Top loaded HF vertical antenna with ground tuning unit
If you can't see the video, please insert this title URL into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7lxt8EatDw. This is post 2077 in a continuing series of simple ham radio antennas. Thanks to Australian radio amateur Peter Parker (VK3YE) for this easy to understand tutorial on how to build a top loaded HF vertical antenna with a ground tuning unit. This antenna is ideal for small urban lots or for portable operations. Besides the basic antenna, all you really need is a decent ground radial/counterpoise system to complement this reduced size vertical antenna. Here are some of Peter's guidelines: "Don't have much height but have something metal underneath? If so a top loaded vertical is a great antenna to try. Just 10 metres wide and 5 metres tall it will even load up on 3.5 MHz. Especially if you're over salt water, you're unlikely to get anything better for its size. The key items needed include wire, two poles, a simple antenn...