Simple Ham Radio Antennas

If you're unable to view this video, please insert this title link into your browser search box: https://www.youtube/watch?v=DRFnoCAeJJI.  A wonderfully simple, clear-cut, and easily understood discussion of the theory and design behind many of the baluns used for Amateur Radio.  Don Vanevenhoven does a good job of explaining a complex subject in a friendly, direct manner.  This video would be useful in a basic Amateur Radio licensing class. ------------------------------- For the latest Amateur Radio news and information, please check out my news sites: http://www.kh6jrm.info (breaking news of interest to the Amateur Radio community). https://bigislandarrlnews.wordpress.com (ARRL news and information for Hawaii Island radio amateurs). Here are some more sites that may interest you: http://hawaiisciencedigest.com (the latest news from the worlds of science and technology). https://hawaiiintelligencedigest.com (the latest developments in geopolitical intelligence, milita

30m Vertical Dipole (http://www.dxzone.com/cgi-bin/dir/jump2.cgi?ID=30454). Author:  Terry Glagowski (W1TR). Accessed on 08 November 2016, 19:55 hrs, UTC. Please link or insert title URL into your browser search box to read the full article. Comment: Here's an interesting antenna project for radio amateurs hampered by lack of space or other restrictive housing arrangements.  A vertical dipole antenna may solve many problems, especially if you lack room to install a proper ground radial or "counterpoise" system. Terry Glagowski (W1TR) has designed a compact, portable, and easily assembled vertical dipole antenna for the 30 meter Amateur Radio band. The antenna is made from #10 stranded wire available from most hardware and building supply outlets. According to Terry, "the feedpoint uses a T-section of PVC pipe...the coax loops through the PVC pipe to provide strain relief." Each leg of the vertical dipole measures 23-feet/7.012 meters, with the top

If you're unable to view this video, please insert this title link into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lI_eju4D_TM. In this video from W2AEW, we learn how to use a scope and function generator to measure the length of coax transmission line as well as estimating its impedance.  W2AEW touches briefly on transmission line and reflection theory.  Nice, easily understood tutorial. ---------------------------------------- For the latest Amateur Radio news and information please visit these sites: http://www.kh6jrm.info (breaking news for radio amateurs). https://bigislandarrlnews.wordpress.com (ARRL news and information for Hawaii Island radio amateurs). You may also find these sites interesting: http://hawaiisciencedigest.com (the latest news from the worlds of science and technology). https://hawaiiintelligencedigest.com (latest developments in geopolitical intelligence, military intelligence, espionage, terrorism, the Middle East, and strategic f

NB6Zep Antenna (http://www.dxzone.com/cgi-bin/dir/jump2.cgi?=7483). http://myplace.frontier.com/~nb6z/nb6zep.htm). Author:  NB6Z. Accessed on 06 November 2016, 23:30 hrs, UTC. Please click link or insert title URLs to read the full article. Comment: NB6Z has published an excellent article on designing, building, and using a modified 20 meter extended double zepp antenna which covers all amateur radio bands between 40 and 10 meters. Each leg of this center-fed extended dipole is cut for 33-feet/10.06 meters in the horizontal position, with 5-feet/1.52 meters of antenna wire hanging vertically off each end. Materials include insulators, #18 gauge wire, an antenna transmatch ("tuner") and balanced feed line (450 ohm ladder line or 300 ohm tv twin lead).  If you don't have a balanced antenna "tuner", you can use a 4:1 current balun/coax cable/"tuner" combination to connect the antenna to your HF rig. If you use ladder line, the feed line wil

W5ALT Indoor Vertical Antenna (http://www.dxzone.com/cgi.bin/dir/jump2.cgi?ID=30221). Accessed on 06 November 2016, 03:55 hrs, UTC. Author:  Walt (W5ALT). Please click link or insert title URL to read the full article. Comment: Fascinating article from Walt (W5ALT) on how to design, build, and use an indoor vertical antenna. According to Walt, this simple, base-loaded vertical made from readily available parts enable him to work over 100 countries, all 50 U.S. states on HF, and over 100 grid squares on 6 meters using SSB, CW, and PSK 31 from his apartment in Maracaibo, Venezuela. The key to this antenna's success is the large, tapped loading coil at the antenna's base and an effective radial or counterpoise system. Walt also dismisses some of the common myths concerning indoor antennas and says a properly designed indoor vertical antenna will work well if you pay attention to detail and work at lower power levels. Although this antenna won't match the perfor

If you're unable to view this video, please enter this title link into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry4r3ggIcqE.  Excellent instructional video on how to install an S9 Vertical Antenna.  The video captures the step-by-step process of assembling and using this popular vertical HF antenna.  The fiberglass mast is simple, sturdy, and portable.  Be sure to install a good radial ground system and use a 4:1 UNUN with your antenna transmatch (i.e. "tuner").  A 7 type, 73 beads choke was used on the 50 ohm coaxial feed line.  The mast support was a galvanized water pipe bought at Home Depot. For the latest Amateur Radio news and information, please visit my news sites: https://www.kh6jrm.info (breaking news of interest to radio amateurs). https://bigislandarrlnews.wordpress.com (ARRL news and information for Hawaii Island radio amateurs). For the latest science and technology news, please visit http://hawaiisciencedigest.com. For the latest

Doublet Antenna (http://www.ai4j.com/Projects/antennas/doublet.com). Author:  AI4J. Accessed on 04 November 2016, 04:15 hrs, UTC. Please insert title URL to read the full article. Comment: One of the best all-around multiband HF antennas is the "Doublet".  This antenna is simple to build, easy to erect in a variety of configurations, and inexpensive. The doublet is basically a dipole cut for the basic frequency of interest and fed with balanced feed line, such as 450 ohm ladder line, 300 ohm television twin lead, or homebrewed 600-ohm balanced line.  The balanced feed line is connected to a balanced antenna "tuner" or to a 4:1 balun/"tuner" combination and then attached to your HF transceiver with a short length of coaxial cable. This arrangement allows the doublet to cover amateur radio frequencies between 80 and 10 meters, depending on the lowest frequency selected. In this post, AI4J outlines the advantages/disadvantages, construction practi