Simple Ham Radio Antennas

How would you like to use what I call the "ultimate stealth antenna" at your deed-restricted location?  While I was doing some research for antennas at my new home location in the Puna District of Hawaii Island, I came across a fascinating article by Mike Toia (K3MT).  Over 20 years ago, Mike designed, built, and used something called the "grasswire antenna" which would serve as a  nearly invisible, yet effective antenna while he traveled from his various jobs.  Although the antenna appears to be a lossy dummy load on steroids, the data revealed by Mike show that this unusual antenna does work--not as well a dipole or a yagi, but it does get contacts in difficult operating situations. The antenna is ridiculously simple to build and use.  Mike says his design "is an end-fed, longwire antenna that is laid right in the grass."  This would be perfect for those amateurs that have restrictive HOAs and CC&Rs prohibiting outdoor antennas. Mike's origi

How would you like to build a 40-10 meter vertical antenna that could be used in portable or emergency situations?  For the relatively low cost of some housewire, a length of 450-ohm ladder line, some clip leads, a few insulators, a 4:1 balun, a small length of coaxial cable, and an antenna transmatch, you could have a simple multiband antenna that will give you hours of fun on your next mini DXpedition to the nearest public park or in your own back yard.  With a  QRP rig, a deep cycle marine battery, and a few solar panels, you can enjoy a few carefree hours without increasing your electric bill. I have such a station placed in my Odyssey van.  I can operate when the mood strikes me or when a local emergency is declared.  During the quarterly break from my teaching duties, I decided to unpack my portable station and give it a brief "shakedown cruise" at my new homesite in the Puna District of Hawaii Island. I wanted to relax a bit after a day's work of clearing t

In my last post, I recounted a conversation I had with Dean Manley (KH6B) on Monday, 30 September 2013 concerning the use of "dummy loads" as emergency antennas.  The conversation centered around Hank Scharfe's (W6SKC/7) attempt to get some power into his 150-ft (45.73 meters) grounded inverted "L" antenna following the failure of his automatic antenna tuner.  Hank was successful in meeting his scheduled nets when he used his Waters dummy load with a "T" UHF connector to feed some rf to his antenna.  Although most of his power was confined to the dummy load, there was sufficient power delivered to his antenna to complete his schedules. Dean and I have made several such antennas for field day and portable operations.  In fact, I mentioned my own experience with a dummy load antenna back in September 2012 when I was a newly licensed novice operator.  That contact surprised me, and that experience has kept me interested in radiating dummy loads ever si

On Monday, 30 September 2013, I had the day off from my substitute teaching assignment and I decided to meet with some of my amateur radio friends at the Hilo, Hawaii Jack In The Box Restaurant for informal discussions concerning amateur radio.  The Hawaii QRP Club holds daily meetings at the popular fast food restaurant around 0800 W.  Most of the time, the meetings are concerned with the usual topics of rigs, DX, antennas, and the latest HOA restrictions on ham operators.  Monday's meeting was going to be different. By the time I arrived at 0800 W, most of the group had departed for their jobs and other concerns, leaving only myself, my xyl, and informal club president Dean Manley (KH6B) left to "hold the fort."  Several times in the past I had lamented my fate in using compromise antennas in the various homes I rented while I was fully employed as a news announcer for KKGB-FM and KHLO-AM in Hilo.  Now that I was building a new home on a larger property, I had more s

I'm always looking for interesting antennas to build for my expanding antenna "farm" at my new house lot in the Puna District of Hawaii Island.  Unlike my present location, the new lot has an acre of space to design, build, and locate new antennas.  So, when I take a break from clearing the land of brush and scrub trees, I have time to explore antennas for my modest station. A few days ago, I ran across an interesting article by William McFadden (WD8RIF) on his "Field Deployable Field Antennas" website.  McFadden wrote about an old classic half-wave length antenna called the W3EDP, a variation of the "Zepp" antennas that were popular in the 1930s.  The original W3EDP article can be found in the March 1936 edition of "QST".  If you're a member of the ARRL, you can access the archives and read about this fascinating antenna. According to McFadden, the W3EDP antenna is a "Zepp" consisting of a radiator 85 feet/25.91 meters and