Simple Ham Radio Antennas

If you can't view this video, please insert this title URL into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mht2YyWAH1I To quote "Tinker John" (W5CYF) in this helpful, informative video, "effective and safe grounding is a complex and often controversial subject." The purpose of this easy to understand video is to show some of the ways to safely ground your entire amateur radio station, and thereby, reduce noise and the risk of injury.  If you have questions this video can't answer, please consult a professional engineer who will identify your specific needs and recommend ways to make your station safe. For the latest Amateur Radio news and information, please visit these websites: http://www.HawaiiARRL.info. https://oahuarrlnews.wordpress.com. https://bigislandarrlnews.com. http://www.arrl.org. http://www.arrl.org/arrl-audio-news (a weekly podcast which is updated each Friday afternoon). https://paper.li/kh6jrm/1430289353 (Amateur ...

If you can't view this video, please insert this title URL into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWfqZOVqzeA. This is post #1235. Although the telephone wire leading to your home may make an excellent antenna, please be careful how you use this "last resort" antenna. Kevin Loughin (KB9RLW) does a good job of explaining how to adapt your telephone line for radio reception, and warns about the safety precautions involved in using this antenna.  Of particular concern is the 48 volts DC present on an active line and the 90 volts DC present when a call comes in.  That's sufficient voltage to destroy a small transistor radio.  To avoid this issue,  just add a capacitor in series to eliminate the line voltage and a high pass filter to suppress the ringtones. Hopefully, we won't have to resort to this method of communications. But, in this violent century, one never knows when such antenna solutions may be necessary. For the latest Amateur R...

If you can't view this video, please insert this title URL into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHK7kKsVVw0. One of the most fascinating portions of the electromagnetic spectrum lies in the area below 300 kHz--the realm of Low Frequency (LF) and Very Low Frequency (VLF).  The "basement" of the RF spectrum contains all kinds of interesting signals, from military communications (for submarines, mostly) and time signals to atmospheric noise and the sounds of the Earth itself.  Now that radio amateurs are allowed to explore some of this spectrum (630 meters and 2200 meters), you may want to build an antenna to familiarize yourself with the phenomena present way below the standard broadcast band. In this video, Kevin Loughin shows you an antenna called a "ground spike" that can be used to monitor these very low frequencies.  The antenna is simple, inexpensive, and fun to use. For the latest Amateur Radio news and information, please ...

If you can't view this video, please insert this title URL into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPGmad2MMVM. "soccerkicker266" has done an excellent job of building this portable 2 meter yagi antenna based on a design by KD5IVP. This radio amateur took the antenna to the summit of Mr. Adams (12,281 feet/3744.2 meters) and was able to contact a repeater in Pullman, Washington 211 miles/341.8 kilometers away with only 5 watts.  A nice, simple, effective antenna for portable use. For the latest Amateur Radio news and information, please visit these websites: http://www.HawaiiARRL.info. https://oahuarrlnews.wordpress.com. https://bigislandarrlnews.com. http://www.arrl.org. http://www.arrl.org/arrl-audio-news (a weekly podcast which is updated each Friday afternoon). https://paper.li/kh6frm/1430289353 (Amateur Radio News & Information). Other sites of interest: Hawaii Science Digest (https://paper.li/f-1476233615). Hawaii Intelli...

If you can't view this video, please insert this title URL into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnN0NVGqtKQ. A ground radial or counterpoise system is necessary to get maximum performance from your HF vertical antenna.  Installing a ground radial system can take hours if you have to dig a small trench for each radial element. If you plan on having many radials, such as 16 to 32 buried wires, you could spend most of your weekend inserting wires into grooves and covering them up with earth.  In this video, Rich Rogers manages to install a basic ground radial system in about 10 minutes using an electric edger tool and tamping down the wire with his foot.  Plastic lawn staples can be used to hold down the wire until the grass grows back or soil covers the slit trench. For the latest Amateur Radio news and information, please visit these websites, http://www.HawaiiARRL.info. https://oahuarrlnews.wordpress.com. https://bigislandarrlnews.com. ...

If you can't view this video, please insert this title URL into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgQFJYCXpo. Another excellent video tutorial from Peter Parker (VK3YE).  This time, Peter builds a 144 MHz, 4-element yagi antenna.  The emphasis in this video is on dimensions and proper spacing of antenna elements.  This antenna is suitable for a variety of amateur radio uses, including portable/emergency operations, 2-meter SSB, and DX-peditions.  As configured by Peter, the antenna is horizontally polarized. You could add a gamma match to provide a bit more spectrum. For the latest Amateur Radio news and information, please visit these websites: http://www.HawaiiARRL.info. https://oahuarrlnews.wordpress.com. https://bigislandarrlnews.com. http://www.arrl.org. http://www.arrl.org/arrl-audio-news (a weekly podcast which is updated each Friday afternoon). https://paper.li/kh6jrm/1430289353 (Amateur Radio News & Information). Ot...

If you can't view this video, please enter this title URL into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29CA_IPyg9M. This end-fed halfwave antenna from 2E0VOV is based on the popular "Par Endfedz" QRP multiband antenna.  In this case, 2E0VOV used a FT140-43 toroid with a total of 16 windings and a 100 pf capacitor across the feed point. The 40 meter loading coil is made from 58 feet/17.68 meters of enamel wire wound tightly on a 20 mm form. A good, simple, inexpensive antenna suitable for portable and emergency operations. For the latest Amateur Radio news and information, please visit these websites: http://www.HawaiiARRL.info. https://oahuarrlnews.wordpress.com. https://bigislandarrlnews.com. http://www.arrl.org. http://www.arrl.org/arrl-audio-news (a weekly podcast which is updated each Friday afternoon). https://paper.li/kh6jrm/1430289353 (Amateur Radio News & Information). Other sites of interest: Hawaii Science Digest (https://p...