Simple Ham Radio Antennas

Getting on 160 meters on a budget (http://www.eham.net/articles/21292). Accessed on 07 February 2017, 20:05 hrs, UTC . Author:  NO6L. Please click link or enter title URL into your browser search box to read the full article. Comment: As solar activity wanes and propagation gets more difficult on the higher HF bands (20 through 10 meters), radio amateurs are finding plenty of dx and local contacts on 160, 80, and 40 meters.  Forty meters is becoming a "workhorse" band for regional nets, local rag chews, and fairly good DX after the sun sets. Eighty and 160 meters also offers some excellent propagation at sunset and sunrise, as well as reliable communications during the day.  The one major drawback to antennas on 80 and 160 meters is the sheer size of dipole or vertical antenna for these bands.  According to NO6L, all is not lost if you want to explore the benefits of the 160 meter or "gentlemen's band."  If you can find enough space for even a com...

80m Limited space Antenna (http://www.dxzone.com/qsy32048-80m-limited-space-antenna). Accessed on 07 February 2017, 00:50 hrs, UTC . Author:   Mike Dennis (G7FEK). Please click link or insert title URL into your browser search box to read the full article.  Mike supplies a link to download the pdf for this antenna. Comment: Here's another HF multiband antenna that will appeal to radio amateurs with small urban lots or whose homes are deed-restricted.  This antenna covers all amateur radio bands between 80 and 10 meters, with 20 meters and 10 meters requiring some additional wire and an antenna transmatch (" ATU " or "Tuner") to work properly.  Most bands can be used without a "tuner". Mike Dennis (G7FEK) bases his antenna design on the classic "Zeppelin" and W3EDP antennas of the 1920's and 1930s.  The antenna consists of two elements, one being 38 feet/11.7 meters long and the other one cut for 8 feet/2.5 meters long.  A...

End Fed Long Wire (http://www.dxzone.com/cgi-bing/dir/jump2.cgi?ID=31710). Accessed on 06 February 2017, 00:35 hrs, UTC . Authors:  WB5CXC and W5WF (This presentation was offered at Ham Con 2013 in Plano, Texas ). Please click link or insert title URL into your browser search box to read the complete article and to access the full power point presentation. Comment: Here's another great, inexpensive, and simple antenna for those living in deed-restricted properties or active in portable/emergency operations. In this article by WB5CXC and W5WR, we get a complete, step-by-step tutorial on how to build this antenna that covers all amateur radio bands between 40 and 6 meters.  According to WB5CXC, the antenna is an inexpensive, end fed antenna that measures 30 feet/9.146 meters, and can be used with wires as short as 17.5 feet/5.335 meters.  Of course, performance will improve with longer wire lengths--just be sure to avoid 1/2 wavelength or multiples of 1/2 wave...

Portable Link Dipole (http://www.dxzone.com/cgi-bin/dir/jump2.cgiID=31713). Author:  VK3ZPF. Accessed on 04 February 2017, 20:20 hrs, UTC . Please click link or insert title URL into your browser search box to read the full article. Comment: Here's an interesting multiband inverted vee dipole suitable for both home and portable use.  VK3ZPF designed this simple, inexpensive antenna to cover the 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10 meter amateur radio bands . The antenna was used successfully on the 2012 VK3SAT French Island DX-pedition . This lightweight inverted vee antenna can be supported by a 10 meter/32.8-foot telescoping fiberglass mast (i.e. "squidpole").  Band operations are centered on 28.490, 21.200, 14.200, 7.100, and 3.60 MHz .  The antenna uses cheap RCA plugs to plug and unplug wire lengths for each band.  A simple termination box rounds out the project.  VK3ZPF illustrates his instructions with clear photographs and drawings to help the novi...

Tri-Band J-Pole (http://www.dxzone.com/cgi-bin/dir/jump2.cgi?ID=31088). Accessed on 03 February 2017, 20:10 hrs, UTC . Author:  AF6SA. Please click link or insert title URL into your browser search box to read the full article and to download design files. Comment: This tri-band j-pole antenna system is a good choice for radio amateurs who can only erect one antenna structure on their property.  AF6SA has designed a fairly compact and lightweight antenna package that can be built with simple tools, some copper pipe, and a few PVC sections.  According to AF6SA, the tri-band j-pole covers the 145/220/440 MHz amateur radio bands .  The antenna combines the coupled resonator approach of K9AY with quarter wave stubs to achieve low angle radiation.  AF6SA provides a link to the NEC -based antenna modeler and optimizer.  This would make an excellent weekend project for  your club's repeater or for home use. For the latest Amateur Radio news an...

If you're having trouble viewing this video, please insert this title link into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZmyvtMvEGY. This is Post #1031 in a continuing series on "Simple Ham Radio Antennas." This is another great, easy-to-understand antenna tutorial from "Ray" of the "Radio Workshop." If you can only erect one antenna to cover the 80 through 10 meter amateur radio bands, then the classic "doublet" antenna is your best best to get reasonable multiband HF performance at a modest cost.  As Ray explains, a "doublet" cut for 3.500 MHz (total length of 133.71 feet/40.76 meters) will perform well on amateur radio frequencies between 3.500 MHz through 29.999 MHz if you feed the dipole antenna with balanced line (300 ohm television twin lead, 450 ohm ladder line , or homebrewed 600 ohm balance line).  Run the balanced feed line into a 4:1 current balun and connect the balun to your antenna tran...

An unusual stealth antenna one foot above ground (http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2017/february/an-unusual-stealth-aerial.htm#.WJJMLv8rLIU). Accessed on 01 February 2017, 21:35 hrs, UTC . Author:   John Allsopp (G4YDM). Please click link or insert title URL into your web browser to read the full article. Comment: For those of us who live in deed-restricted homes or "space challenged" urban lots, the use of a full length dipole or vertical antenna is often out of the question. Your antennas of choice will be limited to what can't be seen or removed quickly as the situation demands.  Often, your antenna will be a highly compromised version of a dipole, vertical, or even a magnetic loop.  You can certainly make contacts with these antennas, but what you need is a full performance dipole on a deed-restricted lot.  Impossible? Not really, if you follow the instructions presented in this post from John Allsopp (G4YDM). According to John, just build a standa...