Simple Ham Radio Antennas

If you have trouble viewing this video please enter this URL into your browser search bar: https://youtu.be/Mg2yGn5TRPU. Well-done antenna installation from "Doctor Dave" using trees to support his antenna, rather than towers. "Dave" uses a method popularized in many of the old ARRL Antenna Books--using weighted paint cans on each end to keep the lines taught while allowing the trees to move in the wind without breaking the wire. With a few door springs and assorted tools, you, too, can use trees as antenna supports. When I did a similar project a few years ago, I had the help of a fellow ham who helped keep things in order and monitored the symmetry of the final antenna arrangement. An extra pair of hands really helps. For the latest Amateur Radio news and events, please check out the blog sidebars. These news feeds are updated daily. You can follow our blog community with a free e-mail subscription or by tapping into the blog RSS feed. Thanks for joining

Excellent antenna tuning tutorial from Randy Hall (K7AGE). Although the information is directed to Technician Class Licensees, the general theory behind building dipole antennas can be applied to any Amateur Radio Band or License Class. Technician Class License holders can use a wide swath of 10 meters for CW, digital, and phone operations. The SSB phone segment between 28.300 MHz and 28.500 MHz is especially useful for those beginning  their ham radio  experience and license progression. When 10 meters "is in", world wide communication on 10 meters with simple antennas is common place. Randy discusses how to design, build, and erect a simple 10 meter dipole, which will give you hours of DX and local contacts at minimum cost. The math is simple and the instructions are clear. Once you design and build your 10 meter dipole, just attach a convenient length of 50 ohm coaxial cable (such as RG-58, RG-8X, or RG-8) as your feed line and get the antenna as high as possible.

Exceptionally well-done and ably narrated by Ray of the "Radio Workshop" in the UK . Ray provides an easy to understand basic tutorial on the theory, design, and construction of simple vertical antennas for HF , shortwave, and the Amateur Radio Bands. He shows ground-mounted antennas with and without ATUs (antenna tuning units or "tuners"). These simple antennas are easy to make, inexpensive, and perform well for the resources invested. With an adequate ground radial system, vertical antennas can provide hours of great DX and local chats with your ham radio friends. For the latest Amateur Radio news and events, please check out the blog sidebars. These news feeds are updated frequently. You can follow our blog community with a free e-mail subscription or by tapping into the blog RSS feed . For more Amateur Radio news, please visit my other news sites: http://kh6jrm.net and http://paper.li/kh6jrm/1430289353. Thanks for being with us today! Aloha es 73

If you have trouble viewing this video, please insert this URL into your browser: http://youtu.be/cpsFJRzaANc. Interesting test of Chameleon Antennas's new magnetic F Loop Antenna. The test was conducted in March 2015 near Thunder Bay, Ontario overlooking Lake Superior by Fred (VE3FAL) and Gary (VE3ODE). The rigs used for the test were an ICOM IC-703 running 10 watts and an Elecraft KX3 running about 5 watts. The results are impressive given the small size of the antenna. This new F Loop antenna would make a nice emergency or portable antenna. For the latest Amateur Radio news and events, please check out the blog sidebars. These news feeds are updated daily. You can follow our blog community with a free e-mail subscription or by tapping into the blog RSS feed. Thanks for joining us today! Aloha es 73 de Russ (KH6JRM).

Well-done documentary and brief history of the Morse Code and why our oldest digital mode is growing in popularity in the Amateur Radio Community. There's also a nice shot of John Lyon's (K4CNV) amateur radio station in this video. Although I learned enough enough code to pass my novice license back in 1977, I never really used CW extensively until I became an Amateur Extra Class licensee back in 2005. When I retired from the broadcast business and became a substitute teacher, I had plenty of time to sharpen those dulled CW skills. Besides, much of the world's best DX lies hidden in the lower 25 kHz of the ham bands--places reserved for Extra Class license holders. I found CW a great break from the rigors of the day and enjoyed the conversational contacts with my fellow CW enthusiasts. Lately, I've been hanging out in the old novice/technician parts of the ham bands, talking with newly licensed amateur radio operators. Perhaps, I've developed an appreciatio