Simple Ham Radio Antennas

AN "ALL-BAND" ANTENNA THAT REALLY WORKS The best laid plans of man and beast often go astray.  Such was the case today, when planned antenna maintenance took a back seat to heavy showers and gusty winds rolling off the Pacific Ocean.  Along the Hamakua Coast, such occurances make travel a bit hazardous and any outdoor work a study in frustration. So, with tools in hand, I returned to the ham shack for plan number 3.  Plan number 2 was doing some repairs and maintenance around the house.  Now that I'm semi-retired, I find there is sufficient time to keep the house orderly while pursuing a variety of amateur radio interests.  Once the housework was done, it was once again out to the shack for some general clean up and antenna research. One of my favorite research tools is the "Antenna Wire Classics" published by ARRL.  I'm currently paging through volume two of this outstanding series.  What I was looking for was a simple, multi-band antenna that ...

More emergency antennas for hams: There is a wealth of wonderful and somewhat curious antenna ideas in the amateur radio library.  I have several books published by the ARRL which I 've found useful in my restricted space environment. As I was paging through "More Wire Antenna Classics, Volume 2" (Copyright 1999-2006 by the ARRL), I ran across two articles on using ordinary lamp cord for both antenna feedlines and antenna elements. "A Zip-Cord Special Antenna" on page 1-6, Chapter 1 (taken from the "QST", May 1972) describes how one ham pressed about 80-feet of ordinary lamp cord into service as both feedline and radiator for  a 75-meter  schedule he was running with some of his friends.  Apparently, this operator was on vacation and lacked some materials to maintain his contacts with  his hometown.  He found that the emergency dipole performed well in his temporary location.  He also fashioned a version for 40-meters, which he fo...

ANOTHER SIMPLE ANTENNA While I was reading the 13th edition of the ARRL's "Hints and Kinks for the Radio Amateur (copyright 1992),"  I came across an interesting article by J.A. Ciciarelli, WB3DDM, on strain relief for coaxial cables.  It wasn't the excellent suggestion of using garden hose or automotive heater hose to reduce strain on the coax that caught my eye,  but rather the type of antenna he chose for his operation. Apparently, WB3DDM prefers to use long-wire antennas in the inverted -vee configuration.  According to J.A., " I feed the antennas 1/4 wavelength from one of  the leg ends so that I can use coax transmission lines (each leg is an odd multiple of a 1/4 wavelength).  Thus, the feed point is not at the apex, but along one of the sloping legs.  This arrangement frequently creates a sharp bend at the coaxial connector."  And so enters his idea of using hose to relieve some of the strain.  The process is illustrated on page ...

WHEN DOUBT, IMPROVISE! During a recent read of the articles posted on eham.net, I came across an interesting antenna story by Dale Kubicheck, N6JSX (12 June 2012).  The article entitled "HF 18VT Vertical Fence Mounted With an Ugly-Balun" caught my eye because of the way this ham recovered, rejuvinated, and restored an old vertical antenna to its former glory.  This article contains a series of pictures and descriptions of the creative process leading to a semi-homebrew antenna that really works.  Once Dale rewound a few coils, cleared the corrosion from the antenna sections, and fashioned a new balun, he attached the antenna to a chain link fence, which formed part of his counterpoise system.  Although he may need some radials in the future, the antenna apparently delivers the results Dale wanted.  Dale's pictures and explanation are excellent. Eventhough you may not have the tools Dale uses, you can still make a good antenna with what you have on hand...

STEALTH ANTENNAS FOR CHALLENGING SITUATIONS In my last post, I outlined a few ideas that could get you back on the air despite restrictive covenants, HOAs, and limited space.  I've tried many of those designs myself with varying success.  Despite their shortcomings, hidden antennas can work if you're creative, run qrp, and use digital modes.  Since I enjoy SSB at times, I've had to be certain that my signals don't overload nearby stereos, tv sets, and even telephones.  Some of the newer electronics have very little filtering and are subject to overload with even moderate power levels (100 watts).  Add to this the proliferation of apartments, condominiums, and generally closer neighbors, and you get a situation where amateur operators can get blamed for everything.  I've had my share of complaints, even when I was off the air! The mere sight of an antenna can let some people's imaginations run wild.  A few years ago, I had a neighbor who complained t...

HIDDEN ANTENNAS Are restrictive covenants, limited space, and nosey neighbors ruining your amateur radio hobby? There is no need to retire your amateur radio activities because of antenna issues.  With a little creativity, low power (QRP), and light gauge wire, you can enjoy amateur radio again.  While this "below the radar" or stealth operating technique can't rival the performance of a mono band beam on a tall tower, it can get you back on the air.  You might even have some fun and save money at the same time. I'm always on the lookout for interesting antenna ideas, especially since my "antenna farm" is confined to a small backyard and faces close-in neighbors and high voltage lines.  Although I've used indoor antennas with some success, I prefer getting the rf outside if at all possible. Today, I revisited a website maintained by Julian Moss, G4ILO.  Julian's well-designed blog provides a compact, easily understood tutorial on hidden and l...

STEALTH ANTENNAS During the past few weeks, I've read many articles from amateur radio operators who are facing restricted options because of HOAs, CC&Rs, and limited space.  Although I'm not in a restricted zone, my small lot and proximity to power lines makes me feel some of their pain.  People move into restricted quarters for a variety of reasons, so I'm not going to rehash the obvious arguments presented in the media.  Suffice to say, we amateurs must use our creativity if we are to enjoy our hobby to the fullest. I've made a practice of reading as much information as I can about stealth and hidden antennas to get an idea of what's possible for my hobby.  Every once in a while I come across articles which peek my interest and get the creative juices flowing.  Today, for example, I ran across WB0DGF's Antenna Site (wb0dgf.com/stealth.htm), which provides a practical antenna plan for a home and various links to antenna designs and options.  Amon...