Simple Ham Radio Antennas

If you can't view this video, please insert this title URL into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYg9jbdjTIw. Excellent, well-paced video from "Musings" showing us one way to convert a 5/8 wave CB antenna for ham radio use.  Depending on your interests, this video can help you transform an old 11 meter (CB) antenna into an effective vertical antenna for 20, 15, or 10 meters with just a few shop tools and a little imagination. I've converted a few 108-inch/274.32 cm CB whip antennas (from Radio Shack) into usable 10 meter vertical antennas without much difficulty. While this video has a bit of a learning curve, it shouldn't be too hard to copy the procedures shown and build your own, inexpensive HF vertical antenna from unused or discarded CB antennas. For the latest Amateur Radio news and information, please visit these websites: http://www.HawaiiARRL.info. https://oahuarrlnews.wordpress.com. https://bigislandarrlnews.com. http:

If you can't view this video, please insert this title URL into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mht2YyWAH1I To quote "Tinker John" (W5CYF) in this helpful, informative video, "effective and safe grounding is a complex and often controversial subject." The purpose of this easy to understand video is to show some of the ways to safely ground your entire amateur radio station, and thereby, reduce noise and the risk of injury.  If you have questions this video can't answer, please consult a professional engineer who will identify your specific needs and recommend ways to make your station safe. For the latest Amateur Radio news and information, please visit these websites: http://www.HawaiiARRL.info. https://oahuarrlnews.wordpress.com. https://bigislandarrlnews.com. http://www.arrl.org. http://www.arrl.org/arrl-audio-news (a weekly podcast which is updated each Friday afternoon). https://paper.li/kh6jrm/1430289353 (Amateur

If you can't view this video, please insert this title URL into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWfqZOVqzeA. This is post #1235. Although the telephone wire leading to your home may make an excellent antenna, please be careful how you use this "last resort" antenna. Kevin Loughin (KB9RLW) does a good job of explaining how to adapt your telephone line for radio reception, and warns about the safety precautions involved in using this antenna.  Of particular concern is the 48 volts DC present on an active line and the 90 volts DC present when a call comes in.  That's sufficient voltage to destroy a small transistor radio.  To avoid this issue,  just add a capacitor in series to eliminate the line voltage and a high pass filter to suppress the ringtones. Hopefully, we won't have to resort to this method of communications. But, in this violent century, one never knows when such antenna solutions may be necessary. For the latest Amateur R

If you can't view this video, please insert this title URL into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHK7kKsVVw0. One of the most fascinating portions of the electromagnetic spectrum lies in the area below 300 kHz--the realm of Low Frequency (LF) and Very Low Frequency (VLF).  The "basement" of the RF spectrum contains all kinds of interesting signals, from military communications (for submarines, mostly) and time signals to atmospheric noise and the sounds of the Earth itself.  Now that radio amateurs are allowed to explore some of this spectrum (630 meters and 2200 meters), you may want to build an antenna to familiarize yourself with the phenomena present way below the standard broadcast band. In this video, Kevin Loughin shows you an antenna called a "ground spike" that can be used to monitor these very low frequencies.  The antenna is simple, inexpensive, and fun to use. For the latest Amateur Radio news and information, please

If you can't view this video, please insert this title URL into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPGmad2MMVM. "soccerkicker266" has done an excellent job of building this portable 2 meter yagi antenna based on a design by KD5IVP. This radio amateur took the antenna to the summit of Mr. Adams (12,281 feet/3744.2 meters) and was able to contact a repeater in Pullman, Washington 211 miles/341.8 kilometers away with only 5 watts.  A nice, simple, effective antenna for portable use. For the latest Amateur Radio news and information, please visit these websites: http://www.HawaiiARRL.info. https://oahuarrlnews.wordpress.com. https://bigislandarrlnews.com. http://www.arrl.org. http://www.arrl.org/arrl-audio-news (a weekly podcast which is updated each Friday afternoon). https://paper.li/kh6frm/1430289353 (Amateur Radio News & Information). Other sites of interest: Hawaii Science Digest (https://paper.li/f-1476233615). Hawaii Intelli