Simple Ham Radio Antennas

Vintage Hybrid Transceivers (http://www.eham.net/articles/36648). Author:  James Benedict (N8FVJ) Please click title or article link to read the complete report. Comment: This article by James Benedict (N8FVJ) is one of the more interesting reviews of vintage hybrid transceivers online.  A hybrid design uses a solid state receiver and a tube type transmitter, usually with 6146 finals. Benedict concentrates on early rigs produced by Yaesu and Kenwood, two companies that drove many U.S. manuafacturers out of business during the 1970s through the 1990s. Many of us owned some of these rigs early on during our "careers" as radio amateurs.  Many of these rigs are still on the air and continue to receive outstanding reports of audio and transmission quality. According to James, here are the vintage rigs worth saving, repairing, collecting, and using. The Kenwood series of HF transceivers: Kenwood TS-520s Kenwood TS-530s Kenwood TS-820s Kenwood TS-830s The Yaes

If you're having difficulty viewing this video, please insert this title link into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZmyvtMvEGY. Another great, easy-to-understanding antenna tutorial from Ray (G4NSJ). In this laid back and thoroughly engaging conversation, Ray explains the theory, design, and operation of the doublet antenna, one of my favorite multi-band antennas. Cut the antenna for the lowest band of use, feed the antenna with 300 ohm television twin lead, 450 ohm ladder line, or 600 ohm balanced line, and connect the feedline to your antenna transmatch (i.e. "tuner") with a 4:1 current balun. Run a short length of 50 ohm coaxial cable to your HF transceiver, and you're ready to explore a multitude of bands with just one antenna.  My doublet is designed for the 40 meter band and is configured as an inverted vee.  With a 450 ohm ladder line feeder, a 4:1 current balun, and my trusty Drake MN-4 "tuner", I can work the 40, 20, 15, a

If you're having trouble viewing this video, please insert this title link into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKNE25ZNgu4.  One of these days, you may want to try a simple bi-square antenna for 10 meters. This antenna is simple, portable, and cheap.  In this video, Peter Parker (VK3YE) shows us how to build a simple bi-square antenna for the 10 meter amateur radio band.  If you follow his simple instructions, you should have a working antenna is a short period of time.  The construction is fairly easy:  Take two ten-meter pieces of wire and form them into a square with the ends at the top and bottom. Support is at the top of a small mast.  Tie off the sides to maintain a square or diamond shape.  Connect your feed line through an antenna transmatch (i.e. "tuner" or coupler) and check for SWR.  In this video, Peter was able to contact several stations using his QRP rig--a Yaesu FT-817. Good luck! For the latest Amateur Radio news and informat

If you're having trouble viewing this video, please insert this title link into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I144kzJxzDA.  This video from James Sanders (AG6IF) presents another way of getting on 2 m and 70 cm without drawing attention to your station.  James uses an old parabolic dish antenna and cleverly converts it into a 2m/70 cm slot antenna.  The antenna blends in well with other satellite antennas in your neighborhood. James gives clear, concise instructions on how to make the 40-inch/101.6 cm slot and how to connect a SO-239 jumper at a point 4.5-inches/11.43 cm from the end of the slot. James says the disguised antenna is vertically polarized and can be used on both 2 meters and 70 centimeters.  He also provides graphing of the antenna SWR and other antenna measurements.  This slot antenna would fit in nicely for those radio amateurs living in HOA/CC&R-controlled homes. For the latest Amateur Radio news and information, please check ou

If you're having trouble viewing this video, please enter this title link into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABO45xFZCv8.  I've never been very good at attaching PL-259 and Ring connectors to coaxial cable. I can do the task, but I really don't like it.  I may have to change my mind after seeing this well-made, simply explained video from Dave Turlock (KG0ZZ).  It's really a simple process if one takes the job step-by-step and is careful about following the correct procedure.  In this video, Dave shows how he solders a PL-259 and the Ring Connectors to RG-8X (mini 8) coaxial cable.  He then shows how he makes connections for a 2 meter vertical dipole, a triband yagi antenna with dipole elements, and a small quad and quagi antennas.  Nicely done video. For the latest Amateur Radio news and information, please check out the blog sidebars.  These news feeds are updated daily. Opinions expressed in this blog are mine unless otherwise state

Basics of Radio Wave Propagation (http://www.ecjones.org/propag.html). Accessed on 11 July 2016, 20:45 hrs, UTC. Author:  Edwin C. Jones (AE4TM), MD, Phd. Please click title link or enter the article URL into your browser search box. Comment: A fundamental understanding of Radio Wave Propagation is vital if radio amateurs are to run effective, efficient stations. In this excellent tutorial from Edwin C. Jones, Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee, we get a basic explanation of Radio Wave Propagation and the workings of Earth's atmosphere, which can serve as a foundation for greater understanding of the natural forces that govern our radio signals. Dr. Jones divides the presentation into easily understandable section, covering several important areas, including: Aurora, backscatter, blind zone, Es, F2, grey line, LUF, meteor scatter, MUF, TA, TEP, ducting, and tropospheric scatter. Dr. Jones also includes a brief

If you're having difficulty viewing this video, please insert this title link into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIS64xHIog0.  If you can't erect a full half-wavelength dipole at your QTH, why not try building a trap dipole?  Properly designed, a trap dipole antenna will be almost as efficient as a full-sized HF dipole antenna.  By following Stan Gibilisco's (W1GV) step-by-step explanation of the theory and construction practices behind trap dipoles, you should have little trouble building this antenna. Good luck! For the latest Amateur Radio news and information, please check out the blog sidebars.  These news feeds are updated daily. Opinions expressed in this blog are mine unless otherwise stated. Thanks for joining us today! Aloha es 73 de Russ (KH6JRM).