Simple Ham Radio Antennas

If you have trouble viewing this video, please insert the follow URL into your browser search box: https://youtu.be/IAiilzV8NpI. Excellent video tutorial from Dave Turlock (KG0ZZ) on how to build a simple, effective 2 meter backpack quad antenna for portable or home use.  You can use fiberglass rod, arrow shafts, or bamboo for the spreaders,  Some PVC pipe can be used for the boom.  The longest spreader on Dave's quad is 30-inches/76.2 cm and the boom measures 30 7/8-inches/78.40 cm.  Dave uses #18 AWG wire for the antenna and has trimmed the antenna so it's resonant at 146.20 MHz.  This would make an excellent weekend project.  The antenna will be directional.  Have fun!  For the latest Amateur Radio news and events, please check out the blog sidebars.  These news feeds are updated regularly. 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).

If you have trouble viewing this video, please enter this URL into your browser search box: https://youtu.be/VZKc3PBs67c. Great homebrew, do-it-yourself "Wifi antenna booster dish" for your home station.  This project from Matthias Wandel is simple, effective, and cheap.  Although Matthias uses a pan lined with aluminum foil, you could use a stainless steel pot of similar dimensions for the reflector and get some improved range.  This simple reflector would work well in an apartment complex where you are some distance from a router.  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 (KIH6JRM).

Well-done video tutorial on the 15 meters amateur radio band from "OfficialSWLchannel." This popular ham band covers the frequency range of 21.000 MHz to 21.450 MHz.  The band is available to all classes of amateur radio operators.  Novice and Technician operators are restricted to the CW portions of the band.  This band is an excellent daytime DX band and sometimes stays "open" through the sunset hour.  Antennas are fairly modest and easily assembled.  A quarter wave vertical for 15 meters is approximately 11-feet/3.35 meters long.  A 40 meter vertical can often be used on its third harmonic to operate on 15 meters with some loss of signal due to a slightly higher angle of radiation.  For the latest Amateur Radio news and events, please check the block 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

If you have trouble viewing this video, please enter the following URL into your browser search box: https://youtu.be/-mY7z2xZ97k. An excellent tutorial from "natacus2007" on how to make a quick, cheap, and easy antenna for shortwave listening .  He covers basic soldering techniques and ways of using shrink tubing to protect the antenna from wear and the weather.  This is a receiving antenna, and, as such, a perfect 50-ohm match to a transceiver is not required.  Building a long wire transmitting antenna is an entirely different matter that requires a balun, an decent ground radial system, and an antenna transmatch (tuner).  This simple receiving antenna is designed to improve the reception of weak signals.  I've built a few of these antennas and they work as intended for my portable shortwave receivers.  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 fre

If you're having trouble viewing this video, please insert the following URL into your browser search box: https://youtu.be/iInJkG8YPkA. A good general review of basic antenna theory for those just entering the amateur radio hobby.  Although the video is well done and easily understood, Carl Oliver fails to mention the role of the magnetic field, which contains the antenna current. Both the electrical and magnetic fields are required for radiation to occur.  Carl also states that full wave antennas will not radiate.  That's not necessarily the case.  The Extended Double Zepp is a full wave dipole-like antenna that does very well with a balanced tuner and 450 ohm ladder line.  Despite these shortcomings, Carl Oliver does a good job of outlining basic antenna theory for those just entering the hobby. Perhaps Carl has over generalized a bit.  He should probably do a follow up video incorporating subject areas he overlooked.  For the latest Amateur Radio news and events, please

If you have trouble viewing this video, please insert the following URL into your browser search box: https://youtu.be/MxskjoxWi1A. I've always been fascinated by the Isotron line of vertical antennas . They seem to work fairly well despite some  criticism directed at there structure and limited bandwidth. I know a few hams living in restricted areas (HOAs and CC&Rs ) who use these capacitance-loaded antennas when they can't erect a full-sized antenna on their property.  In this "videosbymike" tutorial, we see how simple it is to unpack, assemble, and use this interesting antenna.  In this case, the antenna was erected about 20-feet/6.09 meters above ground on an apartment balcony.  The antenna was able to raise Santiago, Chile and Puerto Rico with little difficulty on 10 meters. The rig used was an old Radio Shack HTX-10 meter transceiver.  For the latest Amateur Radio news and events, please check out the blog sidebars.  These news feeds are updated daily.

If you have trouble viewing this video, please insert the following URL into your browser search box: https://youtu.be/yMCAYdcDXng.  An excellent mast setup tutorial from VK4FADI (now VK4MAC).  The "Dingo" post hole digger certainly makes the job easier.  This mast will stay put and will support a variety of antennas.  According to VK4MAC, the tip of  his mast is approximately 5.7 meters/18.6 feet above ground.  The mast can be extended if necessary. Presently, the well-placed mast is supporting a G5RV Junior Antenna in an inverted V configuration.  Well done, easily understood video.  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).