Simple Ham Radio Antennas

U.S. Sharpens Surveillance of Crippling Solar Storms (http://www.nature.com/news/us-sharpens-surveillance-of-crippling-solar-storms-1.20630). Accessed on 24 September 2016, 01:15 hrs, UTC. Reporter:  Alexandra Witze Please click link or insert title URL into your browser search box to read the full article. Comment: It's only a matter of time before a X-Class solar flare or strong Coronal Mass Ejection hits Earth head on with devastating results to our power grids, communications, and our digitally managed economies.  If we're not prepared for the inevitable, we could wake up the next morning in the 19th century. By early October 2016, NOAA should have a better idea of just how dangerous X-Class flares and CMEs are, thanks to a new method of predicting the intensity of solar geomagnetic storms.  Scientists have successfully integrated the data gained from sun-orbiting satellites into a new model that "spells out which power grids are at risk" from intense s

If you're having trouble viewing this video, please insert this title link into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMexeDPeRIM. I've heard of fan dipole antennas, but this video shows something different in the "fan dipole family"--the fan vertical HF antenna. Corey Klumper (N0ECK) of Russell, MN show us how he modified the fan dipole concept into something useful for those of us using vertical HF antennas.  The nicely done video shows us the complete design and assembly process.  Corey says his fan HF vertical covers the 40-80 and -160 meter bands.  He used this antenna successfully in the 2015 contest season.  You may want to build a version of this intriguing antenna for your station. For the latest Amateur Radio news and information, please visit my news site at: http://www.kh6jrm.info. If you're an amateur radio operator in my home state of Hawaii, please check into my Hawaii ARRL news site:  http://bigislandarrlnews.wordpress.com.

If you're having trouble viewing this video, please insert this title link into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJHfzeqaW5U. Nicely done video from N7JFP on winding a simple 1:4 current balun. For this balun, he used a single torroid core T-130-2 and two sets of 18 gauge copper wires. Each side of the torroid has turns of wire.  The balun covers 14 MHz through 54 MHz and would make a good foundation for a balanced antenna transmatch (i.e. "tuner") using 450 ohm ladder line or 300 ohm television twin lead for an antenna feeder.  A good project for a rainy evening. For the latest Amateur Radio news and information, please visit my news site at http://www.kh6jrm.info. Be sure to check out the blog sidebars for more antenna articles and information. Opinions in this blog are mine unless otherwise stated. Thanks for joining us today! Until next time! Aloha es 73 de Russ (KH6JRM).

If you're having trouble viewing this video, please insert this title link into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3_LIQ6G6e4.  Exceptionally well made video from NG9D showing you a very simple way to design, make, and erect a vertical closed loop antenna that covers all Amateur Radio bands from 20 to 10 meters. Each construction step is thoroughly explained and shown in the video.  If you follow the instructions, you'll have little difficulty in building and using this antenna.  Attaching a coaxial feed line to the antenna is easy--just solder one end of the antenna to the center pin of the coax and the other end to the braided shield.  An antenna transmatch (i.e. "tuner" would help match the antenna impedance to the impedance of your transceiver. You would also need a vertical support of at least 30 feet/9.14 meters to get maximum performance out of this antenna.  You could also use television twin lead or 450 ohm ladder line to feed the ant

If you're having trouble viewing this video, please insert this title link into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4jGNFGN-RQ.  Here's a handy 9:1 unun from m1tina that will make your use of a longwire antenna much more efficient and pleasurable.  The 9:1 unun is an impedance transformer to feed high impedance, end-fed (unbalanced) random wire antennas, which may exhibit an impedance of a few hundred ohms.  The unun transforms the impedance of the wire into something closer to 50 ohms--something your transceiver will appreciate.  The 9:1 unun is wound on a T200-2 core and has 9 trifilar turns of enamel wire.  This is a great weekend project! For the latest Amateur Radio news and information, please visit my news site at http://www.kh6jrm.info. If you're a radio amateur living on the Big Island of Hawaii, be sure to check my ARRL PIO (public information officer) blog at http://bigislandarrlnews.wordpress.com. Be sure to check out the blog sideb