Simple Ham Radio Antennas

If you're having trouble viewing this video, please insert this title link into your blog search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyZbQEUtyE4. This is post #840 in a continuing series on Amateur Radio Antennas. Another great and easily- followed antenna tutorial from "Tinker John" (W5CYF).  This simple portable antenna is perfect for backpacking or portable operations from a public park, beach, or even your backyard. John uses a few Dollar Tree earphone cases, some surplus wire, and a few inexpensive items from his ham shack to build a very effective portable QRP antenna.  The cost of wire has increased significantly over the past few years, so you may have to visit a few "garage sales" to get the wire you need.  You can use a telescoping, fiberglass mast to support the antenna in a horizontal, sloper, or inverted vee configuration.  A great antenna idea. For the latest Amateur Radio news and information, please check out the blog sidebars.  These news f

If you're having trouble viewing this video, please insert this title link into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8Zh1_Mntz0.  Another well-done video tutorial from Peter Parker (VK3YE).  In this video, Peter uses a 20 meter half square antenna to get some good DX at the sea shore.  The antenna consists of a wavelength of wire cut to frequency in a wide "U" configuration over ground.  Proximity to the shoreline certainly helps launch a low angle signal suitable for DX contacts.  You should get at least a 3dB gain out of this simple antenna. 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!  This is post #839 in a continuing series about amateur radio antennas. Aloha es 73 de Russ (KH6JRM).

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