun, you can get coverage from 80 though 10 meters. For the latest Amateur/Ham Radio news and information, please visit these websites: http://www.HawaiiARRL.info. http://www.arrl.org. http://www.arrl.org/arrl-audio-news (a weekly p

If you can't view this video, please insert this title URL into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQfj9879K_c. A simple HF dipole antenna is an ideal way to get on the air, even when you have a limited space such as a backyard.  In this video from KK4DIV, we see a basic, effective dipole antenna that covers the 40, 20, 17, and 10 meter amateur radio bands.  Most of the antenna materials can be found at your nearest hardware store, building supply outlet, or electrical contractor's store.  You can gain full coverage from 80 meters to 10 meters if you use a balanced feed line (ladder line, television twin lead, or homemade 600 ohm balanced line) in conjunction with a 1:1/1:4 current balun and an antenna "tuner."  If you don't have an appropriate balun or antenna "tuner", then this basic, easy to build dipole described in this video will still serve you well. For the latest Amateur Radio news and information, please visit these

If you're having difficulty viewing this video, please insert this address into your browser search box: https://youtu.be/cQfj9879K_c.  If you would like multi-band HF coverage but  can erect only one antenna, then the dipole project from Bob Plank (KK4DIV) may be just what you need. Bob gives us a step-by-step tutorial on how to build this simple, yet effect multi-band antenna that covers the 40, 20, 17, 15, and 10 meter amateur radio bands.  Most of the material can be found at the nearest building supply outlet or home improvement center.  The balun for this antenna is easily made from some 50 ohm coaxial cable and PVC pipe.  This would make an excellent weekend project.  For the latest amateur radio news and events, please check out the blog sidebars.  These news feeds are updated daily.  Thanks for joining us today!  Aloha es 73 de Russ (KH6JRM).