Simple Ham Radio Antennas

Short Top Band Antenna (http://www.dxzone.com/cgi-bin/dir/jump2.cgi?ID=32392). Accessed on 17 December 2016, 23:25 hrs, UTC , Post #984. Author:  DJ0IP Please click link or enter the title URL into your browser to read the complete article. Comment: One of the significant drawbacks of antennas designed for the 160 meter band is the large size of the antennas involved.  A full-length dipole cut for "Top Band" can measure as much as 265-feet/80.79 meters from end-to-end. Not many of us have access to such large dimensions on a typical urban lot. Compromise 160 meter band antennas can be used, including vertical helixes, magnetic loops, and coil-loaded shortened dipoles.  The efficiency of such antennas is usually low. In this post, DJ0IP uses a design from Alfred Kluess (DF2BC) to make a very short dipole fed by two types of balanced line which is then attached to a homemade split-stator capacitor and heavy duty coil.  This foreshortened dipole works only on 16

If you're having trouble viewing this video, please enter this title link into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sczo4fmP4yw. This is post #983 in a continuing series of simple ham radio antennas . If you need an emergency antenna for the 2 meter amateur radio band, look no further than the old television you have stored in you garage or radio room. Many older television came with a detachable "rabbit ears" antenna that can be modified to receive and transmit on the 2 meter band .  In this video, KB3PML shows how to adjust the telescoping antenna elements of an old rabbit ears tv antenna to get on the air the air during emergency or portable operations.  You can adjust the length of the two elements with a MFJ SWR analyzer.  I have a similar antenna in my shack to monitor amateur radio and public service bands .  It works very well.  If you search around your neighborhood, you may find one of these rabbit ears antennas for free or at a moder

If you're having trouble viewing this video, please insert this title link into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqsfQnkpmM. Now that winter has arrived and shorter days are upon us, you may want to try some contacts on the 160 meter amateur radio band , which is just above the standard AM broadcast band in the United States .  Noise tends to be a bit lower during the shorter hours of daylight and signals will be enhanced if you use "grey line" propagation.  The only drawback to 160 meter operations is the rather large antennas required, especially in terms of height.  You may want to consider the solution described and demonstrated by Steven Desmarais, who has designed and built a simple inverted L antenna for the "Gentlemen's Band."  Inverted L antennas are also suitable for 80 and 40 meters where vertical heights can be limiting factor .  Along with a good ground radial or counterpoise system, the inverted L makes an excellent

If you're having trouble viewing this video, please insert this title link into your browser searchbox: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYhhm2cIHiM. Here's little device that will make your HF long wire or sloper antenna work much better, while saving the finals in your rig from excessively high SWR.  In this short, concise, well-made video, Victory Ivanoff demonstrates how one of his 9:1 Ununs can help you maximize the performance of a long wire or sloper antenna. You'll also need an antenna transmatch (i.e. "tuner") and a good radial or counterpoise system to keep efficiency high and protect your rig from damaging rf currents in the shack. ------------------------------------------------------- For the latest Amateur Radio news and information, please visit these websites: http://www.HawaiiARRL.info https://oahuarrlnews.wordpress.com https://bigislandarrlnews.wordpress.com http://www.kh6jrm.info (breaking news for the radio amateur) For the late

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=JG1YUSZicxQ. This is post #980 in a continuing series on Simple Ham Radio Antennas. An interesting facet of HF operations is pedestrian mobile--something that is constrained by antenna size and weight. I never liked the idea of walking on a public beach or through a public park dragging a ground radial system with me. In this video, Peter Parker (VK3YE) adopts an idea from the commercially available "Mini Whip" Antenna and makes it work successfully for pedestrian mobile operations--perfect for fun, portable operations, and emergency work. This antenna probably would be useful for radio amateurs living in housing controlled by HOAs and CC&Rs. ----------------------------------------- For the latest Amateur Radio news and information, please visit these websites : http://www.HawaiiARRL.info https://oahuarrlnews.wor

Working 160M from a small lot (http://audiosystemsgroup.com/160MPacificon.pdf) (http://www.dxzone.com/dx30412/working-160m-from-a-small-lot.html) Author:  Jim Brown (K9YC). Accessed on 12 December 2016, 07:05 hrs, UTC. Please click the title link or insert the title URL into your browser search box to read the full report. Comment: If you ever wondered what it would take to operate the "Top Band" or "Gentlemen's Band" (160 Meters) from a small lot, then turn to this extensive 109-page treatise from Jim Brown (K9YC).  The study is presented in the pdf format and must be downloaded to your PC, Mac, Laptop, or Tablet. This well-written and thoroughly fascinating study will answer most questions about operating on the frequencies just above the medium wave AM Broadcast Band.  As you can imagine, designing, building, and using antennas for this band can be challenging. Don't let restricted space stop you from enjoying one of the legacy bands in Amat

If you're having trouble viewing this video, please insert this title URL into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJYCfPLoZ0.   RF chokes are used to prevent unwanted RF from entering your ham shack via the feedline.  In this video, N7JFP does an excellent job of explaining how to design and build a RF choke for VHF and UHF applications.  If you want a RF choke for HF purposes, just take some of the coax feed line near the antenna elements and wind about 5-8 turns into a 4 to 5 inch/10.16 cm to 12.70 cm diameter coil. Secure the coil with 3 to 4 plastic ties and attach it to the mast or supporting structure. For the latest Amateur Radio news and information, please visit these sites: http://www.HawaiiARRL.info. https://oahuarrlnews.wordpress.com. https://bigislandarrlnews.wordpress.com. http://www.kh6jrm.info ( breaking news for radio amateurs ). http://kh6jrm.blogspot.com (Simple Ham Radio Antennas). For the latest science and technology n