Simple, Low Cost Wire Antennas For Radio Amateurs by William

SlffiPL(
LOUJ-COST
UJIR(
T(nnHS
fOR RHDIO
HffiHT(URS
W I LLIAM ORR,W6SAI and STUART COWAN, W2LX
• •
~
~
RRDIO RffiRTfUR CRUDOOH

P.O. BOX 20 13 LAKEWOOD, N EW JERSEY 0870 1
Caution : Working on ante nnas or towers can be dangerous.
All warnings on the equipment and all operating and use
instructions should be adhered to. Make sure that the
antenna is disconnected from the statio n equipment befo re
you begin to work on it. Make sure that your antenna is not
close to power lines, and that it cannot drop on a power line if
wires or supports fail. Do not attempt to climb a tower without
a safety belt. It is best to work on you r antenna with someone
who can assist you with tools and will be able to help in the
event of a problem or an emergency.
Copyright © 1990 by William I. Orr
Published in 1993 by Radio Amateur Callbook

(an imprint of Watson-Guptill Publications,
a division of BPI Communications , Inc.),
P.O. Box 2013, Lakewood, New Jersey 08701
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number : 76-190590

ISBN 0-8230 -8707-7
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be

reproduced or used in any form or by any means-graphic,
electronic, or mechan ical, including photocopy ing, record ing,
taping, or information storage and retrieva l systems-without
written permission of the publisher.
Manufactured in the United States of America
56789/0 1 0099
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1. SUGAR-COAT ED ANTENNA FUNDAMENTALS.. 5

(What You don't Know Will Hurt You!)
CHAPTER 2. RADIO WAVES AND THE NATURE OF THINGS. 14
(Old Mother Nature 's Mysterious Ways)
CHAPTER 3. YOUR ANTENNA AND SIGNAL INTERCEPTION . 23
(How Does t he Radio Wave Get Down
That Skinny Cable?)
CHAPTER 4. DIPOLE AND GROUND PLANE ANTENNAS 38
(Two P opul ar Antennas and All About Them)
CHAPTER 5. THE COAXIAL CABLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
(Your Radio Lifeline)
CHAPTER 6. THE SWR METER. . • • . . . • • . . • • . . . . . • .. 61
(Friend or Foe?)
CHAPTER 7 . DX DIPOLE ANTENNAS YOU CAN BUILD . . . . 70
(Simp le and Effective Antennas That Work!)
CHAPTER 8. THE END-FED, MULTI-BAND ANTENNA 92
(Or , When in Doubt, Use a Long Wire)
CHAPTER 9. VERTICAL ANTENNAS YOU CAN BUILD 105
(No Space for an Antenna? Go Straight UP!)
CHAPTER 10. WORK DX WITH AN "INVISIBLE " ANTENNA 123
(Unobt rus ive Antennas for Apartment Dwellers
and Unlucky Hams Where Antennas Are
Prohibited)
CHAPTER 11. WIRE BEAM ANTENNAS FOR DX! 144
(You Can 't Work 'em if You Can 't Hear 'em )
CHAPTER 12. A UNIVERSAL H-F ANTENNA SYSTEM . . . . .. 157
(Cover 3.5 to 29.7 MHz With One Antenna)
CHAPTER 13. ANTENNA ROUND-UP 168
(Antennas for the 3 N ew HF b ands, Baluns,
Ma sts , Gu ys- and Lots More!)
INDEX 189
FOREWORD
Your antenna is a very important part of your amateur station . An

efficient antenna means good signal reports, consistent QSO's and
exciting DX contacts . The best transmitter is a useless toy if it is
connected to a poor antenna.
This handbook is written for those radio amateurs who dream of a
fifty acre "antenna farm" studded with beam antennas atop 90 foot
telephone poles -- but who are frustrated by a thin pocketbook, fifty
foot wide lots, unsympathetic neighbors, and stee 1y-eyed building in-
spectors who hamper" sky-wire" ambitions!
Designed with an eye to ecomony and maximum performance, the
antennas described in this book have been built, tested and used on
the air by the author and his friends . These antennas are simp le, in-
expensive, and best of all, they work! Exact dimensions are given , and
no guesswork is involved. Many of the antennas work efficiently on
two or more amateur bands, thus giving bonus operation to the amateur
restricted to a single antenna.
For a large chunk of money you can buy a good antenna -- but this
handbook shows you how you can build your own efficient antennas at
minimum cost -- and today this is important to all of us!
Metric system dimensions are added to all measurements in this
Handbook as a convenience to the overseas amateurs. During the next
decade the U.S. will be heading towards the Metric system and it is
suggested the reader familiarize himself with the accurate and simple
measurement technique. After all, wavelength is measured in meters ,
why not antenna dimensions?
The portions of this handbook dealing with basic antenna theory
also appear in the handbook, The Truth About CB Antennas, also
published by Radio Publications Inc. They provide a popular , non -
technical introduction to the mysteries of antenna operation.
No matter how small your ant e n n a farm, or how c ram p e d your
finances , this handbook can solve your antenna problem. Good luck
and good DX to you!
Chapter 1
Sugar-Coated Antenna Fundamentals

IWhat You Don't Know Will Hurt You!!
Your antenna is your most important piece of radio equipment. It is

the key to working DX and having solid, consistent contacts.
You have probably heard a lot of words and stories about transmit-
ting antennas and some of them are true . "Sky wires" seem to be mys-
terious objects to many radio amateurs . This may be due, in part, to an
incomplete understanding of how antennas work on the part of the per-
plexed operator, but it is also due to a lot of m is i n for mat ion and
"baloney" floating around in books, magazines and on the air.
It is true that the antenna makes a big difference in the performance
of your station. If you are a skilled operator and happen upon excellent
propagation conditions , you can probably work DX with a piece of wire
lying on the floor of your shack, but you will do far better under or-
dinary propagation conditions with a good sky wire - - so ignore the
wiseacre who te lls you, "Your antenna's unimportant; just string up a
piece of wire!", or something along these lines . Such information is
just as misleading as is the hard-sell advertisement of an aggressive
antenna manufacturer who wants your dollars in exchange for his
vastly overrated (and perhaps inferior!) beam antenna. Luckily for the
amateur, such manufacturers are in the minority.
You will find, as have others, that a good working knowledge of
antennas helps you to solve many of your operating problems, aids you
in making a sensible choice if you buy an antenna, permits you to build
your own antenna that will work and -- in the long run -- gives you a
stronger signa 1.
This Handbook discusses practical antennas and gives you the
basic information you need to have a top-notch antenna, regardless of
the type you choose. Important dimensions for all antennas are given
in feet and inches and also in meters and centimeters.
Simple and effective wire antennas for the HF and VHF amateur
bands are covered in detail in language you can understand.
6 SUGAR-COATED ANTENNA FUNDAMENTAL~
A brand-new chapter on "invisible" (low profile) ant ennas is pro-

vided for the amateur living in an a pa rt me nt house or neighborhood that
frowns on conventional, highly visible antenna systems. Mysterious
matters such as standing wave ratio (SWR) and SWR meters are discus-
sed and e xplained in simple terms. Finally, this Handbook provides
complete, detailed data on an effective antenna tuner you can build.
In summary, then--
1- The antenna is a very important part of your station. A low pow-

er transmitter connected to a good antenna will outperform a high
power transmitter hooked to a poor antenna.
2- A good antenna does not cost a bundle. You can build a good,
efficient wire antenna for any amateur high frequency or VHF
band for a few dollars.
3- A good wire antenna is not difficult to build or erect and it will
launch your signal into space with a good boost. You do not need
a lot of expensive real estate to erect a good antenna , either.
4- "Know-how" is everything in antennas (as in other things).
Everything you want to know and need to know is in this Hand-
book in simple, clear and understandable language. No gobble-
degook or double talk.
Let 's start at the beginning. Antennas have had an interesting his-
tory over the years and a study of the past may prevent errors in the
future. So here's a quick, concise background of the very early history
of rad io and a short introduction to radio waves, antennas and the
nature of things. We'll look at some interesting early antennas, the
sugar-coated theory of radio transmission, antenna gain, and so on. In
addition, this painless introduction will help you to understand just how
tod ay's amateur DX antennas work. The straight dope, in other words!
The Early Days
Over 150 years ago experimenters found that when an electric cur-
rent flowed through a wire, a magnetic field was found wrapped about
the wire. Shortly thereafter, it was discovered that a changing mag-
netic field produced a flow of current in a nearby wire. From these
two discoveries, Michael Faraday of England proposed the novel idea
of a magnetic "flux field" or "lines of force" (invisible lines of
WIRE ANTENNA HANDBOOK 7
tension in space: like stretched rubber bands) to explain the phen-

omenon of magnetic fields and force acting at a distance. Faraday,
moreover, expanded his curious idea into a general "field theory" of
force which proposed that all space was filled by various force fields:
magnetic, electric, gravitational, and so on.
About 1850 a canny Scotsman, James Clerk Maxwell, derived a
breath-taking concept of nature and revealed a striking set of mathe-
matical rules that encompassed all known electromagnetic knowledge
and in the broader sense predicted an entirely new theory of electro-
magnetic radiation, described by Maxwell in te rms of his "field equa-
tions." Maxwell boldly stated that "light consists of undulations of
the ether" and predicted that electric and magnetic phenomena were
similar to light and that electric "undulations" could exist in free
space, in the same manner as light waves. The electric "undulations"
were described by a set of monumental equations that showed a wave
freely travelling from place to place, with an interchange of energy
constantly radiating outwards from the source.
This was quite an idea for 1850!
Hertzian Waves
Thirty-two years after Maxwell's amazing electromagnetic theory and

forty years after Faraday's original suggestion of an electric field,
Heinrich Hertz of Germany proved its existence. He built a powerful
radio oscillator using a "sparking coil," Leyden jars and a simple
antenna. The transmitter worked at a frequency of about 53 MHz (meg-
ahertz), just about where TV channel 2 is today! For a receiver, Hertz
used a length of wire bent into a loop and havin g "sparking balls" at
the gap (Figure 1). By painstaking adjustment of the gap, Hertz made
his simple receiver sensitive enough to spark at a distance of about 30
feet from the oscillator. This amazing fellow then proceeded to focus
his electromagnetic waves with simple directional (beam) antennas and
reflect the waves from metal surfaces! Other experimenters duplicated
Hertz's gear and soon extended the range of the sparkin g-ball receiver
and sparking-coil transmitter up to three hundred feet or so.
An interested observer of these early experiments was Guglielmo
Marconi, of Italy. In 1895 he started his famous experiments, culmin-
ating in his historic trans-Atlantic radio transmissions in 1901. "Wire-
less" had come of age and by World War I, Marconi radio equipment
was placed in service by various countries and used to handle mes-
sages over hundreds of miles. Contrary to the work of Hertz, early
8 SUGAR-COATED ANTENNA FUNDAMENTALS
Fig. 1 WORLD'S FIRST radio transmitter (left) and radio receiver (right).
In 1884, Heinrich Hertz of Germany generated and detected radio waves
using this equipment. The waves came from a spark transmitter which used
two copper plates as an antenna. Holding a resonant length of wire bent
into a loop, Hertz moved about his laboratory and found that a small spark
would jump across the gap in the loop within certain distances from the
transmitter. In this fashion Hertz verified the formulas of Maxwell and proved
radio waves existed and determined the ir wavelength. He also found that
he could reflect and refract his waves with large metal sheets serving as a
"radio mirror" (Drawing adapted from "Radio Theory and Operating", by
Loom is, 1925).
"wireless" stations used very long waves, since it was obvious to

these early experimenters that long waves were needed to cover long
distances!
The Great Days
After World War I, the first radio amateurs experimented with "short"
radio waves and frequencies as high as today's TV channels were
tried by 1925. A gr eat expansion of communication activity into the
shortwave (high frequency) radio spectrum occurred when it was found
that the waves could be sent around the world by bouncing them off
an ionized layer of the atmosphere and back to earth. This layer
(the ionosphere) va ri es in height 100 to 250 miles above the earth.
With the perfection of stable frequency control for transmitters and
(j, 1l 0 U N O -===-
Fig. 2 SPARK RADIO TRANSMITTER of 1910 was run from a large wet battery
and motor generator (left). A step-up transformer (center) provided high
voltage for the spark gap and asci lIation transformer (A -B). A huge cage
antenna provided a communication r ange of 50 mi les or so, using Morse code.
(Drawing adapted from " Rob i son ' s Manual of Radio Telegraphy", 1918).
Fig. 3 FIRST RADIO SETS were simple crystal detectors. By 1920 a three
element vacuum tube was used in conjunction with a telephone receiver and
I arge antenna for reception of code up to 100 mi les or so. Fragi le, gassy
tubes cost up to six dollars and had short life. By 1923 music broadcasting
popularized radio reception. (Adapted from "Robison's Manual of Radio
Telegraph y ", 1918) .
10 SUGAR·COATED ANTENNA FUNDAMENTALS
' " To
SUf :port
WOoo'/!'n sprt!'(/o't"rJ
' - - -'
r
,
-,
To
,
support
,/
FeMerJ-Jom~mUltiple 01
8~r IOnt;- tl/n~o' at stot /OII
~no' for both tranS/TlISSIOn
and reception,
Fig. 4 RECORD SMASHING vhf beam ofW1AL(1934). Adapted from an RCA Com-
munications design, this high gain array is constructed of 5 /S-inch wood spreaders, #16
wire and light, plastic insulators. Wire is pre-stretched before assembly. For experimen-
ters interested in duplicating this broadband array at 50 MHz, the dimensions will be:
LA = 9 '4", LR = 9'S", S1 = 9'10", S2 = 4'11". Antenna may be fed with 4:1 balun and
coax line. Antenna gain is about 10 dBd. (Drawing from QST, October, 1934).
the sensitive superhetrodyne receiver about 1935, short wave radio

transmission became a reality rather than a hit-or-miss proposition.
Soon thereafter, the great technological explosion brought about by
World War II opened the way for today's communication miracles :
radar, television, signals bounced off the moon and Mars, and-finally--
the transistor.
All of these modem communication techniques and devices make use
of the mysterious "undulations" noted by Faraday so long ago and
first put to use by Heinrich Hertz. Of the true nature of the radio
wave, however, nothing is known. The radio wave, then, must not be
thought of as a thing, but as a way in which things behave. For after a
description is given of the behavior of the mysterious radio wave,
nothing more can be said, as the ultimate knowledge of the radio wave
is a secret locked in the heart of the universe.
Today's radio amateur stands upon the shoulders of giants. Even
today, radio is still in a formative phase, and amateur rad io in part icu-
21FT
+- OPEN-WIRE
FEED LINE
TO ANT
COUPLER
Fig. 5 THE BIDIRECTIONAL ARRAY OF VK2SA (1955). Des igned for 14 MHz. the
antenna also works well on 7 and 21 MHz. It is supported in the vertical plane by two
41-foot masts. The bottom wires are 20 feet above ground . For experimenters inter-
ested in duplicating this beam. ladder line may be used with a balanced antenna tuner.
Pattern of beam isat right angles to the plane ofthe array. Estimated gain is 6 dBd on 14
MHz. Good results should also be obtained on 10 and 18 MHz. (Drawing from QST.
October. 1955.)
lar is less than a half-century old. Antennas, a nd ham antennas to

boot, are still very primitive, even though the theory behind them is
complex. Today's beam antennas and arrays will probably make the
ham of 2001 smile as he shoots off to Paris on a supersonic jet with
his space-approved FM transceiver, talking to a satellite repeater as
he zips through space!
The Radio Antenna
Heinrich Hertz had a very clear notion of Maxwell's mathematical

concept of a radio wave: an interchange of energy in space between
free electric and magnetic fields , with the energy radi ating outwards
from the source as ripples spread out from a stone c ast into a quiet
pond. The practical problem was to construct a "launching device"
that would project the radio wave into space to commence its journey.
Today, such a device is called an an te nna Simply speakin g, any
structure that radiates and intercepts radio wa ve s is an antenna.
12 SUGAR·COATED ANTENNA FUNDAMENTALS
Fig. 6 THIS 85-FOOT ANTENNA is located at a COMSAT earth station and is

used to relay high speed communication data between North America and the
Far East via the Pacific satellites. This is one of six U.S. earth stations used
to handle international communications . Imagine how a comparable dish
antenna would work on 2 or 6 meters! Any takers?
Antennas come in all shapes and sizes, from the compact antenna
concealed in a transistor radio to the huge towers of the modern tele-
vision transmitter. Observers have noted rotating disc-shaped rada r
antennas on boats, backyard television antennas, and the large beam
antennas of radio amateurs. Each antenna is shaped and built to do a
particular job, but the task of all antennas is to launch and intercept
radio waves in the manner most efficient to the task at hand. Hertz, if
he were alive today, would understand and appreciate the most complex
of modern communication antennas, as the design is based upon laws
of nature that are inviolable.
52-Ohm -+,"r-f':'-F--+':---7--e:::
coax
Fig. 7 THE 40 METER TRANSMITTING LOOP OF W4LW (1952) provided 2500 mile
contacts. The loop was mounted in the horizontal plane supported by a balcony railing on
the second floor. For experimenters interested in duplicating this interesting antenna.
the following dimensions are suggested: The loop consists of #10 (or heavier) wire
supported on a frame made of 5 /8-inch wood dowels. Tuning capacitor is 150 pF. Coil is
2.5 J.LH spacewound on a 1-inch form. (Strip the insulation from a length of house
wiring.) For initial adjustment. coax tap is set at 3 turns and C1 is tuned for resonance. as
indicated by SWR meter in line. Tap is adjusted for lowest SWR at resonance. If
necessary. adjust L1 by shorting turns. Once correct tap positions are found. the connec-
tions are soldered.
Bandwidth of the high-Q loop is about 20 kHz and it must be retuned for change in
frequency. For greater bandwidth. it is desirable to make the loop as large as possible.
with a corresponding reduction in the inductance of L1. (Drawing from QST. September.
1952.)
Chapter 2
Radio Waves and The Nature of Things
IOld Mother Nature's Mysterious Ways l
The earth and eve rything on it is continuous ly bombarded by energy

from oute r space in the fo rm o f waves coming from countless sources.
Some waves are us e ful (sunlight) an d so me may be dangerous (x-rays),
Oth e rs a re not fully unde rstoo d (cosmi c ray s). Man y s uch waves h a ve
been re c ruite d in th e service of man.
The waves from s pac e arrive helter-skelter but the waves, or groups
of waves, are orderly and have their own characteristics. Taken as a
whole, when arranged by size, or wav e leng th, they make up the el ec-
tromagn etic spectrum (Figure 1).
All of these wave s, constantly in motion abo ut us, vibrate in typi cal
waveform at de fi nit e frequencies wi th t he wave length decreasing as the
frequency increases . The number of complete waves per second - - one
c ycle per second - - is ca lled Hertz (Hz).
Wave Bands
About 1880, e xperi menters developed precise instruments for mea-

s uri ng light wave s and by 1900 it was possible to measure the wave-
length of ra dio waves, x-rays and co smic rays. As the various waves
we re investigated and measured, they were grouped into wav e bands,
whi ch are groups of waves with similar ch aracteristics, measured in a
similar fashion.
The next step was to ge ne rate or procure a supply of particular waves
for study . Light wa ves were easy to procure. If a beam of red light was
desired, for e xample , all that was needed was sunlight and a red filte r
which would block out the unw anted wavelengths and pass only red
light. On th e other hand, x-ray s and radio waves are gen erated by na-
ture in far-off spa ce, but must be produced on earth as the space
waves are too weak to be put to use.
WIRE AIHEHHA HAHDBOOK 15
FREQUENCY
~ H E R T Z -K I LO H ER T Z- hA E C. A H E R T Z.~
60 3 40 1.6 .50 800 10000

Hz KHZ UHz. ~Hz MHz MHz
POWER LONt:
"
R
0
A
HF AMATEUR UHF-VhF INFRA - VIS/6L£ ULTRA fiAMMA COSMIC
LINE RADIO D TV UHF RED LlliHT VIOLET
X-RAYS
RAYS RAYS
FREQS. WAVES c BANDS
A
S
T
1 0 0 0000 ODD 200 0 0 .3 0.003 3 00 .0 7 .0 4 .0 0 3 .0 0 0 3 .0 00 0 1
\ ~ETERS MiCRONS !
WAVELENGTH
Fig . 1 THE ELECTROMAGNET IC SPECTRUM is a chart showing the relationship

between electromagnetic waves arranged by size (wavelength). At the low
frequency end of the spectrum are the extremely large radio waves useful for
long distance daylight communication . Huge antennas are required to radiate
these b ig waves. The regular broadcast band encompasses medium size waves
and still shorter (smaller) waves are useful for long distance, ionospheric-
reflected radio communication . The amateur bands fall in this range between
200 and 6 meters. Additional ham bands are in the UHF-VHF region below 6
meters for point-to-point communication .
Gradually, the extremely short radio waves blend into infrared waves, and
at still shorter wavelengths, the electromagnetic waves are visible to the eye
as light waves. Shorter than light are ultraviolet waves, X-rays, gamma rays
and cosmic waves. The size of these tiny waves is expressed in terms of
millionths, of an inch . Even so, they are identical to the larger radio waves·
used by radio amateurs.
What waves, if any, exist beyond the ends of the electromagnetic spectrum
chart? Scientists suspect that super-long waves may be found in the form of
gravitational waves and that micro-miniature waves shorter than cosmic waves
exist in the universe. No one is sure about super-long or super-short waves
and the puzzle is to find them, as man seeks to learn more about the mysterious
universe and all the electromagnetic waves that surround us.
High frequen cy electric energy can be gene rated by a radio t ran s -

mitter and converted into electromagre tic wa ves by an antenn a. The
field set up about the antenn a is transmitted through space at th e
speed of light (186,000 miles per second) an d may be captured by a
second antenna, intercepting the wave and converting it back to elec-
tric energy , capable of being detected by a radio receiver.
In other wa ve bands, th e generation an d detection of wa ves is costly ,
complex and little-known other than by the specialists who make use of
the waves . For example, gamma rays are useful for radium th erapy,
16 RADIO WAVES AND THE NATURE OF THINGS
H - E
G z RADIO GENERATOR
Fig . 2 MODERN CONCEPT OF A RADIO WAVE i s a combination of magnetic (H)

and electric (E) fields set up about an antenna as a result of electric current
flowing within the antenna. Energy is transferred back and forth from one field
to the other. This action is termed "oscillation". During energy transfer. which
can occur mi II ions of times per second, f ields may become detatched from the
wire and move off into space. A radio signal is apparently made up of the two
f ields which reinforce each other, with the electromagnetic energy radiating
outwards from the antenna . The sum of the two fields is called an "electro-
magnetic field". If the field cuts another conductor (antenna ), some of the
energy in the field will set electrons in motion in the conductor. The electron
movement (current) may be detected by a radio receiver .
x-rays for medical and industrial applications, ultra violet waves for
lasers and black light, infra red waves for drying and photography,
microwaves for radar-etc name a few.
Of all the wave bands, however, the radio waves have received the
most use. This Handbook covers their launching and interception by
antennas, and how this knowledge can best be put to use by amateur
radio operators.
The Two-Way Antenna
It was discovered early in the game that an antenna acts in the same
fashion whether it is transmitting or receiving energy. Thus, the gen-
eral characteristics of the antenna are the same in either instance. For
simplicity, then, we can examine or discuss a particular antenna in
terms of transmission or reception, with the assurance that the ob-
servations noted in one case apply to the other. The basic theory
regarding similar receiving and transmitting characteristics is called
reciprocity and, as applied to antennas, was first stated by Lord
Rayleigh of England in 1877, long before radio transmission was
generally known. His basic theory is still true today.
Antenna Resonance
Electrical energy is radiated into space and retrieved from space by

an antenna. An antenna is a length of metal that conducts electricity
and is so located that it is surrounded by space. High frequency
electric energy flowing in the antenna sets up an electromagnetic field
about the conductor which expands into space at the speed of light.
Conversely, an electromagnetic field meeting an antenna sets up a
high frequency electric current within the antenna. Thu s, any conductor
of electricity functions as an emitter or receptor of electromagnetic
waves, with a varying degree of efficiency (Figure 2).
For highest efficiency, the antenna must bear some relationship to
the length of the radio wave. In the early days of radio, wire fences
were often used for reception and crude "cage" antennas of many wires
were used for transmission without any real concept of trimming or
Fig. 3 WORLD'S BIGGEST ANTENNA? Huge antenna built in Lafayette, France,

in 1917 for super-power long-wave station (which was never finished). The
antenna covered several hundred acres and was supported on 600 foot high
towers. Early radio books give vivid descriptions of big radio antennas, but
operation and theory was often vague and mis leadinq. (Adapted from "Radio
Theory and Operating", by Loomis, 1925) .
STAT IONARY WAVE
NODE NODE
I I
I -: <, I
I '" " -, I
'" WAL L
HOLD ROPE / / I I ""
'"
HERE~ ,./// I I <, <,
'" '"'"
'- - ~ I I
~ AXJ"'UM r----- HA L F WAVEL ENG.TH -------r-- H A L F WAVEL ENGTH - . . j
RO P E
MOVEM ENT
Fig . 4 RADIO WAVELENGTH . A simple case of wavelength brought about by the

reflection of a wave can be observed when a rope is given a quick series of
flips. A wave travels along the r ope unt il it reaches the far end, from where
it travels back along the rope to your hand, continuing back and forth in this
manner until the motion dies out . By f lipp ing the rope in the proper sequence,
you can make the wave continue to run back and forth along the rope.
With a I itt Ie practice, you can flip the rope in the proper sequence and a
success ion of waves at equal intervals will travel along the rope. When re-
fleeted back from the far end, they meet the oncoming waves whose lengths are
equal to those waves com ing from the far end of the rope. At some points, the
confl icting waves reinforce each other and at other points the rope seems to
not move at all. Points of zero movement are found a long the rope one-ha If
wavelength apart; at all other points the rope vibrates. The vibratory pattern is
called a "stationary wave", or "standing wave", as the overall wave pattern
moves neither forward nor backward. The points of no movement of the rope are
called "nodes". The stationary wave on the rope is trapped between your hand
and the other end of the rope, and by experimenting, you can get various num-
bers of standing wave nodes on the rope, depending upon the rate at which you
fl ip the end.
Stationary waves of this type may be set up in an electrical circuit, or along
an electrical conductor by electrical impulses applied to the circuit or to the
conductor. Such a conductor is called an "antenna". Shown in this picture is
an antenna having a standing wave/on it, with three nodal points . A half-wave-
length exists between any two nodal points. In the case of an 80 meter wave,
the distance between adjacent nodal points is about 135 feet .
otherwise adjusting the length of the antenna to the length of the radio
wave. "The bigger the antenna, the better the reception," was the
motto. Such antennas, of course, were very inefficient (Figure 3).
A great body of literature e xists today attesting to the many varied
and important contributions made by numerous experimenters in the
quest for better and more efficient antenna systems. Early in the game,
it was found that an antenna of a certain length did not exhibit the
same characteristics at all frequencies. Best results were obtained
when the antenna was adjusted physically or electrically to be in
proportion to the length of the radio wave. If the antenna was shorter
than the wave, extra wire could be added in the form of a coil to make
the antenna electrically longer. If the antenna was too long, a capac-
itor could be added in series with the antenna to make it electrically
shorter. The antenna and its auxiliary tuner could thus be adjusted to
the condition of resonance, or electrical compatibility with the radio
wave in use (Figure 4).
Resonance and Antenna Length
For any antenna there is one frequency, called the resonant frequency,
at which various characteristics of the antenna are in a state of elec-
trical balance, and at which frequency the antenna is in a condition of
maximum efficiency. The resonant frequency is a function of the elec-
trical length of the antenna, which mayor may not bear a relationship
to the physical length in feet and inches. Any antenna may be tuned to
resonance by auxiliary gadgets, but such devices may be a nuisance
and of questionable efficiency. A resonant antenna requires no such
devices and is a simple and effective radiator and receiver of radio
energy. The length of the radio wave and the antenna is expressed in
terms of wavelength, and that term is directly related to the frequency
of the radio wave, as we shall see shortly.
Wavelength and Frequency
Radio waves exist because it takes a certain amount of time for

electrical energy to travel from point to point. When a pebble is drop-
ped into \liater, the resulting disturbance does not reach the edge of
the pool immediately. Rather, a wave of water starts out from the
place where the pebble hits and proceeds towards the edge at a de-
finite speed. Electrical energy normally travels at 186,000 miles per
second, or 300,000,000 meters per second. Thus, if a radio antenna is
emitting a pulse of radio energy at a rate of 14,000,000 pulses per
second (14,000 KHz--the 20 meter band), one pulse will travel about
20 meters before another. pulse is emitted. At 186,000 p u I s e s per
second, on the other hand, the distance between pulses is about 5000
feet. At 3,000,000,000 pulses per second (3,000 gigacycles), the dis-
tance between pulses is only about 4 inches. This corresponds to a
radar signal. Thus, exactly as in the case of the pebble dropped into
water, a mathematical relationship exists between the distance a radio
pulse will travel during the time required for one pulse (one cycle) to
occur, as shown in Figure 5.
WAVE CREST ~ONE WAVELENt;TH---...I

'-..1 I
1 I
1 I
T I~E
WAVELENGTH = VELOCITY = ~
FREQUENCY F' {MHz}
FOR 14 MHZ. WAVELENGTH = ',~O • 21.2"ETERS = 70 FEET
Fig. 5 WAVELENGTH AND FREQUENCY are related to each other by a simple

formula, as explained in the text. The wavelength is the distance between two
wave crests (or between two wave nodes). The velocity (speed) of the electro-
magnetic wave is 300,000,000 meters per second, the same as the speed of
I ight. The frequency, or repetition rate, of the wave is the number of waves
which pass a given point in one second. Wavelength is measured in units called
"meters", one meter being equal to 3 .28 feet. The frequency is measured in
"cycles per second", or units called "Hertz". Thus, one cycle per second is
one Hertz.
Since wavelength and frequency have an inverse relationship, it follows that
long waves have a low frequency and short waves have a high frequency.
The len gth of any electromagnetic wave can be found by the formula:
Wavelength in meters = 300,000,000
frequenc y in cycles per second
In the case of high frequency radio, the wavelength is expressed more

conveniently as :
Wavelength in meters - 300 _

frequency in megahertz (MHz)
The illustration tells the story better than words.

Measurements in the United States are usually expressed in feet

and inches rather than in meters (and centimeters). This formula, con-
verted into more familiar terms, then, is:
One wavelength, in feet = 984 _

A half-wavelength is determined by dividing the formula by 2, thus:
One -half wavelength, in feet = 492 _
This is the fundamental for m u I a from which many significant

lengths in antenna work are developed and is defined as the electrical
length of a half-wave antenna element, when no factors exist that
modify the speed of the radio wave. In real-life situations, many
factors exist that alter the physical length of a half-wave antenna, or
any conductor used for an antenna . If this were not true, there would
be no need for this Handbook!
End effect and thickness of the antenna element must be taken into
account when determining the actual physical length of any antenna
e lernent. The end effect is caused by the presence of insulators or
other material that may be used to support the antenna at the ends and
also by the abrupt transition from conductor to the surrounding atmos-
phere at this critical point.
Since practical antennas have thickness as well as length, the actual
length departs to a small degree from the electrical length. Generally
speaking, the larger in diameter the antenna element, the greater the
departure from the electrical wavelength. Thus, for a given frequency
an antenna having a small cross-sectional area in the conductor will
be longer physically than an antenna having a larger cross-sectional
area.
Very Short Antennas
The physical length of an antenna often poses a problem, especially

in portable or mobile work in an automobile or boat. It is possible to
use a very short antenna (at some sacrifice in overall efficiency) and
electrically "load" it so it appears as an antenna of -greater length.
The missing portion of the antenna takes the form of a loading coil of
wire wound on an insulated form (or supported by its own rigidity). The
coil, for simplicity's sake, can be thought of as the missing antenna
length, wound up into a compact structure. The coil may be placed at
/
/
CUBICAL QUAD ANTENNA is popular among radio amateur DXers. Quad

beam delivers the most signal gain per area of any inexpensive beam
antenna known, although Quad assembly is tr i c k y and complicated.
one end of the antenna, or along the length of the antenna. You see
these loading coils as bulges at the base of the antenna, or along its
length. Coil design and construction is crucial, and the efficiency of
the antenna depends upon the skill of design and manufacturing, and
the expertise of the person making the antenna installation. It's not a
game for beginners. In any event , the portion of the antenna used up in
the coil contributes nothing to the radiation prowess of the antenna.
Usually, the smaller the antenna in relation to the operating wave-
length , the bigger the loading coil, the lower the antenna efficiency,
and the weaker your signal! There is no substitute for a full size,
resonant antenna!
Summary
The radio wave is an electric "undulation" which is a portion of the

electromagnetic spectrum. The radio wave is specified in terms of size
(wavelength) and frequency (cycles per second). It may be radiated and
intercepted by an antenna which converts radio waves into high fre-
quency electrical energy and vice-versa. The antenna has the same
characteristics when transmitting or receiving and has the greatest
efficiency when it is in a state of resonance.
Chapter 3
Your Antenna and Signal Interception
[How Does the Radio Wave Get Down That Skinny Cable?)
What happens when the radio wave meets the antenna? Why does a
beam antenna make your signal louder? What is the meaning of antenna
gain? Where does the gain come from? Good questions, and ones not
easily answered.
To start with, a radio wave travels unhindered through space until
it meets a conductor. In our case, the conductor is the antenna , and it
is made of metal. By definition, a metallic obj ect is one that has
"free" electrons able to move about within the conductor, The inter-
cepted radio wave imparts energy (motion) to these electrons, which
move in a direction corresponding to the direction of ..the wave--along
the conductor.
Inside The Antenna
The electron movement in the antenna element actually reradiates a

portion of the radio wave back into space while the remainder is cap-
tured by the radio receiver attached to the antenna. This action takes
place regardless of the length of the antenna and is shown in Figure 1.
When a radio receiver is attached to an antenna which is energized
by a radio wave, a portion of power is extracted from the antenna and
is passed to the receiver circuits . The total electron current flowing in
the antenna (while very feeble) may be thought of as the sum of many
individual currents, all acting along the length of the antenna. When all
of the individual currents add up at the receiver, the maximum possible
value of current is extracted from the antenna. This condition of max-
imum current is our old friend, antenna resonance. Resonance is es-
tablished when the antenna beats a certain relationship to the length
of the intercepted radio wave, usually found at multiples of one -half
wavelength. The basic half-wavelength antenna is called a dipole
antenna. At 20 meters, for example, a dipole is about 33 feet long.
24 YOUR ANTENNA AND SIGNAL INTERC EPTION
A NT E N N A
RAD IO
P ULSE '- <, ,I
1
j
TRAVELLING 9 /U FT.
7~~1/T~~J.,';P<ffy
RADIO PULSE
!
PER M IC R OSE CON O
~
j
__ - -I
Fig . 1 RAD IO WAVE MEETS ANTENNA . At the right is a r adio signal source,
such as your transmitter, radiat ing a rad io wave moving to the left . For this
example, the wave is j u st a short bur st (" pul s e") of energy . When the pulse
meets the antenna (c ent er) , it causes free electrons to flow along the antenna
i nthe form of an electri c current. This current re -rad iat e s a portion of the inter-
cepted radio wave back into space . The or iginal radi o pulse passes t o the left,
beyond the antenna, followed shortly by the re-radiated energy from the ant enna,
which spreads out b oth to the r ight and left of the antenna. Now we ha ve two
pu lses : the original one and a weaker, re -radiated one following along a fraction
of a second later. When the cu rrent flowing in the antenna i s a max imum value ,
the antenna is said to be "re sonant" .
Power Transfer
With any type of electrica l power source, whether it be a storage

battery, a generator or a radio transmitter, maximum power is delive red
from the sou rce to the destination (lo ad) when the load and source
e ach have equal voltage and equal cu rrent at their terminals. In this
condition, th e sou rce (radio trans mi tter ) and load (ant enna) ar e said t o
be match ed. Specifically, to obtain th e ma ximum transfer of power from
a radio tran smitte r to an ant enna, or from an a nt enn a to a receiv er, the
antenna must meet two requi rements :
1 - T he a nt e nna must be re sona nt at the freq uency of th e radi o wave
so as to de liver a ma ximum s ignal cur rent to the rec e ive r , or t o
e xt ract maximum powe r from the transmitter .
Figure 2
IOIPOLE
RADIO ANTENNA connected to RADIO

PULS E
i' --. _~~~~11~+C
load. which could be y our re- j
ceiver . When pulse meets para-
sitic . most of the radio energy i s
radiated back into space to
I " , / / /] ' "
lk--- /'.
loaded antenna . If ph a sin g [ / /" , )/' ....... • ~ . ..-
~~~AL
SO UR CE
(timing) is correct . energy from
parasitic element reinforces cur- ~ " 0 ----J _
•
/ /
RERADIATED PULSE
FROM PARASITIC
rent flowing in loaded antenna . ELEMENT
Vagi beams are made up of j //

....... C(JRRE NT I N DU CE D IN DIPOLE F R OM
loaded antenna plus one or more DI RE C T A ND RERADIA Te D P ULSES
parasitic elements.
2- The signal voltage and current in the antenna and the receiver
(or transmitter) must be matched to achieve best transfer of
energy.
Even when these two demands are met, the matched, resonant
antenna delivers only a portion of the current e xtracted from the radio
wave to the receiver, reradiating the remaining portion of the current
back into space a fraction of a second after the wave has arrived at
the antenna. As you'll see, this reradiated wave can be made to per-
form in a very useful manner.
The Beam Antenna and Signal Gain
A beam antenna is an antenna that concentrates radio energy in a

given direction at the expense of radiation in other directions. A good
analogy is the headlight of an automobile which concentrates the light
into a single beam, at the expense of illumination to the sides and
back. A beam antenna concentrates the radio wave in a similar fashion,
although the beam of an antenna is not nearly so well defined as that
of a headlight beam.
A resonant antenna reradiates virtually all of the intercepted radio
wave if it is not connected to a load. When such a device is placed
near another antenna connected to a radio receiver, the unconnected
antenna is called a parasitic e leme nt . Figure 2 shows a parasitic
element placed near an antenna which is connected to a load. The
parasitic element is placed between the antenna and the signal source.
The antenna is now e xposed to the direct radio wave from the source
and also to the reradiated radio wave from the parasitic element, which
reaches the antenna a fraction of a second later.
26 YOUR AIHE"!NA AND SIGNAL INTERCEPTION
If the reradiated wave from the parasitic element reaches the

antenna at the proper time, it reinforces the radio wave received di-
rectly from the source by the antenna. Adjusting the length of the
parasitic element and its spacing from the antenna accomplishes this.
Such a parasitic element is called a director.
When the parasitic element is placed behind the antenna and the
signal source, and is adjusted to enhance the received signal, it is
called a reflector. Beam antennas are made up of a connected, or
"active" antenna, working in conjunction with a single reflector and
one or more directors.
Antenna Power Gain
Power Gain (or signal gain) is a term used to express the power
increase in receiving or transmitting of one antenna as compared to a
a standard comparison antenna. The comparison antenna may be either
a dipole, or it may be an imaginary device called an isotropic antenna,
useful for mathematical computations in the laboratory. The isotropic
antenna is considered to be so small that it radiates equally well in
all directions -- something that no actual antenna can accomplish.
Of great interest to the prospective purchaser or user of a beam
antenna is the amount of power that still escapes from the sides and
back of the array. The ratio of power radiated in the forward direction
of the beam as compared to the amount radiated in the opposite (back)
direction is called the lront-to-beck ratio of the antenna.
Beam antennas come in all shapes and sizes and prove to be a
willing subject for imaginative manufacturers to exploit, sometimes at
the expense of the buyer, dazzled by important sounding words and
inflated claims. Shown in this Handbook, however, are some "honest"
beams that are inexpensive and work well. Before this, it is well to
investigate and discuss the "yardstick" by which antennas of all
kinds are measured. This "yardstick," when properly interpreted, can
give you a lot of useful information about any antenna. The "yard-
stick" is called the decibel.
The Mysterious Decibel- The Unit of Truth!
Power gain and front-to-back ratio performance of beam antennas

are expressed in terms of decibels (abbreviated db). The decibel is not
a unit of power, but a ratio of power levels. In antenna practice, the
decibel may be used as an absolute unit of measure by fixing an ar-
bitrary level of reference. If the reference level is a dipole antenna
10
/
V
V POW ER GA I N OVER
ONE WAf T (UNITY) DECIBEL GAIN
z /' I. 00 0.0
7
«
19 / 1. 1Z 0 .5
10
o 5
1/ I. 26
1.42
1.0
1.5
-.J 4 / I . ~e 2.0
W
10 II 2. .00 3.0
U
W
o 2
/ 2. . 51
3 .16
4 .0
5 .0
1
/ 3 .98 6 .0
6.31 6 .0
o
o 2 10 10 , 0 0 10 . 0
POWER GAIN
Fig.3 THE DECIBEL - - THE " YA RD ST ICK" OF PERFORMANCE. The decibel is the
"yardstick" of performance in the electronics world just as "horsepower " i s
the yardstick in the automotive world . The decibel un it expresses the ratio
between two power levels i n an electrical circu it. Originally, the decibel
measured the loss of voice power over one m i le of telephone wire .
This chart shows the relationship between the decibel and the watt for gains
of up to 10 over a reference level of one watt . For example , a power increase of
6.31 represents a decibel gain of 8 . A decibel gain of 3 represents a power gain
of 2 .
Antenna gain is commonly expressed in dec ibe Is gain over a reference
source , such as an isotropic radiator or a dipole . It is important to know the
reference as the dec ibel is a rat io of c hange of power and can only be used as
an absolute unit by f ixing a level of reference . If a dipole is chosen as a refer-
ence antenna, it is said to have a power gain of unity (one ).
(for examp le), another antenna may be said to have "so-many decibels
power gain over the reference dipo le."
Antenna gain expressed in decibels without mention of reference
level is mea ningless. It is often deliberately expressed in this fashion
by some antenna manufacturers who hope to overawe the reader into
thinking he is getting more power gain for his money than he actua lly
is. For example, the statement, "Ten decibels power gain!!!" doesn't
mean a thing, because it does not reference the gain to any level of
measurement. If the statement said, "Ten decibels power gain over
reference dipole" the statement has meaning, as the level of reference
28 YOUR ANTENNA AND SIGNAL INTERCEPTION
is given. Beware expressions of antenna gain that are unreferenced!

Shown in Figure 3 is a decibel chart and table giving the relation-
ship between decibels and power. A power ratio of 4 provides a
change of 6 decibe 1s. A power ratio of 10 provides a change of 10
decibels. This relationship holds true regardless of the electrical
circuit, and the decibel is commonly used in all electrical work
throughout the world. It is a useful form of "shorthand" understood
by all electrical engineers, regardless of whether they work with
radio, audio circuits, power lines, or space communication. Like it or
not, the decibel is here to stay.
A useful rule-of-thumb is that a power change of one decibel is
just noticeable on a quiet communication circuit, and a power change
of 3 decibels is about the smallest change that is economically feas-
ible . That is to say, a power increase of less than 3 decibels is not
worthwhile in most instances, as it is marginally helpful, and a power
decrease of 3 decibels is not especially harmful.
Trans 1ated into watts, this means that if your transmitter has a
power output of 100 watts, boosting it to 150 watts by careful tuning
won't be of much help! Or, if your power should drop from 150 watts
to 100 watts, the operator at the other end of your circuit probably
won't notice any difference in signal strength at all!
Doubling power provides a boost of 3 decibels, and that's about the
least change that can really be noticed over a period of time. Accord-
ing1y, an antenna that provides 3 decibels power gain over a dipole
could be worthwhile.
Experience has shown that a power increase of 5 decibels or so is
definitely worthwhile, and a power change of 10 or more decibels is
often startling in the results it achieves over a difficult (c ommunic at ion
path.
The Curious Antenna
The concept of the antenna -- a simple length of aluminum tubing or

copper wire -taking electrical energy and transforming it into invis-
ible radio waves that cross space at the speed of light is a breath-
taking idea. Textbooks of great weight and complexity have been
written about antennas, and very large antenna arrays have been built
that defy comprehension by the layman. This Handbook ignores com-
plexity and covers in detail the popular and everyday antennas en-
countered in ham radio and discusses their operation in simple, non-
technical terms you can understand.
You, the reader, will not be placed in the position of the little girl
sent to the encyclopedia to learn about penguins. When she finished
reading, her mother asked if she was satisfied with what she had read.
The girl replied, "Not really, the encyclopedia told me more about
penguins than I wanted to know! "
This chapter (much shorter than an encyclopedia) covers properties
of the antenna that are important to you. No complicated mathematics
at all! Let's start with antenna polarization, as shown in Figure 4.
Antenna Polarization
Polarization of a radio wave is determined by the position and di-

rection of the electric field with respect to the earth's surface. If the
lines of the electric field of a radio wave are parallel to the ground,
the wave is horizontally polarized. If the lines are perpendicular to the
ground, the wave is vertically polarized. Since you can't see the field ,
and it takes instruments to determine the polarity, it's sufficient to
know that, for the majority of ham antennas, the electric field is in
the same plane as the antenna element so that a vertical antenna is
vertically polarized and a horizontal antenna is horizontally pol arized.
For high frequenc y communication polarization is not particularly
important as ionospheric-reflected waves tend to loose their initial
polarization. It should be mentioned, however, that vertical receiving
antennas tend to pick up more man-made noise and interference than do
their horizontally polarized counterparts.
Antenna Operation
While you can't do very much about the tricks the ionosphere may
play on you , there's plenty you can do about having a good, efficient
antenna system. Let's turn, therefore, from radio propagation to the
antenna itself and see what goes on inside this interesting device. The
remainder of this chapter discusses some of the "ground rules" of
antenna operation.
Impedance --- More Power To You!
You'll o£ten see terms such as surge impedance, feed impedance,

radiation resistan ce, input imp edance and the like, used with reference
to antennas. These terms are telling you something you should know
about the antenna. The big question is: what's it a ll about?
The simplest answer is that when the complete antenna system is
- - - - - - - - -
~
ELE CTRIC L I NE S
OF FORCE
- - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - M A c; N ET IC LINE S
- - - - - - - -
- _ / OF F O RC E
- - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - -
" ROUND
r
H A L E - WAV[ LENC;rH
V E R TICA L L Y
P O L AR IZED
f;R DU ND PL ANE
A NT E N NA
; - -- -
HORIZ, ONTALL Y
POL ARI ZED
01 PO LE
A NT E N NA
- HA L F - WAV E L ENC;TH -------1
COAX I A L L 1N E C OAX IA L LINE
Fig. 4 CAN YOU SEE A RADIO WAVE? If you could. perhaps this is wh at you
would see if a radio wave was travell ing out of t he page towards you! It is a
f anc if u l drawing of a radio w ave showing the electric and magnetic fields .
Electric fields are commonly represented by solid l i n es and magnetic fields by
dashed l ines . The arrow heads indicate the direction of the field. In this illus-
tration . the lines of the magne tic field are parallel to the ground and the lines
of the electric f ield are v ert i c a l. According to the rules of the game . th erefore .
this wave is v ert i c a ll y polarized. For common antennas, the electr ic fiel d is i n
the same plane as the antenna element so this represents the rad io wave leav-
ing a v ert i c a l antenna. such as a ground plane. Of course. the f i e ld surrounds
the antenna, s o t h is picture represents just a small portion of the w av e. The
magnetic f i e ld actually surrounds the antenna and the magnetic lines move out-
ward . j u st as r i pp le s in a pond spread whe n a stone is cast in the water . The
electromagnetic f i e ld concept is a d iff icult on e t o grasp. so don't loose too
much sleep over antenna polarization.
in a state of electrical balance (the state of balance being defined by
these various terms), the overall operation of the system is at the
highest possible efficiency. This means the best reception and the
strongest signals.
Many readers of this Handbook are familiar with Ohm's Law, which
is :
R=f
Simply, this formula tells you that the res istance of any electrical
circuit (R) is proportional to the ratio of the voltage (E) to the current
(I) in the circuit. This is not the definition of Ohm's Law in most
books, which usually ends up talking about resistance in terms of
ohms, and in terms of physical resistors. As far as antennas go, the
idea of resistance, as such, is misleading, and it is much better to
think of the word "resistance" as expressing the ratio of the voltage
to the current at any given point in the antenna circuit. Thus at a high
"res istance" point, the rat io of voltage to current is high and at a low
"resistance" point, the ratio of voltage to current is low .
Remember in Chapter 1 the short discussion of Maxwell's discovery
of the interplay of energy between the electric and magnetic fields
around a wire, and the current flowing within the wire? Ohm's Law, in
the broadest sense, applies in this case, descr ibing the ratio between
the electric field and the current flow in terms of a fictitious resis-
tance, which may be termed the radiation resistance of the wire, or
antenna:
Radiation Resistance Voltage field about the antenna (E)
of the Antenna = Current f lowing within the antenna (1)
or, in Mr. Ohm's terms: R = f, which is the same law that applies to
direct current circuits, car batteries, your refrigerator motor, the TV
set, and such.
Radiation Resistance
To repeat : the terms radiation resistance, input impedance, surge

impedance, feed impedance, etc., all refer to the ratio between the
voltage field about a conductor and the current flowing within the
conductor. The expression of this ratio is in terms of ohms. This term
is, perhaps, unfortunate, as it implies some kind of actual resistance
within the antenna, which does not really exist. As a dodge, this
"resistance" is referred to as radiation resistance, which is OK as
long as you understand that it means a ratio of voltage to current, and
r- zr T
·-1 r- 2f T
-1
1
r RR=,LoHMS RR = 70 OHMS RR =10 0 0 OHMS
RR = 10 0 0 00 OHMS RR = 100 00 0 OHMS
Fig . 5 WHERE DOES THE POWER IN AN ANTENNA GO? It has to go someplace,

and it does . It is radiated into space in the same manner as heat and light. It
leaves the antenna, never to return. It is difficult to conceive of radio power
vanishing into empty space. so a fict ituous term (radiation res istance) is used
to describe the radiating effectiveness of the antenna. Radiation resistance .
as explained in the text . is an expression of the ratio between the voltage field
of the antenna and the current in the antenna at any given point along the
antenna. In a simple dipole, the radiation resistance at the center is quite low,
increasing towards the ends of the antenna. Thus . the voltage to current ratio
is different at different points along the antenna. Most antennas are fed at the
center and -- in a dipole- -this is the point of lowest radiation resistance. The
dipole in this illustration is suspended in space about a half-wavelength above
the ground, and the measurements shown may actually be found when the proper
instruments are used. Moving the antenna closer to, or away from the ground,
will alter all the measurements drastically.
not an actual value of resistance .

Let 's take an example: Suppose 3 watts of radio frequency (r-I)
power is applied to the center of a dipole antenna. With appropriate
(and e xpensive) instruments, it is determined that the current flowing
in the dipole at this point is 0.21 ampere and the vo lt a ge field about
the dipole is 14.7 volts (Figure 5). The radiation resistance (RR) is ,
therefore:
Radiation Resistance =~ = 14. 7 = 70 ohms
I 0.21
No 70 ohm resistance exists in th e antenna . But, if the antenna
we re remo ved , and a 70 ohm resistor substituted in its place, the same
ratio of volta ge to current would exist , and the same absolute va lue s
of voltage and current.
Now let's move out along the dipole's length and measure the volt-
age and current towards one end, say about two feet from the end of a
dipole. What do we find? The same amount of power exists at this
point (3 watts) but the voltage field has increased to 55 volts and the
current in the dipole has dropped to .055 amperes. The fictitious radi-
ation resistance value is now expressed by :
Radiation Resistance =~ = 55 = 1000 ohms

I .055
Finally, let 's examine conditions at the very tip of the antenna.
Logic tells us that current is zero (since it has no place to go) and
voltage should therefore be infinite , if Ohm's Law is obeyed. Prac-
tically, this is not true, as the current can " lea k " into the atmosphere,
or into the insulators that support the dipole. The same 3 watts exist,
but the instruments show that the voltage field is now 550 volts and
the current is .0055 amperes. The radiation resistance, accordingly , is:
E 550
Radiation Resistance =- =- - = 100,000 ohms
I .0055
So! While the powe r at any point in the antenna is constant , the
voltage to current ratio varies all along the antenna, and the radiation
resistance (or whatever you want to call this ratio) va rie s too. The
fact of interest to the antenna designer is the ratio at the point at
which he feeds en ergy to th e antenna by attaching a transmission line.
This is usually at the center point, since the radiation resistance
ratio is reasonably low and manageable. If the radiation resistance is
too low or too high, other problems arise in feeding energy to the
antenna which are beyond the scope of this Handbook. Suffice to say
that radiation resistance values of 25 to 100 ohms or so a re a "target "
range for antenna feed points.
Well , What Does It All Mean?
In summary, then, the various terms mentioned pre viously expres-

s ing " radiat ion resistance " are not expressions of actual resistance
itself, but an e xpression of a ratio between the voltage field of the
antenna and the current within the antenna at any given point along
the antenna . If you can forget the tradition al concept of resistance and
think instead of the ratio of voltage to curren t, you can more readily
understand some of the more obscure representations of working an-
tennas and the over-complex and confusing terms that e xpress these
concepts.
Impedance And All That!
So far we 've looked at radiation resistance. What about impedance,

another OK -term bandied about by the knowledgeable to impress the
nat ives? Remember -- - the term resistance is used in antenna work in
its broader interpretation as the voltage to current ratio at which power
is consumed or transferred. The antenna, of course, does not consume
power, it merely transfers it into the space about it. Nevertheless .
for the purpose of circuit design it is convenient to substitute the
resistance concept because the circuit behavior conforms to that of an
actual, real-life resistance.
The term impedance is used in a comparable sense, too. It is also a
voltage to current ratio, but it expresses an even more general concept
than resistance because it implies that all of the power supplied to
the circuit may not be consumed or passed on, but a certain proportion
of it can be returned to the source during some part of the radio energy
cycle. The proportion of power consumed or passed on is expressed in
terms of radiation resistance and the portion of the power returned to
the source is expressed in terms of reactance. Reactance is undesir-
able because it makes the antenna difficult to "load " (take power
from) the transmitter.
Purists draw a distinct difference between resistance and reac-
tance; however, in antenna talk, the terms are often interchanged. This
can be done in the case of a resonant antenna without stretching the
truth. And in the case of a ham antenna, operating on various fre -
quencies in one band, the terms can be inte rcha nged , even though
there is a distinction between radiation resistance and impedance or
reactance that will be more easily understood when we tackle the
problem of transm ission lines and standing wave ratio later in this
Handbook.
Now , we have a vague idea of radiation resistance and the various
terms that mean the same thing, and we know that the voltage and cur-
rent ratio is different at different points along the an tenna. A very
nice picture can now be drawn of the variations , as explained in the
ne xt section.
Antenna Voltage and Current
Now look at the drawing of Figure 6. This shows two antennas , one
a full wav e le n gth antenna and the other a half-wavelength antenna. The
" radio wave " can be drawn on the s e figures and now, based upon the
previous discussion , it can be seen that this is a current wave, hav-
, /
.... /
" -, I /
VO LTAGE WAV E -...... ....>
' - - - - _/
I
l
IV OLTAGE WAVE CUR R ENT WAVE
I_I _
I - --
I .....
...... C AN TEN NA
~
' - H I l; H J
I M P E DA N C E
I ""PEOANCE
PO INT
LOW
POINT
<, ...... _ - _
f----- -- - - - t WAVELENGTH - - - - -
Fig. 6 DID YOU KNOW YOUR ANTENNA LOOKS LIKE THIS? Shown at the top is
a on e wavelength l ong antenna for 10 meters. At the bottom is a half-
wave length antenna . The voltage and current wave s f or a rad i o s ignal are drawn
on the antennas. Th e height of the w av e indicate s the strength ( "amplitude " )
at that point on the antenna . The volt age wave (da shed line) is maximum at the
high impedance points on both antennas , and is a m inimum at the low impedance
points. The current wave (sol id line) is exactly opposite, being a minimum at
the ends of the antenna (the high impedance points) and a maximum at t h e low
impedance points. In the case of the half-wavelength antenna, this is at the
center.
You don't believe it? Well, if sufficient radio power was applied to either
antenna (100 watts, or so), the voltage wave c ould be traced out by hold ing a
neon lamp or flourescent tube near the antenna. The l amp wil l g low brightly
from i nduc ed power at the high impedance points and will be ext inguished at
low impedance po ints. The lamp need not touch the antenna for thi s experiment.
For conven ience , ham antennas are usually fed at low impedance po ints,
as low impedance coax transmission line is readi Iy avai lable at modest cost.
In the case of the one wavelength antenna, the feedline would be attached at
either point A or point B. The feedline is attached at point C for the half-
wavelength antenna.
ing a minimum value at the ends of the antenna and a maximum value--
in the case of the half-wave antenna --at the middle. Also observe
that the one wavelength antenna has two current maximums on it.
Figure 6 can now be modified to show the voltage wave as well as
th e current wave for both antennas. The voltage wave is a dashed line.
The voltage wave is maximum at the high resistance ratio (impedance)
ends of the antenna and the voltage curve is exactly opposite to the
current curve . That is , the crest of one falls at the low point of the
other. Radio lingo says these waves are "out of phase". Note , too,
that voltage is always maximum at th e end of the antenna , and a mini-
mum one-quarter wavelength along the antenna from the end.
Likewise , current is always minimum at th e end of the antenna and a
maximum one-quarter wavelength along the antenna from the end.
Finally, it should be noted that energy is usually (not always) intro-
duced into the antenna at a point of maximum current (at the crest of
the current wave). Thus, the dipole antenna is fed at the center--- the
point of highest current.
Upwa rds And Onwards
Now that you have an idea of some of the terms and concepts used
in antenna work , and a bit of the int e res t ing theory behind the devel-
opment of today 's antennas, let 's examine some antennas and feedlines.
Antennas are like blondes: -- " Th e re are only two types of blondes ---
good and better. " So, let's look at some of the better ones (antennas,
that is).
4B-Heter Inverted Over Ground

Vee - 38· 38· Ilzi.uth
. .... . . - 18 .
: .
.\ '
-. 28: :
-90· ............~ ~ : ~ 98·

', , '....
..... . : .
' ' . . : .
. :.,; ' . '; .
,, ' " .
45· Elevation
Fig . 7 When a dipole is bent to form an inverted-V, the pattern nulls are partially filled in
by ve rtically polarized rad iation . The Vangie can be adjusted to vary the omnidirectional
coverage. Pattern shows 7 MHz inverted-V with apex at 45 feet and ends 10 feet clear of
ground . Antenna wire runs in 90 degree azimuth plane. (Pattern from MN Antenna
Analysis Program of K6STI.)
Chapter 4
Dipole and Ground Plane Antennas
lTwo Popular Antennas and All About Them!)
The Dipole Antenna
The basic shortwave transmitting and receiving antenna is the half-

wa ve dipole shown in Figure 1A. Its length is equal to about one-half
the transmitting wavelength, and it is usually made of wire, supported
at the ends by insulators. The dipole is broken at the center, at which
point a two-conductor feedline is attached. The dipole can be mounted
in any position , but it is usually mounted horizontally or vertically
between two supports. The length of a wire dipole for any shortwave
frequency may be computed from:
468
Length (feet)= - - - - - -
Frequency (MHz)
For example, the length of a half-wave dipole at 21.2 MHz (near the
mid-point of the 15 meter band) is:
Length =468/21.2 = 22.1 feet, tip to tip
When erecting the dipole antenna, it is important to make sure that

the two-conductor feedline does not interfere with pr oper antenna oper-
ation. To accomplish this, the line is led away at right an gles to the
antenna, as shown, when the antenna is in a horizontal position. When
the dipole is mounted vertically, and i t is desired to brin g the feedlin e
awa y below the antenna, a different scheme is used. The bottom of the
THE HORI ZON TAL DIPO LE
E ND I N SU LA T OR C ENT ER I N S ULAT O R END I N SU LA T O R
I
- - - - - D JP OL E A BOU T 1- : WA V ( L ENCoTH LON e. ----~
I
® H ORIZ O N TAL DIPOLE RA DIA TES
I N T O A ND our OF PA ~E
: f-- ~,:~ C~~~~~TOR CO A XI AL FEED L I NE,
I
I
THE V E RT I C.A L D IP OLE
@ V ERTI CA L ai POLE RAD I A TE S

E QUA LL Y IN ALL DI RECTIONS
Fig. 1 THE DIPOLE ANTENNA i s the fundamental shortwave antenna for both
transmitting and rece iving. Mounted horizontally (A). the d ipole is commonly
made of wire, supported at the ends by insulators. The low impedance e-nter
point is broken and a t w o conductor coaxial feedline is attached to the halves
of the antenna. The feedl ine should be brought away at r i ght angles t o the
an tenna since it may have a radio field about it which can distort the radiat ion
pattern of the an tenna. This dipole radiates maximum energy into and out of t h e
page.
The dipole antenna also may be mounted vert ically {BI. In order to bring the
t wo conductor coaxial f eed li n e away from the antenna without disturbing the
radiation pattern of the antenna, the bottom half-section of the dipole is made
o f hollow tubing , w ith t he insulated feedline running down the ins ide . Since
t he rad i o en er gy is concentrated on the outside of the dipole , t h e inside of the
bottom section may be used as a sh ield for the feed line.
40 DIPOLE AND GROUND PLANE ANTENNAS
dipole section can be made of hollow metal tubing instead of wire , a nd

the insulated feedline is passed down the center of the bottom section
as shown in Figure lB. Since the radio energy is concentrated on the
outside surface of the dipole, the inside of one section may be used
as a shield for the transmission line, provided the line does not touch
the tubing wall. This effectively isolates the feedline from the electric
field about the dipole. The dipole radiates radio energy at right angles
to the direction of the conductor, as shown in the illustrations. The
horizontal dipole thus has a bidirectional "figure-8" pattern and the
vertical dipole has a nondirectional, circular pattern. As in many
instances, the picture is worth a thousand words in this case.
Before we leave the dipole for the moment, it i s important to note
that this simple antenna is often considered to be the "standard" of
comparison against which the performance of other antennas may be
measured. There are other standards of comparison, and we'll discuss
them when the time comes. But for now, remember the dipole as the
comparison antenna for all practical purposes, and one of the most
popular antennas for all-purpose high frequency communication.
The General Coverage Antenna - The Ground Plane
The simplest, low cost antenna for radio amateurs is the ve rtica l , or
general co verage antenna. This device radiates, or sprays , radio
energy in all directions (except straight up). A typical general coverage
antenna is the ground plane, shown in F igure 2. The ground plane con-
sists of a vertical antenna, or radiator, mounted above several hori-
zontal rods, or radials. The radiator and radials are all usually about
a quarter-wavelength long. The length of a high frequency , quarter-wa ve
element is :
234
Length (fe et) = - -- - - -
Frequency (Mhz)
The vertical section is considered to be the antenna proper, and the
radials establish an artificial grou nd , or ground plane (hence the name)
at the base of the radiator. Looking a t it another way, the ground plane
antenna is a vertical half-wave dipole, fed from below, with the bottom
half of the dipole split into separate radials which are swung up into
the horizontal plane. The antenna is fed with a two-conductor trans-
mission line.
A general coverage vertical antenna allows you to communicate with
other stations located in many different directions about you without
the need of swinging a rotary beam back and forth.
Fig. 2 THE POPULAR GROUNDPLANE. This inexpensive antenna is a close

relative of the vertical dipole shown in Figure 1. It has a vertically polarized
field and a nondirectional pattern, "spraying" radio energy in all directions
about it (except straight up and down). The vertical rod is the antenna, and is a
quarter-wavelength long. The three horizontal rods are termed "radials" and
form an artificial ground ("ground plane") directly beneath the antenna. At
least two, and preferably three or four radials should be used.
The ground plane antenna is derived from the vertical dipole, with the bottom
half of the dipole split into separate radials which are swung up into the hori-
zontal plane. Some ground plane antennas have drooping radials which modify
the electrical characteristics of the antenna so that it more closely matches a
50 ohm coaxial transmission line.
The radials may be connected directly to the supporting mast, as shown here,
but the antenna portion of the ground plane must be insulated from radials and
mast. The center conductor of the coaxial feedline is attached to the antenna,
with the shield connected to the radials.
As mentioned earlier, the vertica 1 antenna picks up a great deal

more man-made interference than does a horizontal antenna. Automo-
bile ignition interference, electric motor noise, power line "hash" and
other radio "smog" are received more readily by a vertical than by a
horizontal antenna. If you live near an industrial area and have power
line interference -- think twice before you put up a vertical antenna!
On the other hand, since a general coverage antenna receives and
transmits in all directions, it does not provide the user with any pro-
tection from interfering signals on the frequency, since all signals
are received regardless of the direction of the incoming signal.
42 DIPOLE AND GROUND PLANE ANTENNAS
r r
-r 1
ELECTRICAL ELECTRICAL
HALF 5/8
WAV£LE>oGlH
COAX
COMPAR ISON HA LF - WAV E F IVE-E IGHTH S WAVE

GRO UND PLANE VERT ICAL VERT ICA L ANTENNA
AN T ENNA ANT ENNA
@ ®
Fig. 4 EXTENDED VERTICAL ANTENNAS provide boost in gain over popular

ground plane antenna (left). The half-wave vert ical antenna (A) provides boost
in power gain of 1.8 decibel over ground plane. The five-eighths wave vertical
antenna (B) provides 3 decibel boost in power over a ground plane. This is a
worthwhile increase in signal and an antenna of this type is recommended for
general coverage work. No rad ials are required With the extended antennas.
The main disadvantage of these antennas is that they are very responsive to
automobile ignition noise and other man-made interference.
The Extended Vertical Antenna
Vertical an tennas ar e not limited to one-quarter wavelength in

length . In fact, the half-wave and five-eighths wavelength vertical
antennas provide somewhat improved results over the more common
ground plane. These antenna types are shown in Figure 4.
The half-wave vertical antenna is shown in illustration A. The
dipole ends are points of high voltage and high impedance and the
center point is at a relatively low voltage and low impedance. Some
kind of matching device must be included to match this impedance to
that of the transmission line . This device, or network, is mounted at

the base of the antenna and may be included as part of the antenna
itself, as described in a later chapter.
The half-wave vertical antenna is a complete dipole section and
requires no radials in most installations. This is a great advantage
where space is at a premium. The half-wave vertical antenna provides
a power gain of about 1.8 de cibel over the quarter-wave ground plane, a
worthwhile increase in gain for such a simple antenna. The pattern is
nondirectional, and general coverage is provided.
The five-eighths wavelength vertical is shown in illustration B. The
extra length of the radiator provides additional power gain ( a gain of
3 .0 decibels over a quarter-wavelength ground plane) and also elimin-
ates the need for the horizontal radials. The five-eighths wavelength
vertical antenna is popular as a commercial broadcast antenna as it
provides the greatest possible gain for a simple vertical antenna while
still maintaining an omnidirectional pattern. It is also extensively used
for industrial and police mobile service in the 27 MHz and VHF regions.
A five-eighths wavelength vertical antenna design for the 20 , 15 or
10 meter bands will be described in a later chapter of this Handbook.
I-- R ~I ~
-IYY\-.oo--:--:;tYYC
FEED
I I I 1 80M
"- I I III t>

-~
'-~ ....1-:::'. 40,",
I
3.8 3 .82 3 .~ 3.86 3.88 3.90 Me.
7.0 7.2 7.4 Me.
Fig . 5 80-40 METER DIPOLE uses rf chokes instead of tuned traps. Chokes are close-
wound of #18 enamel wire on a phenolic form. 7/8-inch outside diameter and 14 inches
long . Winding length is 12 inches. Inductance is approximately 120 JLH. Resonance on
40 meters is determined by length of inner sections. Tip length determines 80 meter
resonance. Idea was first proposed for amateur use by W4JRW. (Drawing from QST.
April, 1961.)
44 WIRE ANTENNA HANDBOOK
et:VERAGE
ANTENNA
'00 OHM CARBON

POTENTIOMETER ONE HOUR
KITCHEN TI MER
\1~I1:,~' '
200 OHM -
CARB ON
RES IS TOR
TO TIMER DIAL
. - ),/4 GROUND RADIAL SYSTEM
Fig. 5 K2 GNCB EVERAG E ANTE NNA for 160 meter reception provides directivity and
cuts down on noise. Front-to-back ratio as high as 20 dB can be achieved . Value of
resistor falls between 200 and 500 ohms. Potentiometer attached to kitchen timer is
used . Receiver is tuned to broadcast station at high end of band located off back of the
atnenna. Received signal is plotted against time to check resistance required for opti-
mum front-to-beck ratio as indicated by minimum S-meter reading. Potentiometer is
then replaced with fixed resistor of proper value.
Chapter 5
The Coaxial Cable
[Your Radio Lifeline]
Your ham antenna installation is ma de up of two basic parts which

should aid and assist each ot her : the radi ating system (the antenna it-
se lf) a nd the transmission line (t he fee dline, a sort of "radio hose").
Each part has it s own ro le t o play a nd when eac h is de signed to work
prop e rl y with the other -- an d does -- yo u'll have a successful and ef-
fic ient antenna installation .
The antenna, as you know, is made of e 1e c t ric a 11 y conducting
material, usually metal such as copper or aluminum. The mechanical
s upports for the antenna are made of material which does not, conduct
e lectricity, such as plastic, ceramic or wood . Materials of this class
are termed insulators. Indeed, if the an te nna ele ments are supported at
the correct spot (the center of a dipole, for instance), the need for an
i ns ulat e d support no longer exists, no insulator is needed, and the
element may be atta ched directly to a metal supporting structure . This
is a great advantage in large beam antennas as a more sturdy and wind-
proof array can be built if relatively fragile insulators are not needed .
The "Radio Hose"
At your station , radio energy from your transmitter is coupled in -

to the feed line and carried by the line to the antenna. The feedline ,
therefore, may be thought of as a sort of "radio hose" through which
radio signals flow efficiently from one place to another. A" lossy" or
inefficient feedline, which offers res istance to the passage of radio
energy, may be compared to a stopped-up garden hose, which slows
down and chokes up the water before it arrives at your pet rose bush.
The high resistance feedline, in addition , weakens (attenuates) the
46 THE COAXIAL CABLE
Fig. 1 COAXIAL CABLE is your "radio

P>OLY -
'Llx.aLI
...... 1010
ITl4YLIHI
I"NElIl.
hose" through which radio energy flows to
CO.... I" INSULATION
SNIIL.D and from your antenna. The "coax" line con-
sists of an inner conductor surrounded by a
low loss insulating jacket and a braided
VINYL
"LAlnc
copper outer conductor. The cable is covered
OUTER
.JACKET by a waterproof vinyl jacket extruded over
the braid. The inner conductor transmits the
radio energy from one point to another and
the outer conductor prevents the energy
from escaping from the cable.
incoming signal before it arrives at your receiver. In short, a poor feed-

line severely.cripples your amateur station, both for receiving and for
transmitting!
The Coaxial Cable -- What Is It?
The coaxial cable (or concentric cable) is the most popular feed-
line used for radio transmission today.Over 500 various types of coaxial
cable are manufactured, from microscopic, hair-like feed line for special
instrumentation to giant line, several feet in diameter for super-power
transmitters.
Coaxial line was originally designed at the turn of the century for
use as submarine telegraph cables, and was modified for radio use in
the early "thirties". Today's excellent, low-loss line was developed
during World War II, and millions of miles of "coax" have been manu-
factured and used in the last 25 years.
An industry-wide standard for coaxial cable has been adopted, and
most lines suitable for radio use are designated by the initials RG '
(derived from "radio guide"), followed by a serial number identifying a
particular type of cable, and the suffix letter U (indicating "utility "
cable). By far the most popular cables for amateur h-f or vhf operation
are the RG-8/U and RG-58/U (50 ohm) families of cable.
The flexible coaxial line (Figure 1) consists of a solid or stranded
copper inner conductor, a solid or perhaps white foamy continuous in-
sulating jacket (usually polyethylene) and a braided copper outer con-
ductor. The outer conductor is covered by a tough, waterproof vinyl
jacket extruded over the braid. The purpose of the inner conductor is to
transmit the radio energy from one point to another and the braided
outer conductor (shield) prevents radio energy from escaping from the
line . When properly used, no radio energy exists on the outside surface
of the line which may, in fact, be buried beneath the earth without
affecting antenna performance. The insulating jacket protects the
coaxial line and prevents it from being accidentally shorted to ground
or to other wiring.
The coaxial line is flexible enough to be bent around a radius
greater than six inches or so. Sharp bends should be avoided, as the
center conductor can "cold flow" or slowly move about within the in-
sulation when under continuous stress, and may gradually shift over
and short itself out to the braid.
The Black Jacket
No, the Black Jacket is not a Japanese Judo Society, but the outer
insulation of the coaxial line . Two types of jackets are used, and you
should steer clear of one. The jackets are regular vinyl and noncon-
t emineting viny l. Older cables (made up to about 1965, and a few in-
expensive cables still made today) use regular vinyl jackets which
seem to have a chemical affinity for the polyethylene inner insulation
of the line . Result: after a period of four or five years of life (and
sooner at high temperatures) the radio frequency loss of the cable in-
creases markedly and it becomes almost useless as a "radio hose" .
How do you tell "lossy" cable? You can't unless you are well
equipped with laboratory instruments, or can conduct a simple measure-
ment as described later in this Handbook. The recommendation is :
Don't buy surplus coaxial line , or cheap line made by an unknown manu-
facturer. The military surplus line has been sold by Uncle Sam because
its useful life has been exceeded. Lossy coaxial cable is a perfect
way to throw your costly transmitter power away!
Coaxial Cable Loss
Cable loss is measured in decibels , and may be thought of as "nega-

tive gain ". As an example , suppose you have an antenna with a power
gain of 3 decibels, and you have a coaxial line running to the antenna
that has a power loss of 5 decibels . Your overall power gain is nega-
tive, and you end up with 3 -5 = minus 2 decibels power loss!
Cable loss is directly proportional to the length of cable you use,
all other factors being equal. You should therefore strive to have as
short a run of coaxial cable between your station equipment and the
antenna as possible .
48 THE COAX IAL CABLE
Coa x Jacket Dielectric Nom inal Velocity dB Loss per Diameter

Cable Impedance Fact or 100 feet (in inches)
(in ohms) at 100 MHz
RG-8 PVC Solid 52 .66 2.2 .405

(8237)
RG-8 PVC Foam 50 .78 1.8 .405

Type
(8214)
RG-8A Long-life Solid 52 .66 2.2 .405

(925 1) PVC
RG-2 13 Long-life Solid 50 .66 2.2 .405

(8267) PVC
RG-8X PVC Foam 50 .78 3.7 .242

(925 8)
RG-5 8 PVC Solid 53.5 .66 4.5 .195

(8240)
RG-5 8A PVC Solid 50 .66 4.9 .195

(8259)
RG-58A PVC Foam 50 .78 4.5 .195

Type
(8219)
RG-5 8C Lon g-life Solid 50 .66 4.9 .195

(9203) PVC
Fig . 2 COAXIAL CABLES recommended for ham use . RG-8 and RG-213 series
are for high power or long cab le runs . For short runs and ease of installation,
small er diameter RG-8X is recommended. The RG-58 fam ily of coax is useful for
power levels under 500 watts in the HF spectrum. Vinyl (PVC) outer jackets have
a nominal life of five to ten years, lim ited by exposure to sunlight and gradual
contamination of inner insulation. More expensive cables have "long-life" non-
contaminating PVC ja cket with an expected life of ten to fifteen years. Cable
attentuat ion is progress ive ly lower fo r lower frequency bands.
The Noncontaminating ] acket
In case you are buying coaxial cable, you should buy the newer type
that has the noncontaminating jacket that does not affect cable life .
The new jacket style designation for RG-8/U is RG-8A /U. An even
newer cable, of the same type with a noncontaminating jacket is RG-
213 /U, which has the same characteristics as RG-8A/U . The new
jacket style designation for RG-58/U cable is RG-58A/U, or RG-58C/U.
These cables are all tabulated in the chart of Figure 2.
The newer coaxial cables with a noncontaminating vinyl jacket have
a life expectancy in e xcess of fifteen years. Considering that the extra
cost of the improved cable runs only about a penny a foot , the non -
contaminating types are a good in v est men t for your ham station.
Foam Dielectric Cable
A recent addition to the family of coaxial cables is the foamed

dielectric type, designed for use with cable TV (CATV). The inner
insulation consists of cellular polyethylene, foamed with an inert gas.
While well-suited for their original purpose , their use at ham frequen-
cies is really not worth the extra cost as the improvement in efficiency
is only a percent or so over the less costly solid dielectric cables.
Your Choice of Cable
Figure 2 tells the story. Your ham equipment requires a SO ohm

transmission line. Actual coaxial line impedance runs from SO ohms to
nearly 54 ohms, but this manufacturing variation makes little difference
in actual use. You are concerned with cable efficiency and long life.
Vetoed are the cables with contaminating jackets, and those older
cables with higher attenuation than others . The best group of cables to
choose from are RG -8A/U and RG-213/U in the large diameter types
and RG-58/U in the small diameter type . At 10 meters or lower in fre-
quency , the efficiency of a 100 foot run of the RG-8A /U cable is about
80 percent , and the efficiency of the smaller cable is about 65 percent.
The moral is obvious: keep your transmission line as short as possible,
especially at 10 meters and the higher frequenc y bands of 6 & 2 meters.
Line Impedance
Most popular coaxial lines are designated as "50 ohms " or "70
ohms " , or some such cryptic value. Often, this value is embossed into
the jacket of the line. What does it mean? This re fe re nce does not refer
to the actual resistance of the line in ohms (which is very low) but to
the charac te ri s tic impedance of the line, which is an electrical de-
scription of the line in terms of the ratio of line voltage to lin e curr ent.
(As a refresher in this topic, better look once again at Chapter 3 of
this Handbook). As before , the term impedance refers to a ratio and not
to a numerical value of resistance. The characteristic impedance ratio
is determined only by the physical characteristics of the line : the inner
conductor diameter, type of insulating material, and the thickness and
construction of the outer shield. By varying the ratio of the di ameter of
the inner conductor to the shield conductor and changing the inner insu-
lation, lines of SO ohm impedance to 90 ohm impe da nce may be manu-
factured.
The resistance of the line, on the other hand, is altogether a dif-

ferent matter. While complex laboratory instruments are required to
measure the characteristic impedance, only an ohmmeter is needed to
measure the line resistance. For a short section of good coaxial line,
the resistance of either the center conductor or the shield (as measured
from one end of the line to the other) will be a fraction of an ohm.
What is the Correct Line Length?
How long should your coaxial line be? Is there a "magic" length
which will make your antenna work better? Generally speaking, the
answer to this question is: no . The line s hould be long enough to reach
from the station to the antenna , and no longer. The shorter the line, on
the other hand, the less will be the line loss.
Two exceptions t o this general statement should be noted: First,
some ham gear exhibits erratic tu ning when operated into a transmission
line having a high value of SWR on it. The solution is to lower the SWR
by making proper tuning adjustments to the antenna or to alter the
length of the transmission line a foot or so so that the ratio of voltage
to current at the transmitter end of the line is more in accord with the
limitations imposed by the output network of the equipment.
Second, some beam antennas use short lengths of coaxial line as
coupling devices between various portions of the antenna. In this case,
the antenna manufacturer usually specifies a particular line length to
be used. It is wise to follow his instructions. Aside from these two
special cases, follow Abraham L incoln's an swer to the question, "How
long should a man's legs be?" Honest Abe replied, "Long enough to
reach the ground."
Is Coaxial Line Waterproof?
Yes! The line itself is waterproof as long as the tough outer vinyl
jacket is not cut. But the ends of the coaxial line are not waterproof
and -- contrary to popular wisdom -- water can easily get inside your
coaxial line at the exposed end. If it does, you are in trouble! The
wa ter will be sucked a long the outer copper braid by capillary action
until finally the whole line becomes soaked inside. The copper braid
gradually corrodes, ruining line efficiency and reducing the capability
of your s tat ion. This capillary ac tion is very nerve-wracking and
unless you live in Phoenix, Arizona (where it rarely rains), the open
end of your coaxial line can suck moisture out of the air over a period
of time, just as a small child sucks a cherry soda through a straw!
Remember, then, when using any coaxial transmission line you I1.US{
waterproof the ends of the line to prevent moisture from entering.
How To Waterproof Your Coaxial Cable
It's a cinch to keep your transmission line dry on the inside. Just
don't let water get into it in the first place by properly sealing the ends
of the line. The wrong way to terminate your line is to peel back the
waterproof jacket and make a connection to your antenna using the
inner conductor and shield as wire leads wrapped around the antenna
terminals . "Shucks", says Johnny Knowitall, "Why should I spend 70
cents for a coaxial connector? I can just twist the wires around the
antenna bolts, and it works great!"
Poor Johnny. Moisture will condense at the end of his line when the
a ir temperature drops and water will gradually work its way down the
outer braid of the line, inch by in ch. Rain water enters the coaxial line
directly. Soon, aIle ist kaput .
(A note from the author: I had this happen to me once, when I lived
near New York City. I'd had an unsealed coaxial line up for a few years
and took it down one day to move the antenna. When I dropped the end
of the line on the ground, water ran out of it. It hadn't rained for weeks,
and I couldn't imagine where the water came from . Then I learned that
coaxial line can act like a water pipe! I drained nearly a glass of water
out of the line .. When I cut the line open, the copper braid was c orrode d ,
and a nasty green color. The inner insulation was discolored too. That
taught me a lesson -- and an expensive one, as I had to replace all the
lines from the house to the antenna.)
Well, to get back to the subject: If you have a coaxial plug on the
end of your line it is necessary to coat the plug and the receptacle with
a waterproofing silicone sealant, such as General Electric RTV-I02.
This flexible silicone rubber comes in a ready-to-use tube, and adheres
to almost any surface. It can be bought in white or translucent shades
(either is OK) and dries to a tough, flexible coating that resists mois-
ture and rot. The silicone is applied over the coaxial plug and recep-
t acle after connection is tightly made, and allowed to dry for a few
hours. When still "sticky", it is overwrapped with black, vinyl tape,
such as Scotch plastic electrical tape No . 88. Application of the sili-
cone compound, plus a double layer of tape, carefully wrapped will do
the job.
If your line is terminated in leads instead of a coaxial plug, the
silicone sealant should be carefully spread over the base of the leads
""~Ao ----DRIP LOOP -J
Fig. 3 COAXIAL CABLE IS WATERPROOF but most inexpensive fittings are not.
In order to prevent water from entering the end of the I ine a drip loop should be
used . In addition. the plug shou ld be covered with a waterproofing compound
and wrapped with viny l tape. as discussed in the text.
and pushed down into the end of the cable . The end of the cable itself
is then carefully wrapped with vinyl tape. Use two layers of wrapping.
The Drip Loop
A drip loop such as shown in the illustration (Figure 3) keeps the

water from flowing down the line into the coaxial fitting. Always adjust
the placement of the cable so that water tends to run away from, and
not towards, the coaxial fitting . Allowing water to run into a coaxial
plug is asking for trouble, no matter how carefully you prepare the joint.
Finally, tighten the coaxial fitting to the receptacle with pliers to make
sure the outer ring of the plug established a good connection between
the shield of the line and the frame of the receptacle.
Never splice two coaxial lines together without the use of the proper
fittings. Properly prepared lines with UHF fittings may be spliced to -
gether with a minimum of fuss with the use of the double-ended coaxial
fittings lis ted in Figure 4 .
The Coaxial Plug: Your Best Friend
A bewildering collection of coaxial plugs is manufactured for all

types of coaxial cable. By far the most popular are the so-called "UHF
fittings " listed in figure 4. Most modern ham gear uses these small
connectors. They are not too expensive , moderately easy to install
COA X I A L CONN EC TO R T A B L E
" U H F" CONN E CT OR S

F OR R<;-8 /U r R<;- a A /U A N D RG- ZI3 / U LINES
DESCR IP T I ON MILITAR Y T YPE AMPHE NOL T YPE
p L2~9 83- r S p
P LUG P l2~9 A 83-ISP A
SO LD ER L ES S PL UG - - 1!t3- IS, I
SP L I C E PL- 2~a 8 3 - 1J
REDUCTI ON A DA PT E R U ~ -1 1 5/ U 83 -185
FOR RG-SB /U
- BN C· CO N N EC TO RS
F OR RC;-5 8 / U . RC.-58 A /U A ND Rl;- 5 8C /U LI NES
D ESCRIPTI O N MIL I T AR Y T Y PE AM PHENOL T YPE
uc;-aa /u 31-002
P LUG Uc.-eeB / U 3 1-0 18
UG.-&8C /U 31-202
SP L IC E U G- 9 14 /U 3 1-2 19
A D A PT E R TO U H F UC;-Z73 /U 31-02. 8
Fig . 4 COAXIAL PLUG. splice and adapters make life easy for you and give
you a ship-shape antenna system when they are properly used. Th is t ab l e lists
both mil itary and Amphenol type numbers of most popular coaxial hardware .
Other types and styles of fittings exist and long lists of special coaxial plugs
and adapters are given in the larger radio parts catalogs. Spec ia l connectors
are also avai lable to match UHF and BNC fittings to RCA and Motorola plugs.
(if you know wha t you are doing), but they a re not wa te rproof. Figure 4
shows a listing of the most-used UHF and BNC fittings for both RG-
SA/U (large) and RG-5SA /U (s ma ll ) 50 ohm cable.
No doubt many fingers have been burned and many sw ear words have
defiled th e a t mos phe re from the frustration of incorrectly in s ta ll ing
c oa xia l connectors. You can put 'e m on the cable the hard way , but
he re 's the easy way to do it!
How to Us e Coaxial Plugs -- The E as y Way
Make neat and efficient connections between your c oaxial cable and
your equipment ! Many rad io amateurs loo k upon coa xial plugs as inve n -
tions of the de vil, and they may be right. T ricky to place on the line ,
whe n imprope rl y installed , the common coaxial plug ca n ca us e int e r-
mitt ent operat ion and possible damage to the t ransmitter po rtion of your
ham e qui pme nt.
Getting the coaxial plug properly fitted on the end of a coaxial cable
may be a frustrating and time consuming task, in spite of all the in-
structions and drawings of a correct assembly shown in magazines and
handbooks. These wishful dir ections usually don't work. In many cases,
the ham simply gives up, jams the connector on the cable, leaving
short whiskers of copper braid ready to short out the antenna circuit--
and an open invitation for failure!
Properl y done , the job of placing a coaxial plug on the transmission
line is not difficult. The following assembly sequence was worked out
over the years and is recommended for the popular type PL-259 coaxial
plug, obtainable at any large radio supply house. This connector is in -
tended for use with RG-8 /U cable and (with the addition of an adapter)
also with the smaller RG-58/U cable. You can determine if this style of
plug fits your radio by looking at the antenna jack. If it is labelled
SO-239 or 83-IR, it will match the PL-259.
The first step in preparing the coaxial cable for the plug is to slide
t he coupling ring of the plug onto the cable with the ring t h rea d s
towards the open end of the cable. Next, take a utility knife (Stanley
99A Shop Knife, for example) and circumscribe a cut in the outer black
jacket of the line. Make the cut at right angles to the cable and about
Ph inches back from the end of the line. The small cylinder of jacket
material you have cut may be slit carefully with the knife and removed.
You have now exposed over an inch of the outer copper braid of the
cable. Without disturbing the braid, which should be lying flat against
the inner insulation, take a soldering gun and quickly and smoothly tin
the exposed braid, making it a solid entity. Don't overheat the braid, or
the inner insulation may melt and "squirt" out between the basket-
weave strands of the braid. One or two practice runs on scrap cable
ends will make an expert of you! Clean the left-over flu x from the braid
with a rag moistened with paint thinner or alcohol (See Figure 5).
The next step is to trim the soldered braid to the correct length .
Use a small tubing cutter for this job. The General Hardware #123
Midget Tubing Cutter is recommended. Cut the braid so that 7/16 inch
is left on the cable end. Mark a line this distance from the black vinyl
jacket and place the tubing cutter over the braid, letting the cutting
wheel fall on the marie Tighten the cutter slightly and slowly revolve
it about the cable . After one turn, tighten the wheel again, and continue
to revolve the cutter. Four or five turns and the cutter will neatly slice
the soldered braid . The unwanted slug of braid may be then snipped off
with a pair of wire cutters. In .us ing the cutter, don't cut down too far,
or you'll slice into the center insulating material.
-
. _ .. ~ _ .
.- -.
- ( ' !' .. '.
~( ,--
/'
~ '~.~~-
- ---- ----.!. ~)
Fig. 5 COAX PLUG ONTO L1NE--THE EASY WAY. This photograph shows the
easy steps in preparing RG-8A/U coaxial I ine for a PL-259 coaxial plug. Midget
tubing cutter (left) and utility knife (top) are used . At left is sample coaxial
line with the outer jacket removed by the knife. Next. the outer. braided con-
ductor of the line is tinned. Third view shows the outer braid cut to proper
length by the tubing cutter . Fourth view shows the inner insulation of the line
cut to length and inner conductor tinned. Right view shows coaxial plug and
ring on line. with plug in position for soldering to line. Soldering is done
through four holes in shell of plug . Soldering gun or iron with small tip and
high watt age rating is recommended for this operation . Once the plug is
soldered. it may be wiped with damp cloth to remove resin and to cool it.
The next step is to trim the center insulation. Cut it cleanly with
the utility knife so that a collar 1/16 inch wide extends beyond the
soldered braid. Easy! Don't nick the center conductor. Once the in-
sulation is cut, you can pull the slug off the end of the cable by grasp-
ing it with your fingers and gently pulling it , rotating it at the same
time so that it follows the twist of the inner conductor wires. When the
slug is off, tin the center conductor.
Now the cable end is ready for the PL-259 plug. Push it carefully
on the cable end, rotating it with the fingers so that the internal threads
of the plug screw onto the outer vinyl jacket of the cable. Make sure
the inner conductor is centered into the plug pin . As the plug body is
TI N BRAID ,
STEP
ONE ~n:nrIU=. :::::::J:~ Ji : ; ; ;
ST EP
ONE
A DA PTE R
STEP STEP
TWO TWO
STEP
THREE
~
~
--- - ... ~ - -. ' . STEP
.x; ~.= FOUR
A SO LD E R
B
Fig. 6 UHF PLUG AND ADAPTER installed on a coaxial l ine -- the ea sy way .
PL-259A plug installation is covered in (A I, corresponding to the steps shown
in Fig. 5 . PL-259 and UG-175/U adapter are shown in (B) matching the small
diameter RG-58A/U coaxial line to the large diameter coaxial plug .
screwed onto the cable, you'll see the tinned braid appear through the
four solder holes in the shell. Continue twisting the plug onto the cable
until the braid is completely visible through all holes (Figure 6A) .
Now is the time to solder the plug onto the cable, the idea being to
solder the braid through the four solder holes . Use a soldering gun with
a small tip and proceed with care, using small diameter solder. It is
usually easier to hold the plug in a bench vise during this operation.
Take care that solder does not run over the outer threads of the body.
The last step is to solder the center conductor to the plug pin . After
the assembly cools down, slide the coupling ring down over the plug.
Try this technique on a plug and a spare piece of coaxial line. Soon
you'll be able to produce masterpieces that will arouse the envy of
your friends. A real artist, once he masters this simple technique, can
t hen advance to the reverse step -- salvaging coaxial plugs from old
cable!
The PL-259 Plug with Small Coaxial Cable
The PL-259 may be used with small diameter cable (RG-58/U, for
example) by adding a reduction adapter (type UG-175/U). A slightly
different assembly technique is used for this cable (Figure 68).
The end of the cable is passed through the coupling ring and the
adapter, with the threads of the ring and the narrow end of the adapter
facing the end of the cable. Using the utility knife, cut 3/4 inch of the
vinyl jacket off the cable. Fan the braid out slightly and carefully fold
it back over the adapter.
Next, trim the braid with a small scissors to about 3 /8 inch long, so
that it fits about the barrel of the adapter. Following this, take the
utility knife and remove 5/8 inch of the insulation from the center con-
ductor. Careful! Don't nick the conductor. Finally, tin the conductor.
Now, carefully screw the plug body onto the adapter. The center con-
ductor of the cable should pass easily through the center pin of the
plug, and the strands of the braid should appear through the side holes
of the shell. Using a s ma ll soldering gun, solder the braid through the
holes. Lastly, solder the center conductor to the plug pin and slide the
coupling ring down over the plug.
Check Your Coaxial Line!
The first step to take when antenna trouble is suspected is to care-

fully check your coaxial line, especially the plugs at both ends . By
far the greatest number of antenna difficulties stem from incorrectly
soldered coaxial line fittings. Then, too, in checking an old feed line
installation, or checking someone else's line, the end fittings should
be carefully examined.
You can perform an important check on your line with the aid of an
inexpensive volt-ohmmeter (Figure 7). The ohmmeter should be set on
the highest resistance range and the coaxial line disconnected at both
ends. By measuring the resistance between outer braid and inner con-
d uctor at one end of the line you can make sure that a leakage path
does not exist across the line from braid to inner conductor. The resis -
tance reading between inner and outer conductor on a good piece of
coaxial cable should be infinity . If a resistance value of a few hundred
ohms (or several thousand ohms, for that matter) is noted, the coaxial
fittings should be immediately suspect. In addition, the line itself
should be closely examined for abrasions, breaks in the jacket , and
damage to the copper braid under the jacket. If a coaxial plug is in
doubt, it should be cut off, discarded, and a new one substituted in
its place.
Finally, using the ohmmeter on the lowest resistance range, measure
the cable from one end to the other along the same conductor. Both the
outer braid and inner conductor should show an end-to-end resistance of
less than one ohm or so. Thus, a good coaxial line shows infinite re-
OHMMETER
O H M M ET ER
6-~--~ CO A X IAL L I N E
Fig. 7 TEST YOUR COAXIAL LINE with an ohmmeter . Leakage across line is
measured between conductors (AI with meter on highest scale. Resistance of
each conductor is measured along conductor (B) with meter on lowest scale,
sistance betw een the conductors and near-zero resistance along each
conductor from end to end.
The final coaxial line check is to run transmitter power through the
line into a dummy load and see how things perform. Place the dummy
load at the far end of the line, hook the opposite end of the line to your
equipment through an SWR meter. Tune up the equipment in the normal
manner. A good coaxial line will show practically no reverse reading on
the SWR meter after the instrument is set for a forward, full-scale read-
ing (in other words, the SWR is unity, or 1). If the coaxial line passes
this test it is A-Okay and will deliver power to your antenna. There's
more on the handy SWR meter in the next chapter.
Line Loss Vs . SWR
The line attenuation given in Figure 2 assumes that the SWR on the
transmission line is unity . What happens to line loss at high values of
2 .5
0::
W
..J
11. Fig.8 COAXIAL LINE LOSS increases
5· -
~
- - - - _ 1- _
2 .0 AT SWR· 3 .75 as SWR increases. Line loss will be
:J
:::;
- - LINE LOSS IS DOUIJLED f--- ~ doubled when SWR is 3.7. Reducing
en
en SWR drops line loss. Lowest loss is
o-J 1.5 achieved by using large diameter
W
Z coaxia I I ine such as RG-8A /U.
..J
1.0
1,0 r.s 2 .0 2.!> 3 .0 3 .~ 4 .0
SWR
SWR? The answer is that line loss increases with increasing values of
SWR as shown in Figure 8. For example, if a transmission line has an
SWR value of 3.7, the line loss will be doubled. A 100 foot length of
RG -58A/U, for example, has a nominal line loss of 1.9 decibel. If the
SWR is 3 .7, the line loss increases to 3 .8 decibels. This corresponds
to a 60 percent loss of power! Changing from RG-58A/U to RG-8A/U
will drop the line loss from 3.7 decibels down to 2 decibels , which
corresponds to a 38 percent loss of power.
For long runs of transmission line, it is prudent to use the heavier
and more expensive RG-8A/U line rather than the smaller RG-58A/U
cable. In any event, the overall length of the transmission line should
be held as short as possible.
The above attenuation figures are for 10 meters. The figures are
lower for the low frequency bands, and quite a bit higher for the 6 and
2 meter bands. The sma 11 diameter RG-58A /U line, in fact, should not
be used on 2 meters for runs of much greater than 10 feet or so because
of excessive loss. Runs of RG-8A /U up to SO feet or so are permissible
at 2 meters without undue loss of power. At all frequencies, line loss
increases with SWR as shown in Figure 8.
Power Capability
All types of coaxial transmission lines are power limited , with the
power capability decreasing as the frequency increases. In the ama-
teur high frequency bands RG-58 and RG-59 families of cable may be
safely used with transceivers and other equipments up to the 500 watt
power level. At powers in excess of this, the heavier RG-8 and RG-ll
families of cables should be used.
60 WIRE ANTENNA HANDBOOK
I NSU L ATOR (TYP)

J.'---- - - _
_ - - - - - Z'f;'
·1
.--*4 Z0 pF
[ @j J
4 ·TO ·/ BALUN
TO COAX
Fig .9 DELTA LOOPfor7through 28 MHz. This antenna. designed by HB9ADQ. covers

7 amateur bands. The 20 pF capacitor across the balun is adjusted for lowest value of
SWR. On 18 and 24 MHz the balun must be replaced with a balanced antenna tuner.
The feedline consists of #16 wire. spaced 4 inches by means of spreaders cut from
lucite rod. The antenna is hung in the vertical plane and the radiation pattern is a figure-8.
at right angles to the plane of the loop.
Chapter 6
The SWR Meter
[Friend or Foe?]
How can you be sure your antenna is operating at its highest degree
of efficiency? Unlucky Pierre, the well-known DX operator says,
"Yes! My antenna is perfect.s but I cannot talk to anyone . "
What's wrong with Unlucky Pierre's antenna? Is he merely the victim
of bad luck and interference on the frequency, or he has made a monu-
mental "goof" in assembling his antenna that has rendered his e xpen-
sive station useless?
In a few moments Pierre can get an answer to his antenna problems--
which may be real, or merely imaginary -- by making simple measure-
ments with an instrument known variously as an SWR meter, rellecto-
meter, or SWR bridge (Figure 1). This device (placed in the transmis-
sion line) reads the standing wave ratio (SWR) of the antenna system
on a meter and by measurement of this ratio tells Pierre how we ll his
antenna system is working. It will tell you the same thing, too!
Incident And Reflected Waves
Radio waves travelling through space, or along a transmission line,

have been compared to water wa ves made by a stone thrown into a qu iet
pond. The waves travel outward from the stone in expanding, concentric
circles until they meet an obstacle , at which point they are reflected
back towards the source. The forward travelling water waves (incident
waves) and the reflected wav e s interact with each other and form inter-
esting patterns of interference on the surface of the water.
Another fanciful analogy to radio waves is of a person holding a
long rope attached to a post. He can start flipping the end of the rope ,
creating a wave of motion moving along the rope towards the post. Upon
reaching th e post , the wa ve will be reflected back towards the opposite
62 THE SWR METER
Fig. 1 THE SWR METER is useful instru-

ment for your ham stat ion . It measures
the ratio of the incident (forward) to the
reflected power in your transmission
I ine . This ratio is termed the standing
wave ratio . The SWR meter is placed in
series with your transmiss ion I ine bet -
ween the ham transmitter and the an-
tenna. Power is appl ied from the trans-
mitter and the potentiometer control is
set for a full scale meter reading when
the control switch is in the "forward
power" position . Switch is then thrown
to " reverse power" position and the
standing wave ratio is read directly
from the meter of the instrument .
end . If a number of equally timed flips are given, a succession of

waves at equal intervals are sent along the rope . When reflected back
from the post at the far end , they meet others coming along whose
" wa ve le ngt h " is equal to that of the waves coming back . At some
points the rope tends to move a certain distance upwards with the
direct wave, and the same distance in the downwards direction with the
reflected wave ; the result is that at these points the rope does not
seem to move at all. These points are found along the rope one half
wavelength apart. At all other points the rope moves (or vibrates) in the
resultant direction of the combined direct and reflected wave impulses,
creating what are called s tationary waves, or standin g waves . Waves
of this type can be set up a long a conductor b y suitably timed elec-
trical impulses applied to the conductor. A picture of the standing
wave analogy is shown in Figure 4 , Chapter 2.
What Is The Standing Wave Ratio (SWR)?
A combination of incident and reflected electric waves on a radio

conductor will result in a combined wave called a standing wave . The
ratio of size (amplitude) of the incident to the reflected wave is termed
the standing wave ratio (abbrevia t ed SWR). The standing wave ratio
may be measured by a suitable instrument.
Fig. 2 TYPICAL SWR METER CALIBRA-

TION. The top scale is merely for
e reference. Bottom scale is calibrated
in SWR. Lowest SWR reading is at left
of scale. SWR readings above 10 are
usually not accurate and most meters
are calibrated only to that value. SWR
meter measures forward and reverse
power in transmi ssion I ine, but scale
is calibrated in terms of SWR for
easier interpretation .
The SWR on a coaxial transmission line is measured by an SWR meter

and the magnitude of the SWR is read directly from the scale of the in-
strument. The SWR is expressed as a ratio, with unity (zero reading)
indicating no reflected power and infinity (full scale reading) indicating
a state of maximum reflection . A typical SWR meter scale is calibrated
as shown in Figure 2 .
Since the electrical impulses consist of voltage and current waves
which follow each other regularly , the standing wave as a result, is
composed of waves of volta ge and current. As a definite relationship
e xists between the voltage and current waves , the amplitude , or strength.
of the standing wave may be ascertained by measuring either the volt-
a ge or the current in the proper manner . Most inexpensive SWR meters
monitor the voltages in a transmission line and compare the incident
voltage with the reflected voltage .
With a perfect antenna s ystem , the reflected wa ve is zero and SWR
is termed to be one, unity, or one-to-one. Als the reflected wave in-
creases in amplitude, the SWR increases. The SWR reading, in effect,
shows the degree of mismatch between the impedance of the trans-
mission line and that of the antenna itself, as discussed in the fol -
lowing section.
Antenna Matching
When the radiation resistance of the antenna (that realistic voltage

to current ratio) is the same value as the characteristic impedance of
the transmission line (the ratio of voltage to current in the line), all of
the electric energy transmitted down the line is taken by the antenna
64 THE SWR METER
and radiated into space in the form of a radio wave. If the antenna does
not match the transmission line perfectly 1 wave interference is set up
at the junction of the line and the antenna and a portion of the energy
is reflected by th is mismatch point back down the transmission line
towards the transmitter. As the degree of mismatch between the antenna
and t he line increases, the amount of reflected radio energy increases 1
just as a la rge r obstacle tossed in the water pond will reflect back a
bigger wave of water. Standing waves on the transmission line are thus
created by the interaction of the forward and reverse travelling electric
waves.
As the reflected wave increases, the incident wave decreases , but
the total power in the two waves remains the same . The worst possible
case exists when the inc ide n t and reflected waves are equal in
strength. This happens when the far end of the transmission line (the
end away from the transmitter) is either short circuited or open.
The SWR Meter--How Does It Work?
With the idea of incident and reflected waves under our belt, it's not
too difficult to understand the operation of the SWR meter, a schematic
of which is shown in Figure 3. This version of the SWR met e r (and
there are others) takes advantage of the fact that the voltage and cur-
rent of the forward wave are in step (in phase) while the voltage and
current of the reflected wave are out of step (out of phase).
The SWR meter is placed in the co a x i a 1 line. It has two small
pickup wires placed near the inner conductor of a section of line. Cur-
rent is coupled into a pickup wire when a radio wave passes down the
line and a very small amount of voltage is sampled through the capacity
of the wire to the line.
The current in the pickup wire flows through a resistor at the end of
the wire and the voltage across the resistor is measured by a sensitive
meter. Two pickup wires are incorporated in the SWR meter, reversed
with respect to each other . When the SWR on the line is low, the pickup
wire voltages and currents are in step and are low in value. As the SWR
increases on the line, the pickup wire voltages and currents are not in
step, and are higher in value. The voltmeter consequently reads a re-
sultant voltage. Thus, by using two pickup lines, reversed with respect
to each other, currents and voltages flowing in either direction in the
line may be compared. Since the SWR mete r is symmetrical, either pick-
up unit may be used for either for wa rd or reflected measurements and
both readings may be applied to one meter via a selector switch.
SHIELD OX
RECEPT ACLE
COAX IAL
( TRA NS MITTER)
==================
>-:--+ - S E CTI ON OF
P I C KUP LO OP
TR ANS~ ISSION LI N E _
PIC KUP LOOP

COAXIAL
RECEPT ACLE
( A NTE N N A )
"0 "0
Fig. 3 SCHEMATIC OF TYPICAL SWR METER. Many d ifferent types of SWR meters
exist. but th is version is commonly used in inexpensive designs . The sensing
device is a short section of transmission line i n c l osed in a shielded bo x . Twin
pickup loops sense the voltage and current flowing in the incident and reflected
waves. Selector switch permits operator to observe relative voltages on meter
of instrument.
Using The SWR Meter
The comings and goings of the radio power in your tra nsmission line
can be neatly separated by the SWR meter and the power travelling in
each direction can be read on the meter of the instrument. Adjustments
may be made to the antenna in order to reduce the reverse (or reflected)
meter reading, thus dropping the value of the SWR on the transmission
line . The name of the gam e is to reduce th e reverse reading to as Iowa
v alue as possible, say , less than 10 perce nt: of the for ward reading , or
to as near-zero as possible. Making such antenna adjustments without
the use of an SWR meter is like washing your feet with your socks on--
you can do it, but it ain 't e asy!
The SWR Meter As A Tuning Aid
Wh y bother with an SWR meter?Well ,the SWR mete r is a powerful to ol

to a id you in obtaining optimum antenna performance. At the same time
it may be used to tune your transmitter for maximum power output.
Through maladjustment , it is possible to drop transmitter power output
66 THE SWR METER
by as much as 90 percent, without the operator be in g aware of the loss

of power! The proper use of the SWR meter wi ll eliminate catastrophies
of this type.
In addition to giving the operator a tool to det e rmine proper trans-
mitter tuning, th e SWR meter provides a handy means of judging antenna
adjustment. If the SWR on the transmission line to the antenna is high,
it indicates a ba d degree of mismatch between the antenna and the
transmission line . No adjustment or tuning done at the station can c ure
this difficu lty, only adj ustments made to t he antenna can possibly
lower the SWR on the transmis sion line . Incor re ct antenna adjustment
causes a high value of SWR and th is, in turn, ca us e s an increase in
power lost in the line an d a drop in efficiency of your transmitter . In-
deed, some "solid state" (completely trans is torized) VHF FM trans-
mitters will not operate into a transmiss ion line ha ving a high value of
SWR. In most cases, the equipme nt has a SWR prote ction circuit that
turns the gear off before dam age is done to t he transistor stages.
A Tria l Run With Your SWR Meter
Let's make an actual SWR measurement with an inexpensive SWR

meter , such as shown in the photograph . The SWR meter should be
placed in series with your transmission line, near your operating posi-
tion, so that a check may be made on both transmitter operation a nd
SWR meter readings . Most inexpensive SWR me te rs are equipped wit h
SO-239 t ype coaxia l receptacles whic h match the common PL-259 t ype
coaxial plug. Connect the output (a nt e nna) re ceptacle of the SWR meter
to your transmission line a nd antenna, and connect the input (tra ns -
mitter ) receptacle of the SWR meter to your set through a short , 50
ohm coaxial line about two feet long or so . One end of th is line should
ha ve a PL-259 matching. plug on it , and a plug sui tab 1e for your
radio is placed on the opposite end. Since you, good reader, ha ve just
fin ished reading the section of this Handbook on the fine art of placing
plugs on coaxial lines, we 'll assume that your coaxial connections are
prop erly made! Your complete installation is pi ctured in Figure 4 .
Make sure that the coaxial line used between SWR meter and trans-
mitter is the same type as the line running t o the antenna . By far the
greatest number of ham gear and a nte nnas are designed for a 50 ohm
line, and most SWR me te rs are designed for a 50 ohm line, too. Howev er,
70 ohm line does exist, and some SWR meters are made for 70 ohm line .
Don't mix up a 70 ohm SWR meter with a 50 ohm line, or you 'll get
funny readings th at don 't mean a th ing! All bets are off, too, if yo u
ANTENNA_
5WR ~fTER
'-REC;UlAR COAXIA L LINE

TO STAT ION
t--EXTRA INTER -
CONNECTlN<; L INE
TRANSM IT T ER
0.
ITRANSCEIVER
Fig. 4 TYPICAL SWR METER INSTALLATION. The instrument is placed in series

with the coaxial line to the antenna. near the operating position . A short . extra
I ine runs from the equipment to the SWR meter . The instrument may be left
permanently in the line as a check on antenna and equipment operation . Sensi-
tivity control on SWR meter permits use with transmitter powers up to maximum
amateur I irnit , Use carrier injection for SSB tuneup.
try and make-do without the use of coaxial connectors, as you'll get
screwy readings when the radio energy runs all over the place. Keep
the energy inside the line where it belongs!
Once the connections to the SWR meter are properly made , the panel
transfer switch of the device is set for a forward (FWD) reading, and
the sensitivity control is set to minimum sensitivity (maximum counter-
clockwise position). Turn on your transmitter and tune it up in the
normal manner. Now advance the sensitivity control on the SWR meter
for full scale deflection with the transfer switch set in the forward
position. Without touching the sensitivity control setting, now throw the
switch to the reverse position and note the meter reading. If all is well,
the reverse reading will be substantially less than the forward reading .
Most SWR meters have a scale calibrated in "Standing Wave Ratio"
and the reverse reading is taken from this scale. If all is well with your
antenna system the reverse reading will be less than 2. A really well
adjusted (or "matched") antenna will present a reverse reading of less
than 1.5 or so. A perfect match will result in a reverse reading of zero.
If your reverse reading is over 2, or -- heaven forbid! -- is nearly as
high as the forward reading, you are in trouble! Either the instrument is
incorrectly calibrated, incorrectly placed in the circuit, or the antenna
is malfunctioning. A very high reverse reading usually indicates that
either an open connection or a short circuit exists in the antenna sys-
tem somewhere .
68 THE SWR METER
2.•
Fig . 5 TYPICAL SWR CURVES for

2 .0
Yagi beam and ground plane an- 1\
tenna. Chart is made up by 3 E L EMEN T YA C I BE A M foot
noting SWR reading for a part ic u- V
lar ham band. and plott ing SWR \. I
versus frequency across the C.ROUND P LANE /
band .
.....
1.0
1.... 0 1.... 1 14 .2. 1.... 3
FREQUENC Y ("Hz)
You'll notice that when you run this test, the reverse SWR meter
reading varies from frequency to frequency. Th is is normal, and you can
actually plot a curve of SWR versus frequency for a ham band , as shown
in Figure S. The curve should be smooth and the minimum value of SWR
should fall about the middle of the amateur band. You can make a sep-
arate SWR graph for each amateur band, logging both forward and re-
verse readings. Plot the reverse (SWR) reading on a sheet of graph
paper and you' ll have a record of the performance of your antenna .
Later, if you suspect antenna trouble, you can re -run the SWR measure-
ments and compare them with the original curve .
Transmitter Tuning With The SWR Meter
The SWR meter ma y be used to peak the t ra ns mitte r c ontrols for

maximum power output, or to check output. Merely tu ne your transmitter
output stage for greatest meter reading with the SWR meter switch set
in the forward position . The meter reading is not calibrated in watts ,
but mere ly gives gre atest indication whe n the transmitter output is
maximum . Make sure you do not drive the meter off-scale (retard the
sensitivity control if 'nece s s a ry) or the instrument may be damaged.
Friend or Foe?
To repeat: the lower the reverse reading on the SWR meter as com-
pared against the forward read ing, the lower the SWR value of your
antenna system. If the antenna match is perfect, the re verse reading
will be zero. Mos t properly designed amateur antennas e xhibit a rev erse
SWR reading of 2 or less at any frequency in the 0 per a tin grange.
The question might well be raised: just what is the maximum value
of reverse SWR reading that may be encountered in a typical antenna
installation while still assuming that the antenna is working properly?
Generally speaking, if the SWR reading is greater than 1.5 or so, it is
an indication of improper operation and (other things being equal) pos-
sibly could indicate that things are amiss at the antenna end of the
coaxial line . A SWR of 2 or more is a definite indication of antenna
malfunction. Good ham antennas hold the SWR across a ham band to an
indication of about 2 or less, and SWR readings of this magnitude, or
less, should be no cause for concern as the mismatch is considered
trivial and may be ignored.
An exception to this statement is the short mobile mini-whip anten-
na used on the lower frequency ham bands with a loading coil. The
mini-whip characteristics are such as to reveal a high value of SWR on
the transmission line when the whip is operated at a frequency removed
from that to which it is tuned . SWR values of 3 or more may be observed
with a mini-whip antenna operated off-frequency as is often done with
80 meter mobile antennas.
Finally, we come face-to -face with the question at the front of this
chapter : SWR Meter--friend or foe? The answer is that the SWR meter
can be the best friend you ever had if you use it properly and can be
your worst enemy if you don't understand the significance of the read-
ings. Take time to measure the SWR of your antenna system on all the
frequencies you use. Make a graph of the readings, as shown in the il-
lustration. Keep the graph and re-check your readings every month or
so. If trouble develops in your antenna, you'll notice that the SWR
readings have changed. You can continuously check antenna operation
by leaving the SWR meter in the transmission line. It will indicate
your transmitter output power, and a glance at the meter once in a while
is a great satisfaction as you realize your equipment is operating
properly.
In a later chapter the use of the SWR meter in conjunction with
tuned transmission lines and antenna tuners will be discussed .
Chapter 7
DX Dipole Antennas You Can Build
[Simpl e and Effec tive Ante nnas Tha t Work! ]
The hori z on t al , s ing le wi re a nte nna is one of th e mos t popular form s

of transmitti ng a nd re c e ivin g a nte nnas. It may be ei t he r e nd- fe d or
ce nter-fed. Whe n it is ce nter -fe d a nd half wavele ng t h lon g , it is ca lled
a dipo le.
The dipol e is a ba la nced a nte nna. Th at is , it is sy mmet rica l a bout
t he cente r fee d point (s e e F ig ure 1 , Cha pter 4) a nd c ur re nt a nd vo ltage
in one half ·of the dip ol e matc h th os e va lues in the opp osite half. B ot h
fe ed point te rminal s a t th e dipol e ce nte r a re e lectrica lly ba la nced t o
each ot he r a nd wi t h res pect to gro und .
Coax ia l line is a l most un iv er s ally us ed to feed th e dip ole a nte nna.
T h is l in e , howe ver , is a n un bal an c ed conduc tor, s in ce the ou ter con-
d uc tor is (or s ho uld be ) at gro und pot e nti al , as di s cus s ed i n Chapte r 5 .
For be st ante nna pe rfo rmance, a balun t ra ns fo rmer is oft en connected
betwee n th e line a nd t he di po le t o pre serve a nte nna sy mmet ry wit h
re s pe ct t o ground. T h is is de sirable fro m ~ TV I (tele vision inte rfer -
e nce) reduc ti on s ta nd point a nd to avoid diff icultie s wit h un balanc ed
c urrents on the line , a nd co nseque nt un wan ted radiatio n fro m th e t ra ns -
miss io n line itse lf. Co ns t ruct io n infor ma t ion for a s ui table balu n is
included in a late r c hapter in t he Han dbook, a nd s uc h a ba l un ma y be
added to th e dip ol e ante n nas de s cribed in t his c hapte r.
Con nec ting a di pol e a nte nna d ir e ctl y to the coax ial li ne is frowne d
upon by purists, but it is d on e every da y . appare ntly without dras t ic
effects or los s of ante nna efficiency. Unba la nced c urre nt s i n the
an te nna a nd l ine appa re ntly ca use no great mismatch, even t ho ugh
a nten na curre nts may fl ow on th e outside of th e li ne. Incl usio n of a
b alu n in t hese antenna des ig ns, th en , is left t o the op t io n of th e
bui lder.
THE DI P OL E AN T E N NA
END CE NTER END

I HSU L AT OR INS ULATOR IN S, UL A T O R
RoPE" - ROPE
~ LENGT H rl P- ro -n p I T
I
I
I
I
I
son COAXIA L
I F E ED LI NE
I ANY L EN~TH
C EN T ER LE NGTH METR IC
B A ND F REQ. (.. H z) T IP-TO-T I P L EN GTH
160 \.e~ 2.!>3' O· 7 7 . 10

15 0 1.95 2.4 0 ' 0 " 7 !. . 1 ~
80 3.6 0 130 ' O· 39 . 1S2-
80 3 . &0 1 2.3 ' 2. N 37 . !:l4
4 0 7 . 15 e s - e- 19 .98
3 0 10 .12 4 6' 3 " 14 .10
20 1" . 15 33 ; I " 10 . 10
17 I IS, 12 Z!> ' 10 " 7 . 87
15 2. 1. 2 0 22 ' I " 6 .73
12 24.9 3 I lS' 9 " 5 , 72
10 28 . & 0 16 ' 5 '" 4 .9 8
6 5 0 . 2.0 9' 2 " z .e o
L ENGTH ( F TJ = ~
F ( ...Hz )
Fi g . 1 DIPOLE ANTENNA FOR H IG H FREQUENCY BANDS i s tuned to f re quen cy

by ad j ust i n g t i p-to-t ip le ngt h of wir e . Re sponse is broad eno ug h so t h at wh en
an t enna i s c ut for mid-band operat io n on 6, 10 , 15, 20 or 40 met er s it wi II
function proper ly acr o s s ent ir e band . Separ at e d i mensions are necessar y for
lo w and h igh frequ ency port ion s of the 80 and 160 meter bands .
In t he case of a h igh ga in be a m ante nna , t he inclu s ion of a balun b e -

t ween t he bal an c ed a nte nna e le ment and th e coa xia l line is ess e nt ia l
to pres er ve t he e le c t rica l c harac te ris t ics of t he dire c ti onal be am pat-
tern . Front-to-back rat io a nd power gain of the be a m both s uffer if the
fe ed lin e is not properly co nnected to the beam .
Since t he dipole a nte nna ha s neit he r powe r ga in nor front -t o-h a ck
ra ti o , it ma y be d irect ly fed wit h a coax ia l lin e a nd wi ll prov id e goo d
res u lts.
Used by t ho us ands of a mate urs the world ove r , th e sin gle ba nd di-
po le is e ff ic ie nt , i nexpe nsive a nd rela t ivel y uno btrusive . T he dipole
wo rks on a nyo ne a mate ur ban d a nd is t une d to th a t ban d by adj ust ing
72 OX DIPOLE ANTENNAS YOU CAN BUILD
t he len gth of th e w ire flat top sect io n, a s tab u lat ed in F igure 1. Th e

len gt h of th e coa xial feed li ne is uni mport ant, bein g lon g e no ug h to
re ach co mfo rta b ly from ante nna to ha m s hack.
The Scots ma n's Dip ol e
The ba si c d i po le is a bo ut th e le a st expe ns ive anten na a n ama te ur

ca n cons t ru c t . It requ ir es no a nte nna tu ne r a nd is made up of inex pe n-
s ive compo ne nts. A hi gh freq uen c y d i po le wit h di mension s for t he
popular ha m band s is s how n i n the illus tr ati on . Wi th th e exce pt io n of
16 0 a nd 80 mete rs, the dip o le ma y be cu t to le ngt h fo r mid -ba nd o pe ra -
tio n, a nd wi ll work we ll ove r t he e nt ire band . On th e two lowe s t ha m
ba nd s, howe ve r , diffe re nt d imen s ions are re q ui red for t he low a nd h i gh
freque nc y e nd s of t he b a nd s , s i nce th e widt h of these band s is a lar ge
per c en ta ge of t he mid-f req ue nc y de sign poin t (-;ee F igur e 1 ).
Con struct in g the Dipol e
Ant enn a di men sion s fo r e a c h a mate ur ba nd are s hown i n t he tab u la-

ti on . T he fla t -top sect io ns ma y be No. 12 e name l co ppe r wire, s ingle
s t ra nd . T he 80 a nd 160 meter d ipole s a re qu ite l on g a nd s ho u ld be made
of "har d dr aw n" co ppe r wire to reduc e s tretch ing a nd sa gging to a
min imum i n he a v y w inds. Ea ch e nd of t he wires is clea ned th or o ughl y
of in sula ti on and t he outer en ds a re lo ope d t hrou gh t he i ns u I a to r
"e ye ", t wisted back u pon themse lves a nd secure ly so ldered . A s tra in
in s ula tor (egg i ns ulator) is placed at the cente r of t he a nte nna , wit h
t he wires pass ing thro ug h t he overlapp ing ho le s , twisted back upon
th e ms e lve s , an d s older ed a fte r t he fee d li ne is attac he d .
Pre paring the Feedline
C hapte r 5 stress ed th e impo rta nce of keep i ng wate r o ut of th e in -

te rior of th e coaxia l l i ne. If care is taken the line may be attac he d di -
re ctl y to t he d ipo le a nten na wi t ho ut dan ger of mois ture e nte ring the
line . The us e of RG -58/U line is s ugge s t ed for tr ansmitt er pow e r up t o
500 w at t s, a nd t he he a vi er R G-8 / U line s ho uld be us ed for hi gh pow er
e qui pme nt. In th e c ase of th e RG-58/U , t his is ho w yo u prepar e th e
line :
T he oute r in sula t i on is re moved fro m t he e nd of th e co ax ia l line
w it h a s ha r p kn ife, as fo ll ows . T he in s ulation is ca re f ul ly s l it in a
c ircle a bo ut 3 inc hes from t he e nd of the line. Ne xt, t he ja cket is s l it
Fig. 2 A PIG -TAIL LEAD MADE THE EASY WAY. Left, the outer jacket is re-
moved from the coaxial cable . Next, a hole is picked in the outer braid just
above t he jacket. The inner conductor is now carefully fished through the hole
(center). Right, the completed pig-ta il lead ready for use .
from thi s ci rcular cut t oward th e end of the c able, as described in

Ch apt er 5. The slug of vinyl insulat ion is remove d , exposing th e outer ,
bra id ed co nductor of the. lin e. The braid is pushed back u pon it se lf to
loos en t he weave. A sharp to ol , such as a nail or aw l , is us ed to ope n
up a hole in t he braid about a ha lf- inch from the insu la ti ng jacket. The
fi ne wire s a re se par at e d wit h care. us ing the point of t he t ool, unti l a
ho le ne arly equal in di ameter t o the di ameter of th e cable is mad e
(F ig ure 2) . Now, the cable is bent sharply at th e hole a nd th e insulat ed
inn er c onduct or is " fi s he d" through th e hole you have j us t made, usin g
th e nail or aw l a s a sort of hook. Once the inner conductor has been
c a refully pulled through the hole in the braid, the empt y br aid may be
fl attened int o a pig-tail le ad, re ady for connection to on e side of the
dipole antenna. The last step is to strip the insulation from the end of
the center conductor and tin the conductor (coat it with solder). The
pi g-t ail le ad is soldered to on e half of the dipole and the ce nte r con-
du ctor is s old ered to the other half . The we i ght of the line should be
supported by th e br aid ed pig-tail rather than by the more fragile center
c onduct or. The e xpo sed e nd of th e line is now firml y wra pped wit h
bl a ck v iny l e lect rica l t ape a nd given a goo d c oa t of moisture-res ist ant

sea la nt, s uc h as Gen eral Ele ctric RTV-I 02. This materi al is a rubb ery
gook , rese mbling bathtub ca lk (which also does a good job of s e aling
a nte nna c onne c t ions ). You c a n buy either sea lant in a plastic tube a t
most hardware stores. Do a good job to ma ke sure no pi nholes e xist in
t he sea l t o let wate r e nt er the lin e. Water soaked li ne makes for very
we a k s ig na ls ! F i na lly , c ut t he line t o le n gth, pass it thr ou gh th e wa ll
of th e hou s e , p lace a coa xia l plug on the statio n end of the line and
you are re ady to erect a nd us e th e ante nna. Ex c e s s cab le may be
c oiled up in yo ur operatin g room before the plug is a tt ac he d firm ly to
yo ur tr an smitt er.
Ere cting the Dipole Ant enna
The dipo le can be s upported a t it s operating he i ght by ropes ho ld-

in g the e nd ins ula tors . Trees wi ll come in hand y at t his point, as wi ll
a s ma ll mas t placed ato p yo ur home. T he dipole s ho u ld be 30 t o SO
feet high for best resu lt s --t he hi ghe r t he better! And as muc h in t he
cl e ar as pos sible. Do n 't worr y if the dipo le is not " aimed" i n th e d i-
rection yo u wish. T he figure-8 pattern is very bro ad and y ou can work
ne arl y all a round yo u, e xcept off the very ends of the a ntenna . Height
is more import ant th an direction. If y ou do ha ve a ch oice of direction,
run th e dipol e in a north-s ou th directi on (in the U.S .) for ma ximum OX
cove ra ge .
The Mu lt i-Band Dipo le Ante nna
Th e simple dipole is a great performer on a s ing le amateur ba nd . It

is a kn ott y probl em , howe ver, to erect more than one dipo le antenna
whe n yo u li ve on a sm all lot , or pl an t o e re ct var io us a nte nnas for
more th an one band . A multi-band dipol e a nte nna might be the ans wer
to your pro blem. This de vi c e is capable of work i ng on two or more ham
ba nds a nd re quires only a s i ng le fe edline . Se ver al de si gns a re di s -
c ussed in th is c ha pte r a nd one of them ma y be just th e a nte nna for yo u !
It must be remembered th at becaus e a multi-ba nd a nte nna wo rks on
severa l band s it is c apab le of e ff ic ie nt ly radi ati ng t ra nsm it t e r harm on -
ic s on the hi gher bands. Us e of a multi-band a nt e nna s ho uld be te mpe r-
e d wit h c au ti on sinc e s ome tr ansm itt er d e signs emit s t ro ng harmonic
s igna ls . Us e of a s u itab le harmonic filt er or antenna t un er w ith any
mu lt i- ba nd a nte nna is a goo d idea . Mor e a bout th is important point
la ter in th is Ha ndb ook .
M U L T 1- B A N D D I P O L E FOR 80-40 -15 METERS
A C f, N T f. R B
I I N S U L ATO R
I
so 11. COA XIAL

\ f'fEDLINE
C AN Y LEN~rH D
LEN GTH A - B = ' '' 4' O· 37 . & 2 Mf T ER S

LENGTH C - D = •• ' 0 - 20 .3& M er e R S
Fi g . 3 PA RALLEL CON NEC TED DIPOLES a ll ow t wo band ope rat ion . End s of the
d ipo les shou ld be separ at ed t hree or four feet. Di pol es are conn e ct ed at the
c en t er i n su lat or and fed i n pa ra llel by a sin gl e t r ansmiss i on l ine . Forty meter
dipo le works on the t hird harmonic f or 15 meter op er ati on . Maxi mum dipole
rad iation is br oads ide to w ires (into and ou t of t he page ).
A Multi-Band Dipole for the 8 0, 40 a nd 15 Met e r Novice Bands
A multi-b and dipole suit able for ope ra tio n on 80 , 4 0 a nd 15 meters

is shown in Fi gure 3 . T wo s epar at e dipoles are joined at th e center
insulat or a nd fed in par allel by a s in gl e c oa xial line. The 80 meter
dipol e func t ions on that band, a nd t he 40 meter dipole s erve s double
dut y by wo rki ng o n 40 meters in normal fashion and a lso ope ra t ing on
15 met ers, o n the third harm onic fr equency of the a nte nna . On ly that
pa rticular dipole functions which is ex c it e d by energy at or near its
normal re s ona nt frequenc y .
Con struct in g th e A nt e nn a
The four wir e sect io ns of th e a nt enna flat-tops are cut t o lengt h,

a ll ow ing e no ugh e xt ra wire a t eac h e nd to loo p around t he in s u lators .
Scr ape the ename l ins ulation from the ends of t he wir e s and faste n
them s e cure ly around t he ins ulator " e ye s ", sold erin g a ll j o ints a fte r
th e a nt e nna is c omp letely as se mb le d . It 's a good idea t o la y out th e
a nte nna a nd wi re it up in a cle ar s pace t o keep th e build er fr om cre -
a t i ng a rat 's ne st, w it h hims elf in the midd le!
Er e c tin g th e Ant enna
Onc e the double dipole ass embly is comple t ed, the coa xi al line is
atta ched to the cente r in sulator , be arin g in mind th e remarks made pre -
vious ly a bout water-proofi ng th is a ll -i mpo rta nt j oint. The c omplete
a nte nna is s up po rted b y t he 80 mete r wires, wit h the 40/15 met e r d i-
pol e dr aped ben e a th the lo nger wire s . Spa c in g bet we en dip ol e s is not
critical a nd ma y be two to fi ve fe et a t the e nds . In fa c t , th e dipoles
c a n run a t ri ght a ngles t o e ach ot he r if that a rra nge ment fits the ava il -
a b le s pace more conveniently . Each individual dipole, how e ver, should
run in a stra ight line, if possible. Place th e a nt e nna as high in the a i r
a s yo u can. Oper ation on a ny band is a uto mat ic -- no ch an ge s or ad-
just men ts need be mad e to th e a nte nna whe n ch an gin g b ands.
In case loading di ff icult y is ex pe rie nced on one band, adding a few
fe e t of coaxia l line at th e station end usually wi ll overcome the diffi-
culty. A short length of line (with fittings) and a coa xi al splice ad a pt e r
(Amph enol 83-1J for RG-8 /U or Amphenol 3 1- 219 fo r RG-59/U) will do
th e job in no tim e at all.
* * *
MULTI -BAND D IPOLE FOR 20-15- 10 METERS
D
I ~ METERS 15 METER S I
I
I
I
I .50ACOA XIAL
I ;;~DZ~~~TH
I
I
J
L E NGT H A - B = 33'4 ' 10 . 1 2 METERS

LENGTH C - D = aa - O' G. 70 t.tETERS
LENGTH E-F = I.·•• 05 . 9 4 UETERS
Fig. 4 TRIPLE DIPOLE FOR 20-15-10 METER OPERATION . To reduce interaction

the 15 meter dipole should be run at right angles to the other two antennas.
A Multi-Band DX Dipole for 20 , 15 a nd 10 Met ers
The three popular DX band s ma y be covered by a 3-ba nd dipole th a t

pro vides e xc ellent op er ation. Erected hi gh in the cl e ar , th is DX a n-
tenna will be wort h i ts weight in exot ic QSL ca rds !
Agai n, t he para lle l princip le of dipo le operation is us ed , thre e
s e para t e ant e nnas fe d by one trans mis si on line . T he multi-band a s -
sembly is built in t he s ame manne r as the dipole previously described
f or the 80 , 40 a nd 15 meter bands, usi ng the dim ensions shown in
Fi gure 4. As sembly of the a nte nna is quite simil ar to th at described
for the pre vi ou s a nte nna .
It is su gg est ed th at th e 15 meter dipol e a nte nna be pl a ce d a t right
a ng le s to the others to reduc e electric al int eraction betwe en the an-
tennas to a minimum. For conve nie nce , th e 15 a nd 10 meter dipol e s
ma y be dr opped down a t a ngle s from th e 20 meter s e c ti on , a s is don e
in the so-ca lled "Inverted V " a nte nn a, to be described la t e r in this
c hapter.
Trap Dipole Antennas
Parallel c onn ected dipole a nte nnas a re simple a nte nna s to ge t

working , but man y a ma te ur s prefer a trap dipol e for multi-band ope ra -
ti on a s only one flat -top wi re is required . A tr ap dip ol e ope rat e s on th e
principle of parallel t uned s w itching circuits placed at c rit ic a l points
i n t he antenna e le me nt. T he circ uits, or traps, e lectrically connect or
disconnect t he oute r sectio ns of t he ele ment as t he a nte nna ' s e xc ita-
tio n frequenc y is c ha nge d.
At th e lowest operati ng freque ncy, t he traps ha ve a mi ni mum effect
u pon the a nt e nna , which is re s on a nt at a frequency determined by its
overa ll e le ctr ic al length, includ ing th e e ff e c t of th e tr aps. At s ome
hi gher frequency , the tr aps a re parallel reson ant , effec t ive ly di s c on-
ne cting the end sections of the ant e nna . The len gth of the cente r sec-
tion only is th er efore re s ona nt a t the hi ghes t ope ra t ing frequenc y , a nd
the complete a nte nna as se mb ly is resonant at the lowest operatin g
frequenc y (Fi gure 5).
On t he low es t ba nd, the tr aps contribut e to a ntenna le n gth and make
th e overa ll a nte nna len gth s ome wha t s horter th a n a n e q uiva le nt dipo le
f or the lowe s t band. The tr ap princip le ma y be used t o make fi ve, four ,
thr e e , or two-band dipole s. A fe w of the more p op u 1a r and proven
multi-b and ve rs ions are di s cus sed in this chapter .
C O IL ~ .
t",". J
/
L O W FREQ UENCY 01 P OL f
""","0' ",,0"
'W IT CH ING rRAP' ~
_,
I
I
~ Cf NT f R
INS U L ATOR ( . ~"~
- -
/< t "' , '-~
/
- -
CAPACITOR '-
I
EQUIVA LEN T T O
I t
EQU I VA LENT TO
f L EC T RI C SW ITCH I ELECTR IC S W I T C H
I
-"-
j
I
I
I
50 .n.C OA X IA L
I FE ED LINE
ANY L EN~TH
-"-
I
Fi g . 5 MULTIBAND TRAP DIPOLE pr ov id e s operat ion on diffe re nt ha m band s
with sin gl e ante nna w ire. The c enter sect ion of t he antenna is a simple dipole
at the highest band of operati on . The par a l le l tuned t rap c ircuit is resonant
near th is frequency and acts as an open circuit . At the lowest band of opera-
tion . the t rap c ircuit acts as an inductance. effectively completing the con-
nect ion between the end sections of the a n t .e n n a and the middle section .
Because of the load ing effect of the traps. overall lengt h is shorter than normal
for the lower frequency band.
A T wo-Band Tr ap Dipole for 20 and 15 Meters
The dimens ions a nd tr ap dat a for a s imple two-band trap d ip ol e for

20 a nd 15 met er s are s how n in Fi gure 6. Trap a d jus tme nt is dis cuss ed
later in this c ha pt e r . The 15 met er center s ection of this two-b and an-
te nn a ha s a norm al le ngth , but th e overa ll 20 meter length is shortened
b y the loadin g e ffe ct of the tr ap s. T he tr aps have an " e l e c t ric a I
length " , plus a ph ys ic al le ngth of ab ou t two in ch es , a nd t he sum of
t hese le ngt hs mus t be s ubtracted from th e overa ll 2 0 me te r le ngth .
Co nstruction of a typ ica l t rap is shown i n F i gure 7. The tr ap is
built a ro und a s tra in insulator whic h rem ove s the ante nna te ns io n fro m
the coil and c apacitor. The insulator itself has a s ma ll a mount of cap-
acitan ce so it must be considered as a part of th e trap ci rcuit. Th e
co il may be placed around th e in sulat or or beside it , wi t h th e c ap a cit or
par all el connec te d ac ros s th e co i l, T o attac h th e trap to the wi res of
th e an ten na , two inch leads are so ldere d to th e en d con nectio ns of t he
tr ap. The le ad s ma y t he n be t inned, twisted aro und the a nte nna wires
a nd solde re d , as s how n in the ph ot o.
WIRE AN TENNA HANDBOOK 79
TR AP 01 POLE FOR 20- 15 M ETER S
c, c,
30 n, C OA X I AL
fEEDLI NE
ANY LENCTH
T R AP DATA TRAP A SS E ~ B LY
1I
C = 2.0 pF, 3 K V
I
L I = I"" 1/2 TU R N S N- 16, 1"' .0.

2" l ON C., a TURNS PER I NC.H .
RESONANT FR EQUEN CY =
2 0 . a~ t.4 Hz .
L E NGT H A = 2.2. ' r- 6 .7 3 METERS

LENGTH B = 3 '711 2. - = l .rO METERS
Fig, 6 TWO BAND DIPOLE has traps tuned to high frequency band . Tr ap assem-
bly is shown in Fig. 7. Inductors are mad e of pr efabricated coil stoc k. Fifteen
meter resonance is determin ed by length of inner sect ion and 20 met er reson -
ance i s determined by length of end sect ions . Traps are pre -set t o proper
freque ncy before insta llation in antenn a.
Ae s embling and Tunin g th e Trap s .
Attach a foot of wife to eac h e nd of t he st ra in ins u la t or , looping th e

wi re t hro ug h the insu lat or an d fas tening it ba ck up on it s e lf. Cu t the
wi re a nd solde r th e joint. The coi l is th en s lid ove r th e insu lat or , or
pla ced bes ide it. So lder the c oi l le ads t o th os e of th e i nsu lator, th en
c onnect th e c a pacitor in par allel with th e co i l a nd insulat or , as s hown
in th e pho tograph .
After th e t ra p is assembled, place it in a clear spot atop your desk
or wo rkbench, away from metal objects . L oos e ly coup le it to a grid dip
osci llator . Ch e c k the trap resonant freq uency agai nst a calibrated re-
ceiver. Make th e meas ureme nt severa l ti me s so as t o pin- poin t th e fre-
qu en cy of the tr ap as acc ura te ly as you ca n . T he exact reso na nt fre-
qu ency of th e tra p isn't too imp ort ant , as long as it occ urs ne ar th e
low fre que ncy e nd of t he band , a s s pecified in t he i ll us trat io n. Bot h
traps in a set s hou ld have a resonant fre que nc y within ab out 50 KHz of
each other. Frequency adjus t me nt may be ac h ieved by removing (o r
a ddi ng) t urns to t he coi l, a fract io n of a t ur n at a time .
I I I
ONE IN C H
Fig . 6 TYPICAL TRAP ASSEMBLY. Trap is built around a ceramic strain insula-
tor . Tinned wire leads are attached to the insulator and an airwound coi I is
s l ipped over it. Coi I leads are soldered to insulator wires. Centralab type
850 or 855 ceram ic transmitt ing capacitor i s connected across coi I. Resonance
is established by tr imming coil a quarter-turn at a time. checking resonant
frequency with grid-dip os cillator.
Antenna Assembly
Onc e th e tr ap is t uned to the correct frequenc y, it ma y be s oldered

i nt o t he a nte nna a s semb ly. It is s uggest ed that the antenna be as-
s embled at waist height, stretched between two a cce s s ib le points for
e ase of construction. The last step is to atta ch the tr ansmission line
t o th e antenna a nd th e e le ct rica l work is don e.
The last imp ortant consideration is moisture-proofing the traps,
which is really more of a problem t han building them! The tr aps may be
used witho ut a protective sh ield if it is guaranteed not to rain. A tem-
porar y rain shield may be mad e by e nclosing the tr aps in kitchen plas-
t ic sheet, or "Ba ggi es " , a nd ta pi ng the pl astic cl os ed arou nd th e t rap.
A far better and mor e permanent weat her shield ma y be made from a
polyethylene " squeeze bottle ", obt ainable at a drug store. Th e best
TRAP D IPO LE FOR 20- 15- 10 METERS
Io----- - -- - - - - D - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - . . j
/-C
1I
C2 C2
10 M . TRAP 10 tot. TRAP
TRAP DATA SOA. COA XIAL FEIEDLINE

ANY LEN~rH
15 METER TRAP -SEE FIf;URE 4
10 METER TRAP-
C2. =2.0 p F, 3KV .
L 2 = 83/.4 T URNS N- 16 , I - 1.0 .,
I lI e - LONe , a TURNS/ INCH .
RESONANT FREQUENCY =2.7 .8 J.AHz.
LENGTH A = I e ~ 4- .. .... 98 METERS

LENGTH B = 0' • 1/2" = 0." "<TORS
LENGTH C = 2 ' 10 ' / 2 " 0 .•• "<TORS
L ENGT H D = 2.' ~" •. 02 "<TORS
Fig, 8 POPULAR TRI-BAND DIPOLE permits oper at ioo on three DX bands, This
design is used in most tri -band Vag i beam antennas , Traps are pre -set before
installation in antenna and require no further tuning,
protect ive shield (and most difficult to construct) is made of plastic

tubing with end pieces cemented on to form a waterproof cylinder sur-
rounding the trap. Regardless of the waterproofing scheme , it is im-
perative that the traps be protected from water, otherwise, the circuits.
will become detuned when wet and may possibly flash over and destroy
themselves during operation.
A Tri-Band Trap Dipole for 20, 15 a nd 10 Meters
The trap technique may be extended to three bands, as shown in

Figure 8. Two sets of tr aps are required, one for 10 meters and one for
15 meters. While the 10 meter dimensions of the inner section of the
dipole are normal , the overall antenna lengths for the 15 a nd 20 meter
resonant sections are shortened by insertion of the traps. Ove rall an -
tenna length is only 26 '4 ". Construction and adjustment of the tr aps is
as discussed in the previous section of this chapter.
A Five-Band Trap Dipole for 80, 40, 20 , 15 a nd 10 Meters
The ultimate in tr ap dipole desi gn is sh own in Figure 9 for a fi ve-

band ante nna assembly. Because of th e unique design, only one set of
82 DX DIPOLE ANTENNAS YOU CAN BUILD
TR A P D I POL E FOR 8 0-40-20 -15 - 10 M ET ER S
~'--1" i
C
A
CENTER
I NS U LATOR
i Li r- B ~
- - --
CI CI
1
1
1
T RAP DATA I NO TE : so n, COA X IA L FE EDLI NE
ANY L EN(;TH
1
C I = 5 0 P F. 3 K v . I
L I::: 15 T U RN S N- 12., 2. 1/2 " I. D. t I
2. 1/2.- LONC; , 6 T U R NS / I N C H 1
R ESON A N T fR EQU E NCY::: 7 .0 M Hz
LENGT H A = 84 ' 2.'" = 19 • .5.5 METE RS

LENGTH B = 2 2. ' 0'" ::: e .7 0 ME T E RS
L EN GT H C = 108 ' e- = 32 . 5 15 M ETE RS
Fig. 9 NOVEL MULTIBAND DIPOLE PROVIDES operation on all popular h-f

bands. Center section fun ctions as a dipole on 40 and 15 meters and complete
antenna i s resonant in the 80 meter band . Traps also prov ide proper reactance
so as to resonate center section for proper operat ion on 20 and 10 mete rs .
t raps is used , res ona nt ne ar the 4 0 me ter band.. On 80 me t ers, the

who le a ntenna sys t e m is res onant at a ce nt er frequency of abo ut 3 .8
MHz . The cente r section is resonant at 40 mete rs and operate s on the
third harmon ic for 15 meter s er vice. On 20 a nd 10 meters, the 4 0 mete r
t ra ps provid e s ufficient re act ance s o a s to re s onat e th e ce nte r section
of the a ntenna for pro per operation on eac h band.
This antenna, as we ll as the other multiband antennas shown in th is
chapter, do not re quire the use of a balun, however one may be used if
desired. Adding a balun tends to isolate the outer conductor of the co-
axial line from antenna currents, reducing line ra dia ti on. In most cases
li ne rad iati on is no great problem, but it c an caus e TVI and possibly
feedbac k in your t rans mitting equipment, pa rticularly on 10 meters. In
any event , adding the balun will not detract from proper ope rati on of the
antenn a.
A Four-Ba nd Tr ap Dip ole fo r 40, 2 0, 15 a nd 10 meter s
A fiv e -band dipole as s e mb ly may be s i mpli fie d a nd repac ka ged t o

fit a sm aller s pa ce if 80 mete r oper ati on is omitted from the desi gn. In
a dd iti on , t he four -band a nte nna ma y be fed with a normal 5 0 ohm coa x-
ia l t ransm is s ion line . Th e four-band tra p di pol e is s how n in Fi gure 10.
The antenna is resonant ne ar t he mid-points of each ama te ur band yet
requi re s on ly two t raps for proper operation.
T rap Ant enna Adjustment
Proper ope ra t io n of a ny tr ap dipole antenna may be determined with

the aid of an SWR meter . Typically, the ant enna should exhibit an SWR
of about 1.5 or so at th e re sona nt frequency , ris in g t o arou nd 2 or 2.5
at th e e d ge s of eac h band. (Ba ndwidt h of th e 80 meter , fi ve -band tra p
dipole is restricted t o abo ut 100 KHz on the 80 met e r band , but is nor-
mal on the hi gher bands ).
While not abs o lutely necessary for good operat io n , it is recom-
mended that a balun be pl a ced between the trap ant e nna and the fe ed-
line to permit more ac c urate SWR measurements t o be make . If it IS
desired to shift the center point of any se gment of the antenna , it is
d one by cha nging length of the a nte nna s ections, and not b y re adjustin g
the tr aps. Adjustment , if any, s hould be don e t o th e hi ghest frequenc y
antenna first , followed by the ne xt lowe r frequenc y segme nts . It must
be remembered th at adjustments made t o one ant enna s ecti on affect
the adjustments of the lower frequency segments, since the higher fre -
quency segments form a pa rt of the lower frequency on e s.
Don 't deliber ately look for tr ouble, bec ause the measurements give n
f or the s e ante nna s ha ve been tried and prove n in man y insta llations
wit h c omplete s uc c e s s -- a nd loud si gnal rep orts!
TR AP DIP OL E F OR 4 0 -2.0 - 15 - 10 M ETERS
F'~",· 'u-'~
C
A
e EN r ER
INS ULATOR 1
- - )
--
C, C,
I
I
I
T R A P DAT A I 50 n. CO A X IA L
F EE DLI NE
C I = 2~pF,!. K V .
I AN Y L EN f; r H
L I = 9 TURN S N- 12 t 2. 1/2 '"' I. D ' J I

I 1/ 2. ... LO Nl;, ~ TURNS / INCH
I
R E SO N A N T FR EQU ENC Y = 14 .0 hlH z
LEN GTH A ' 33 ' eN , 10 . 19 ME TERS

L E N GT H B = 10 ' 6'"
, 3 .20 M E T E R S
LEN GTH C = 5~' 0 .... = 18 . 78 M ET E RS
Fig. 10 COMPACT MULTIBAND DIPOLE ANTENNA FOR 40. 20. 15 and 10 METERS.
On Iy about 55 feet overa ll. this simple mult iband antenna functions on four D X
bands. A balun may be used at the cent er insulator. if desired. The antenna
should be strung in a straight line for best results .
T R A P DI POL E FOR [50 -80 M ET ERS
- -
f-., LI
CI
II
C
A
C ENT ER
IN SULATOR
)
t l'~
CI
--
I
I
I
TRAP D A T A 50 a, COA X IAL
I F"EfDlI NE
C I = ~O O pF , J K V . ANY LEN~TH
I
LI = e TURN S N-IO , 2 " 1. 0 .
I
I " LO N e.
1/
R ESONAN T FR EQU ENC Y= 3 . 5 MH Z
LENGTH A = 1 31 ' 6" = 40 . 10 M ET ERS

L E NGT H B = 4 7 ' 6" = 14 .4 9 M E T E R S FO R 1. 9 M Hz
L E NGT H B = 5 0 ' 6" = 15 . 3 7 t..4ETERS FOR La M HZ
LENGTH C 233' = 0" = 7 \. 0 7 METERS FOR 1.8 MHz
Fig. 11 UNIQUE TRAP DIPOLE FOR 160 and 80 METERS provides strong signals
for trans-Pacific DX tests . Designed for oper at ioa in th e lower portion of th e
160 met er band . the t ip sections may be shorten ed for oper at i on in the 1.9 MHz
segm ent of the band . Ov er all le ngt h will then be about 227'6 ".
A Two-Ba nd T ra p Di pole fo r 160 a nd 8 0 Mete rs
Th e low freque nc y e nt hus ias t who works both 80 a nd 160 mete rs

w i ll a pprecia te thi s two-b and a nte nna des ig ne d by JH1LKH of J apan '
who ha s us ed it wit h s uccess o n tr an s - P a cific 160 mete r DX te st s. T he
a s s e mb ly is s how n in Fi gur e 11, wit h dimen si ons give n fo r b oth th e
low a nd hi gh freq ue ncy s e gme nts of the 160 meter band. T he 80 meter
sect ion is c ut t o a ce nt er freq ue nc y of 3.5 MHz for CW DX o peration .
T he 8 0 mete r res on ant frequency ma y be c hanged by va ryi ng the
len gth of t he ce nte r porti on of the antenna, wh i le the le ngt h of t he tip
sections may be altered to move t he ce nter frequenc y abo ut in th e 16 0
meter ba nd .
Si nce t he a nte nna hei ght wi ll probabl y be s mall in ter ms of wave-
len gth (ver y fe w ha ms ca n ge t th eir 160 met er a nte nna a half- wav e -
len gth in t he a ir ' ), th e rad iation re s istan c e at th e ce nter fe ed po int
w il l prob ab ly be qu ite low . T his means th e bandw idt h of th e a nte nna
o n 160 met er s w il l prob ab ly be on ly abo ut 100 KHz a nd the SWR w ill
run cl os e t o 1. 7 or s o a t th e center frequency. This works no hardship ,
a s mos t modern e q uipme nt wi ll ac c ept th is va lue of SWR wit h e as e.
WI RE ANTENNA HANDBOOK 85
0 1P OLE ' OU T R I GG E R S '
1---- - - - -- L O W B AND 01 POLE - - - - - --------{
1!
~f L E X I B L e:
JUMPE R
OUTR IC;CER
INSU L A rO R j_ > ( , NS ULA r OR

I N SUL AT OR /
I S EC T I ON
INSU L ATOR
PHOTO~RAPH
I
/:
I ~O n..COAX I AL LINE
FO R D E TAIL I ANY L EN. TH
I
I
, .J
Fig . 12 DIPOLE ANTENNA MAY BE OPERATED ON LOWER FREQUENCY BAND by

addition of "outrigger" sections to ends of flat -top. Overall length of dipole
plus outriggers is resonant near center of low band allowing t w o band
operat ion .
The t ra p capa citor is made up of five 100 pF cerami c units co n-

nected in paralle l across the c oil. Coil turns are adj usted unti l the tra p
resonates at abo ut 3.5 MHz .
Operati ng Your Dip ol e on a Lower F requenc y Band
A simple dipole a nte nna may be operated on a low er frequency band

by adding "outr igge r " sections to th e en d s of the fl at -to p. The out-
rigger wires merely add length to th e d ip ol e and re -resonate it to a
new, lower freque ncy . T he outr igge rs are attache d to the ant enna tips
by means of co pper batte ry clips a s s hown in F i gur e 12. When un -
clipped, the outriggers merely serve as s up port wires for the di pole.
The outriggers a re s hort sections of copper wire wit h insula to rs at
th e far en ds. T o us e the an ten na at t he lower freque nc y , th e d ip ole is
lowere d an d th e out riggers clipped across the end in sulat ors . To re tun e
to th e hi gher fre que ncy, th e out riggers are disc onn e cted.- In this way,
th e 20 mete r a nte nna ma y be mad e t o work on 40 or 80 meters, or any
d i pole may be mad e to work at a low e r fre qu enc y th an th at for whic h it
was de s i gned. A d ip ol e c ut for 80 me te r phone, for example, may be
made to work at the low e nd of the 80 mete r CW ba nd, by t he ad dit io n
of s uitab le outriggers .
IN VE RTE:D V AND SL A NTING DIPOLES
C ENT E R INS U L ATOR WIT H

F E E:DLlN E A T TAC H E D
C
TO X~T R -e::=::::=:::E/
® @
Fig . 13 DIPOLE MAY BE INVERTED OR SLANTED as shown w ith no ill results.

Inverted V dipole is very popular on the low bands as on ly one support is
needed and high current po int of antenna is e lev at ed .
If th e outer e nds of t he di pol e are t ilted towa rd s th e gro und , it ma y

be pos s ible to re ach t he outrigge r cl ip s from a s mall step lad der , t hus
e li mina ti ng the ne c essit y of ra is ing or lowerin g th e a ntenna each ti me
it is desire d t o jump to t he lower freque ncy band.
Of course, serie s -connected multi ple outri ggers ma y be us ed, if de-
s ired , for ope ration of a n a nt e n n a on two or more lowe r fre quency
band s.
The Invert ed V a nd Sla nt i ng Dipol e Anten nas
T he po pula r In v er-ted V an te nna is merel y a dipol e s up po rted at th e

ce nte r wit h th e fl at-t op wires droo pin g t owards t he gro und . It may be
s u ppo rted fro m a s in gl e centerpo le , wit h th e dipol e wires us ed as guy
wi res for t he po le . Thus , it is a goo d a nte nna to us e in a re st ri ct ed
s pace , as e nd s u ppor t s are not ne eded. Its oper ati on is e q uiva lent t o
th at of a horizontal dipo'l e ; a ny dipol e a nte nna des cribed in th is s ec-
tion ma y be transformed int o a n Inverted V by me re l y dr ooping th e t ip s
down, as shown in Fi gur e lJ.3 . The i ncl uded a ng le of t he V s ho u ld be
as lar ge a s pos sible , a nd not le s s t ha n 90 de gre e s , as s h own in th e
illus tration. Inve rte d V's a re goo d DX antenna s par t ic ula rl y on t he
lower fre que ncy bands where beams are fe w a nd fa r bet we en.
ANTENNA ANTENNA
COAX IAL CABLE
Fig. 14 CENTER INSULATOR FOR DIPOLE OR INVERTED V ANTENNA is made

of in s u l ati ng material. Cab le clamps remove tension from antenna connect ions.
A Ru gged Center Insulat or You Can Build
Make t he center insulat or s hown i n Fi gur e 14 an d yo ur jo b of con-

structing a do ub let a nte nna wi ll be much e a s ier! T hi s us eful a nd in-
e xpensive insulat or pro v ides c onvenien t tie points for th e a nt e nna wires
and a ls o for the coaxi al tr ansmission line.
The insula t or pl ate is c ut from a 1/4- inc h thick p ie c e of ins ula ting
ma t e ri al s uc h as micarta, luc it e or pl ywood. If woo d is us ed , it should
be giv en two coats of wat e rproofi n g shella c . Size of the pl at e is not
critic a l.
Holes A a nd B a re drilled t o freel y pass th e antenna wi re s and hole
C is used t o s upport t he dipole at t he c e nter, a s is don e wit h a n in -
verted V ante nna .
T wo cable clamps hold th e coax ia l feed l ine fir mIy to the in s ulat or .
Sturd y metal cla mps , s.uc h a s th os e us ed in a utomobi le s t o fa s ten the
hydrau li c lines in place are recommended. The clamps are he ld in

position by bolts passing th rou gh mounting hole s D and E . Thes e ho les
are drilled off-center so that the coa xi a l cable drops down the center
line of the insulator .
After the ins ulator is c ut out, the edges of ho les A and B should be
countersunk a b it with a large drill so as to provide a rou nde d edge for
the a nte nna wire , otherwise it may be ch afed at these points . The last
step is to thoroughly wat e rproof th e end of the coaxial line, as e x-
pl ained e arlier in t his Han dbook.
The Tw in- T Antenna for 40 and 80 Meters
T he Twin-T ante nna is a center-fed dipole s ys te m designed for 40

a nd 80 meter operat io n . It re qui re s no sw itch ing or tu ni n g a nd is fe d
wit h a 50 ohm transmiss ion lin e . Antenna po lar ization is vertical on
80 me t er s a nd h ori z onta l on 40 me t er s . T he a nte nna is co mpact e no ug h
to fit on a s mall lot a nd re quires no tr a p c irc uits t o adj ust. Bes t of a ll,
t he Twin-T ca n be bu ilt i n a da y a nd t he cos t is re la t ive ly modest .
A c omp le te Twin-T a nte nna s yste m is s how n i n F ig ure 15 . It is
composed of a two wi re flat-top fed at t he ce nter of one wire wit h a
vertic al le ngt h of open wire " T V-ty pe" two conductor tr ans miss ion
line. The ve rt ica l section is fed a t t he bottom with a random le ngt h of
/' 33 '
'I
ROPE ROPE
IN SU LATO R ---<')_ '/ CEN T ER IN SU LA T OR
"-INSUL ATOR
WIR E S PA C I NG
IS 2 "
DRILL WOO D SPACER 4 ,50 O H M OPE N W I R E " T V - T Y P E'" LIN E

F OR SA F ETY WIRE 2.8 ' 0 " LON G
TWI ST S AFETr- W IR E
AROUND AN TENNA WIRE
C LOS E UP
E ND INSU LATOR AN D SPA CE R
__ TA PE EN D OF E A CH W IR E
, T WO 8 0 METER
R ADI AL S 63 ' L ONG.
ro TRANS M ITTER-
50 O H M COAX I A L LINE
-- - - - - - - - - - ~ -- - -- ---
COA X ( ANY L E NG TH) " ·":'--- J OI NS H IELD OF COA XI.-FOU R R ADIALS, A N D

PL UG ONE WIR E OF "T V- , VPE'" LIN E .
<, TW O 4~ MET ER / '

R ADIA L S 32.' 6" LON G.
Fig . 15 TWIN-T ANTENNA FOR 40 AND 80 METERS . Vert i cal section may be
made of two 11 16 ename l wires spaced 1Y, ' apart us ing wood spacers p laced
two feet apart, such a s described for the hor izontal dipole sect ion .
SO ohm coaxial transmission line . Two or four radial ground wires are
placed at the bottom of the vertical section, as shown in the illustra-
tion .
On 40 meters, the horizontal portion of the Twin-T antenna acts as
a dipole with the ends bent back upon themselves, reducing the over-
all length of the dipole to one quarter wavelength. The ends of the
dipole present a very high impedance to the open wire transmission
line which acts as a matching transformer to step the dipole end im-
pedance down to match the characteristic impedance of the trans-
mission line.
On 80 meters the Twin-T antenna resembles a top loaded vertical
antenna, fed in one leg. The loading is provided by the horizontal
portion of the antenna which does very little radiating. The step-up
in impedance provided by the vertical. wires provides a close match
between the antenna impedance and the transmission line . Resonant
radial wires for each band are placed at the base of the vertical sec-
tion of the antenna.
Antenna Assembly
Two #12 enamel wires 34 '6" long are cut for the flat -top section.
Cut one wire at the center, scrape all ends carefully with a knife blade
to remove the enamel and attach insulators at the ends of the antenna
and also at the center break . Overall antenna length should be exactly
33 feet. Make sure the middle insulator falls at the exact center point
of the wires. If you do this job with the antenna temporarily slung bet-
ween two handy supports it will be a simple and uncomplicated task.
The next step is to make up six spreaders that will hold the flat-top
wires at the desired '2 inch separation. The spreaders can be made of
lucite rod or wood blocks. The spreaders measure about 3" x 1" x Y2".
Wood spreaders should be given a coat of waterproofing shellac or
varnish. Drill the ends of the spreaders to pass a sa f e t y wi r e.
The blocks are placed in position between the antenna wires and
are lashed in place with the short safety wires. Stretch the antenna
tight between the supports and solder all the antenna joints.
The last step is to cut the open wire TV line to the proper length
and solder the end wires across the center antenna insulator . The
antenna is erected in the air and the coaxial line and radial ground
wire s are connected at this time.
Forty meter resonance can be changed by varying the length of the
flat-top and 80 meter resonance changed by varying the length of the
vertical wires.
90 OX DIPOL E ANTENNAS YOU CAN BUILD
Dipole Ante nna Place ment
Whe re t o pl ac e the d i pol e ante nna once it is comple ted and re a dy

for use ? The re ' s no spe cifi c answer, but here a re so me s uggestio ns
whic h will a id you in ge t tin g th e be st re sults from yo ur a n t e n n a
insta llat ion .
Get the ante nna in th e a ir as hi gh as possible for b e st result s . An-
tenna hei ght s up t o 150 fe et or so a re us ed by some ar de nt DXers! T he
average a mate ur, howe ver , usuall y ha s t o sett le for so met hing les s
tha n t h is stra t os pheri c e levat io n . Gen erall y spe a king , a min imum d ip ol e
anten na he i ght of a b out 3 0 fe e t above th e gro und is ac ceptab le for a ll-
around ope ration on a ny hi gh fre que ncy band , providing th e a nte nna is
reasonab ly in th e clear. F or better res u lts for lon g d ist an c e DX work a
height of 45 fe et or s o is re co mme nde d . Th ose luc ky a mateur s a ble to
e rect the ir a nt e n na 60 or 70 fee t in the a i r will get e ven bett e r re sults ,
a lt hough the add itiona l height is not a s s t ri ki ng as far a s signal reports
go as one wou ld suppose.
Ant e nna he ight a c hieve s on e ve ry important object ive : it remo ves
th e a nte nna from the immed iate v ici nity of power lines, house wi ring
and ne arb y metallic structures . Separation fr om th e s e obj ec ts tends to
impro ve t he a nte nna rad iat ion pattern for DX a nd t o reduc e noise pic k-
up on re c ept ion. Re gardles s of t he a nte nna height it is not a go od ide a
to run the a nte nna par allel t o powe r or t elephone line s. Proximity t o
s uc h wire s c an lead t o unwanted telev is ion interferenc e , tel eph one
int erfer enc e and noise pickup on reception. Tr y and ke ep your ant enna
awa y from e le vat e d wi res and place it at an angle to th em to reduce
coupling.
In summ ar y, t he dipole ante nna should be a s hi gh a nd a s in th e clear
as po ssible , should n ot run par alle l to ut il it y li nes a nd -- for a ll-around
DX opera tion -- should run in a ge nerally north-s outh direct ion so the
main rad iat ion lobes of t he ante nna cover the areas of the wo rl d ha vin g
t he greatest radio amateur population.
Warn i ng ! No a nte nna s ho ul d cr os s over a utility or te lepho ne line
be caus e of t he dan ge r of s hoc k or e lectroc ut ion if t he ante nna wi re
t ouches th e "hot " utilit y line. Ama t eurs ha ve be en killed trying to
pass the a nte nna wire over a power line , and deaths ha ve been reported
of hams e le c tro c uted whe n their antenn a dropped on a power line durin g
a wind st orm. Pla y safe! Kee p your a nte nna away from utilit y lines of
a ll ty pe s !
27"0'
4 "0'
'NSUL ArOR--~
Fig. 16 THR EE BAND SLOPER for 7. 18 and 24 M Hz. A relative ofthe dipole. the sloper
makes use of a metal tower for the missing half of the antenna . Th is antenna. designed
by W5FG. is hung from the top of a 40-foottowerwhich supports a 3-elementtribander.
On 7 MHz the antenna is a quarter-wave long and on 18 and 24 MHz it is 3/4-wave long .
The trap consists of a 2 .2 +H inductance in parallel with a 18 pF capacitor (8 inches of
RG-58/U). The trap is adjusted to 24.5 MHz with a dip oscillator before it is placed in the
antenna . The inductor is 10 turns of #14 w ire wound on a 1-5/8 inc h diameter form.
Adjusting the slope angle and pruning the outer section will bring the SWR to 1.5 or less
across all three bands .
Chapter 8
The End·Fed, Multi-Band Antenna
[Or, When in Doubt, Use a Long Wire]
T he s imple s t , le ast expe nsive a nd ofte n the most practical amate ur

a nte nna for multi-band oper ation is a random length Marc oni an te nna ,
Th e famo us ex per imente r Guglielmo Ma rc oni used a n a nt en na of this
t ype in his early work , hence the name. This uncomplicated " s ky wire "
is a ls o called an end-fe d a nt e nna , a dir e ctly-fed antenna and sometimes
a long wire a nte nna . Don't loose any sleep over the names as they a ll
refer t o th e s ame thing -- th e single wire Marconi antenna shown in
va rious forms in Figur e 1.
T he sma lle st a nd most compa ct end-fed ante nna is t he popular co il-
load ed wh i p that mobi leers use for 80 me t er operat io n. A lar ge porti on
of t his min i-an t enna is wo und up in the lo ading c oi l required to t une
t he a nte nna t o re s on an c e. Th e fl e xible 10 met er wh i p is a lso an e nd -fe d
a nte nna, a s is t he 1000 foot lon g wire a nte nna used by s ome 20 met er
DXe rs . Re gardle s s of an tenna length a ny ant e nna th at is fed at on e e nd
inst ead of at th e middle is classified a s a n end-fed a nt e nna . Thi s
c ha pte r de s cribes se ve ra l int er esting e nd-fe d ant ennas a nd one of th em
ma y just be th e a nte nna fo r yo u !
A cr it ica l a nd i mporta nt part of t he e nd -fe d a nte nna is th e gro und
co nnect io n . T he mobile e r us es the bod y of his ca r fo r t he gro und a nd
some over-opt imis tic am ate urs drive gro und rods int o th e s o il in order
to estab l ish a gro und connection . More on t his import a nt s ubj ect later.
Matchi ng t he End - F ed Ante nna
T he tunin g of th e e nd-fed a nte nna , as we ll as any ot he r a nte nna,

de pends upon mat chin g th e ra tio of th e vo ltage t o the c urre nt at th e
feed poin t to t he t ran smitte r , a s explai ne d in Chap t e r 3 of th is Ha nd-
book . T his rat io of volta ge t o c urre nt is ca l le d th e radi ation resi st ance
Fi g. 1 END-FED ANTENNA TAKES MAI \lY FORN'S. lVlarc on i a nte nna , used w ith a
ground or r ad i al gr ound w ir e i s ca l le d an end -fe d ante nna . A- End -f ed l ong
w ire is popul ar h-f ante n na . B- V ert ical or gro und pl an e is a f orm of end -fe d
ante nna . C- Short mob i l e whi p is a l s o end-fe d ante n na . Thes e are al l ver s i on s
of t he sa me ante n na co nfig ura tion!
of the a nte nna . In the case of a rand om length, end -f ed a nte nna, t he
rad iat ion res is t a nce at t he feed point c an va ry ove r a lar ge ra nge, de-
pend in g upon t he operat ing freq ue nc y a nd t he act ua l le ngth of the
a nte nna . The me a sured rad iat ion re s ist ance ca n be as high as 5000
ohms or as low a s 2 or 3 ohms , and t he a nten na can exh ibit re a c tan ce
wh ic h (a s exp laine d in Cha pte r 3) ma ke s it d iff icult to load .
T o compensate fo r the unu sua l va lue s of ra d ia t io n res ista nce a nd
re a ct an c e pres en t ed to the tra ns mit te r by t he e nd-fed a nte nna , an im-
ped an c e matchin g device ca lled a n ant enna tun er must be used . Th e
tuner mat ches th e a nte nna to th e 50 ohm co ax ia l output t ermination us ed
by most of t oday 's radio e qu i pme nt. Us e of an antenna tuner , plus a n
SWR met e r permits th e oper a t or t o quic kl y transform th e ra d iati on re-
s ista nce of his e nd- fe d wire to a value wh ic h will efficient ly mat ch hi s
t ra ns mitter . He d oes t h is by a dj us ti ng the tune r for mi nimum va lue of
SWR as read on th e meter of th e inst ru me nt (F ig ure 2) .
94 END-FED MULTI -BAND ANTENNAS
f END-FED ANTENNA
Fig. 2 RAN D OM LEN GTH END-FED AN TENN A and go od gr ound connec t ion, c om-
b ined with antenna tuner and SWR meter, makes simple and effective antenna for
all h igh f reque ncy bands . The secret of success is efficient ground co nn ect i on .
The All-Important Ground Connection
Many amateurs run into difficulty with the end-fed antenna because
they have a poor grou nd connection, which can destroy the efficiency of
the antenna and cause improper t ra ns mit t er loa d in g.
Experience has s hown that a rod dri ve n into the soil or a connection
to a radiator or to a heating vent is a poor ra dio ground . To make mat-
ters worse, the longer the wire connection bet we e n the trans mitter and
the ground, the poorer is the electrical efficiency of the ground! To put
it bluntly, many typical ground connections are worthless, especially
on the higher frequency ham bands where the length of the ground lead
is an apprec iable fraction of a radio wavelength.
It is very difficult to make a good, low resistance ground connection .
If the ground connection exhibits significant resistance to the flow of
rf current, a portion of your power output will be lost in this res istance.
In ad dition, if the c hassis of your equipment is not at a gro und poten-
tial, unwanted rf currents may flow on it, res ulting in ins t abi li t y and
audio feedback . In some instances, a poor ground connection results in
a "hot" microphone that "bites" the operator whenever he touches it.
In severe cases , .actual damage may be done to the transmitter if an
imperfect ground connection is used with an end-fed antenna system.
Broadca s t stations have expensive ground s ys t e ms that c ove r an

area the size of a city block and some older shortwave point-to-point
stations also have ex tensive ground systems. These elaborate instal-
lations are beyond the fina ncial ability of most ama teurs, and they must
use a simpler and le s s expensive ground system to make their antennas
work. Fortunately , this can be done by the use of radial ground wires,
a modification of a more complicated grounding technique used in
modern com mercial shortwave t ra ns mitting installations.
In s ummary, then, the end-fed antenna has three important require-
ments that mus t be met to ma ke it work effectively . These are:
1- A good electrical ground system is required.
2- An antenna tuner to match the end-fed antenna to the transmitter.
3- An SWR meter to determine proper adjustment of the antenna

tuner .
The Radial Ground Wire
A few ready made radio ground systems exist and, if available, one
of them should be used in conjunction with the accessory radial ground
wire . An underground yard sprinkling system composed of copper pipe
with soldered copper fittings may be used, provided the connecting lead
from the pipes to the radio equipment is short and direct -- not more than
a few feet long. A second available radio ground is the cold water
distribution system of the home, provided it is composed of copper pipe
having soldered joints. Water systems of iron pipe have questionable
joints (as far as electrical conductivity goes) and plastic pipe water
systems are useless as a radio ground .
Used in conjunction with a radial ground Wire, either the sprinkling
system or the cold water distribution system prov ides a good radio
ground system for any radio antenna. The water system, or the radial
ground w ire by it se If, is not as effect ive as the two use d together. In
any case, the accessory radial ground wire is the more important of the
two ground connections and its use is mandatory for proper operation
of the end-fed antenna system.
The radial ground wire (sometimes called a counterpoise) is an
artificial electric ground that is very effective. It is simply an insula-
ted Wire, one quarter wavelength long at the operating frequency, con-
nected to the transmitter at one end and run away from the equipment in
a random direction, either indoors or outdoors. The far end of the wire
96 END-FED MULTJ-BAND ANTENNAS
END · FED ANTENN A
Fig . 3 MULTI-BAND OPERATION of end-fed antenna is possible when multiple

radial ground wires are used along with good ground connect ion to cold water
system of residence . Only a single wire is needed for one band operation (A)
with multiple radials used for multi-band operation (B).
is left free. The station end is connected to the transmitter (Figure

3A). The end of the wire should be taped to prevent contact as it is
"hot" with rf energy and can cause a nasty rf burn to anyone unfortun-
ate enough to touch it when the transmitter is on the a ir.
As a radial ground wire is resonant , it will only work properly on
one amateur band. Two or more radial wires may be attached to the
transmitter for multi-band operation (F i gure 3B ). The radial placement
is not critical, although it is usually run in a horizont al plane , along
the floor of the radio room tacked against the wall, or perhaps out the
window and along the side of the house . For the lower bands where the
ra dial is qu it e lon g , it c an be run t hrough bushe s or tre e s , a few fee t

above the ground. The ra dial wire should not actually t ouc h the ground,
nor any metallic object. It is not considered to be an antenna , so it
does not have to be "in t he clear ", or positioned unde r the antenna it -
self, but it should be stretched out in as straight a line as possible ,
away from the transm itter. For portable operation, the radial wire can
consist of a length of hookup wire, tossed along the floor behind the
operating table and held in position with a book or two atop it.
If a reasonable ground connection is available , it shou ld be used a-
lon g with the radial. The combination of the best possible radio ground,
plus a radial gro und wire , "tames" the end-fed antenna and makes it a
really e ffe c t ive antenna design for all-around amateur operation . Best
of all, the end-fed antenna is unobtrusive and can be used in locations
where a more h ighly visible antenna might bring trouble down upon the
head of the amateur. A chart of radial wire lengths for the hf amateur
bands is shown in Figure 4. For multi-band operation, a multiple radial
may be made out of multi-conductor TV control cab le, each wire of the
cable being cut to the le ngt h of one radial for each band .
Bury Your Radial Wires?
Placing tuned radial wires about your property may be a real prob-
lem unless the wires are hidden in a flowe r bed or slipped among
trees and bushes. In the open they are quite visible and create a
potential hazard to people walking about since it is possible t o trip
over the wires if they are low, or run into them if they are a bit higher
in t he air.
Some broadcast s t ations make use of a counterpoise screen which
consists of many wires laying on , or buried a few inc he s in the ground.
The wires fan out from the base of the antenna and are usually about
0.3 wavelength long . As many as 200 wires may be used in the screen.
The screen serves to conduct the ground current out from the antenna
base into the soil thus providing a large, relatively low resistance
ground area beneath the antenna . This device is not the same as a
tuned radial wire since the ground screen is not resonant. A few buried
radial wires do not duplicate the screen since burying the rad ia l de-
tunes it to such an extent that the resonant concept is lost.
If you have the space to bury a large number of counterpoise wires
a few inches below ground level you can make an acceptab le sub-
stitute for the resonant radial wires . In most cases, however, it is
easier to hide a wire or two than it is to construct an effe c t ive c ounter-
poise s creen .
98 END.FED MUL T I·BAND ANTENNAS
RADIA L GROU ND
B AND W IRE LENG TH
FEET hAETERS
Fig . 4 TU N ED RA D IAL WIRE i s cut to
I & 0 L OW 12. 3' O· 3 e . !l approximate quarter wave le ngth for
16 0 HI GH 12 0 ' O · 36 .6 ea ch band . Flex ib le. in sulated #14
strande d w ire is s ug ge st ed for gen -
80 63 ' 0" 19 . 3
eral use. End of radial wire must be
40 32: ' 6 -- 10.0
taped as it is " hot " and can cause
30 2 3 ' O' 7.0 a nasty r-f burn if it is tou ched when
transmitter i s operating. Radia l wire
20 16 ' 6 " 5 . I
shoul d run cl o se to (but not touching)
17 1 2.' 9 " 3.• the gro und . or may run along floor or
15 I I' O N 3 .3 baseboa rd of the operating r oom .
12 9' 3" 2 .8
10 e~ 3 '" 2. 0
6 4 ' 6" I • ~5
An E nd-Fe d Si ng le Wire Antenna Tuner
One of the secrets of the end-fed a ntenna is the use of an a nt e n na

tuner in con junction with an SWR meter. An imported SWR meter that
will do the job may be purchased for about ten dollars, so it is unecon-
onomical in most cases to construct one . The antenna tuner, however,
must be constructed by the operator. The tuner is not complicated and
can be built on a piece of pl ywood for simplicit y . The schematic of a
practical tuner is shown in Figure 5 and the layout is shown in Figure
6. It c onsists of a tapped air-wound coil and a tuning capacit or. The
coi l a nd c ap acitor are arranged so the connecti ons ma y be ch anged to
suit the electrical requirements of the antenna.
Tuner Construction
Placement of the tuner components is shown in the photograph . The

unit is built on a base of 1/2-inch thick plywood 9 " long and 8" dee p.
Rubber feet are placed at the underside corners to prevent it from
scratching the surface upon which it sits. The panel is a piece of hard
surface Masonite 9" long and 6" high. Pane l and base are nai le d and
glued toge ther.
The tuning capacitor is mounted to the base on two 1/2-inch cer-
amic standoff insulators. Direct ly behind the capacitor is the coil
supported on a thin plastic sheet 8 " long and about 2 " wi de . T he
plate is mounted on t wo 2 " insulators bolted to th e base. Th e co axi al
input receptacle is bolted to a small aluminum m 0 u n tin g br acket
J UMPER _ _- -__-----{)~ A
W1RE7
L I 1
r-O c
GND
Fig . 5 SIMPLE TUNER FOR END-FED ANTENNAS requires only coil and tuning
capacitor. The co il is 38 turns of 1116 tinned wire. 6 turns per inch. 2" di-
ameter (l-Core Air -Dux 1606 or equivalent). Tuning capacitor is 350 pf', 2 kV
working voltage (Johnson 154-2 or equivalent). Tuning d ial has metal plate
insulated from condenser shaft to reduce hand capacity (Waldom 292 or equiv-
alent). The coaxial receptacle is an Amphenol 83-1J to match common PL-259
coaxial plug. Various insulators are ceramic(Johnson 135 series or equivalent) .
* * *
screwed to the left end of the base and terminals A, B, C and GND are
I" insulators bolted to the right end of the base.
Connections between the components are made with lI8-inch wide
strap cut from copper flashing material. The center pin of the coaxial
receptacle is wired to the nearest end of the coil and the receptacle
frame is connected to the GND terminal. A flexible jumper of #12
insulated, stranded wire about 6" long is used for the adjustable con-
nection from terminal A to the coil. The end of the jumper is soldered
to a copper "alligator" clip. Care should be taken in fastening the
clip to the coil so that it does not touch an adjacent turn. This can be
prevented by depressing every other turn of the coil along one side
with the blade of a screwdriver.
A short external wire jumper is placed between terminals Band C
in most instances and the antenna is attached to t e r min alA . The
radial ground wires and external ground (if any) are attached to term-
inal GND. The tuner now functions as an L-network. By removing the
jumper and transferring the antenna from terminal A to terminal B
(leaving terminal C blank) the unit functions as a series tuned network .
100 END-FED MULTI-BAND ANTENNAS
Fig . 6 SIMPLE ANTENNA TUNER for end-fed wire makes all -band ope ration sim-
ple . Tuner is built on plywood base with masonite panel. Coaxial receptacle for
connection to transmitting equipment i s at left with tapped coil d irectly behind
the t unin g capacitor . Every other turn of coi I is depressed along one s ide so
that easy connection may be made to it by a copper alligator cl ip . Antenna con-
nections are along r ight edge of base . For major ity of antenna s the two center
terminals are strapped together , with antenna c onnec t in g to the rear term ina l
and the ground connecting to the front terminal (see t ext ).
Generally speaking, except for very short antennas , the fi rst set of
connections will be used for the majority of antenna lengths . Th e sec-
ond set will apply for short antennas and wh ips .
Remember that the proper radial should be used for e ach band to
establish a good radio ground for your antenna s ystem, even though you
may be able to tune everything up without the radial , or with the wrong
length radial in the circuit. Use of no radial , or the incorrect one, is a
direct invitation for TVI and erratic transmitte r operation.
The End-Fed Single Wire Antenna
Now that you have built the tuner, how about an a nte nna ? Any ran-
dom length of wire will work and you can actually load up your gutter
pipes, the bed springs or an y handy , metallic object insulated from

ground -- although this is not recommended!
The best antenna , of course, is straight, high and in the clear. An
ideal end-fed antenna would be about 110 to 120 feet long for operation
on all bands from 160 through 10 meters . For operation on 80 meters and
higher frequencies, the antenna can be reduced in length to about 65
feet. Operation on 20 meters and higher can be accomplished with a 45
foot long antenna .
It is emphasized, however , that the tuner will work with any length
antenna on any band as long as the antenna is at least 1/10 wave-
length long on the lowest frequency band . Length of the end-fed antenna
is not critical and the best suggestion is that the antenna be long
enough to reach from the tuner to the far point of attachment! Keep it as
high as possible and as much in a straight line as possible and it will
work well for you.
Using the Tuner and the End -Fed Antenna
A single wire antenna from 60 to 100 feet long is a good one to start
with to learn to adjust the tuner. The tuner will work with shorter
lengths (down to 20 feet or so) or longer lengths but tuner adjustment
becomes more critical as the antenna becomes shorter.
For preliminary adjustment , the antenna is connected to terminal A,
terminals Band C are connected together and a radial ground wire for
the band in use, is attached to the ground terminal of the tuner. If a
good external ground is available, it should also be connected to term-
inal GND. The 50 ohm coaxial line from the transmitting equipment is
connected to an SWR meter and from there to receptacle 11 on the tuner.
Using carrier injection on SSB, or other means, enough rf power is fed
to the antenna system to cause a full scale deflection on the SWR
meter when it is set to read forward power. A few watts w i ll do the job .
Don't apply full power during tune up , or you might burn out the SWR
meter. Ne xt, switch the SWR meter to read revers e power and adjust
the tap on the tuner coil and the setting of the tuner capacitor until a
null (lowest reading) is obtained on the reverse SWR reading. Tap along
the coil a few turns at a time and rotate the capacitor through its full
range on each test. A tap point should be found at which reverse SWR
reading will drop to near-zero upon adjustment of the capacitor. Further
experimentation will show that the number of turns in the coil and the
setting of the capacitor are somewhat interlocking and the exact number
of turns used is not very critical, as the setting of the capacitor can
be vari e d to compensate for too many or too few turns .
102 END.FED MULTI·BAND ANTENNAS
If, by chance, the reverse SWR reading cannot be made to drop, the
antenna tuning unit should be reconnected. The jumper between termin-
als Band C is removed and the antenna connected to terminal B.
Adjustment of the coil tap and capacitor setting are then made so as
to realize the near-zero reverse SWR reading on the meter. Once the
proper settings are found, they should be recorded in your log book for
future use, or typed and pasted to the tuner panel.
The 3/8 Wavelength Two-Band Marconi Antenna
Some end-fed antennas require no antenna tuner, or else a very

simple one consisting only of a variable capacitor. One of the latter
types is the 3/8 wavelength long Marconi antenna which may be opera-
ted both on the fundamental frequency for which it is cut and also on
the second harmonic frequency, thus .providi ng good two-band perform-
ance. For example, the antenna may be cut for the middle of the 80
meter band to provide good performance over the whole band. It will
then operate over the whole 40 meter band on its second harmonic .
Such an antenna is shown in Figure 7 with dimensions given for 160/
80, 80/40 and 40/20 meter operation. On the lower of the two bands,
the antenna acts as a series-tuned 3/8 wavelength Marconi and on the
higher band the antenna acts as a self-resonant 3/4 wavelength Mar-
coni. Operation on the higher band is determined by choice of antenna
length, the antenna then being resonated to the lower band by means of
series capacitor.
As with any end-fed antenna, radial ground wires are required , at
least one wire for each band of operation. Radial lengths may be deter-
mined from Figure 4, given earlier in this chapter.
The tuning capacitor is shorted out of the circuit for high band
operation, the antenna being connected directly to the coaxial trans-
mission line (or directly to the transmitter) through an SWR meter. The
exact resonant frequency of the antenna may be determined by discon-
necting the antenna from the line or SWR meter and con n e c tin g it
directly to ground via a two turn loop of hookup Wire, about one inch
in diameter . The loop is coupled to a grid-dip oscillator and the fre-
quency is checked by noting the meter dip, while monitoring the oscil-
lator on a nearby, calibrated receiver. If the antenna is resonant at too
low a frequency, it may be shortened a few inches at a time until a new
resonance point is established. Likewise, lengthening the antenna will
lower the resonant frequency.
The capacitor is cut in the circuit on the low band and adjusted
WI RE ANTENNA HANDBOOK 103
1--- - - - - -- - A - - - -- - -- - ·I I NSUlATOR
DIME NSI ONS
160 M - ( l OW S EC.M ENT + eo METER S )

A+B= 18 0' 0 " OR !> ~ . 9 M E T E R S
C= 12)' 0" OR 37 .~ M E T ER S
O· 63 ' 0'" OR 19 .3 MET E RS
8 0 + 4 0 METE RS
A + B = 9 0 ' 0 " OR 27 .5 M E T E RS
C= 6 3 ' 0" OR 19 .3 M ET ER S
0 - 32 ' 6 '" OR 10.0 M E T E RS
40 + 20 METER S
__LOW B A N D
2S0 -r BAN D SW ITCH
A +B= 4.5 ' 0 " OR 13 .7 METERS
C = 32. ' 6'" OR 10 . 0 ME TERS
S O n L I NE T O
J I SWR BRt oce
D · 16' 3" OR 5 .0 MET ERS
{
~ A N DX •.orR
C ~D
~/ /~ ' CR OU
WA ND
T ER TO
PIPES
( S EE TE X T )
/~
R ADI A L WI RES
Fig. 7 TWO-BAND MARCONI ANTENNA funct ions as 3 /4 wavelength sel f-

resonant antenna on high band and as a tuned 3/8 wavelength antenna on low
band . Low band resonance is establ ished by adjustment of tun ing capac itor.
High band resonance is established by trimm ing length of A section. Cap aci -
tor is 250 pf , 2 kV (Johnson 154·1 or equ ivalent) . Separ ate rad ia I g r a u n d
wires are requ ired for each band .
unt il the lo west possible va lue of SWR is indicated on th e SWR meter.

No adjustment to antenna length need by made for low band operat ion .
The Twin-Lead Marconi for 80 or 160 Mete rs
Ope rat ion on the two lowest frequenc y ham bands poses a problem
because of the length of t he antenna re quire d and because of the radia-
tion resistance of the antenna, both of which ar e quite lo w. The t ypic al
ham antenna for these bands is very close to th e e arth in terms of
wav e le ngt h and th is brings about these di fficulties.
104 END-FED MULTI-BAND ANTENNAS
A B - - - - ..J
I
S IN Cl E W I R E S EC T IO N
TW O W I RE S ECTION M A DE O F
3 0 0 OHM T V " R I B B O N" LI NE
( r w o CONDUCTOR )
D I MEN SI ON S
16 0 M- ( L OW S eC M EN T)
A :: 109 ' 0 " O R 3 3 .2 M E T ER S
B:: 17 ' 0 " O R ~ .2 M E TERS
C e 1215' 0" OR 3 15. 4 MET ER S
160 M- (HICH SEC MENT )
A :: 10 4 ' 0" OR a r , 7 Jr.4ET ER S

B:: r s - 0 " OR .( . 9 METERS
C :: 12 0 ' 0" O R 36 .15 M ETERS
80 M E T ERS
5 0n L IN E T O
SWR BRI D GE
A :: 54 ' e- OR 115 . 15 METERS
A ND X MTR B:: I) ' 6" OR Z .9 METERS
C o:: 64 ' 0" OR 19 . 5 MET ERS
c _ R ....D I A L WI R ES
A N D CRDUN D
Fig . 8 TWIN -LEAD MARCONI prov ides eff i c ient operation on one amat eur band.
Imped ance match achiev ed by two-wire port ion of flat -top ra i ses imp edance
of an t enna to match 50 ohm transmission I ine . One or two rad ial ground w ires
and good ground connection are used for best re sult s .
The fold ed a nt e nna is mad e of a length of 300 ohm " T V ribbon line "
co nne ct e d t o a short length of wire , a s shown in Figure 8. No ant e nna
tuner is requi red with this a nte nna . The conductors at the far end of
th e " ribb on " a re shorted t ogether a nd c onnected to the additional length
of wire . One of the wires of the twin le ad is grounded at the transm itter
end of the antenna and the other is attached to the antenna terminal of
the tr ansmitter, or is connected to it via a length of 50 ohm coaxial
cab le. The "ribbon" forms a kind of linear impedance match ing trans-
fo rmer whic h is very efficient and practical.
Chapter 9
Vertical Antennas You Can Bu ild
INa Space for an Ante nna? Go Straight Up !]
T he ve rt ic a l dipo le a nte nna was discusse d in Chapt er 4 . It' s a n

effective OX a nte nna whi c h radiat es , or s pra ys, radi o e ne rgy in a ll
directions aro und it. A version of th e ve rt ic a l di pol e is the pop ular
ground plan e (G-P) a nte nna, s hown in F ig ure 1. T he gro und plan e
a nte nna cons ists of a vert ica l a nte nna section, or radiator , mount ed
abo ve severa l hori z ont al rod s , or radia ls . T he rad iator an d radia ls a re
a ll usua ll y about a quarter- wa velength lon g. T he le ngt h of a quarter-
wave e le me nt is:
Len gth (fe et) =

234 _
Frequenc y (MHz)
The ve rt ica l s e c t io n is cons idered t o be the a nte nna proper , a nd

the rad ials e s ta b lis h a n art ific ia l radi o gro und , or gro und plane (he nc e
t he name ) a t th e bas e of t he ra d iator . Looking at it a no t he r way, the
gro und pl ane a nte nna is a ve rt ica l half-wa ve dipol e , fed from below ,
wit h the b ott om half of th e dipol e s p lit int o s eparat e radi als wh ich a re
swung up into th e hor izont al pl an e . The ant enna is fed at th e junction
of th e ve rt ica l s e ction and t he radi als wit h a coaxi al transmission lin e.
A ge ne ra l c overage a nte nna such as this is ve ry effective whe n it is
desired t o commun icat e w it h st ati on s loc a t ed in man y different direc-
tion s ab out you without th e ne c e s s ity of turning a be am a nte nna in t he
dir ect ion you w ish to work . Th e gr ound pla ne a nte nna provides world -
wid e c ove ra ge for OX o n t he high freq uency ba nds a nd ge ner a l purpose
cov er a ge on th e VHF ban ds for working mob i les that move ab out t he
countrys id e .
Si gn als from a gro und pl an e a nte nna s pread o ut much as th e concen -
tric c ircle s spre ad out from a st on e ca s t into a quiet po nd . On the other
hand s ince t he gro und pl an e radi at e s a nd rec eives in all direct io ns, it
106 VERTICAL ANTENNAS
L EN GTH ( L) O F
RADIATOR A N D RAD IA LS
BA ND F E ET METE RS
BO 63 ' 0 " 1 9 .3
40 32. ' 6 " 10 .0
30 23 ' 0 '" 7. 0
20 16 ' 0 " ' .1
\7 12, ' 9 " 3 .•
15 II ' 0 '" 3 .3
12 9 ' 3 '" Z. e
10 8' ] " Z.O
soa CO AX I A L L INE
T O T R AN S M IT T E R 6 4 ' 6 '" 1. 4
Fig . 1 GROUND PLANE is effect ive DX ant enna for H-F bands . Radials should
be sloped down at angle from hor izontal for best SWR and may be used as guys .
does not pro vide t he us er wit h any prot ect io n aga i nst interfe ri ng s ig-
na ls c omin g in fro m a d iff er ent direc t io n -- as does a be am ante nna--
s in ce a ll s ign als on on e fr equ en c y are he a rd ,r e gardl es s of th e in c oming
direction .
The gro und pl ane is a co mpac t DX a nte nna th at is we ll re gard ed on
th e a mat e ur bands. Its main fault is th at it is ve ry responsive to man-
mad e nois e (igni t ion noise , line nois e , etc .) whic h is ma inl y ve rt ica ll y
pol a ri z ed. The horizont al di pol e , on t he ot he r hand , sh o ws som e dis-
cri min a t io n a ga ins t such noi s e . If yo u li ve in a n e le c t rica lly nois y lo-
cat io n, the us e of a ve rt ical a nten na , particula rl y on t he lower fre -
qu enc y ba nds where no is e is seve re, should be temp e red with caut ion .
Bui ld a Hi gh Freq uency Grou n d P lane A nten na
A g ro und pl ane a nt e nna for a hi gh frequenc y am at eur band is a

wort hwhi le a nd re lative ly s i mple proj e ct. A ground pl ane a nt e nna for
80 meters is quite b ig , but gro und pl an e s for the hi ghe r bands a re fa irly
compa c t a nd kits are ava ila b le fo r 10 , 15 , or 20 met er gro und pl an es at
mod est pric e s . Yo u c an build yo ur gro und plane ou t of rea d ily av ailable
parts for le ss c ost th an a n equiv a le nt " s t ore -b ought e n " mode l, if yo u
wis h .
Here are the plans for a simple G-P antenna that will do a good job
for you. A typical installation is shown in Figure 2. The antenna con-
sists of a vertical whip made up of one or more sections of aluminum
tubing affixed to a wooden mast or other support. Three or four semi-
horizontal radials are used, which double in duty as guy wires for
the mast.
The ground plane is a single band antenna, and all dimensions are
calculated for proper operation across the entire band. Tubing diameter
of the vertical whip section is not critical, and diameters of 1/2 inch
to 1-1/4 inches may be used . Commercial aluminum alloy tubing of 6063
or 6061 grade is recommended as a good compromise between strength
and ability to resist corrosion. If more than one section of tubing is
required, telescoping sections should be used to make a neat and ship-
shape joint that will withstand weather and wind.
To make this connection properly, one end of the larger tube is
cut through both walls, on a line parallel with the center axis of the
tube. All burrs are carefully removed from the wall of the tube after the
cut. The matching sections of the two tubes should be sanded bright
and cleaned to improve electrical conductivity and to lessen the possi-
bility of seizure after the tubes are telescoped.
Before the element is assembled, steps are taken to prevent corro-
sion at the joint. A special antioxidizing compound is smeared lightly
over the mating pieces of tubing (Petietrox A, manufactured by Burndy
Co., Norwalk , Conri.). After the tubes are telescoped, this compound
forms an air-tight seal, preventing corrosion. The compound is a good
electrical conductor and provides a low resist an ce, trouble-free joint.
A 5 oz. tube of Penetrox is sufficient to coat many antenna joints.
The last step is to clamp the joint securely with a tubing or hose
clamp to prevent movement between the tubes in a wind. If the tubing
sections do not make a close fit, the joint can be shimmed with thin
strips of aluminum.
Assembly of the Ground Plane Antenna
The aluminum whip section is bolted to the wooden mast or support

by means of two Ll-bolts as shown in the illustration. Since the r f
voltage at this point is very low, it is not necessary to employ any
insulation other than the wood of the mast. The mast, by the way,
s h 0 u I d be given two coats of 0 u t d 00 r paint to protect it from the
weather.
At least three radial wires are required to guy and support the mast.
The wires are cut to length , allowing about three extra inches at each
CROU ND PL A NE AN T ENNA
ALUMINUM TUBIN G
C E N T E R CON D UC T OR OF COA XI AL LINe

AT TACHES TO GROUND PLANE ROD .
P I GTA IL OF S H IE LD AT TA C HES TO
JUNCTU R E OF R A D I AL S.
BASE OF M AST CLA M PED

T O SU PP OR TIN G STR UC TURE
OR MOUN T ED ON GR OU ND .
COAXIA L CAB L E NOT SHOWN

IN TH I S V IE W F OR CL ARITY.
G AL V ANIZ ED IRON WIR E

T O A N C H O R PO INT
Fig. 2 INEXPENSIVE GROUND PLANE is bolted to wood mast with TV hardware

and guyed in position by sloping radial wires . Antenna can be roof or ground
mounted and i s fed with 50 ohm coaxial line .
end . The fa r end of each wire is passed three inches through the eye of
an egg insulator (strain insula! or) and then looped back, twisted upon
its e lf and soldered. At the mast , the free ends of the rad ials are
twisted together for about two inches and soldered t o form a single,
heavy lead. This lead is firml y twisted about a through-bolt in the
wood mast placed an inch or so below the bottom of the vertical alum-
inum tube. Overall rad ial length is measured from the tip of the wire to
the bolt . Wires or ropes may be tied to the free eye of each insulator
at the t ips of the radials, making the radials serve as supporting guy
wires for the wooden mast.
The feed line is prepared as described in Chapter S. The center
conductor is soldered t o a lug whic h is bolted to the ver ti ca l whip
section and the radials are attached to the pigtail braid made from the
outer s hie ld . T he jo int is sea led with the General Electric RTV-I02
"goop" mentioned in the previous chapter.
The antenna and mast are erected in a vertical position and the
radia l-guy wires fanned out below the structure. Mast height and guy
wire length can be ad justed so the ra dial wires drop down at about a
45 degree angle (not critical) from a horizontal plane. The transmission
line is led down the wooden mast until it clears the radials after which
it ma y be le d away in a hori z ont a l direct ion to th e station . The antenna
is now ready for use -- and good DX reports!
The Slopi ng Radials
The sloping radials serve two purposes in this antenna". First, they
ac t as guy wires. Second, they act as a si mple matching transformer
which provides a near-perfect match between the ground plane antenna
and the 50 ohm coaxial line . The radiation resistance of a true ground
plane antenna (one having horizontal radials) is about 30 ohms. The
lowe s t value of SWR t hat ma y be achieved in this case is the ratio of
line impedance to the antenna radiation resistance. This ratio is 50 /30,
or an SWR of 1.66. By drooping the radials about 45 degrees, the radia-
tion re sistance of the modified ground plane will be very close to 50
ohms, accurately matching the characteristics of the transmission line
and reducing the SWR to less than 1.2 or so . Thus, maximum power is
transferred from trans mitter to antenna, and radiated into space.
T he Multi-Band Ground Plane Antenna
The vertical ground plane antenna provides a low angle of radiation

that makes it a good DX antenna for any amateur band. Placing two
ground planes in one back ya rd is a complicated task , as the amateur
wishing two band operation is liable to hang himself as he moves about
in the snarl of radial wires and feeders! Once again, the multi-band
principle us e d so effectively with the dipole comes to the rescue, per-
mitting two or more ground plane elements to be fed with a single
feeder and taking advantage of a simple radial system made up of multi-
conductor cable. Here are the detai ls of t his compact and effic ient
antenna system.
E L E CTR IC A L SUPPORTING) MECHAN IC A L

ASS E M B LY ROP E A SS EM B L Y
( i - - Z X 2. LUMBE R . 115' 8 - LONG
I 2 0 "'ETER R AOI ATOR (7 0 ' 0 " )
15 MET ER RA D IA TOR TOP V I EW OF

(11' 0") " 2 X z ..
to METER RADI ATOR

(6' 2 " )
T V LEAD-IN
INSU LATOR S
COAXIA L
PLUG
RAD I ATORS J OINED A T ST A ND OFF I N SU L A T O R
Fi g . 3 TRI"BAND GROUND PLANE f or 20. 15 and 10 meters i s composed of tlTee

vert i ca l ant ennas connected in parallel at the feed point and three radials
made of multiple c ond uct or TV cab le . The antenna is mo unt ed to a wood mast
which may be supported from the t op as shown. or bolted t o a suitable support
at the bottom . Radials are slanted down about 45 degrees from horizontal.
The DX Ground P lane for 20, 15, and 10 Meters
Shown in Figure 3 is a multi-band ground plane for the popular OX

bands. It costs little to build, is eas y to as s e mble, and simple to get
up in the a ir if a hand y tree or rooftop is nearby . The antenna is com-
posed of t hree vertical 1/4-wave radiators fed in parallel at the base,
working in conjunction with three multi-band radials which extend be -
low the radiators in a s lant ing position. The junction of the radials
and the radiators is fed wit h a 50 ohm co a xi al line .
The e xpens ive wa y to construct this antenna is to buy three pieces
of a luminum tu bing to make the vertical rad iators. A far simpler and
le s s expensive idea is to make the radiators of No. 12 copper wire
strung a long a sixteen foot length of " tw o-by -t wo" lumber . It is pos -
sible, moreover , to att ac h a rope t o the top of th e wood en support, tos s
the rope over a high branch in a tree and pull the ground plane into
operatin g position high in the air without lifting your foot from th e
ground!
Antenna Construction
The antenna support is a sixteen foot length of 2" x 2" lumber

(which usually measures about 1-1 /2" x 1-1 /2" on a side). Choose a
straight, dry piece and give it two coats of outdoor varnish before you
start to work. The radiator wires are cut to length, allowing a few
inches on each end, and are fixed in position on the wooden support by
means of 7!h" wood-screw type TV lead-in insulators. The insulators
are run into the support as shown in the illustration and the radiator
wires are passed through the polyethylene inserts. Tie the wire to the
insulator with cord at each termination. The bottom ends of the radia-
tors are cleaned of insulation, twisted together and finally fastened to
a small porcelain stand-off insulator screwed to the base of the pole .
If you are lucky, you can pick out a "sixteen foot" length of lumber
that actually measures about 16'8" long: long enough to take the full
length of the 20 meter radiator wire. A shorter piece of lumber requires
that the top TV lead-in insulator be run into the top of the support,
with the 20 meter wire gracefully making a curve over the top of the
pole. This will in no way hinder the operation of the antenna. You can
make a little hook in the top end of each radiator wire and wrap the
wire with vinyl tape just above the insulator to hold it securely in
place.
Two or three radials are required, each radial made of ine xpensive
four conductor TV rotator control cable. The radials run down from the
base 'of the radiators towards the ground at an angle of approximately
45 degrees. In addition to their electrical function they also act as guy
wires to steady the bottom end of the wooden support. As only three
wires are required in each radial assembly, two of the four conductor
wires are connected in parallel at each end to form the 20 meter radial ,
since these have the greatest physical strain upon them. The three
radial sets are soldered together at the antenna end and anchored to a
nail driven in the wooden pole just below the terminating insulator for
the radiators.
The next step is to determine the length of coaxial line required to
reach from the base of the antenna assembly to your shack. You can
use the less-costly RG-58/U coaxial cable for transmitter power under
500 watts, and the larger RG-8/U coaxial cable for higher power. Care-
fully strip the outer insulation from one end of the cable for about six
inches taking care not to damage the tiny wires of the outer shield.
Now, using a small nail, carefully unbraid the shield as far back as the
outer insulation, twisting the wires into a single conductor once they
are free of the center insulation. This braid pig tail will support the
wei ght of th e line. F ina lly , tr im the i nsu la tin g core fro m the ce nt er con-
du ctor for a dist ance of four inc he s a nd se al the j oint firml y us ing t he
RTV-I02 sea la nt describe d previ ou sl y, and t aping the joint, aft e r it
drie s , wi t h v iny l e le ct rica l tape. Sold er th e pig tail to th e junct ion of
the radials a nd s olde r th e inner conductor of the line to th e termin ation
point of t he v ertical radiators and your ante nna is c ompl et ed.
Ant enna Inst allati on
If you have a hand y tr ee, a flat roof , or a convenient ch i mney your

troubles a re a lmost ove r! It is possible to hang th e antenna by its tip
from the upp er tre e branches, like a gigantic pl astic icicle on a Ch rist -
mas tree . The s upport will dangle like a pend ulum , s tab i liz ed at the
bott om end by the three radial wire s . T o a c complis h a n inst allation of
this typ e a ll th at is required is a tr e e , s ome s t ring, a s turd y rop e, and
a st eady eye and stron g a rm. T ie a s ma ll rock to th e string and (being
observant of nearby windows, etc .) toss th e string over the hi ghest
br a n c h e s of the tree , letting the str in g s et tle in a cr otch of the
br anches . Onc e the strin g is s afel y over th e branch and th e roc k do wn
again at ground level the he avier rop e may be pulled over th e branch
with ease. With the top of the ground plane fir mly tied to one e nd of
the rope it may be hoisted to the uppermost branches with litt le eff ort.
Care should be t aken to guide the a nte nna through the tree br an ches on
it s ascent, protecting the wi re s of th e as s e mb ly from being sn arled
or snagged during the tr ip. Jockey the ant enna int o a ve rtica l position
clear of leaves and branc hes and steady the base by me ans of the
radia ls . Slope th e three radials down at some angle between 30 and 45
de grees to the horizontal and tie them off t o nearb y bra nches a nd your
job is done.
If you have a flat roof on your house or ga ra ge a sli ghtl y diff e rent
installation t e c hnique should be us ed. The bottom of th e support may
be spliced to a "christmas tree st and " type of mounting wit h the base
of the ant e nna supported a b out six fe et or s o above the roof , gu yed in
place by th e radials. Television moun ts , clamp s a nd ot he r ante nna ac-
ces sories will come in hand y, espec iall y if you plan to fa s te n th e
antenna to a chimne y . With a little i nge nuity you can al so fasten the
assembly to a vent pipe on th e roof of your house, or to a sturd y metal
gutter pipe. Keep the base of th e a nt e nna high enou gh so tha t you can
s lope the ra d ia ls down wards from t he bott om of t he rad iator as s how n
in Figure 3. The slope a ngle is not particula rly c rit ic a l but provi de s a
somewhat better va lue of SWR on the line than if the radials we re run
out in the hori z ont al plane .
Bonus Oper ation on 40 or 80 Met er s
Yes, it is pos sibl e t o ope ra te t his a nte nna s ys t em on e it he r 40 or

80 meters pro vid ed you c hoose the right length of coaxia l lin e t o s pa n
th e distanc e between a nte nna a nd tr an smitter! It is mer el y nec ess ar y
to connect the out er c onduct or of th e co a x to th e inner conductor at
th e tr ansm itt er e nd of t he line, c onn ectin g th e wh ole " s hooti ng works"
t o the out put t erminal (i nne r conduct or of t he c oax ia l s ock et ) on yo ur
tr an sm itt er. Run a short , he av y wire fro m the c hass is of the tr an smitter
to a ne arby water pipe a nd attach a quart er-wav elength radial ground
wire to th e equipment, as de scribed in the previous ch apt er. The
ante nna a nd c oa xi al lin e will now ac t a s a n e nd-fe d quarter wave
Mar c oni a nte nna wit h the s h ie ld of t he coaxia l line doing th e radiating
and th e gro und pl an e a nte nna merely c ont ribut ing a bit of top loading
effec t. F or 40 met er oper ation th e coa xial lin e should be about SO feet
lon g , and for 80 meter operation it should be appr oximately 106 fe et in
length. There is nothin g myst ic al in thes e dimens ions a nd yo u might
fin d that s ome intermed iat e len gth wi ll work we ll on b oth b ands for you .
You can "ze ro in " on th e corre c t length b y observin g th e SWR re ading
at the st at ion and t ri mming th e coaxi al lin e length for minimum SWR
Bu ild a Co bra Ve rtical for 10 or 6 Mete rs
Are you interested in a simple, ine xpens ive vertical dipole a nte nna
th at can be built in an hour or so, and provides good performance on
10 or 6 meters? Useful for emer gencies and portable work, the Cobra
ante nna wa s named by a n enthusiastic user who s a w in the rf ch oke
coil a nd ve rt ic a l section a resemblance t o the weav ing rept ile of th e
sna ke ch a rmer! What an imag in at ion!
The C obra antenna is a vertical half-wave dipole composed of an
upp er qu ar t er -wavelength secti on mad e of copper wi re and a lower
quarter -wav elength s ection mad e up of the braided out e r c onductor of
the c oax ia l line (F igure 4). The simple a nte nna is s us pe nded at the
t op from a n insulator and a len gth of rope and hun g from a tr ee or ot he r
hand y support. The Cobra is fed at the bas e by a coa xial line, the end
of whic h serves a s th e bott om portion of th e a nte nna . The remainder of
the t ran smiss ion line is is ola te d from the ante nna portion by a home
mad e c hoke coil made of a le ngth of t he line wound around an inexpe n-
sive ferr it e core.
11 4 VERTICAL ANTENNAS
~ RO PE TO SU PP9RT - - - "<,
r
-(;L AS S / '"
INS U L ATOR
__ C OB R A
# 14 E. W I RE
IP~H S OL DE R
CONOUC TOR OF
CE~rER Fig .4 COBRA ANTENNA em-
I COAX LINE TO ploys section of coax feedl ine
L WRA P WIRE WHIP CE NrER PIN \ as lower part of antenna.
A BOUT CENTER PIN OFPL UG
ANO S OLD E R I Length L is given in Fig . 1.
t ~
SOLOERBRAI O
/- . . . \ \ ~~i/LNg!fJLU' Ferrite core is IICF-123. Write
I PL-2 59 A PLU~ / for price and information to :
'. _ ~ ~:~~ ~~~'6IVNEEDR
I COAX I AC Indiana General Corp ., Crow
<, LI NE ""
Mi II s Rd.• Keasby • .N.J. 08832.
'- ---- Core is 0 -1 material. 2.4"
L C LO S E - U P VIEW
O F CE NTER J O INT
d iameter and about 0.5 inches
thick.
3 TU R N S OF COAX
LI N E A ROU N D
_FERRITE CO R E
COAX C ABLE
Ante nna As s embl y
Your fi rs t job is to co nst ruc t the lowe r antenna section out of a

len gth of RG-58A / U coax ia l li ne . A PL-25 9 styl e pl ug and UG-1 75 /U
reduct ion a da pte r are placed on th e e nd of t he lin e , but the t hreaded
retainer rin g of th e plug is not us ed. Th e plug me rel y s erves as a c on-
ve nie nt terminatin g devic e for the e nd of th e cable . T r im th e line care-
fully , as ex pla ine d earlier in this Hand book, and solder t he out er br aid
of the c able t o the shell of th e plu g through the four sm all solder holes
in the plug. Us e a ve ry hot iron or gun with a s mall ti p for this job.
Sold er th e ce nte r wire of the cable t o the ce nt er pin of the plu g (afte r
your review Ch apter 5). Ne xt , t he ferrit e co re is pl ac ed on th e line. A
t hree turn c oil is made about the core by passin g t he line through th e
core th re e time s . The coi l should be about fo ur inches in di a met er.
Tape the t urns t ogethe r a nd firmly to the core, which is qu it e fragile.
Now, cut a len gth of copper wire for t he upp er s e ct ions of t he a nte nna .
Clean an d s old er one end of the wire t o th e center pin of th e coaxial
plu g, wra ppi ng the wire s ev e ral t ime s a round the pin t o make a stron g
mechanical joint. Att ach the top insulator to the wire so that th e dis-
tance bet we en the tip of th e wire and coax ial plu g is co rre ct. Wra p the
wi re s ecurely ba c k u pon itse lf. Th e la s t step is t o coat th e coax ia l
plug c ente r j oint wit h Gen eral Elect ric RT V -102 water proo fi ng co m-
pound a nd wrap it wit h vin yl ta pe.
Antenna Installat ion
When you are finished the Cobra is ready to work. It can be hoisted
into a nearby tree with the aid of a string and a stone. Tie a light
string to the stone and (watching out for nearby windows and spec-
tators) toss the stone over the highest branches of the tree. A husky
ham can usually make a sixty foot toss with ease. (How muscular are
you ?) Once the string is safely over the branches and the rock is down
again to ground level, a heavier rope may be pulled over the branches .
The top insulator of the Cobra antenna is attached to the rope and the
antenna hoisted up as far as it will go , swinging in a vertical position
like a gigantic icicle on a Christmas Tree! The Cobra operates well
over the 10 and 6 meter amateur bands with an SWR reading of between
1.3 and 1.8 and is a handy, compact emergency antenna to carry in your
automobile at all times.
The 5/8 Wavelength DX Antenna for 20, 15 or 10 Meters
Are you interested in a simple vertical antenna that gives you a 3

decibel power gain over a ground plane? If so , this is the antenna for
you . Shown in Figure 5, the extended 5/8 wavelength vertical for 20
meters consists of a 41 ' 6" length of telescoping sections of aluminum
tubing, fed at the base by a simple coaxial matching transformer. Two
or three 16'6" radial wires are used, and these are laid out from the
base of the vertical antenna in random position, running horizontally
awa y from the antenna.
The matching transformer is made of two lengths of SO ohm line. The
small RG-58/U may be used for powers up to 500 watts, or less. RG-
8/U line is used for a high power installation. The line sections are
coupled to the main transmission line by means of a co a x i a I "T-
adapter " (Amphenol 83-1 T).
The coaxial line from the T-adapter to the base of the antenna for
20 meter operation is 8 '8" long, including the PL-259 plug. The short
circuited line section is 2'1" long, including the plug. Together, the
two lines form an electrical quarter-wavelength transformer, with the
main transmission line to the station tapped on the SO ohm point.
The 5/8 wavelength vertical antenna is insulated at the base and
the center conductor of the simple coaxial transformer is attached to
the base, with the transformer shield attached to the radial wires.
If the measurements are followed, no adjustment need be made to
the antenna system to provide good operation across the 20 meter band.
D IM EN SI ON S O F 5 /8 A AN T E N N A
-I -
L R A B
BA ND
F E ET METE RS F EET METERS FEE T METE RS FE ET METERS
20 41' 6 '" 12 .65 16 ' 6" 5 .3 1 8 ' 6 '" 2 .63 2' I " 0 .64
IS 27 ' 9' 6 . 47 I I' 0" 3 . 34 5 ' 10 '" 1. 7 8 I' 6 " 0 .4 6
..
10 2 1' 3 '" 6. 50 6' 3" 2 .52 4 '4 " 1 . 31 1' .1... 0 .31
a
6 I I' 8N 3 .5 5 4 '6 " 1.3 7 2 ' 5" 0 .7 4 0. 2:0
COAX IA L
T - ADAPTER
r ---~ J A - - r - B----j
- - =J=uI. -
~'~.,, .
P L - 259 PL U GS ""-:; I' SHO RT CI R CU I T
E ND O F C A B L E
v
R I
I N5U L rwo r o f O U R I
i R AD I A L W IR E S I
~ -, :
I
\
'c
- so n. C O A X IA L LINE TO
T R A NS M ITTE R
( A N Y L EN~ TH )
Fig . 5 SIMPLE COAXIAL TRANSFORMER provides impedance step-up between 50

ohm l ine and base of 5/8 wavelength vertical antenna . Coaxial line lengths do
not in clude length of T-adapter (Amphenol 83-H). RG-8 /U type cable should be
used for the transformer and connection to antenna should be carefully sealed
to prevent moisture from entering line . Wrap T-adapter with vinyl tape and seal
also, as it is not waterproof.
The SWR may be adjusted by va rying the length of the antenna a fe w
inches , one way or the other.
Dimensions for making a 5 /8 wavelength antenna for the 20 , 15, 10
and 6 meter bands are given in the illustration .
A Simple , Multi-Band Vertic al DX Antenna
This versatile ground plane antenna designed by G3RFG of England

may be used for operation on all the high frequency amateur bands
between 160 and 10 meters . It 's an extremely attractive installation for
the amateur with a lean purse, living in an area that frowns upon
structures more e xotic looking than an unobtrusive vertical mast.
The complete antenna assembly is shown i n Figure 6. It consists
of a ve rt ic a l radiator (A- B) attached to a short support post. The anten-
na itself is broken int o two sections and a jumper (C) or loading coil
(D) connects the sections, depend ing upon the band in use. On 10
0
_ 24 " - = 7 .5 M
L ONe;
STANDO FF INS ULATO R S- <
'''"~y ~
C UY WIRE S
© @
LOAD ING C OI L @
W O OD M AST
2.2. ' H IGH:;: 6 .7 M
J] -
B AND
20
22. T U R N S N - 14 EN AMEL
2. ... OI A .,
5
2.t.. LONe:;:
eM OI A . , 6 .3 e M LONG
2. X 2. OR 2. XJ L UMB E R
® 3 0 T U R N S N - 18 ENAMEL
- . ' 3 " = 2.5 M BO 2." O I A ., 3 " LON e;:;:
LONG 5 eM OI A ., 7 .5 eM LONC
55 TUR N S N- 18 E N A ME L
16 0 2 .... O I A ,/ 5" L ON e; :;:
5 eM 01 A " 12 . 6 eM L ONe;
( TY PI C AL)
R AD I A L
GR OUND WIRE f ~- -
SOA CO A XI A L LINE
T O ST ATI ON
--
WR AP P OST W IT H - . . . f : : .: - ' - ... U XILI AR Y G R O U ND CO N N EC TI O N
HE A V Y ALU M I N U M FO I L f tl I F US E D
Fig . 6 ALL H-F BANDS may be op erat ed w ith th i s versatile antenna . Load ing
co i I is used for 20. 80 and 160 met er bands. and jumper (e ) is us ed for 15 and
40 meter bands . A separa t e radial gro und wire is re quired for each band . Space
between antenna secti ons is 6 inc hes . The ant en na may be mou nt ed on the roof
or direct ly at ground l eve l. If a ground post is used. it should be wrapped with
heavy aluminum foi l to prevent r ot. Auxi liary gr ound rod dr iven four to six feet
into the soil in add ition to radial wire is recommended for 160 and 80 meter
operation .
meters the gap between the sections is left open and the antenna acts
as a 1/4 wavelength ground plane.
With the jumper in place, the antenna acts as a 40 meter ground
plane and also as a 15 meter, 3/4 wavelength extended vertical anten-
na. A loading coil modifies the antenna into a 3 /4 wavelength antenna
for 20 meter operation or a loaded vertical for 80 and 160 meter work .
The loading coil is placed so that it may easily be reached from the
ground, yet high enough so that it will not become an attractive play-
thing for neighborhood children.
The antenna uses a set of radial ground wires to form an efficient
electrical ground . An auxiliary ground connection, if available (as
discussed in Chapter 8), s h 0 u 1d be used along with the radials.
All in all, this interesting antenna is just about the best comb ina-
tion of economy and efficiency that can be found and its use is recom-
mended for multi-band operation in restricted areas.
The antenna is made up of 12 foot lengths of 1" diameter aluminum

tubing. A shorter section is cut from one length to make the bottom
section. The two remaining sections, plus a short piece cut from the
first section, are then joined to make the top section. Short lengths of
telescoping tubing are used to make joint splices, which are held firmly
together with 6-32 nuts and bolts. After assembly, the sections are
given a good coat of aluminum paint to protect the tubes and joints
from corrosion .
The antenna sections are next clamped to a 22 foot wood mast, made
of seasoned 2 x 2 lumber . Small ceramic standoff insulators are used
to do this job, two being used for the bottom tube and three for the top
tube. The break between the top and bottom sections is about 2 inches,
as noted.
The connections at the break may be made with large banana jacks
and plugs. The jacks are bolted to the tubes by means of thin aluminum
strips, and matching plugs are affixed to the jumper and loading coil.
The radials for 10, 15 and 20 meters are cut from a length of multi-
ple conductor TV rotor cable. Individual radial wires are used for 40,
80 and 160 meters.
Antenna Adjustment
The resonant frequency of the antenna on 10 meters is determined

by the length of the bottom section of tubing and is relatively uncriti-
cal. With the jumper in place, resonant length for 40 meters may be
set by adjust ingthe top section of the antenna. This automatically ad-
justs 15 meter operation at the same time , as the antenna works on its
third harmonic on the higher frequency band. The resonant frequency
on the 20, 80 ana 160 meter bands is set by adjusting the number of
turns on the loading coil.
The antenna tunes rather broadly for 10, 15, 20 and 40 meter opera-
tion and probably no adjustments need be made for these bands. As the
antenna is quite short compared to a full-size ground plane on 80 and
160 meters , the loading coil should be adjusted with the aid of a grid
dip oscillator for the portion of the band in which operation is con-
templated. To accomplish this , the feed line is removed at the base of
the antenna and the antenna :co nne ct e d directly to the radial ground
WIRE ANTENNA HANDBOOK 11 9
wires through a sma ll two t urn link coil. The coi l of the grid d ip oscil-
lator is coupled to the link and the resonant freque ncy of th e antenna
noted by monitoring the oscillator wit h a ca librated receiver. To lower
the a nte nna frequency , additional turns should be added to the loading
coil and to raise the antenna frequency , t urns are removed from the coil.
A Simple, Build-it-Yourself 5/8 Wavelength

Ground Pla ne Antenna for 2 Meters
(Great for FM Operat io n l)
Do you need a simple and ine xpensive whip antenna that gives you
about 3 decibels ga in over a quarter-wave gro und plan e? That's eq uiva -
le nt to doub ling your tr ans mitter power . Th is s i mple ante nna is ju s t the
thing for 2 met e r FM ope ra tors who are "on the go" . Wh i le many F M
transceivers come wi th a port able whi p a nt e nna, much bett e r res ults
may be a c hieved wi th th e us e of a full-size 5/ 8 waveleng th anten na,
mount ed high a nd in the clear . It wi ll e na ble yo u to " break" a repeater
at an e xtreme distance a nd prov ide extended ground wave co verage as
we ll.
Thi s 5/8 wavelengt h ground pla ne a ntenna ma y be used with any 2
meter e quipment, even the s mall handi-talk ie unit s . It is designed to be
rugge d an d li ght enough to be ha uled up into a tree, moun te d atop a
light mast or atop a n e xisting a ntenna , or us ed as a mobile antenna on
your car or camper .
Antenna Assembly
This design makes use of a UHF -t ype coaxial plug (P L -259) as the
base of the antenna (Figure 7). T he whip antenna is made of a length of
hard -drawn copper wi re (or copper plated stee l wire) and is fitted into a
plastic cylinder mounte d into the open end of the pl ug . The cylinder
serves a s a for m upon which is wo und the small ma t ch ing coil which
transforms the whip impe da nc e to 50 ohms , matching it to the 50 ohm
coaxial line us ed wi th mos t VHF equipment. T he to p en d of t he whip
is bent into a small loop fa cilit at e hoi s t ing the ante nna into a tree a nd
to prevent the operato r from putting his eye out whe n erect ing the
antenna.
For operation on a vehicle, the wh ip asse mb ly is mere ly screwed
into the receptacle of the body mount in place of the usua l quarter-wave
whip.
For us e a s a remote antenna to be mounted atop a mast, a set of
four quarter wavelength radials are re quire d . The simplest way to make
WH I P ANrENNA
6 T URNS N° 1& W IRE

i-" OI A. = L 2. C M
I - _ I " L O N G = 2.4CM
LUCITE OR "2 OIA . - 1. 2 eM
POLYSTYRENE
CO IL F O R M 50n. COAXIA L LI N E TO
TRANSMI T TER
EPOXY J OI NT - )r _II
1"
"2
_
-
® CO I L FOR M
1. 2. eM DRILL HOLES TO FIT

PL-259 PLU ~ Iii,
I
" 11
rLJ A
;~~~; -------=r E-=-jJ~ c=. =-=--=-JL- 1."
I PL- 2S9 --------=t- -*-- 2.
= 1, 2 eM
~ 2 i" = 7 CM-----.I
Fig . 7 EXTENDED 5/8 WAVELENGTH WHIP for 2 meter band provides improved
coverage and is recommended for FM operation . Whip antenna can be made from
replacement CB walkie-talkie antenna . or as described in text. Coi I form is
dri lied at one end to 'ac cept whip and other end is dri lied to pass wire con-
nection from center pin of coaxial plug. The wire is "fished" through side hole
and used to wind small 6 turn loading coil. For portable service. 19" radials
should be used with the antenna .
these up is to solder four lengths of hard drawn copper wire or l ight
copper tubing to the corners of an Amphenol 50-239 receptacle. The
antenna is screwed into the receptacle and the coaxial transmission
line is soldered t o the terminals of the receptacle. The antenna plus
the modified receptacle form a complete 5/8 wavelength ground plane
assembly ready for mounting on a mast or other support.
The Loading Coil
The 5/8 wavelength whip is matched to the transmission line by a

small loading coil mounted at the base. The coil is wound on a 1/2-
inch diameter form (A) cut from a plastic rod. One end of the form is
drilled to accept the antenna and the other end is turned down in a
lathe until it makes a force fit within the barrel of the PL-259 plug.
Before the form is pressed into the plug, a short length of No. 16 tin-
ned wire is soldered to the center pin of the plug and passed through
the two small holes drilled in the form. The wire is brought out through
the side of the form so that it may make contact with the base end of
the coil.
The end of the form is coated with epoxy glue and pressed into the
barrel of the plug. When the joint has hardened, the antenna is pressed
into the hole in the opposite end of the form and epoxied into place.
The last step is to wind the coil on the form , soldering one end to the
base of the antenna and the other end to the connecting wire projecting
through the side hole in the form. When completed, the coil should be
given several thin coats of Kry lon spray to waterproof it.
Antenna Adjustment
The antenna length is not critical and it may be tuned "on the nose"
by altering the length a quarter-inch at a time while observing the re-
flected power on an SWR meter inserted in the transmission line. A
temporary whip made of soft copper wire a few inches longer than
normal can be used for this tuning process. The whip is shortened a
fraction of an inch at a time with a pair of wire cutters. Once the point
of minimum SWR is found, the final whip may be made of more rugged
wire or light tubing.
If a more rugged antenna is desired, collapsible CB whips of various
lengths may be purchased at a modest cost. The hole in the end of the
form is drilled to fit the whip which is epoxied in place .
Fig. 8 160 METER FOLDED UNIPOLE makes use of 54 foottowerat W5LDA. Wire is
connected to tower at top and voltage fed at the bottom. Base of the tower is grounded
and twenty 65' radials fan out on ground surface. Each rotor lead is bypassed to t ow er at
the top with a .01 JLF disc capacitor. Leads are also bypassed to ground atthe tower base.
The L-network matches unipole to 50 ohm coax running to operating position. Antenna
also operates on 80 meters by retuning network.
40 ' 40'
OZ.z", } (JZ .Z ...J
IN SUL ATOR
4 0'
OZ.Z".}
J
J F££DPOJNT
RA D I A L GROUND
*
S YS TEM
Fig . 9 COMPACT T-ANTENNA for 160 meters. SO-foot horizontal wire is center-fed
and resonated to operating frequency by means of rotary inductor. Ground system
consists of four radials run on surface of ground. Each radial is 40 feet long and is
grounded by 3 -foot rods driven into ground at 10-foot intervals along the wire. With a
good ground system in average earth. feed point im pedance is about 30 ohms.
Chapter 10
Work OX With an "lmlslhle" Antenna
[Unobtrusive Antennas for Apartment Dwellers
and Unlucky Hams Living Where Antennas are "Prohibited")
"Modern living" has its drawbacks as well a s its blessings. Some

amateurs, to their sorrow, have found out that many chic townhouses
and condominium apartments in the larger cities have strict rules
prohibiting ham antennas . Other operators have discovered iron-clad
restrictions against the erection of a permanent antenna written into
the fine print of a residential property deed or a rural lease . In many
instances, the amateur antenna is merely tolerated or the erection of
the antenna becomes the signal for various complaints of television
interference from suspicious neighbors. And other operators have found
to their chagrin that space simply didn't ex ist in their small apartment
complex to erect a full size outdoor antenna!
Antenna woes are many but usually with tact and ingenuity , an
amateur may erect an unobtrusive antenna without running afoul of the
neighbors, the landlord or the Build ing Inspector.
The legal and social problems sometimes encountered in erecting
an amateur transmitting antenna (considered by a large portion of the
non-amateur population to be an e ye-sore) may be formidable and this
Handbook does not attempt to deal with such complex questions . IT a
doubt exists in the reader's mind about the legal aspects of erecting
an antenna, he should consult an attorney and get the facts before he
erects his sky wire .
Provided there are no legal obstacles , it is possible to make the
best of a delicate situation by following the principle of the "invisi-
ble" antenna. This idea works on the theory that if an antenna is not
easily seen or recognized , it will not be an antagonistic object to the
observer. In many hardship cases, it is possible for an amateur to
erect an "invisible " antenna, get on the air and enjoy rag -chewing and
124 "INVISIBLE" ANTENNAS
OX without anyone else being the wiser . (Needless to say this theor y
will not work if the transmitting gear is not fully television , telephone
and stereo proof l )
This chapter provides some tried-and-true invisible antenna designs
and suggestions for the amateur looking for an unobtrusive antenna . In
add ition, case histories of successful invisible antenna installations
made unde r difficult situations are discussed . These may give you
some clever ideas for your own invisible antenna.
The "Invisible" Antenna Concept
The invisible antenna concept is built upon the fact that the an-
tenna is either hidden from view, is visible but disguised, or that it
disappears from view when not in use. One of these styles of antenna
can allow an amateur to get on the air under circumstances that would
prohibit a more orthodox antenna installation.
There's no magic about an invisible antenna. It works according to
accepted antenna theory . The only precaution is that such an antenna
must be properly tuned since it may not be quite as efficient as a big
outdoor antenna and every radiated watt he 1ps! The use of an SWR
meter and a radial ground wire are mandatory in most instances for
proper operation. Properly adjusted , the invisible antenna can give
you many hours of rewarding ham operation, regardless of the jaundiced
eye of the landlord or ne xt door neighbor!
Surveying Your Antenna Location
Before you erect any antenna , make sure that you can do it in a
quiet manner without attracting undue attention. Many invisible an-
tennas are erected at night or early dawn when inquisitive eyes are
asleep or busy with other matters. Don't call attention to yourself or
what you are doing and keep your cool!
The first step to take in deciding what kind of antenna is most
suited to your location is to examine your residence to determine if
you should use an indoor or an outdoor antenna. If the sky wire is
placed indoors, it is hidden from view of the public, which may be of
primary importance. Contrary to myth, an indoor antenna will do a good
job, provided it is not within a building having a steel framework,
wa lls or roof. The author, for example, has a vacation retreat in an
a part me nt where antennas a re prohibited . Howe ver , using an indoor
dipole and a 200 watt tr ansmitter , DXCC has been wor ked and man y
happy hours of operation ha ve be en logged, wit ho ut th e land lord or
neighbors being aware that a ham station is even in the building! Even
Sherlock Holmes couldn't find the antenna!
If the building has appreciable metal in the framework, the use of
an indoor antenna should only be attempted as a last resort, as the
structure of the building shields the antenna to a marked degree.
If it is decided to place the antenna outdoors, the antenna should
either be unobtrusive, be disguised, or should disappear when not in
use. For disguise, a vertical antenna can be hidden in a tree or may
take the form of a flagpole. If the antenna is made of fine copper wire
and very small plastic insulators and is erected high in the air, it will
be nearly invisible to the casual observer. Number 28 enamel magnet
wire, for example, is invisible at a distance of about 25 feet.
The vertical antenna also lends itself to the disappearing act. It
can be hinged at the base so that it lies down flat against the roof
when not in use, or it may be made collapsible so that it can be taken
apart when not used. These ideas, and others like them, allow you to
erect an antenna and enjoy ham radio in most uncompromising situa-
tions, provided you go about your ham activities without attracting
undue attention .
The Indoor Antenna
The indoor antenna is height -limited by the roofline or ceiling of

your dwelling. If you plan such an antenna, it is much better for the
antenna to be located on an upper floor than on the ground floor of a
building, if this is possible. In a wood frame building, the indoor an-
tenna seems to perform as well as an equivalent outdoor antenna pro-
vided the indoor antenna is not accidentally coupled into the electric
wiring or metal plumbing system of the building.
Survey your residence and determine its construction . The majority
of homes and two story apartment buildings in the United States and
Canada are of wood frame construction with a roof of composition
material or wood shingles. Large multi-story apartments, on the other
hand, almost always have a steel framework which usually rules out
the use of an indoor antenna.
The wooden frame building seems to cause little or no effect upon
the antenna provided some care is taken not to let the antenna couple
itself electrically with the wiring and plumbing . If you have an attic
space , a loft, or a high ceiling the antenna should be strung up near
the ceiling (provided the building does not have a metal roof). Take
time to determine the construction of the roof before you place an
antenna beneath it!
126 "INVISIBLE" ANT ENNAS
If you have access to the roof, a dipole antenna may be laid di-
rectly on the surface of the roof or perhaps strung a few inches above
it using e xisting vent pipes or chimneys for tie points. If #28 enamel
wire and small diameter coaxial line are used , such a doublet antenna
is nearly invisible , especially if the line is painted to match the color
of the roof.
Some of the larger radio distributors carry RG-174 /U mini-coaxial
50 ohm cable. This is only 3/32-inch in diameter and is capable of
handling up to 500 watts SSB or c-w up to 30 MHz if the SWR on it is
low. It is not quite invisible, but it is the nearest thing to it! When
invisibility is important, RG-174/U should be used in place of the
larger diameter RG-58/U or RG-8/U cable.
If it is decided to place the antenna indoors, it need not be made
invisible in most instances. Depending upon the layout of your home,
either a horizontal dipole, a vertical ground plane or an end -fed wire
may be used on the higher frequency bands. On the lower bands, space
restrictions usually limit the indoor antenna to the end-fed type. In
any case, the use of a radial ground wire with the antenna to establish
a n electrical ground point (as discussed in Chapter 8) is essential. A
lot of TVI and stero-QRM can be caused by the omission of this very
important station accessory. If it is not used, the missing ground con-
nection is made up of the electrical wiring of the building which in-
cludes all the TV receivers , stereo gear, radios , telephones and other
electrical gadgets in the vicinity. And that's not good!
Antenna Layout
Place your indoor antenna at the high point of your dwelling and
a li gn it so th at it is at right angles to most of the electric wire s and
pipes in the walls of the building. The position of wires and pipes,
whil e hidden from view, may be estimated by observing the position
of floor plugs , outlets and the various water faucets and drains. The
antenna is installed as far away from these as possible and at right
angles to them , if feasible . It is perfectly OK to let the antenna slope
or to bend it a bit to fit it into the available space. The whole opera-
tion is cut-and -try and it is easy to move the antenna about to deter-
mine the optimum placement. If you are using a dipole and one side is
higher than the other , the high side should be connected to the center
conductor of the coaxial line and t he lower side to the outer shield , as
shown in Figure 1, providin g no balun is used.
C E N T ER
IN SULATOR
< .. - C O N N EC T HI GH SID E O F
ANT EN N A T O C E N T E R
CON DUC TO R O f L I NE
I
TI L T E D 0 1PO LE I
I
I
: S O OH M COAX IA L LINE
Fig. 1 SLOPING DIPOLE INSTALLATION. When one side of dipole is higher

than the other the high side should be connected to the center conductor of
the coax i a I line and the low side to the outer shield. as shown above.
Checking the Antenna
Once the location has been chosen, the antenna is strung in place
using heavy twine and hook-eyes in the building structure. The in-
sulated radial ground wire is laid along the baseboard of the radio
room, following the floor line around the room, or under a rug. The
antenna is tuned and loaded in the normal manner , using an SWR meter
(and tuner , if required) in the coaxial line to the antenna. It may be
necessary to change the physical placement of the antenna in the room
in order to arrive at a suitably low value of SWR across the band .
Once the antenna seems to be operating properly with a reasonable
value of SWR, it is a good idea to check the electrical wiring of the
building for r-f power that may be sneaking into it from the nearby
antenna. If the wiring is encased in metal conduit, th is coupling is
unlikely . Open wir ing (knob-and-tube or Rome x) may act as an un-
wanted pickup antenna and absorb great quantities of your precious
output power. Sometimes r-f coupling can be noticed when a light or
lamp (supposedly turned off) lights up with a weak glow when you are
on the air, or a nearby TV set chokes up and refuses to work properly.
A handful of .001 uF, 1.6 kV disc capacitors can help to solve this
problem. A fast and simple way to connect these capacitors is to ob-
tain a few 115 volt line plugs and connect a capacitor across the screw
terminals of each plug (Figure 2A). The plug is then inse rted in wall
receptacles at random until a position is found that "detunes" the
electric wiring system and reduces absorbed r-f to a minimum. Some-
times two or three such plugs are required to "detune " a residence.
CON N EC T .OOI 1J F . 1. 6 K V C E R AM IC
DISC CA PACI TOR BE TWEE N PR O N G.S
IN S~ j
~~
SC R E W T E R M INALS
II ~ VOLT P LUG
r.~
END V IEW
I t5 VAC
Fig. 2 STEREO AND TV INTERFERENCE can be substantially reduced by pro-

per r-f fi Itering of power lines and speaker cables . (A l Ceramic capacitor in
power plug reduces r-f in power line. (B) Speaker wires and power line of
stereo ampl ifier are bypassed to common ground return of ampl ifier. In many
cases s hie I din g the speaker leads also helps to red u c e r-f pickup.
In addition, it may be necessary to place an extra bypass capacitor

across some of the leads of a stereo or TV that is afflicted with inter-
ference. In particular, stereo speaker leads should be bypassed to the
chassis or ground return of the stereo set with .01 uF disc capacitors
to prevent the wires from working as un wan ted pickup antennas
(Figure 2B).
What type of antenna to use indoors? Well, for operation on the 6,
10, 15 or 20 meter bands, a dipole antenna is recommended along with
a radial ground wire connected to the transmitter. A tr i-band dipole will
work well for 20,15 and 10 meter operation when used with three radial
wires. A dipole is really too long for an indoor antenna installation on
the 40 and 80 meter bands in most residences so an end-fed wire is
suggested, used in conjunction with an antenna tuner, as described
earlier in this Handbook .
When space is at an absolute premium , a mobile whi p antenna
mounted on a window ledge may be used in place of the wire antenna ,
or the pole lamp antenna described in the following section will do
the job for you.
The Pole Lamp Antenna
Are you living in a studio apartment or other nurn -space accomo-

dat ions? A ham rig can be squeezed into a closet or bookc ase but what
about the antenna? Can the antenna blend in with the decor of the room
and not be an e ye-sore? The answer to all t hes e questions is " yes "
if a pole lamp antenna is used.
,
SPRI NG LO ADED F OO T -' C E I L I N G I
I
I
=
-'n
- - MET AL DE CORATOR P O L E - - -
I
~_-::-l r _
6 2
IC~:I-r
BOLT
I! I:,'
\
\ I'"
CO I L F ORM
/
1 L - - - -i>
I 'T I
:d~o
I
\ / P LUG
-, /'
9" 'to"
T U RN
DOWN ENDS OF 6-32 BOLT
PLUG TO FIT WITHIN
POLE. EPOXY JOINT . NOTE : CONNECT L OADING
COl L BETWEEN 6 -32 BOLTS
(SEE FIr;. -4 )
SPR I NG LOAD ED FOOT I " F L OO R
Fig. 3 POLE LAMP ANTENNA provides good multi-band operation in minimum

space. Decorator pole assembly is cut in half and in sulating plug inserted to
provide mounting area for loading coil. Pole antenna is used in conjunction
with radial ground wire for best results.
The pole antenna is a decor-matching accessory to the home if

carefully built. This unique antenna is made from a spring-loaded pole
lamp structure, which is placed in position between floor and ceiling
of the radio room. Many home furnishings stores carry a variety of pole
lamps and decorator poles which support shelves, radios, book racks
and other objects. Plain, unadorned poles and the various pieces which
go together to make up the poles can also be purchased. The most
popular and least expensive pole is a three section assembly about
seven feet long having spring-loaded "feet" in the ends which are
wedged against ceiling and floor.
On occasion, a pole may be purchased with a wood center section,
wh ic h is required for this antenna assembly. If only an all-metal pole
is obtainable, the center section must be cut in half and trimmed for
insertion of a wooden plug to serve as insulator and coil form (Fig. 3).
The spring-loaded pole antenna is operated in a vertical posit ion,
with a high-Q, tapped loading coil placed at its center. The coil tunes
the compact antenna to the band in use and the complete pole antenna
plus the wire connecting it to the antenna tuner are used in conjunc-
T AP F O R A PP R O X.
DECORATOR POLE ANT EN NA
BAND T U R N S IN C.I R C U IT
80 90
40 28
30 20
20 IS
17 II
IS 8
12
10 S H O RT OUT CO IL
CO l L = 90 T U R N S N° 16 T1NNEO
CO N N E C TIO N BETWEE N PO L E
A N D T UNER IS P ART OF WIRE. 2 1/2. " DI At.4 .,
A N T E NNA . 9 " LONe. ·
R AD I A L S A N D
C;RQ UN D SYST EM
(S E E T EXT I
Fig. 4 POLE ANTENNA op erates on all h-f bands 80 t hro ug h 10 meters . Tapped
loading c o i l . ant enna tuner and SWR meter all ow oper ator t o adjust th e antenna
for minimum SWR at the operating frequency . Ouarter wavele ngth radial ground
w ire for band in use is required. as d i s cussed in text.
tion with a radial wire, if conven ient, or with a gro und co mposed of the
co ld water plumbing system of t he bu il ding.
A simple antenna tuner (described in Chapter 8) is located near the
transmitter along with an SWR meter in the coaxial line, as shown in
Figure 4. The number of turns in the loading coil of the pole antenna
are adjusted so that the tuner can allow a low value of SWR on the
coaxial line to the transmitter .
Some operators may raise their e yebrows at using a seven foot high,
coil loaded antenna on the lower frequency bands but it should be
pointed out that the efficiency of an antenna of this size is at least
equal to that of the eight foot loaded mobile whip antennas that con-
tinually prove their worth on the 80 meter band .
Antenna Adjustment
The number of turns on the center loading coil is given in Figure 4

and the antenna resonated by means of the auxiliary tuner. If a reason-
able value of SWR cannot be achieved, the number of turns in the
ce nt e r loading coil is adjusted a turn at a time until the SWR drops to
a low value at the ope rati ng freque ncy. Any major shift in frequency
(10 kHz or so) requires retuning of the antenna tuner for minimum SWR
on t he c oa xia l li ne to the transmitter .
"Invisible" Outdoor Antennas
If space permits, it may be feasib le t o string up an invisib le out -

door ante nna away from t he buil ding . This will provid e good DX re-
sults for you. T he easiest antenna to put up is an en d-fed single wire
which is resonated to the operating frequency by an antenna tuner
located at the transmitter. The wire may be of almost any length as
the tuner des cribed in Chapter 8 will c ompe ns ate for the length used .
For general operat ion between 40 and 10 me te rs , the wire should be at
least 30 feet long . For 80 meter operation as well, the wire s hou ld be
at leas t 50 feet lo ng. Lengths up t o about 150 feet will work OK. In
every c as e, a n indo or ra dia l ground wire pla ced at the a ntert na t une r
s hould be used .
Th e name of the game is to make the outdoor antenna invis ibl e , or
nearly so, to the c a sua l observer. Enameled wire of #28 gauge (magnet
wire) is a good starting point. It is quite fine, yet has good tensile
strength. Wire sizes as small as #34 (removed by the mile from a de -
funct power transformer) have been used by experimenters with good
results. Operation of the antenna seems to have little to do with wire
size, although some a ntennas made with #34 wire have mysteriously
come down during the night. The only reason for this , it is guessed ,
is that birds can't see the wire either, and fly into it. Antennas made
with #28 gauge wire do not seem to have t his problem.
Very small insulators for the invisible antenna can be made out of
1/4-inch diameter lucite or plastic rod. The insulator can be about 2
inches long with fine holes drilled in it to accept the antenna and
tie-off wire .
The ends of the invisible antenna should be tied off to points that
will not impose a strain on the wire when the wind blows . Trees are
poor tie-off points as they sway in the wind. An invisible wire run from
one building to another, or to a sturdy tree is a good installation. A
flag pole also serves as a good tie-point for the a ntenna.
In order to see the invisible antenna when you are putting it up, tie
a long thread to a small piece of paper. Fold the paper and drop it over
the center of the antenna wire. Once the antenna is up , you can re-
move the paper with a gentle tug on the thread.
132 " INVISIBL E" ANTENNAS
/' DIM EN S I ON
RO PE AND ./ B AND L 5 (T O P L UG T l p)
IN S UL ATO R L - - - ·-
( TY P IC AL) FEE T METER S F EE T I M ET ER S
20 17 ' 6 N
e . J& I I ' 6" a ,ss
17 1 3 ' 7 '" 4 . t5 5 ' 10" 2. . 12
L
15 I 1' 10 " 3. .62. 7 ' 9" 2. . ~9
12 q ' IO" 3..0 I 6' 6 " 2. . 0 0
10 e - 9"
.-
2. .66 5' 9" I. 7~
INS UL AT OR
/
/ '"- I
6
W A TE R PR OOF J O INT
5 ' 0 '" 1. 5 2
3 ' . "
1. 0 0
/
,
I ,-
S
I
75 O H ~ LI N E S E C T ION
, ( R G- 5 9/U)
- .'-
I ,I
1
>
U S E COAXI A L CO N N E C T O R O N
C A BL ES A ND S P LIC E ADA P T ER
;
I
I- S O OH M LI N E ( R G - 5 6 / U) TO TR AN SM ITT ER
I ( A N Y LENG TH )
I
I
,
,
Fig. 5 QUAD LOOP makes effective "invi s ible" antenna . Loo p is made up of
#28 en amel wire s uppor t ed with midget insulators cut from lucite rod . The
support ropes are nylon fi sh c ord . Match ing secti on and transmission line
are brought down side of bui lding or hidden in shrubbery or tree . Loop pro-
vide s power gain of about 2 decibels ov er a dipole antenna .
What Antenna To Use?
A number of antenna types lend themse lves to ' the invisibility con-
cept. Here are some suggestions that may help you :
The Dipole . An invisible dipole can be made iof #28 en ameled copper
wire for the flat top , using pl astic rod insulators . The feed line is made
of small diameter RG-174 /U mini-coaxial line . The j ac ke t of this line ,
unfo rtunately, is dark bl ack so that it tends to stand out against the
sky. It is quite unobtrusive against a darker object such as a building
or a tree.
The Quad Loop. The Cubic al Quad Loop e le me nt makes an effective
a nt e nna having about 2 decibels power gain over a dipole. The radia-
tion pattern of the loop is similar to th at of a dipole , being a figure-S
a t right angles to the plane of the wires.
In order to remo ve the feed line from view , the loop is fed at eithe n
a n upper or lower corner via a 75 ohm qu arter -wa velength matching
sect ion a nd a 50 ohm transmission line, as shown in Figure 5. Whi le
th e loop has low vi sibility , the line a nd t ra ns for me r are more notice-
S LIl; H T LY OPEN
W I N D OW
AN T E N NA W I R E
AL U M I N U M TU BE R ADI AL WIRE
IN SUL ATED MOU NT WINDO W L E O l; E
®
AL UMINUM ANC,LE PL AT E
. ANDNUj
, - 6 - 3 2. BOLTS ./ WALL O F BU IL Dr N C;
WOOD se n E WS --==-= ,' ------

BO AR D CL A M PE D
T QWI ND O W LEO l;E " I N V I S I B L E" N-28 EN AMEL
R AD I AL C;ROUND WI R E
WE IGHT
Fig. 6 PATRIOTIC FLAGPOLE is really a disguised antenna. Pole. plus wire

running to antenna tuner form antenna. An "invisible" radial ground wire is
dropped out of the window. The flagpole i s insulated at the base if the w indow
fr ame and ledge are metal. Some amateurs who have a porch or balcony with
a metal rai ling along it use the rai I ing for the ground system.
able and should be disguised by surrounding objects. For example,

ivy, woodbine or other creeping plant may be trained to grow up the
side of a building to mask the presence of a feed line .
The Dick Tracy Flag Pole Antenna
If the inv is ible antenna doesn 't seem to be the solution to you r
problem, perhaps you should consider the visible, disguised antenna
a s an alternative des ign. A flag pole , for ex ample, combines high vis i-
bility and good neighborhood acceptance. Properly built, it can serve
a s an e xcellent multi-band antenna for the high frequencies, and no-
body but the radio ham is an y the wis e r! When view e d by the public,
the antenna s eems to be a s imple patriotic flag pole (complete with
halyard, pulle ys a nd flag) but in fact it is a disguised tr ansmitting
a nt e nna !
One form of fla g pole antenna is shown in Figure 6. This disguised
a nt e nna is mounted to the window ledge of an a pa rt me nt house or home.
The pole is a length of I-inch diameter a luminum tubing or TV mast
r-GO LO DE C OR ATI VE
PULLE Y FOR FLAG _ ._~ B ALL A T TOP
(OR OTHER A NT E N NA ) (WOOD)
- ALUM I N U M T UB ING Fig. 7 FULL-SIZE FLAGPOLE serves

12' L O N t; X O . 1 2 ~ W A L L
1.2 0 " OUT ER OIA . as efficient h-f vertical antenna .
The aluminum pole is insulated at
the base and imbedded in a con-
crete block to make it self-sup-
porting. Radial ground w ires run
through nearby shrubbery disgu ise
function of the flagpole. Rope cleat
_ A LU M I NU M TU BI N G.
at base and a gold decorative wood
12 ' L ONG X 0 .12 .5 WAL L
I. ~ OH O U T E R D IA.
ball at the top complete the illusion .
ROPE CLEAT -
pv c I NSUL ATI N C
! CO L L A R. Ill " LONe.
GR O UND LE VEL .----J ~
I
I II II I
I 11 _~ I
3 ' I ~ CO NCR E T E BLOC K
L'
I 2' X 2 ' X 3 '
I
L JI
and can be any length from 8 to 15 feet, depending upon aesthetic cir-
cumstances and the patriotism of the neighbors . The pole is insulated
at the base from the window ledge by an insulator and is end-fed via
a random length of insulated wire and the end-fed antenna tuner de-
scribed in chapter 8. A single rad ial ground wire either inside or
outside the building is used with this effective flag pole antenna.
A more complex flag pole antenna is shown in Figure 7 . This is the
Dick Tracy version, a full-fledged, patriotic flag pole, mounted on an
impressive base. It would look well in the front yard of the White
House! The pole is made of two sections of l /8-inch wall aluminum
tubing and can be from 15 to 20 feet high . The pole sits in a poured
concrete base about two feet square and three feet deep in the ground.
The flag pole radiator is insulated from ground by the concrete and
also by a collar made of plastic (polyvinyl chloride or PVC) pipe. This
inexpensive material is available at any large plumbing supply house.
Buy a piece about 18" long and of a diameter that provides a loose
slip fit over the lower section of the aluminum tubing . One end of the
PVC pipe is sea le d with a plug of plastic or PVC sheet epoxied in

place . The sealed end is sunk in the concrete to make a fully insula-
ted socket for the antenna.
The concrete is poured into a hole dug in the ground. Make sure that
the pl astic socket is in a vertical position before the cement hardens !
Place the antenna in the socket and shim the space around it with
thin strips of aluminum and then fill the remaining gap with dry sand,
we ll tamped down. Finally , seal the whole joint between socket and
antenna with General Electric RTV-I02 sealant to keep moisture out.
It is a good idea to plug both the top and bottom openings of the
aluminum tubes that make up the antenna . This will prevent moisture
from running down the inside and filling the bottom of the antenna with
water which will gradually corrode the inside of the tubes . The splice
between the two sections of tubing s h 0 u I d be waterproofed , too.
Again, the height of the pole is an aesthetic rather than an elec -
trical consideration, and pole heights as high as 40 feet will work well
for the high frequency bands. If the base is partially obscured with
small bushes or a privet hedge, one or two horizontal radial ground
wires can be run through the plants, about a foot above the ground.
Several ground rods (obtainable from an electrical supply house) can
be driven into the soil at the antenna base and connected in parallel
with the radials, if convenient.
A small tuning unit such as described in Chapter 8 is placed at the
base of the flag pole antenna to permit multi-band operation. It should
be enclosed in a water-proof box and the connections between tuner
and antenna and ground should be reasonably short. It is possible,
moreover, to remote ly control the tuning unit from the station position
for delu xe a ll -ba nd operation, but such a device is beyond the scope of
this Handbook.
The coaxial feed line from the ant e n n a and tuner can be buried
unde rgr ound. The exposed end of the line, of course, should be pro-
perly sealed to prevent moisture from entering the line , as discussed
ear lier.
The' "CIA Special " -- a Disguised All-Band Antenna System
Unlucky amateurs may sometimes find to their chagrin that a ham

antenna is barred from the roof of an apartment or rental home, whereas
a television antenna is perfectly OK to erect! Often it is easier for
the amateur to accept such a restriction than to oppose it, especially
if it is possible to disguise the ham antenna to look like a TV antenna .
MUL T I -B A ND B EA M F O R 5 0 , 144 . A N D 2 20 M e .
R - 67': M A KE EIGHT OF 3/8-1/11. ClAM ALUMINUM

TUB ING WIT H 1/4-I N DIA M E XTENSIO NS
T - 62" M A KE FOUR OF 112-1N. ClAM ALUM I NUM A P P ROX . FOAW A R D C AIN FRONT-TO-
TUB ING SPACED 3- 1/8 IN , CENT ER-TO - OV ER HA L.F-W A V E DI POLE B AC K RA TIO S I DE L OBES
CENT ER
eo Me. 7 DB 10 0 8 N IL
H -57" MA KE FOUR OF 114-1/11 ClAM . ALUMINUM
14 04 M e . I Z DB ,e DB - 12 DB
TUB ING SPACE D 4 I N, CEN TER -l O-CENT ER
22.0 Me . 1 3 . ~ DB 1 e ( ES T.) -& DB
Fig. 8 " C I A SPECIAL" BEAM operates on 50 , 144 . 220 and 432 MHz bands.
Array is supported on TV mast by insulated clamps near center of the hor i-
zontal phasing lines (T ). Beam may be used on h-f bands by tying feed wires
together and operating system as a random length wi re antenna . For vhf
operation, the tuner shown i n Figure 9 is used.
One VHF e nthusiast did this , and ended up with a VHF beam anten na
a nd a n all-band antenna for the lower frequency bands , to boot! Her e's
the story and a description of the antenna :
The Two-Bay VHF Beam Antenna
Shown in Figure 8 is a broadband, two bay, double-V antenna of a

type often used for long distance TV fringe reception . This version is
called the CIA Special because of its effect ive "cove r" disguise , for
it really is a ham antenna that looks like a TV a nt e nna. Designed a fte r
the pop ular TV a rray , this special antenna is a highly directive beam
which functions on the 50, 144 , and 220 MHz bands. It may also be
used as an end-fed antenna for the high frequency bands from 10 to
160 meters by treating the feed line as a radiating long wire!
Electrically, each bay of the beam is a pair of half-wave dipoles
(R-R) cut to 50 MHz, one pair spaced 1/4-wavelength in front of the
other. The dipoles are dri ven with a phase difference of 90 degrees by
the horizontal phasing lines (T). This feed system produces a unidirec-
tional radiation pattern with good front-to-hack ratio and power gain of
about 4 decibels over a dipole. At 144 MHz, the antenna functions on
its third harmonic and begins to operate as a short V-beam , providing
about 9 decibels power gain. At 220 MHz, the V-beam is working at the
5th harmonic with a power gain of about 10.5 decibels over a dipole.
Two of these beams are stacked to provide an additional 3 decibels
of gain on each band and are fed in phase with a linear matching
transformer (H). The two bays are separated a half-wavelength at 50
MHz, which is equivalent to 1-1/2 wavelengths at 144 MHz and 2-1/2
w a vel eng t h s at 220 MHz. Total array gain is thus the sum of the
stacking gain and the bay gain , or 7 decibels at 50 MHz, 12 decibels
at 144 MHz and 13 .5 decibels at 220 MHz. The antenna also provides
worthwhile gain over a dipole at 432 MHz, although the pattern is
almost nondirectional.
Physical spacing between the upper and lower bays is determined
by the positioning of the matching transformer (H) and is about 74
inches. Feedpoint impedance is close to 300 ohms on the 6 and 2
meter bands and about 200 ohms on the 220 MHz band. This impedance
variation and the resultant line loss are not serious if the 300 ohm
ribbon TV line is less than 75 feet long, or so . For a longer run, it is
best to use open wire TV line. A suitable VHF antenna tuner for the
antenna , regardless of the line used, is shown in Figure 9.
Low Frequency Operation (10 to 160 Meters)
This VHF beam antenna is used for low frequency operation down
to 160 meters by ignoring the antenna and considering the feedline as
a random length, end-fed antenna. For this mode of operation, the wires
of the two-wire line are tied in parallel at the station end and the
whole assembly considered as a single wire. An antenna tuner and a
radial ground wire must be used in conjunction with an SWR meter, as
discussed earlier in this Handbook.
Since the lead-in is used as the antenna on the low bands , it should
be spaced awa y from the building and nearby metallic objects.
=~~MS-r::~SE~ll~ ER (01- - -, I<: >----+---@

} T W O WIR E T R ANSM I S S ION
LI NE T O A N T E NNA
r=---f- -+-- --@
COI L D ATA
LI- 5 T U R N S N - 18, I " O I A"'4 ., 8 TUR N S P E R IN CH . PLA C E I NSI D E t.a .
(ICORE A I R - DUX 6 0 6 T OR E QUI VALENT.)
L2- ~:~ 7 7}2 ~~I:N~ ~;~~ ltA~' ~ ~~g~ NS PER I N C H . (leO R E A I R - DUX 12 0 4 OR E Q U I V. )
LI - .2 TURN S N-' 4 , I " O I AM ., 8 T U R N S P E R IN CH . P L A CE O V ER Lz ,

t.a - S TURN S N e '2, lI Z '" DIA t.4., , ... L O NG . T AP I I/Z. "TU RN S FR O M E A C H END.
2 2 0 MH z. L t - I TU RN N -j4 . I " O I A M .
L 2 - 2. TURNS N- 12 , 1/2 '" OI At.A.., 1/2. M LONG . A DJ U S T FOR RE S ON AN CE W I T H C A PAC ITO R C2.
NE A R L Y OP E N . A NT E N NA CONN EC T ION S A T ENDS O F C O IL .
Fig. 9 "CIA SPECIAL" antenna tuner is assembled on plywood board in the

manner shown in Figure 5. Chapter 12. Capacitor C t is Millen 19050. or equ iva-
lent. Capacitor C2 i s split-stator . 35 pF per section. 0.01" spacing; Millen
28935. or equivalent. Tuner is removed from line for operation of antenna as
end -fed wire on h igh frequency bands.
Other Amateurs -- What Have They Don e?
It is interesting to observe some real-life situations where amateurs

have triumphed ove r local s ituations to get on the air . Here are a few
int eresting case s that may give you a n idea as to how your problem
can be solved :
Case History #1. Th e Deluxe , Flowerin g Flagpole .

One wes t coast radio amateur li ving in a mani cured, model neigh-
borhood placed a fine , 18 foot flag pole in his front yard , with the
bless ing of th e City Planning Commission and the local Neighborhood
Improveme nt Assoc iation. A fl owering hedge , tenderly cared for by his
XYL , hid t wo radia l wires . The coa xial cable wa s run under the lawn
t o the house . In addition , the ground point of the a nt e nna tuner wa s
c onnect ed to the lawn sprinkling s ystem.
A few months of operation proved the wort h of the ant e nna , s o our
Hero ins e rt ed a t hree foot extension section in th e flag pole at the
base, bringing the he ight of the ant enna up to 21 feet. At the same
time a remotely switched a nt e nna tuning unit was ins t a ll ed in the
bus he s at t he base of t he t owe r to provide automatic bandswitching
over the 10, 15 a nd 20 meter ban ds . Shortly thereafter , a s witchable
base loading coil for 40 and 80 meter operation was quietly added
(at night) to the box at the base of the tower.
Finally, one quiet evening, the flag pole was lowered and a two
meter ground plane made of thin, silver plated steel wire was installed
at the top of the pole and the coaxial line run down the inside of the
pole. To cap the climax, the enterprising amateur ran #28 wire from
the peak of his house roof out to the pole for use on 160 meters! Thus,
in the space of a few months, he gained a multi-band antenna capable
of operation from 2 meters through 160 meters, without the neighbors
ever realizing that he had a ham station in the house! His amateur
friends viewed the various manipulations with awe, and urged him to
place an invisible 20 meter beam atop the flag pole. "That will take a
little more time," he said quietly.
Case History #2. The Disappearing Ground Plane Antenna

Joe Ham lived in a housing complex that frowns upon antennas of
any kind. Even the TV signal is piped in through underground conduit.
The area around Joe's home was open and erecting an invisible long
wire was impractical. The home was a single story affair and an indoor
antenna would not be very high in the air. Obviously, the situation
called for drastic action.
After due deliberation, Joe decided upon a 20 meter ground plane
antenna using four radial wires lying on the flat roof of the house.
The vertical aluminum tubing radiator of the ground plane was hinged
at the base and designed to lie flat against the roof when not in use.
Joe reasoned correctly that he was at work all day, spent most of the
weekend with his family and friends, and the only time he was on the
air was during the very early morning hours or late at night. At these
times he reasoned that the antenna could be erected with little risk of
discovery.
Accordingly, Joe laid the radial wires on the roof and attached the
base of the vertical antenna to a hinged board. At first, Joe mounted a
ladder to get to the roof level. He pulled on ropes to raise and lower
the antenna. Later, a remote control TV rotator was purchased, mounted
on its side atop the roof and used to erect and lower the vertical radi-
ator. j oe" has had the antenna in operation for almost two years now
and no word has been said, no voice raised in opposition, and no prob-
lems with the neighbors. "No sweat," said Joe, when interviewed by
the author. "I'm on the air, working OX, and everything is calm in
Shady Acres."
Case History #3. The Collapsible Antenna
Pendergast lived in a single family dwelling in an area which

boasted of cable TV, underground utility wires and no radio antennas
of any kind. The mere thought of a sky wire was verboten to the neigh-
bors. Pendergast, being an ardent traffic handler and 40 meter en-
thusiast, designed a take-apart vertical antenna made up of 8 foot
sections of 1-1/4" diameter telescoping TV mast. Four sections made
a nifty 32 foot high vertical antenna that required no guy wires when
anchored to the side of his house. The supports for the antenna were
bolted to the side of the house away from the street and just outside
the radio shack window.
Pendergast did most of his operating rather late in the evening, and
threw in a few hours of DXing on 80 meters before sunrise. Accord-
ingly, a forty and an eighty meter pair of radial ground wires were laid
out in the yard about a foot above the ground, passing at ran do m
through flower beds and small hedges thoughtfully planted at strategic
points by Pendegast's XYL. The 8 foot mast sections could be quickly
assembled into a vertical antenna that fitted into the house brackets
in a jiffy. The antenna acted as a ground plane on 40 meters and a
simple loading coil at the base of the antenna permitted 80 meter
operation. One of these days Pendergast is going to build an end-fed
tuner and operate his antenna on 20 meters. Meanwhile, he enjoys 40
and 80 meter SSB operation with an occasional fling at c-w. "I have
WAC and over SO countries on 40 meters and 3 continents on 80 meters
so far this season," says Pendergast. "Not bad for an antenna that
isn't there most of the time!"
Case History #4. The Antenna in the Tree
Tommy Trueheart's father, a crusty old gentleman, was fiercely
proud of his prize-winning rose garden which took up almost all of the
space in the backyard of the modest home. He forbade- any foolish
ideas about wireless antennas disrupting the placid calm of the beauti-
ful rose garden. "I'll have none of that tom-foolery," he said, stroking
his moustache as he surveyed his roses.
Tommy, ever persevering, approached his father when the old geezer
was in an amiable mood, admiring the trophies and badges he had won
in garden competition. After a long discussion of the beauties of the
garden and attributes of various rose species, Tommy turned the con-
versation to ham radio and antennas. Finally, grudging permission was
granted to permit an unobtrusive antenna to be placed in a large, leafy
oak tree at the side o~ the home, provided the father did not set his
eye on the wires . A visible antenna, the old co dger war ned, was
equivalent to having the ham license revoked by the FCC!
Being a dutiful son, Trueheart obeyed and soon had the old tree
strung with a tri-band dipole and a Quad loop, both made of insulated
hook-up wire an d strung between ha ndy branches . Quite a bit of DX
was worked on 15 a nd 20 met e rs wit h this rat's nest of wires. In fa ct,
T rueheart's father came into the s hack on oc casion whe n t he son
tho ugh t full y contacted an amateur interested in rose gardens .
Trueheart was a pprehensive when winter came and the leaves
gradually fell from the tree and the antenna wires were exposed to the
naked eye . However, time ha d played it s game, and the old curmudgeon
no longer looke d up into the tree each day to see if he could spot the
incriminating wires. In fact, after a long chat with an amateur in Lima,
Peru, about roses, th e old boy suggested to Trueheart that a modest
tower a nd antenna in the corner of the yard would obviously produce
s tronger signa ls from Peru than a bunch of wi re s in an oak tree ! Need -
le s s to s a y , Trueheart took the hint and now a tr i-ba nd beam on a slim
crank-up tower reposes in the far corner of the pretty rose garden.
Case History #5. No Antenna At AlI!

On the air with no antenna at all? One amateur did just that! No
outdoor antenna was permitted, and the XYL objected violently to any
indoor antenna. It seemed as if Roger Grommethead was off the air for
good. A close investigation of the house , however, showed that a gal-
vanized metal gutter ran around two edges of the roof and was con-
nected t o two down-spouts near the ends of the ho use. In desperation,
Grommethead ran a small wire out the window and soldered it to a
downspout. The ham station fitted unobtrusively in a corner of the hall
closet. Using an antenna tuner, the down spout and gutter pipe system
was successfully loaded up for 80 and 40 meter operation, using a
rod driven into the soil outside the window for a ground. Operation on
20 and 15 meters, however, brought near-disaster. TVI was rampant
and the signals overrode the stereo and blocked out the telephone.
Grommethead placed a filter on his transmitter and a ls o on the TV ,
bypassed the speaker leads to the stereo, hounded the telephone com-
pany to place a filter on the phone and added 20 and 15 meter radial
ground wires to the antenna system. He ran the insulated wires around
the baseboard of the room. Interference was cleaned up and now this
pleased amat eur works four ham bands, any time of da y , with no an-
tenna at all (t o speak of)!
OK- -It's Up To You!
This chapter has given you some ideas about antennas to use when
it is difficult or impossible to erect a conventional sky wire . Circum-
stances are different in almost every case, and the antenna that suits
one amateur cannot always satisfy another. Here is where ingenuity
pays off! Remember that any metallic structure can serve as an an-
tenna of some sort -- including bed springs! If the structure takes power
from the transmitter and does not overheat while doing so , it is a
pretty good i n d i cat ion that a large portion of the power is being
radiated into space.
Your invisible antenna is limited only by your imagination. One
amateur built a 6 meter beam out of cardboard tubing and aluminum
kitchen foil , which was wrapped about the tubing. Another ham made a
10 meter dipole out of strips of aluminum foil stuck to two large win-
dows with rubber cement. Wire dipoles and s imp I e beams may be
placed in unused attic space. Rain gutters can act as an antenna, and
a mobile whip antenna can be projected out the window at an angle,
in conjunction with a radial ground wire.
So you can get on the air in any location --with a little bit of imag-
ination, ingenuity and courage! Good DX to you!
Howy Bradley, W2QHH, Hamilton, NY, Is known world-wide for his OX

exploits. He has worked 364 countries (105 on 160 meters) with 20
watts output to an end-fed single wire 264 ft. long and 40 ft. high.
Skillful operatinfl, patience, persistence, and an antenna that works
paid off for W2QHH.
DECIBEL CHART
Decibel (dB) Power Gain

1.0 1. 26
1.5 1. 29
2.0 1. 58
2.5 1. 78
3.0 1. 99
3.5 2.24
4.0 2.51
4.5 2.82
5.0 3.16
5.5 3.55
6.0 3.98
6.5 4.47
7 .0 5.01
7.5 5.62
8.0 6.31
8.5 7.08
9.0 7.94
10 .0 10.00
20.0 100.00
In antenna work, power gain (or loss)

is expressed in decibels . Thus, a Yag i
beam with a gain of 7.5 dB will have a
power gain of 5.62 compared to a dipole
(which has a power gain of zero). This
means a 100 watt transmitter will have
the "punch" of a 562 watt transmitter.
An antenna gain of 10 dB will make a
100 watt transmitter equivalent to a
1000 watt transmitter using a dipole.
Chapter 11
Wire Beam Antennas for OX!
[Ynu Can't Work 'em if You Can't Hear 'em)
Plen ty of easy DX can be heard and worked with a dipole or ground

plane antenna and many amateurs have worked DXCC using these sim-
ple and inexpensive antennas. The serious amateur soon will wish to
use a beam antenna, however, to improve his signal in competition and
to help him hear the rare "weak ones" which may be inaudible unless
he is using a "gain" antenna.
Shown in this chapter are simple wire beam antennas that are fun
to build and are inexpensive and uncomplicated. They are great pro-
jects for the amateur who has gained experience erecting wire anten-
nas and scrambling over rooftops!
Build a Demi-Quad Beam Antenna for 20, 15 or 10 Meters
The Demi-Quad antenna is a compact and inexpensive beam anten-

na that can be supported by a single pole or mast. It is light, unobtru-
sive, and has the same "figure-8" bidirectional radiation pat t ern
through the loop as exhibited by a dipole antenna. The Demi-Quad may
be installed so as to have either horizontal or vertical polarization by
proper placement of the feedline , as discussed later. The antenna
provides about 2 decibels power gain over a dipole and requires only a
half-turn for complete coverage of the compass. It is light enough to
be supported and turned by a TV rotator.
••
!TIr <, FEEDPOINT
INSUL AT OR
1----- -
i~====::=d~Ir:=::: ====:::;:=:=~'9:
T - -- --ooj
1
RC,-!!lS/U SPL ICE JOINT R(; -!!l9/U TO FEED PO INT .
TRANSt.AISSION LI NE UATCHINc; TRANSFORMER INSULATOR
COA XIAL FEED SYSTEM
Fig. 1 DEMI-QUAD loop antenna is inexpensive and simple bidirectional beam

that is supported from one pole. Compact and I ight. this popular antenna is
recommended for 20. 15 or 10 meter operation. Demi-Quad uses simple coaxial
matching transformer to provide low SWR on feedline.
Demi-Quad''Assembly
The complete Demi-Quad loop antenna is shown in Figure 1. A light

bamboo frame supports the wire loop in the vertical plane. Each side
of the loop is about one quarter-wavelength long, and the loop is
broken at one point for the 50 ohm (RG-58A/U) coaxial transmission
line and a simple matching transformer made of 70 ohm coaxial line.
If the line and transformer are attached to the loop at the middle of the
bottom section , the antenna is horizontally polarized. If the connection
is made at the middle of one side (either side), the antenna is vert i-
cally polarized.
146 WIRE BEAM ANTENNAS
The framework of the antenna is assembled from four lengths of

bamboo at t a c he d at their large ends to a plywood center plate by
means of galvanized iron U-bolts. Each pole is wrapped with vinyl
plastic tape between joints to enhance the strength of the assembly
and to retard splitting of the bamboo. In addition, each pole is given
several coats of waterproof varnish after wrapping. Small holes are
drilled as shown near the tips of each pole to pass the antenna wire
which is threaded through the poles after assembly of the framework .
Each end of the wire is cleaned and the ends are passed through the
holes of the c en t e r insulator, wrapped back upon themselves and
soldered . Enough tension may be imparted to the wires to keep them
taut by loosening the center U-bolts and spreading the butt ends of
the poles.
The Feedline
The 50 ohm coaxial transmission line must be long enough to reach

from the transmitter to the center plate of the antenna. At the antenna
end of the line, connection is made to the antenna terminals through a
short sec t ion of 70 ohm co a x i a I line (RG-59/U) which acts as a
matching transformer. This transformer matches the 50 ohm line more
closely to the radiation resistance of the Demi-Quad antenna, which
is about 120 ohms. It is only necessary to cut the 70 ohm line to the
proper length for it to make this impedance transformation (Figure 2).
The first job is to cut the center plate out of l!2-inch thick ply-
wood and give it several coats of outside house paint. Pay special
attention to the edges of the plywood, as water will attack the glue if
the edges are not well painted. Drill the plate for the U-bolts and tem-
porarily assemble the bamboo .poles to the plate. Mark the exact center
of the plate and measure out the distance to the wire on each arm from
the center point . Mark the distance on each pole. This is the spot
where you will drill a hole in each arm through which to pass the
antenna wire. Stretch the wire out into a straight line, and temporarily
attach it at the marks by means of a piece of string and some tape. It
should be a tight fit. If it seems too loose, you may have to mark a
new hole a little farther out on one or two poles than the position you
have just marked. When you have found the correct points, drill each
pole carefully with a drill just slightly larger than the wire size. Now,
pass the wire through the holes, attach the center insulator at the
WIR E ANTENNA HANDBOOK 147
L ( S I D E LE NGT H) 5 ( DRI LLING POINT) T (TR AN SFORM ER LENGTH)

FEET M E TERS fEE r METERS FE ET M ET E R S
20 J 7' 6 " 5. J B 1 2 ' G" 3 .el I I' e" 3 .!)7
17 13 ' 7 " 4, I ~ q ' 8N 2 . 96 9' 0 " 2. . 7 ~
15 1 1' 10 " 3 .&2 8' 4'" 2. . !)'3 7 ' I I" 2 .4 I
12 q'IO '" 3.01 7' I N 2 . 18 6' 8" 2. . 0 4
10 6' 9 '" 2. .6 6 6 ' 3" 1 .90 ,, I I " 1. 8 0
1 - DIMENSI ON S ME A SUR E D F R O M DR I L L HOLE TO C E N T E R OF S U P P O R T PL .... T E
2- DI MEN S ION r I N CL UDE S I" LEAD S A T E ACH END OF TR AN SfORMER
Fig . 2 DIMENSIONS OF DEMI-QUAD ANTENNA
bottom of the antenna and tighten things up by pushing the butt ends
of the poles out a bit in the U-bo lts . Don't change the wire length;
that determines antenna resonance.
Antenna Polarization
Antenna polarization depends on how you mount the Derni-Quad to

the support pole. For vertical polarization, the center insulator should
be at the side of the antenna. For horizontal polarization, the insulator
should be at the bottom of the antenna. You can experiment with polari-
zation, if you wish, by swinging the antenna from a horizontal to a ver-
tical position, achieving both vertical and horizontal polarizat ion at
the same time when the bamboo poles form a vertical cross and all
wires a re tilted at a 45 degree angle.
The Coaxial Feed System
As menti oned before , the feedline consists of a 50 ohm transmission

line plus a specia l short secti on of 70 ohm line that acts as a form of
matching t ransformer. The 70 ohm line should be cut to a le ngth wh ich
allows 1'li inches at each end to make connections. The li ne ends are
prepared wit h pig-tails, as shown in Figure 2, Chapter 7. T ake care in
making the splice as it is easy to melt the polyethylene center in-
sulation of the line with the heat of the soldering gun. To make the
splice, twist the center conductors together and solder the m carefully .
When cool , wra p the joint with vinyl ta pe, c ontinuing the t ape over t he
polyethylene insulation at e ach end of the splice . The bra id pig-t ails
are now c arefully twisted t oge the r and s oldered. The last step is to
wra p the co mple te d joint with tw o la yer s of vin yl tape, overlapping the
wind ings as you go to make the wrapping waterproof. A liberal coating
of waterproofing General Electric RTV-102 compound completes the

joint.
You are now ready to attach the free end of the 70 ohm coaxial
matching transformer to the antenna at the center insulator. The line
should be supported from the center pole so that the weight of the line
does not pull at the antenna joint. Tape the line to the pole and cen-
ter plate. The center conductor of the line is soldered to one end of
the antenna loop and the outer conductor pig-tail to the other end of
the loop. The pig-tail should take the strain if the line is pulled. When
connections are completed, the end of the line is wrapped and water-
proofed with RTV-102 compound.
Antenna Installation
The Demi-Quad antenna is quite light and may be handled by one

small ham even though the wires may have a devilish tendency to
tangle with nearby objects! If a metal support pipe or mast is used,
take care that the coaxial line and bottom of the antenna do not bang
against the metal.
Up she goes! The antenna may be turned by hand (the" Armstrong"
method) or by an inexpensive TV rotator. Since the pattern of the an-
tenna is bidirectional and very broad, it is really only necessary to
turn the antenna about 180 degrees to obtain complete coverage. Two
ropes attached to the lower crossarms will easily turn the antenna and
also hold it in po sit ion so that it will not be turned by the wind.
The Demi-Quad operates across an entire ham band. The SWR may
be measured with the usual 50 ohm SWR meter and readings will run
between 1.3 and 1.7 across a band. The flat surface of the loop is
aimed in the direction you wish to receive or transmit.
A Quad Beam Antenna for 6 Meters (Great for FM or SSB!)
A two element Quad beam antenna provides a power gain of nearly

8 decibels over the conventional ground plane antenna. This is cer-
tainly a worthwhile power boost and is useful in both receiving and
transmitting. Weak signals will pop up out of the background when a
beam of this type is used as compared against a ground plane and the
transmitted signal will "run rings" around the ground plane , too.
Described in this section is a simple design for a two element,
vertically polarized Quad beam antenna for 6 meter SSB or FM work. It
will really bang your signal into a distant repeater or permit simplex
1 - - - - - -- 5 ' 2 " - -- - - +1
. 12 e . WI R E
R EF L ECTO R
:it: ta e. WIR E
DRI VEN ELEMENT
r
I_~ I·
DRI VEN
5 ' 0" - - - - ----1
PAR ASITIC
OBLIQUE VIEW
EL EMENT REF LECTOR
S I DE VI E W
......, ../ M OU N Tl N <;
B OO M ~ P L ATE NO TE : COA X I A L LINE A T TA CHE S TO
DRI V EN ELEME NT.
CENTER CON DUCTOR TO A,
OUTER S H IELD TO B
CO AX LINE --- I---M AS T
R-F C HO K E _
1--- - - - - 2' IO··-----~
Fig. 3 QUAD BEAM antenna provides 8 decibels power gain over 6 meter
~ound plane antenna. Completed beam resembles the design shown in the
photograph on page 22. Quad lo cps are made of wire strung around a bamboo
frame. Driven element is fed at the side for vertical polar ization or at bottom
for horizontal polarization. Quad is fed with 50 ohm coaxial transmission line
at feedpoints A-B, with center conductor of I ine connected to point A and
outer shield connected to point B. The line is coiled into an ref choke, as
shown in Figure 4.
operation over a long range . The SSB D'Xer, moreover, can use the
beam for improved sporadic-E OX and long distance ground wave
coverage.
Beam Antenna Assembly
A simple and rugged Quad assembly is constructed of bamboo sup-

port arms and a wood center plate, as described in the previous sec-
tion. The two element Quad uses two separate loops, one acting as
the driven element and the other as a parasitic reflector, as shown in
Figure 3. The directivity of the beam is from the reflector through the
driven element. The loops are supported by means of a short horizontal
boom which may be made of either wood or metal. Each loop is as-
sembled in the manner described for the Derni-Quad antenna.
The two element Quad is a true beam antenna and has a unidirec-
tional (one way) pattern, showing a good front -to-back ratio. It is
therefore necessary to rotate the beam through 360 degrees in order to
obtain co mplete radio coverage. A heavy duty TV rotator will do the
job.
Antenna Assembly
The Quad loops are assembled in the manner described for the
Derni-Quad . Note that the reflector loop is somewhat larger in size
than the director loop and the mounting holes for the antenna wires
are drilled a bit farther out on the bamboo poles. It is suggested that
extra-length pole s be used so that the small tips may be cut off and
discarded. Bamboo poles, by the way, may often be purchased at bam-
boo distributors in large cities, at some rug stores in smaller towns
and sometimes at garden nurseries and hardware stores.
The boom should be made of a section of dry 2" x 2" lumber, well
painted to protect it from moisture in the air. "Green" lumber tends to
warp as it dries out, imparting an unlovely twist to the symmetrical
Quad antenna. Use dry lumber, sand it well, and give it two coats of
outdoor house paint.
The center plates of the Quad loops are attached to the ends of the
wood boom by means of four galvanized steel angle brackets. The
brackets are mounted slightly off-center on the boom so that the retain-
ing bolts will not interfere with each other pas s ing through the boom.
Do not use wood screws at these joints as they pr 0 b a b I y will work
loose in the first wind storm. The completed wood and bamboo struc-
ture seems to have about as much structural strength as a jellyfish .
However, once the wires are strung in pas ition and made taut, the
Fig. 4 FERRITE R-F choke coi I is

made by winding coaxial trans-
miss ion line around core. RG-
58/U line is wound into 4 inch
diameter, 2 turn coil. Core is
Ind iana General CF-117. For data.
catalog and list of distributors.
write : Indiana General Corp .•
Crow Mills Road. Keasby. N.J.
08832. Core is 0 -1 material.
1.875" diameter.
assembly magically becomes strong and amazingly rigid. Believe it

or not!
Note that the reflector e lement has no center insulator and is just
a complete circle of wire. The driven loop, as in the Derni-Quad , is
broken by an insulator at the feed point. Positioning this loop will
determine whether the beam is horizontally or vertically polarized, as
described in the previous section.
The final assembly operation is to bolt the loop assemblies to the
boom. A little pre-planning at this point is he lpful, because once the
Quad is assembled it becomes an unwieldy object. A good idea is to
place the boom atop a six-foot step ladder to keep the whole antenna
in the clear above ground during the final assembly stages. Do not
lift the Quad by the bamboo arms as this tends to warp the assembly .
Once the beam is completed, the 50 ohm transmission line should
be attached. The line is connected directly to the antenna ends at the
center insulator of the driven 100p.No matching transformer is requi red.
Previous remarks about waterproofing the end of the line should be
remembered at this stage of the game.
The Ferrite R-F Choke Coil
The 2 element Quad has a good front-to-back ratio and good gain.
In order to make sure that the presence of the feed line does not upset
the electrical characteristics of the Quad, an r-f choke coil is placed
in the coaxial feed line . This device prevents r-f energy at the antenna
from passing down the outer surface of the coaxial line. Remember: all
energy must remain inside the line. To make a suitable choke coil, the
coaxial line is merely passed twice through the center hole of a small
ferrite core , making two loops of the line about 4 inches in diameter
as shown in Figure 4 . The choke coil is positioned about 8 feet down
the line from the antenna. After looping the line through the core, tape
the coils to the core so that the turns will not move about. It is a good
idea to fill the inside of the core with cloth and then tape the whole
assembly as the ferrite material is quite fragile, and may shatter if it
bangs against the mast on windy days.
Antenna Installation
Normally, you 'll build the Quad antenna for vertical polarization
with the feed line brought away at one side of the driven element loop.
The line should be dressed inwards towards the boom, then along the
boom to the center support, and then dropped down the mast to the
station. Tape the line to the boom to keep it from flopping around in
the wind. If you use a TV rotator, you'll have to leave enough slack in
the line so that the rotor will not twist the line into a knot when the
antenna turns or be stopped by too short a length of cable. Mount the
Quad so that the lower wires of the loop are at least ten feet above
any structure, such as a roof. As with any antenna, best results will
be obtained with the Quad as high in the air as legally possible , and
clear of other objects. The SWR on the transmission line will run be-
tween 1.2 and 1.6 across the 6 meter amateur band when the antenna
is in the clear.
A "LONG JOHN" Yagi Beam for 2 Meters
Dollar for dollar and pound for pound, the "Long John" Yagi beam
has consistently outperformed other types of beam antennas for both
local and long distance work on the 2 meter band. Huge antenna arrays
made up of many in d i vi d u a I Yagi beams are used for moonbounce
experiments and long distance DX by some of the experts in the VHF
world.
Here's the design for a high gain, 2 meter beam made of aluminum
clothesline wire and wood you can build that will out-perform other
beam antennas costing more than twice as much to buy. Best of all,
this design requires no adjustment and is sure-fire in performance.
6/32 ~
O LT FLATTEN END OF TUB I NG WRAP
DIPOLE WI RE A ROUND BOLT.
112 N SP AC IN G
3 &"
40' H H
: ,. , } 36 35 t 35 '" 34 1- '" 34 t"
16 ' 12" .8 ' I. ' 10 ' 18 '
==-C> 0 1RE CTION

OF USE
I
I
D IPOLE DIRECTOR DIRECTOR DI RECTOR DI RECTOR D I R E CTOR
#1 #2 #3 #4 #' 5
I
I
\
# 14 WIRE
' 1--- -- -- - - - 94 " -
I'}--- - - - - - -- - 8' 0" - -
TOP V I E W OF 7 ELE M EN T B EAM

NOT E: ELEMENTS MADE OF ALUMINUM CLOTHESLI NE WIRE APPROX . 0 .15 " 0 114 .
PASSED THRU HOL ES DRILLED IN BOOM. DIPOLE MADE OF 3 / 8" AL UMINUM
OR COPPER TUBING A N D # 14 COPPER W IRE.
TO 300 OHM LI N E
CONNECT ALL BAL U N ASS EM B LY

~~~~'t:I~:-- I
I
L O C A T E D AT TRANSMI TT ER .
MAK E OF RG- 59/U
ATTACH TUBI NG THIS PO INT
ONLY I /
TO BOOM WITH
6-32 BOLTS \
LUCil E OR
PHENO LIC BO A R D
1 H X 3"
BOL T C ENT ER
C LAMP TO BOOM
300 OHM " TV - T Y PE" LINE (RA NDOM L E N GT H)

A T T A CH E S TO POINTS A & B AND RUNS T O
BALUN A SS E M B L Y --1
Fig, 5 SEVEN ELEMENT VAGI BEAM for 2 meter band provides 11 decibel power
gain over dipole. Beam may be mounted either horizonta lly or vertically de -
pending upon polarization des ired . Dimensions shown are for 144 to 146 MHz .
For operation over 146 to 148 MHz. all eleme nt lengths should be reduced by
one-half inch.
The Antenna Design
A seven element Vagi beam providing about 11 decibels power gain

over a d ipole can be built on an eight foot boom. Sho wn in Figure 5 is
an a nt e nna of th is type which uses a fold ed d ipole, a reflect or a nd
five directors. Element lengths a nd spac ings are chosen fo r max i mum
power ga in consistent wit h good coverage of the 2 met e r band. Con-
t ra ry t o most designs, th is antenna is fed wit h a 300 ohm " T V-ty pe"
ribbon line and employs a simple half-wave balun transforme r at the
s tation to provide a proper match to most VHF equipment which is
designed to be used wit h coax ial transmiss ion lines.
The re ason the ribbon line is used is that coaxial line has ap-
preciable r-f loss at 2 meters, one hundred feet of coaxial line having
nearly as much power loss as the antenna produces in power gain!
Changing antenna design so that ribbon transmission line can be used
drops line loss to less than 2 decibels per hundred feed of line, a
figure much more reasonable and acceptable! In addition, the ribbon
line is inexpensive and easily obtained at your nearby TV service and
repair shop, or many hardware stores. The whole antenna, in fact, can
be built of material readily obtainable at a large hardware store or
home service center.
The antenna support is an eight foot boom made of 2" x 2" dry
lumber (which actually measures about 1'12" x 1'12" in cross-section).
Sand down the lumber so that it is smooth and free of splinters. Give
the boom two coats of outdoor paint or varnish and drill the element
holes as shown in the illustration. The holes all lie along the center
line of the boom and should be drilled on a drill press if possible to
insure that all elements are parallel and at right angles to the long
axis of the boom. The holes should provide a tight fit for the aluminum
wire elements.
The aluminum wire is now stretched tightly between two anchor
points to remove kinks and bends from it. Cut it carefully into element
sections of the proper 1eng t h s and carefully round the tips of the
elements with a file. When they are completed, pass the elements
through the holes in the boom, centering them properly so that the
antenna is square and true to the eye.
The folded dipole element is made up of a 38" length of 3/8-inch
diameter aluminum tubing. The ends of the element are flattened in a
vise and drilled to pass 6-32 plated machine screws. The wire portion
of the folded dipole is made up of short lengths of #14 copper wire
which are connected between the element tips and the insulating cen-
ter block. The wire is spaced l!2-inch away from the tubing. The cen-
ter block and aluminum tube are bolted to the wood boom at the proper
point and a 300 ohm ribbon line attached to the terminals of the block.
The beam is now complete and ready for use.
A word of caution at this point : Don't paint the elements! A coat of
paint will detune them and reduce antenna gain to a suprising degree.
Leave the elements clean and bright and give them a thin coat of
Krylon spray from an aerosol can to keep them from corroding as time
passes.
Positioning the Antenna
Height is the key to successful VHF antenna operation! Vertica l

polarization is often used on 2 meters for FM operation in many areas
of the country, whereas horizontal polarization is occasionally used,
both for FM and SSB operation in other areas. Check and see which
polarization is in general use in your area.
The antenna should be supported at the center of gravity by a wood
mast that is long enough to remove the antenna from the metal struc-
ture of the tower, TV rotator and nearby objects. For vertical place-
ment, the ribbon line s hou ld be run along the boom towards the reflec-
tor element and taken off from the rear of the ant e n n a behind the
reflector, otherwise the feed line may tend to distort the good direction-
al pattern of the antenna. If the antenna is mounted horizontally , the
ribbon line may drop down directly below the antenna.
You can mount the antenna on the wood mast described later in
th is Handbook, or an inexpensive TV-style "slip-up" mast may be
used in conjunction with a TV-rotator.
The Balun Transformer
The conversion from ribbon line to coaxial line is done at the sta-
tion, with the aid of the balun transformer shown in the illustration.
"Balun" stands for balance-to-unbalance, and indicates that a bal-
anced, two-wire ribbon line is attached to an unbalanced, coaxial line
with the aid of a balancing device. In this case, the particular balun
used also makes an impedance transformation from 300 ohms down to
about 75 ohms, or so. This provides a good match for RG-59/U coaxial
line running to the 2 meter equipment.
The balun assembly consists simply of a 26.5" length of RG-59/U
line looped back upon itself and connected to the line to the 2 meter
equipment at the point it joins the ribbon line to the antenna. The line
to the equipment may be any length, up to 20 feet or so, before line
loss becomes appreciable. It is good practice to place the balun near
the transmitter and hold coaxial line length between balun and equip-
ment to a few feet. The balun is connected as shown in the illustra-
tion, all outer shields being connected together, and one end of the
balun inner con d u c tor connected to the common junction of the
coaxial line and one side of the ribbon line. The opposite end of the
balun inner conductor connects to the opposite wire of the ribbon line.
SWR Measurements
This antenna is fed with a 70 ohm coaxial line running from the
balun transformer to the station e qui p men t. An SWR meter can be
placed in the line to check the operation of the antenna. A special 70
ohm SWR meter is required to make meaningful measurements as the
common 50 ohm variety is not calibrated for this type of line. At least
one imported SWR meter is capable of working on both 50 and 70 ohm
lines and suitable designs for VHF style SWR meters for either value
of line impedance are described in various amateur radio handbooks.
The dimensions given in Figure 5 are for operation over the 144 to
146 MHz portion of the two meter band. For operation over the 146 to
148 MHz portion,all element lengths should be reduced by one-half inch.
"A Whole New World "
A whole new world opens up to your station and your ears when
you go to a beam antenna. In addition, your signal reports improve
sharply and you find the OX easier to hear and work!
A few years ago a friend of the author finally switched over from a
ground plane antenna to a modest two e I e men t Quad. After a few
weeks, he reported, "I never would have believed the difference be-
tween the two antennas! I've heard and worked more OX in the past
few weeks than in the previous six months with the old antenna. In-
stead of getting code practice calling stations that never came back,
I'm now having fun working them!"
Well, perhaps that is an overstatement. But the majority of success-
ful OXers use a beam antenna of one kind or another for the highly
competitive OX aspect of amateur radio.
The author of this Handbook has written two other Handbooks which
cover OX beam antennas from A to Z. They are:
All About Cubical Quad Antennas. The Handbook covering Quad
theory, design, construction and operation. This popular book con-
tains gain figures for Quads i correct dimensions in feet and inches for
building Quads, matching and tuning procedures made easy and full
data on the amazing "Monster Quad", the "king" of OX antennas.
~eam Antenna Handbook. Theory, construction, design and adjustment
of parasitic (Yagi) beam antennas, including data on popular tri-band
beams, compact beams for 20 and 40 meters, how to evaluate your
beam, test instruments and how to use them , plus complete data on
matching systems. See back of Handbook for how to order these books.
Chapter 12
A Universal H-F Antenna System
[Cover All Frequencies From 3.5 to 29.7 MHz With One Antenna!]
The dipole antenna discussed in Chapter 4 is a half-wavelength

element fed at the center with a coaxial transmission line. This is a
great single band antenna but it is not suited to multi-band operation .
By modifying the feed system the dipole element can be made into
a truly universal antenna capable of operating on any frequency be-
tween 3.5 and 29 .7 MHz. To achieve this wide band characteristic, the
dipole antenna must be fed with a balanced, open wire transmission
line operating from an antenna tuner, as shown in figure 1.
Those experimenters who want a universal antenna that provides
good results on all h-f amateur bands and can be used for reception at
any frequency outside the ham bands would do well to consider this
interesting, inexpensive antenna installation .
The Center-Fed Antenna
The center-fed antenna has been used in one form or another for
many years. It can be thought of as a long wire antenna having the
center portion folded back upon itself to form a two wire feedline. Be -
cause each half of the flat-top portion is the same length, the current
flowing in the feed line will be balanced , regardless of the operating
frequency of the antenna.
Referring back to Chapter 4, Figure 3, the pattern of voltage and
current waves shown in that example alao apply to this center-fed
antenna, much in the manner shown in Figure 2 of this Chapter. Thus,
158 UNIVERSAL ANTENNA SYSTEM
I--- - - - - - - - - - - L - - - - - - - - - - - -
OPEN WIR E T R A N S M I SS I O N LIN E
INSUL ATED SPRE ADERS
L+ S
F EET a.AETERS
1 10 34 . 6
Fig . 1 UNIVERSAL H-F ANTENNA covers 3 .5 to 29.7 MHz. This center-fed

antenna utilizes a simple antenna tuner (Figure 3) and open wire feedline to
cover most of high frequency spectrum. Antenna and feeder lengths are not
critical. and suggested lengths are g iven for ease in tuning adjustments.
Length (L) is tip-to-tip measurement of flat-top and length (5) is length of open
wire transmission I ine . Total length of wire in the line is twice the length (5) .
Length of (L) plus (5) should equal one of the four dimension combinations
listed above.
the voltage wave is maximum at the ends of the antenna wire and the
crest of the voltage wave falls at the low point of the current wave.
In addition, these two waves are out of phase on the folded , feed line
portion of the a nt e nna so very little radio energy escapes from the
feedline. The flat-top antenna does all the work!
It can be imagined that if the frequency of the radio wave applied
to this antenna is varied from 3 .5 to 29 .7 MHz, the resulting voltage
and current waves will dance about on the antenna and feed line and
the resulting ratio of voltage to current measured at the bottom end of
the feed line will change from a ver y low t o a ve ry high figur e as the
frequency changes - - and that's exactly what takes place! In order to
use the a nt e nna at any frequency under these conditions , it is neces-
sary to use a fle xible antenna tuner so th at the voltage to current ra t io
at the bottom end of the feed line can be matched t o the rat io demanded
by the 50 ohm transmission line runn ing to the radio e qu i p men t.
When the tuner is properly adjusted with the aid of an SWR mete r in
80 METERS
40 METERS
10 M ETERS
Fig. 2 VOLTAGE WAVE on universal antenna dances about as the frequency of

operation is changed. As frequency increases, wave becomes more complex.
Above example is for flat-top length (L) of 133 feet and feeder length (S) of
40.5 feet. Other dimension sets are given in Figure 1.
the coaxial line, a good impedance match between the center-fed

antenna and the coaxial line will be achieved, regardless of the opera-
ting frequency of the station equipment.
A Practical Antenna Design
The overall length of the center-fed antenna and the length of the
feed line are not critical. Some particular lengths will provide a more
reasonable voltage to current ratio at the antenna tuner than will
others and when these lengths are used, a less-eomplicated tuner can
4 SECTI O N C O l L L I, L2.
L lA L IA LI8 L2 B
T W O WI R E
TR A N S M I S S I O N
L I NE TO
AN T ENNA
Note : Conn e ction s b e t we en a r ms o f

swi t c h S1 a n d th e L1 c oil s are a d j u s tab le
E XTE RN AL (; R O U N O
b y means of c o p p er " alli g a t o r c lips " . Se e
te xt f or a d jus t men t of the s e t ap p oin t s .
Fig . 3 UNIVERSAL ANTENNA TUNER. The four section coil is made from a
single length of co i l stock ( Ic ore Air-Dux 2008 or equ ivalent) . The coil i s 2W'
inside diameter, 8 turns per inch of #14 wire . Leave a 6" lead on one end and
count 32 turns . Break the 33d turn at t he center to make leads for L2A and L1A.
Five more turns are counted and t he co i I broken at t he 6th turn to make the
opposite lead f or co il L 1Aand lead for coil L 1B. Five more turns are counted
and the 6th turn broken to make the leads for co ils L1B and L2B ' Adjacent leads
from the center co i Is are connected to arms of t he switch . Coi I cl i ps are Meul-
ler #88. Capacitor C1 i s Johnson 154-2 or equivalent. Capacitor C2 is Johnson
154-510 or equ ivalent .
be bui lt to do t he j ob . Four sugges t ed an te nna a nd feed er lengt h com-

inati ons are li sted in Fi gure 1 tha t ha ve been used by many a mat eurs
a nd ha ve prov en to do a good j ob from 80 t o 10 meters . Other lengths ,
det ermined by expe ri me nt, also ma y work . In addit io n, the t otal wire
le ngt h ma y be juggled back and fort h between the an t e nna and t he
feed line , wit h little effect up on a nte nna e ffic ie ncy.
As a n ex a mple , the first set of dimens ions listed i n F igure 1 call
for an ove rall length of flat-t op plus fee de r wire s of 11 0 fe et. In ge n-
era l , th e more a nt e nna wire in the fl at-top a nd t he less in the fee der ,
the bett er the results will be. A flat -top length of, s ay , 80 fee t may
be s e lected to fit the available spa ce, leav ing a feeder length of 11 0 -
80 = 30 fee t. On the other hand , if the user is cram ped for space a nd
the station is located some di stance from the antenna s it e , a n ove ra ll
fl at-t op le ngth of 60 fee t ma y be s elected , le aving a fe ed e r len gth of
110 - 60 = 50 feet. If , a s anot he r exa mple, t he st at ion is located rather
cl os e to the fl at-top, a fla t -top len gth of 100 fee t ma y be c h 0 se n,
leavin g only a s hort feede r length of 10 feet.
This trade-off in dimensions between flat-top and feeder applies

equally well to the other lengths listed in Figure 1. Try to keep as
much wire in the flat-top as possible and the shortest length in the
feeder for best results on all bands, but don't lose any sleep if your
feed line turns out to be longer than the antenna!
The Antenna Tuner
The antenna tuner does the important job of matching the radiation
resistance appearing at the bottom of the feed line to the 50 ohm coaxi-
al line running from the tuner to the SWR meter and transmitting equip-
ment. Proper tuner adjustment is a chi eve d by observing the SWR
reading and adjusting the tuner for the lowest SWR value obtainable.
The schematic of the tuner is shown in Figure 3. Capacitor Cl and
coil Ll form the primary circuit of t his impedance matching un it.
Switch S 1 permits the two halves of the primary coil to be placed
either in series or parallel connection, depending upon the antenna
configuration and the frequency of operation. The primary circuit is
connected to the transmitter through an SWR meter using 50 ohm coaxi-
al cable (RG-58/U for power levels up to 500 watts, PEP, or RG-8/U
for high power). The secondary circuit is parallel tuned and connected
to the two wire transmission line running to the flat-top. The secon-
dary coils are tapped to allow the widest possible range of adjustment.
In addition, the transmission line may be tapped on the secondary
coils at the optimum points.
Building the Antenna
An experienced antenna builder will have no trouble with this sim-

ple and effective antenna. The first step is to choose the dimensions
for the flat-top and feeder wires. Since the feeder has two wires, the
total amount of wire needed for the complete antenna is equal to L +
2S (Figure 1). Assuming the first listed dimensions are to be used, the
total length of wire needed will be dependent upon the feeder length.
Assume the feeder is 30 feet long. Total wire length is 80 feet (flat-
top) plus 2 x 30 feet (feeder), or 80 + 60 = 140 feet. Buy 150 feet of
wire and you'll have plenty to spare. Use #12 or #14 enameled copper
wire for antenna construction.
Con s t r u c t the two wire transmission line first. Use four inch
spreaders (E.F. Johnson 136-124, or make your own out of 1/2-inch
diameter lucite rod).
~ /~---T w r S T TI E WIR E - ---.,.
=r===~r-~~==~
FEE DER WIRE
/,, :- :: ~ ~ .
I " - - - -- - TI E WIRE HOLE - - -
SI D E VI EW F R ONT V I EW
Fig. 4 THE EASY WAY to attach a spreader to the line wires. A short tie-wire
is passed through the insulator hole and wrapped around the feeder wire. Ends
of the tie-wire are tightened with pliers .
Figure 4 shows an easy way to attach the spreaders to the line

wires. The idea is to wrap a short tie -wire through the insulator hole
and around the feeder wire which is placed in the indentation, twisting
the ends of the tie-wire with a pliers to tighten the joint.
One end of each feeder wire is firmly attached to a convenient
fence, tree trunk or other anchor point and the wires are stretched a
bit to remove kinks and bends. Anchor the opposite ends of the wires
and place the spacers along the line at 2 foot intervals, fastening
them in place with the tie-wires. The completed transmission line is
rugged, but it can get kinks and sags if it is not strung up in the air
out of harm 's way until it is attached to the flat-top.
One end of each wire is soldered securely to an antenna section at
the center insulator of the flat -top and the opposite end of the line is
led into the station to the antenna tuner. Try to lead the line away
from the flat-top at right angles to it for 20 feet or so, and keep the
strain even on the wires so that the spreaders are not forced out of
position. The free end of the line is attached to the output terminals of
the antenna tuner. You can bring the line in through the window, with
the aid of two feedthrough insulators mounted in a board in the window.
Building the Antenna Tuner
The antenna tuner is constructed in a wooden box measuring 13"

wide, 10" high and 12" deep. A piece of hard surface masonite is
used for the panel. Wood is used instead of metal as the high effici-
ency coil may be badly detuned by nearby metallic surfaces (Figure 6).
Fig. 5 TUNER ASSEMBLY. Capacitor C, is at the left. with split-stator capaci-

tor C 2 at right. Parallel-Series Switch (5,) is centered on Masonite panel.
Connections to the tuner are made at fittings mounted on a I u min u m plate
mounted at the right. rear of the wood box. The top of cabinet is open permitting
operator to make quick adjustments to various coil taps.
The two variable capacitors are mounted to the panel, as are the
selector switch (Sl) and the airwound coil assembly. The coil is
spaced away from the panel by two 3" long ceramic insulators. The
four section coil is made from a single piece of coil stock, as shown
in the drawing. Starting from one end of the coil, thirty-two turns are
counted and the thirty-third turn is broken at the center to make con-
necting leads for coils, L2A and LIA. Five more turns are counted off
and the coil is broken in the middle of the sixth turn in the same man-
ner, the next six turns are counted off and the end connections to coils
LIB and L2B are made. When you are finished, the coil will consist of
four windings of 32, S, Sand 32 turns.
Mount the coil in position behind the panel and wire the leads up to
the other various components. The adjacent leads from the two, small
center coils connect to the two arms of rotary switch SlA and SI B-
One outer wire from one small coil goes to the center terminal of the
coaxial receptacle, J1. The opposite wire from the other small coil
goes to the stator of capacitor C 1. The outer leads of the two small
coils are connected to the contact points of the rotary switch, and a
jumper is placed across the other two contacts.
The two large outer coils are now wired. The inner ends are con-
nected together and the outer ends connect to the separate stator term-
inals of the variable capacitor, C2. Short, insulated wires are attached
to the ends of the outer coils to form the adjustable taps A and B.
The feeder te rminals are attached to ta ps C and D.
Adjusting the Antenna Tuner
The tap points on the tuner coils may be set before any tuning ad-
justments are made. This saves time and makes the initial tuning
operation much easier . The primary coil (L1) should be set for 10
turns for 80 meters, 7 turns for 40 meters, 4 turns for 20 meters, 3
turns for 15 meters and 2 turns for 10 meters. Secondary coils (L2 and
L3) are set at equal points so that both coils have the same number
of turns. Set the taps as follows: 80 meters, 28 turns per coil; 40
meters , 16 turns ; 20 meters, 6 turns; 15 meters,S turns ; 10 meters , 3
turns. These tap positions will " ge t you in the ball park" for precise
tuning adjustments. Don't be afraid, however, to experiment with dif-
ferent tap positions if the tuning process seems to be un c e r t a i n.
Switch S1 connects primary coils L 1 and L 2 in either series or
parallel. In general, the coils are series connected for the 80 meter
band and parallel connected for the higher frequency bands. Set the
switch in the position for the band you plan to use. Don't be afraid to
change it if you can't achieve proper loading.
The transmitter is tuned up on the desired band of operation and a
little r-f power is fed into the ant e n n a tuner so that a meaningful
reading may be obtained on the SWR meter. Antenna taps, to begin
with , are placed close t o coil taps A and B (s e e Figure 3). Adjust
capacitors C1 and C2 slowly for maximum transmitter loading and mini-
mum SWR indication. Monitor the current meter on the exciter for a
rise in amplifier current and the SWR meter rev erse reading . If you
cannot obtain the proper readings, it may be necessary to readjust the
coil taps a turn at a time , always remembering to keep the secondary
coil taps symmetrical. When you are close to the proper match, you'll
have a ve ry low SWR indication and you can then start loading the
transmitter to the proper power le vel by means of the transmitter output
loading circuit. After a little practice, the complete tuning process
takes less time to accomplish than it does to read a bout it.
Fig. 6 INTERIOR VIEW OF CENTER-FED ANTENNA TUNER. Tapped coil and

tuning capacitor permit this flexible tuner to be used over very wide frequency
range. Coi I turns are indented along one side so that copper c lips make good
contact. Coaxial input receptacle (and spare) are mounted on metal plate at
rear of tuner. Antenna connections are made to ceramic terminal strip at cen-
ter. Box is made of SIB-inch wood with Masonite panel. Tuner works with
almost any length flat-top antenna and feeder combination on 80 -40-20-15 and
10 meter amateur bands .
You will find that various tap settings and tuning adjustments give
a good degree of loading on each band and that the setting of the taps
and tuning are not critical. With proper settings the transmitter loads
smoothly, and the exact settings of the tuner should be logged for
future use. Maximum flexibility and ability to change frequency within
a band will probably be found when- the tuner achieves final adjust-
ment with both tuning capacitors about half-meshed.
"Odd-Ball" Antenna Lengths
This tuner works with almost any length flat-top and feeder com-
bination, but the e xperimenter may find some random combination of
wire may refus e to load on a particular frequenc y . In such a cas e , a
condition of match may be established by changing the length of the

feeders a few feet. It is simpler to add length to the feeders than to
subtract it , and an auxiliary feeder section three or four feet long will
probably cure the problem.
Caution--High Voltage
Those amateurs who have never used two wire, open transmission
line with an antenna of this type may be suprised at the very high r-f
voltage that appears along the line. Even with low power, r-f potentials
in e xcess of 1000 volts may be on the line at the high potential points .
Because of this , the line should not be touched during operation of
the transmitting equipment. In addition, the line should not be allowed
to touch nearby objects, especially metal ones. An r-f arc between the
line and a metallic object severely detunes the matching network and
may damage the transmitter. Properly suspended in the open air where
it cannot be tou c hed, th is transmission line is very efficient and will
cause no troubles .
Antenna Directivity
On the 80 and 40 meter bands this antenna exhibits little directivity

and the radiation pattern is quite broad. If the antenna is very high and
in the clear, some increase .in signal reports may be received broadside
to the antenna, as opposed to those reports received from stations off
the end s of the antenna. On 20, 15 and 10 meters the antenna exhibits
some directivity, with maximum signal reports noticed at an angle to
the wire with a slight reduction in reports broadside to the wire and off
the ends. This is normal, as the radiation pattern on these bands some-
what resembles a four-leaf clover . The leaves of the clover represent
the radiation pattern and the space between the leaves the nulls of
the pattern .
The theoretical directional pattern of the antenna , however, is usu-
ally obscured by reflection of the radio signal from nearby houses,
utility wires and hills and the antenna can be considered to be virtually
nondirectiona l except off the very ends. Thus, in the United States, if
the antenna runs in a north-south direct ion, the user can be sure that
he is covering the radio compass and that his signals will reach the
eager ears of the expectant DX stations!
TV Ribbon Line
Figure 1, page 158, describes a universal hf antenna with wide

frequency coverage which includes the three new amateur bands. With
transmitter outputs of 100 watts or less, 300 ohm TV ribbon line may be
substituted for the open wire line, if desired. To make this substitution,
dimension S must be modified. First, select the overall length L plus S;
then, multiply S by 0.82 to compensate for the velocity factor of the
ribbon feedline. A mphenol or Belden tubular or flat feedline are
recommended.
For example, assume L plus S of 177 feet (54 m) is chosen and S is to be
40 feet (12.2 m) if open wire line is used. The new length for S will be 40 X
0.82 =32.8', or 32'9" (10 m. See Chapter 13 for data on changing fractions
of a foot to inches and centimeters). Final antenna dimensions, then, are
L =137' (41.8 m) and S =32'9" (10 m).
It should be noted that antenna tuning adjustments might change
somewhat during damp, snowy, or rainy weather when the ribbon line
has a coating of water or ice.
Tuning Upon the New Bands
The Universal Antenna System (pages 157-166) will work on the three
new amateur bands with no modifications other than the tap points on
the antenna tuner coils may have to be readjusted. As a starter, primary
coil L1 is set for 6 turns for 30 meters, 4 turns for 17 meters and 3 turns for
12 meters. Switch SI is set for parallel coil connection.
SWR and the Solid-State Transmitter
Most modern solid-state transmitters and transceivers protect the

output stage transistors by sensing the SWR of the antenna system. If
the SWR is high, the transmitter reduces its output power; the greater the
mismatch, the more the power is reduced.
The solid-state transmitter usually shows only a slight reduction in
power output at SWR levels less than 2-to-1. Above this value, output
power drops rapidly. An SWR meter is essential in monitoring the
operation and determining if power output is being restricted by high
SWR.
A matching unit placed between the transmitter and the coaxial line
to the antenna can reduce the SWR figure to a very low value so that little
or no power is lost. Such a device is shown in pages 109 and 131 ofthe
"Radio Amateur Antenna Handbook", published by Radio Publications
Inc. (See rear of book for ordering information).
Chapter 13
Antenna Round-Up
[All About Baluns, Ligh tning Pro tection, Masts
.. and lots More!]
This chapter covers a number of important antenna subjects that

are generally ignored in many amateur Handbooks. However, they are
of prime importance to the station operator. Of great concern to all
amateurs is the problem of lightning protection, which is discussed
first.
Lightning Protection
Over 400 people are killed each year by lightning according to the
Census Bureau. Don't let your amateur station make you a statistic in
this toll! Lightning is the most lethal of electric discharges and is
entirely unpredictable.
Lightning is a tremendous electrical spark between clouds, or be-

tween clouds and the earth, releasing millions of volts at tremendous
currents in a fraction of a second. The U.S. Weather Bureau indicates
that Florida and the Gulf Coast have the greatest number of lightning
storms per year, followed by the central states. The West coast has the
smallest number of lightning storms per year.
Regardless of where you live, don't invite lightning to strike your
antenna installation. A few simple precautions may save your equip-
ment, and even your life!
In rural areas, barns and houses have been protected from lightning
for many years by "lightning rods" which seem to provide a "static
Fig. 1 LIGHTNING ARRESTOR FOR COAXIAL LINE is important antenna com-

ponent for all amateur stations. This small unit has precision. built-in spark
gap that drains accumulated static charge on antenna to ground.
electricity drain" so that e 1e c t ric it y in the air may pass safely to

ground. This makes the immediate area around the rod less conductive,
thereby diverting a potential lightning stroke to an area of greater con-
ductivity. To accomplish the same result, your tower and ham antenna
should be grounded directly, or fitted with some sort of an air-gap
lightning arrestor. This device has a very small gap built into it be-
tween the center conductor and the shield of the coaxial line and,
when electrical charges build up in the atmosphere around the antenna,
small sparks jump the gap and drain the accumulated charge to ground
(Figure 1). This type of arrestor is especially important for use with a
ground plane antenna whose active element projects high in the air
above the ground plane elements and is thus exposed to a direct hit
from lightning.
Ground ing Your Coaxial Line
While it may not be necessary from an r-f point of view it is impor-

tant as a matter of safety to ground the coaxial line running from your
antenna at the station end. Do this by means of a heavy strap attached
to the outer, braided jacket of the line and running to one or more
ground rods driven six or more feet into the soil. Rugged, aluminum
grounding wire may be used, as discussed in the next section. In ad-
dition, when a lightning storm approaches the station, it is wise to
disconnect the transmission line from your equipment and to remove
the line from the vicinity of your station.
170 ANTENNA ROUND·UP
The ground connection insures that zero voltage exists between

equipment and ground under normal operating conditions. This is im-
portant as a safety measure as it limits the voltage on the cabinet,
microphone and coaxial line to a safe value, thus reducing inadvertent
shock hazard. The ground connection, finally, provides an easy path
to ground for static electricity and for electric currents resulting from
certain equipment faults and short circuits. And, as mentioned before,
the ground connection provides a static electricity drain.
If you are unlucky enough to sustain a direct lightning hit on your
antenna no devices or arrestors will save the installation. The antenna
and feed line will be heavily damaged or vaporized and the equipment
ruined. You don't want to be in the vicinity when that happens!
Play safe! Use a lightning arrestor in your coaxial line to bleed
small static charges to ground. Use a good external ground on your
coaxial line . Finally, when a lightning storm approaches, disconnect
the line from your equipment and, if possible, remove it from your
house. Have respect for lightning and it may have respect for you!
The National Electric Code (NFPA #70) adopted by the National
Protection Association (section 810-26) recommends that the grounding
cond uctor for transmitting and receiving equipment should be con-
nected to a metallic underground water piping system (the cold water
pipe) or a metal ground rod driven at least six feet into the earth. The
ground wire should be #4 gauge copper or aluminum fastened securely
to the equipment at one end and the ground rod or piping system at the
other. The ground lead should be as short as possible.
It should not be assumed that your metal tower or mast is grounded
if it is resting on the ground or on a concrete pad. A long ground rod
should be driven into the soil and the tower or mast connected to the
rod with a heavy ground wire, or strap.
Build A Ferrite Balun Transformer
A balancing transformer (balun) is a transformer for converting a

balanced electrical system to an unbalanced system, or vice versa.
Balun transformers come in all sizes from the midget "ladder trans-
former" used with television antennas to giant multi-kilowatt units
used in broadcasting stations.
Baluns are useful in antenna systems where it is desired to feed a
balanced antenna with an unbalanced (coaxial) line. A balanced anten-
na is a symmetrical one that has two feed points, neither one of which
is grounded . Dipole and nondirectional antennas , even if balanced,
Fig. 2 FERRITE CORE BALU~! TRANSFORMER is

used to convert a balanced antenna system for
use with a coaxial line. This inexpensive balun
consists of tlTee windings of #14 enamel cop-
pe r wire wound on a ferrite slug. See Figure 3
for winding details. Balun should be mounted at
the antenna terminals in a waterproof container.
generally do not require the use of a ba lun as its use usually doe s
not make any great improvement in antenna operation . In the cas e of
high ga in beam antennas , however , the use of a balun is recommended.
If the balun is not used, the SWR on the transmission line may rise,
the SWR reading may be inaccurate, or the polar pattern or front-to-
back ratio of the beam may be seriously affected. Feedline interaction
of this sort is termed antenna effect and is most noticeable on arrays
having high gain and good front-to-back ratio.
Placing a balun transformer between a coaxial feed line and a bal-
anced antenna (at the antenna) permits the coaxial line to perform its
proper duty, that of transporting radio energy from one place to another
and prevents it from becoming part of the antenna itself.
A balun, or course, may be used with the various dipole antenna
designs shown in this Handbook, but its use is not mandatory.
Building a Practical Balun
A simple balun transformer you can build is shown in Figure 2.

It will match a balanced antenna to a 50 or 70 ohm coaxial line with-
out disrupting the SWR on the transmission line. Power handling capa-
bility of the balun is about 600 watts average power on the 80, 40 and
20 meter bands; 400 watts on the 15 meter band and about 250 watts on
the 10 meter band. The balun consists of three windings placed side
by side on a short, ferrite core. This type of win din g is called a
triiiler winding .
172 ANT ENNA ROUND·UP
TO B AL ANCE D A NTEN NA
~_ _ ...JI\~_ _~\
CAl
CORE
~~~~~~~:/ } ON E TRIFIL A R TU R N
~-----r-- E N O S OF C E N T ER W IN DING.
C ROS S- CO NNE CTED T O
O U T E R W I N D I NC:S
( Bl (Al
TO CENTER TO SHIELD
CONDUCTOR OF CO A X
( Bl CAl
(B ) CA l
SCHE MATIC
Fig. 3 WINDINGS FOR FERRITE BALUN. Three parallel w indings are placed on
the slug . Windings are wound on as one wire. Center winding is cross-con-
nected to the opposite ends of the outer windings. with common connection to
outer braid of coaxial line .
The balun shown in the photograph consists of three coils, each 6

turns of #14 enamel wire wound on a Q-1 ferrite s lug. The ferrite slug
is Y2""inch in diameter and about 31;4 inches long . It is a section of an
Indi ana General CF -503 slug whic h is 7lh. inches long. The ferrite is
broken to length by nicking it wit h a file around the circumference at
the desired length and breaking it wit h a sharp blow. Here is how you
make the special windings :
The simplest way to do the job is to make the three windings as

one. Cut three pieces of #14 enamel copper wire, each about 3 feet
long. Place one end of the wires in a vis e and smooth out the sections
until they are parallel. Grasp th e free ends in your hand and wind them
side-by-side on the ferrite core as if they were one wire . Wind the
wires under tension and they will remain in position. When you are
finished, dress the leads awa y from the core as shown in the photo-
graph.
You'll note that the center winding is cross-connected to the op-
posite ends of the two outer windings (Figure 3). Either end of the
balun may be taken as input or output , but the common connection be-
tween the inner and outer winding at the end you choose as the input
end must be taken as a ground point and attached to the outer shield
of the coaxial line.
Cut the ends of the inner winding to length, scrape off all the
enamel and make the solder connections to the outer windings, as
shown in the photograph. A drop or two of coil dope , Krylon or nail
polish may be put on the ends of the wi nd ings to a nc hor them to the
core. Do not coat the windings themselves with any material as this
tends to upset the balance of the transformer.
You should protect the balun from the ravages of the weather. This
can be done by placing it within a plastic bottle and coating the en-
trance holes with General El ectric RTV-I02 or other waterproofing
compound.
Using the Balun
The balun is placed at the center point of the antenna between the
coaxial line and the antenna connections. Note that the balun is s ym-
metrical end-for-end; that is , either end may connect to the antenna or
to the coaxial line. The important point to remember is that the shield
of the coaxial line must connect to the junction of the center and inner
balun windings a nd the inner conductor connects to the"free " winding.
This is shown in the drawing but som e amateurs ignore this important
point. If the connections are accident ally re versed, t he balancing
action is lost.
Measuring R-F Loss in Coa xi al Line
The efficiency of your coaxial line may be determined by measuring

the line loss at your operating frequency. You can do this by merely
short circuiting the fa r end of your coaxial line and measuring the
174 ANTENNA ROUND.UP
,o
4o
/ 3
/
1/
2
0°
W
f-
a:
o Fig. 4 COAXIAL LINE LOSS
,oI V)
may be determined by simple
W
7 -'
lC
test. End of I ine is shorted and
/ , <{
U
SWR is measured under shorted
I
/ a: condition. For example. if SWR
3 ~
/ V) is 10. I ine loss is 0.9 decibel.
/
10 e 6 4 3 2. o.s
1.0 0 .7
0 .3 0 .2.
,
0 .1
CABLE ATTENUATION (DB)
standing wave ratio with your SWR meter. If there is no line loss what-
soever, the SWR reading will be infinite (full scale), indicating that
the reflected wave is equal in amplitude (size) to the incident wa ve .
In a real-life situation, of course, this is not the case, and the SWR
reading under the test condition will be less than infinite, due to line
loss.
In order to make this measurement, the antenna termination is re-
moved from the far end of the transmission line and the outer shield is
firmly shorted to the inner conductor of the line. A small amount of
power is applied to the line th rough the SWR meter . The meter is ad-
justed for full scale reading on the "forward" position, and the meter
switch is then thrown to the "reverse" position. The line loss may
then be computed from the reverse reading and the chart in Figure 4 .
If, for e xample, the SWR turns out to be 4.5, the cab le loss (attenua-
tion) is 2 decibels. This means that your coaxial line is about 63 per-
cent efficient , and that 37 percent of your transmitter output power is
being lost in the line. If the SWR reading, on the other hand, is 9;
then your line loss is only 1 decibel and your line is about 80 percent
efficient.
The Soldering Gun
For general work on coaxial lines and connectors, a dual heat (145-
210 watt), medium size soldering gun is recommended. Don 't use a low
wattage "pencil iron" for a nt e nna work, as this tool doesn't have the
wattage to properly heat the coaxial plugs and fittings which have a
great de al of thermal mass. A lar ge , hi gh watta ge s olde ring g un, on the

other hand, can overheat c oaxi al c able and melt t he inner insula t i on. A
gun in the 140 to 250 wa t t ran ge s e e ms t o be best for a ll -around a nt en-
na work.
If th e soldering gun is ne w , read t he ins truct ions and prepa re th e
tip for us e. If the gun is old and the t ip is dirt y or ha s ha d a lot of
use , prepare it by filing it wit h a fin e file unti l the worki ng surface is
s hiny . Then he at t he gun a nd coat the tip with ros in core solder . N ever
us e a cid c ore s old e r, s older ing paste or flux as th e chemica ls can
quickl y ruin the gun tip a nd t he equipme nt you a re wo rk ing on.
The Joint
When the gun is read y to be us ed, th e jo int sh ould be prepa re d for

soldering. The two metals t o be join ed s hould be co mplete ly clean .
Remo ve a ll dirt, enamel , scale or oxid ation b y sand in g or scra ping
down to the clean met a l. Insulation may be removed from wires with
the blade of a pocket knife. (Make sure you do not nic k th e wire ).
The first step is to tin the met al sur faces . Hold th e hot ti p of th e
gun aga ins t th e metal until t he solder melt s and flows onto t he clean
mat erial. When properly tinned, the met al should be c overed wi th a th in
c oat of solder, a nd the excess solder will flow onto th e t i p of the gun .
Appl y th e solder to the joint , don 't t ry t o bring it t o th e joint on the
ti p of the gun .
Whe n you a re working wit h two wires , or wire lea ds, yo u should
make a goo d mechanical joint betwe e n th e pa rt s be ing soldered. An-
tenna jo int s s hould be we ll wra pped before s old e rin g to overc ome t he
stresse s and strains in the wire under the co nti nuous act ion of the
wind .
The final step is to a pply th e solde ri ng gun to the co nnection . Hold
the tinned surface of th e tip agai ns t th e joint an d let it come up to
temperature. When it re ache s the pro per le vel, solde r ap plie d to the
joint will flow quic kl y and smoothly over the joint. Ne ver tr y to s older
by applying solde r to the iron a nd th en t o th e jo int , or b y a pply ing a
lump of solder to the joint and then pressin g it down with the gun .
A little experience will t each you just how hot th e joint s ho uld be.
If it is not hot enough, the solder wi ll ha ve a grainy appe ar an c e a nd
th e joint may snap apart. This is c a lled a c o ld s older joint . If the
joint temperature is excess iv e, yo u ma y dam a ge th e com po ne nts you
are working with, or melt th e inne r insula tion of th e c oa xi al cable.
Most beginners e rr on the side of c old j oints , as the y a re imp atient an d
do not t ake the time to let t he j oint com e up to t he prope r t emp er ature .
176 ANTENNA ROUND-UP
Soldering Outdoors
Soldering connections on an antenna installation in cold weather

can be an exasperating experience as the cold air robs the soldering
gun of heat at a very fast rate. To overcome this, the easiest way to
bring the antenna joint to the proper temperature is to have an assis-
tant with a second soldering gun at hand. The application of the
second gun to the joint for a few moments will quickly bring the con-
nection up to soldering temperature.
What About A Mast?
If you don't have a sturdy tree, flagpole, barn or house nearby to

which to attach your antenna, you will have to put up a wood or metal
mast. Don't lose heart -- you can build a rugged , inexpensive mast
without much trouble which can be put up in 15 minutes by two or three
people. (Note: Never attach your antenna to a telephone or electric
utility pole because of the danger of electrocution from a fallen wire).
There are two types of masts to consider: (1)- Telescoping TV
Mast - while intended to hold a TV antenna at heights of 20 to SO
feet, these masts can be used to hold up a ham wire antenna providing
they are properly guyed. This style of mast comes in 10 foot sections
of 18 and 20 gauge wall tubing and is hot-dip galvanized. The mast
must be guyed well, at least every 20 feet and better every ro feet,
because without adequate guys the mast has the strength of a piece of
wet spaghetti. If a top guy breaks, the mast crashes down in a twisted
mess which looks like modern sculpture! (2)- Wood Mast of 2x3 Spruce-
a more rugged and satisfactory mast can be made of three 20 foot
lengths, and one 10 foot length of 2" x 3" lumber. The best kind of
wood to use is straight Sitka spruce without knots or splits; this is
not always easy to obtain but it is light and strong whereas other
woods are heavier and less strong. The next best is straight-grained
Douglas fir, or hemlock. All the sections should be carefully selected
for as few knots as possible, and be straight (many 20 foot lengths are
badly warped).
Building the Mast
Construction details are shown in Figure 5. First give all sections

a primer and two finishing coats of first quality outside house paint
(follow the instructions on the can). Many hams select a dark green, or
-
-
- A N T E N NA
INSULATOR
- H ALYARD
TOP OF MAST
T:
16'
I
I
- ·r X 6" BOLTS & 4 WASHERS
,'OVERL AP
EGl; INSULATORS 2 " X 3" SPRUCE

TYPICAL \
20' 2.'" X 3" BLOCK 6 " LONG

CEN TER GUY WIRES FOR SPACING
I f x 6" aOL TS • 4 WASHERS
BOLT B
BOLT A
GROUND
PAINT AND WRA P GROUND POST

WITH A L U M I N U M FOIL
Fig. 5 EASY-TQ-BUILD WOOD MAST holds your sky-wire 42 feet in the air.
Mast is made up of two 20 foot sections of 2 x 3 spruce. Bottom part of mast
is bolted to ground post sunk in the soil. Post is wrapped with aluminum foil
to protect it from ground water. Two sets of guy wires insure that mast is stable
and will withstand heavy winds .
brown, pa int color so the mast blends in with the background and is
less conspicuous.
Cut 3 feet off the 10 foot section to make the 7 foot ground post.
Or, you can use the entire 10 foot section if you want your mast 43
feet high. (This additional height makes the mast a bit more difficult
to erect because of the extra weight). After painting the ground post,
wrap the bottom 3Y2 feet of it with 3 to 4 layers of heavy duty aluminum
oven wrap, using vinyl tape to seal each wrapping. This is a great new
way to keep ground water and moisture from eventually rotting the
length in the ground, and is vastly superior to creosote and other al-
leged rot-preventatives.
178 ANTENNA ROUND-UP
Fasten a high quality pulley at the top of your mast by wrapping 3

or 4 turns of strong wire through the pulley fitting and around the mast.
Put in two long, thin wood screws below the wire to prevent it from
slipping down your mast. Don't drill a hole in the mast to anchor the
pulley and don't use an eye-bolt: these schemes weaken th e mast and
can lead to it breaking at the top. Guy wires should also be wrapped,
not fastened through holes drilled in the mast.
Put the rope halyard through the pulley at this point and tie the
ends of the rope together to prevent losing the halyard up the mast.
Losing a halyard is a tragedy of the first magnitude.(Yes, it has hap-
pened to Unlucky Pierre l)
After the sections have been painted,fasten them together as shown
in Figure 5. Drill the holes for the 6" x W' galvanized bolts and bolt
together all the sections, using washers under the nuts. Nail the small
2" x 3" block in the middle of the center section to hold spacing
constant.
Take up tightly on the two top bolts since this portion is in final
form. Remove the two bottom bolts after making sure they slide in and
out easily. Place the aluminum-wrapped bottom of the ground post in
the hole you have dug . Fill in and tamp the earth around the post,
using a level to keep it vertical (a tilted bottom section means a
tilted mast).
Secure the top guy wires by wrapping the wires around the top of
the mast (don't drill any holes!) and over the screws which prevent
the wires from sliding down. Stranded aluminum wire is recommended
for guys . Next, fasten the three center guys where the top section
joins the middle section, wrapping the wires around the mast.
Raising the Mast!
Now comes the event you have been wa iting for, which is sure to
produce some anxious moments! It's t ime to raise your creation! Un-
less there is a handy build ing or tree behind the mast from which an
assistant can pull on the back guys to help raise it, you will have to
" walk up" the mast. First you use arm power, then a tall step ladder
to rest the mast on , and finally another piece of 2" x 3" wood about
15 feet long with a U-fitting on the end (so it won't slide off the mast)
to push the mast upwards when it is too high for anyone to reach. If
there are any e xtra warm bodies around, have them hold the side guys
to minimize swaying (wives and girl friends are useful here). Caution
all helpers to remain silent. Jawbone increases the weight of the mast
beyond belief!
When the mast reaches a 45 degree angle, bending alarmingly and

waving all over the sky, you will swear it looks 100 feet high and
think, "We'll never get this thing up ..... " You are 100% normal--
everyone thinks that at this crucial point!
However, with one tall, strong ham pushing upwards on the 2" x 3"
pole, another standing at the ground post and pulling upward -- beads
of sweat on his honest brow -- and ready to ram home the second bolt
(B) which holds the mast vertica1-- victory is at hand !
Suddenly you are astonished -- the mast is up! Shove in the retain-
ing bolt, tighten all nuts, secure the guy wires, and you are in busi-
ness! Attach the halyard to the insulator and haul up your miracle
antenna. The first station you call will give you S9 plus 20 db, for
sure!
What About Guy Wires?
Guy wires must be used with wood masts and with telescoping TV
masts; in fact, it is wise to use rugged guy wires with any but the
strongest type of mast as a safety measure. Guys should be broken
every 10 feet with guy wire strain insulators (egg insulators) to pre-
vent unwanted electrical resonances in the wires.
To provide proper support for a mast, three guy wires are spaced
120 degrees around the structure at the mid-point. Two back guys are
sufficient at the top, spaced about 70 degrees apart and pu 11 i n g
against the taut antenna halyard which acts as the third guy. A 40
foot mast should be guyed at the 20 foot level, and, of course, at the
top.
Guys should be made of wire and not of rope, Heavy, stranded
aluminum wire, available at most hardware stores, is easy to work
with, stretches very little and is inexpensive. Copper-clad steel wire,
copperwe1d and hard-drawn copper wire are satisfactory but very diffi-
cult to work with; if you use any of these, be extreme ly careful in
working with it as a free end may suddenly spring loose, snap around
and hit you in the face! Careful! Soft-drawn copper wire, on the other
hand, stretches badly under tension and should never be used. Gal-
vanized steel wire is OK for perhaps two years but eventually rusts
and must be replaced.
Do not use rope of any description for guys. It is not as strong as
wire and it stretches and shrinks to excess. Fiberglas line is not
satisfactory for guys, either. Be certain your guy wires do not become
kinked as this weakens the wire and can result in it breaking.
Use large turnbuckles at the groun d end of the guys so that you
can easily adjust the pull of the guys to keep your mast plumb. Your
guy wires should be pulled taut but not drum-tight. For safety's sake,
pass a safety wire through the turnbuckle so it will not work loose in
a windstorm! Remember, too , that galvanized turnbuckles eventually
rust; oil your turnbuckles s e vera l times a year to increase the ir life.
Halyards should be replaced every two or three years before they
wear out to forestall the grief of having to lower your mast to place
a new halyard through the .pulle y .
The Halyard You Select Does Matter!
A wire antenna should be raised into position by using rope hal-

yards. The halyards are tied to the insulators at each end of the
antenna, run through pulleys on the mast or support, and then down to
the ground. This permits you to raise and lower your antenna easily
from the ground for adjustments and maintenance, and perhaps t o put
up a new kind of antenna later on. Do not fasten the antenna directly
to a tree or house by simply tying a rope or wire to the support so that
you cannot raise and lower it from the ground. This may save a few
minutes in e rection but it produces hours of frustration later!
When erecting your antenna, tie the two free ends of the halyard
together so that one end cannot run up and through the pulley, causing
all manner of grief!
Manilla rope, or the more expensive Dacron line, should be used for
halyards; do not use nylon line as it stretches badly and causes your
antenna to sag constantly (it is also expensive). It pays to use 3/8-
inch line instead of 1/4-inch line; too, because of the added strength,
ease of handling and reliability . Be sure your pulleys are large enough
to permit the line to run freely through them; rope swe Ils in rain and
sleet and if the pulley fit is too tight to start with, you'll e xperience
difficulty in lowering your antenna whe n the rope is damp. Many is the
ham who discovered that the only way to get his wire antenna down
after a heavy rain was to pull hard on the feed line in the center of the
antenna -- n o t recommended procedure! Finally, don't use cheap gal-
vanized pulleys as they eventually rust and become inoperative. Use
good quality marine-type pulleys of brass or bronze.
What About Wire Halyards?
The thought may cross your mind, "What about us ing wire instead
of rope for the halyards? Wire doesn't shrink."
Fig. 7 COUNTERWEIGHT allows rope

halyard to shrink in rain without
snawing antenna wire. The best
counterweight is a laundry bucket
filled with rocks. When antenna is
tossed about in a heavy wind. the
counterweight rides up and down
and much of the movement is ab-
sorbed by the weight. leaving the
skywire relatively calm.
Right, it doesn't, but there are compelling reasons why it is best

not to use wire halyards, despite the fact that a few amateurs do use
them:
1) - Wire is difficult to work with and hard to pull taut.

2) - Wire can jam between the side of the pulley and the pulley
wheel. When this happens at the top of a 40 foot wood mast
you have a problem -- to state it in its mildest terms!
3)- Stainless steel wire is expensive; copper stretches, other wire
quickly rusts.
4) - Wire halyards may interfere with the proper electrical function-
ing of your antenna since under certain conditions the halyards
can be coupled to the antenna and alter its electrical length.
This is bad news!
The answer is clear: do not use wire halyards.
The Wisdom of Using Counterweights
At the ground end, the rope halyard should not be tied around a tree
trunk, branch, cleat or other tie-point, despite the fact that many hams
do this . (Thousands of ham antennas fall down every year, too!) In-
stead, the halyard end should be secured to a counterweight of some
sort which is suspended a few feet off the ground (Figure 7).
The reason for using a counterweight is so that when the rope hal-
yard shrinks in rain, sleet or snow, or when the antenna and its sup-
ports are tossed about in high winds, the antenna wire will not be
stretched or snapped, or the halyards become drum-tight and perhaps
break under the stress . After two days of rain, a 100 foot length of
manilla line can shrink as much as 5 feet! As the rope shrinks, the
counterweight simply rises further above the ground and the antenna
rna in t a ins its proper tension . Later, when the rope dries out and
lengthens, the counterweight sinks toward the ground, keeping the
proper pull on your antenna.
The Best Counterweight
The best and easiest way to make a counterweight ,is to use an

ordinary laundry bucket and fill it with enough rocks to keep your an-
tenna at its proper height. Drill a few holes in the bottom of the bucket
to let rain water drain out.
Old-style sash weights from win dow s are sometimes used as
counterweights but they are difficult to fasten to a halyard and it is
not easy to take off, or add, weight.
The counterweight is a safety measure if you have one end of your
antenna attached to a tall tree, since the tree will often sway wildly
in high winds and jerk your antenna all over the sky. With a counter-
weight at one end of the antenna, much of the movement is absorbed
by the weight, leaving your skywire relatively calm and safe.
Remember : a little thought, time and care spent in selecting your
halyards, pu lle ys , antenna supports and counterweight will pay you
dividends over many years of operating!
Check Your Antenna With an SWR Meter
The SWR meter is an inexpensive and handy instrument that can he] p
you determine the actual operation of your antenna. When your new
antenna is erected, how can you be sure it is resonant and operating
properly? If the choice DX station comes back to some other local
amateur, is it just a matter of bad luck for you , or is your year-old
antenna at fault? When Joe Blow can hear the weak DX signals and you
cannot, is it poor band conditions, or has your five year-old antenna
finally "given up the ghost?"
Comparing your signal reports with those of nearby amateurs may be
fun but it provides little Iknowledge or reassurance to the serious am-
ateur who wonders if his antenna is working properly.
The SWR meter can tell you a lot about your antenna. If you log the
SW R read ings a nd re- che c k th em eve ry si x months or s o , you hav e a

runnin g a nte nna hi st ory th at wi ll tell you whe n something goe s wrong
wit h your s ky-wir e . You ca n ma ke up a n SWR curve of the t ype shown
in F igure 5 , Cha pt e r 6 in a fe w minu t e 's time. The SWR curve will pro-
vi de a quic k pict ure of a nte nna re s ona nce . A running check of antenna
operation can be mad e ove r a period of ti me a nd a ny lar ge de viat ion in
t he c urve mea ns th at som ething ha s happened t o your ant enna s ystem,
a nd you had bet t er look for trouble . A broken j oint, a defect ive fe edline ,
a hi gh resist ance jo int or a short circuit can cause a quick jump in the
SWR re ad ing. If you know what th e SWR curve is supposed to be , an y
dev iation from it will be a ppa re nt when you repeat your check of the
ori gin al results .
Make Your Own SWR Charts
It is easy to make up a univer s al SWR chart for any amateur band

with the aid of a copying machine. A master chart is drawn up. The
horizontal axis is the frequency range of measurement, plotted every 50
kHz. The vertical axis is the SWR reading (reverse). Leave space on the
chart to make a small drawing, or write a description, ofthe antenna and
the da te of measurement. This is useful data in the com in g days when
yo u m ay wish to rerun a particular test, or check on the ope r ation of t he
a n ten n a .
Th e ve rt ic a l a xis is plotted up to an SWR value of 2.5 . In genera I,
most amat eur antennas e xhibit SWR values less than this , w it h the mini -
mum SWR read in g observed at th e resonant frequenc y of the antenna. As
t he measurement frequenc y is moved awa y from the resona nt frequency ,
the SWR ind ication will rise.
It is co nvenient to start th e tests at the low frequenc y e nd of the
band in use. Since you ha ve to feed r-f power through the SWR me te r to
the a nte nna t o make a measurement, it is a good idea to use the mini-
mum a mount of power possible a nd t o run the tests at a time of day
whe n the band is not heavily populated, otherwise you can cause un-
int e nt ional interference to other stations while you a re making your
measurements .
Assume you are making an SWR chart for a 20 meter antenna. The
first step is to tune your transmitter to 14,000 kHz , or slightly higher
in frequency to make sure you a re inside the band. The SWR meter is
placed in the coaxial line to your antenna in the normal manne r. By
means of carrier insert ion or c . w operation apply a few watt s of r-f
power to the SWR meter -- just enough to obta in a full scale forward
rea ding on the meter when it is adjusted for maximum sens itivit y. Throw
the meter sw itch and read the reverse indication. Make a point on the
184 AN TENNA ROUND-UP
graph t o in dicate the SWR revers e re a di ng for the 14,000 kHz frequenc y.
Ne xt, ret une th e transmitter to 14,050 kHz and repeat the test, log-
ging the reverse SWR reading on the chart, as before. Repe at this test
every 50 kHz across the band, up to 14,350 kHz, logging e ac h re ve rs e
SWR reading at the proper point on the graph. When you have c ompl'eted
the frequency run, dra w a sm ooth line through the SWR points you have
marked on the graph, and your SWR curve is complete.
If you have made accurate read ings and if your a nte nna is working
properly you should have a smooth curve, very much li ke the e xa mple s
on page 68 . The min imum point of the curve is the re s ona nt frequenc y
of the antenna system , which should occur near the center of th e a ma -
te ur band . The SWR curve should rise smoothly and gradually on each
side of the re s ona nt frequency. For most amateur antennas, the mini-
mum reverse re ading at resonance is below 1.5 and the ma ximum
rever s e readings at the band edges range a round 2.5 , or possibly
slightly higher. In the case of a short, lo aded whip antenna or a Mar-
coni antenna for 160 or 80 meters, the minimum value of SWR is apt to
be higher than the s e values, but the general shape of the resonance
curve re mains about the same.
If the point of minimum SWR is too low in frequenc y, it indicates
that your antenna is probably too long . On the other hand, if the point
of minimum SWR is too high in frequency , it indicates that your antenna
is probably too short. As long as the frequency of minimum SWR reverse
reading fa ll s near the center of the band, the an tenna length is close
enough for proper operation .
The mos t accurate SWR read ings are obtained when a balun or other
balancing device is used between a balanced antenna and the coaxial
line and when the transmission line is brought away at right angles to
t he antenna wire so that there is no interaction between the field of the
antenna an d the line.
The SWR meter is a convenient and informative device to monitor
antenna operation a nd you should check your antenna out every s ix
months or so. Learn to use your SWR meter. It helps you to keep your
antenna in tip-top operating condition!
The Ra di al Ground Wire Revisited
Confusion may e xist among some amateurs as to the ope ration of the
radial ground wire and the necessity of having a good radio ground c on-
nection . As one amateur asked, "What's wrong wit h an 11 foot long
ground lead? Why should I use a radial ground wire? "
The repl y is that if a ground lead running from radi o equipment to an
external ground is an appreciable fraction of a wavelength long at the

operating frequeocy, it is an ineffective radio ground. The ground lead,
regardless of length, will serve as an electric ground against shock and
as a lightning ground to conduct static discharges to earth, but its use-
fulness as a radio ground is impared by length if it is more than ap-
proximately 0.05 wavelength long. For 20 meters , as an example, an
effective ground lead should not be more than 3Y2 feet long! For 80
meters, because of the longer wavelength , the ground lead can be as
long as 13Y2 feet and still be effective. Long ground leads are inef-
fective because they offer too much impedance between the equipment
and the ground and in fact may be counter-productive, causing r-f feed-
back and mysterious TVI problems .
Since a short ground lead may be impractical, the best alternative
is to use an artificial ground . Many broadcast stations employ an ex-
pensive and large buried radial screen for their ground connection. The
less-affluent amateur can achieve the same result by using a resonant
rad ial ground wire, such as dis cussed at length in this Handbook . If the
far end of the resonant radial ground wire is left unconnected, the near
end will automatically assume a very low potential to ground. When
connected to the radio equipment it simulates a low impedance radio
ground connect ion . However, for shock and lightning protection, the use
of a ground lead to an external ground in addition to the radial ground
wire, is mandatory.
Antennas for the 3 New High Frequency Bands
Three new high frequency bands were allocated to the Amateur

Service at the World Administrative Radio Conference, Geneva,
Switzerland, in December, 1979. In addition, WARC provided new
amateur satellite bands, exclusive frequencies in some shared bands,
and other amateur band modifications. This progress resulted from
years of preparation by the International Amateur Radio Union and the
American Radio Relay League, assisted by other amateur societies,
hundreds of volunteers and support from our own and other key
governments.
The new hf assignments are: 30 meters (10.1 to 10.15 MHz); 17 meters
(18.068 to 18.168 MHz); and 12 meters (24 .89 to 24.99 MHz) .
Antenna Dimensions
The formulas to determine the length of a halfwave wire antenna are:
Antenna length (feet) = 468

f(MHz)
Antenna length (meters) = 143

f(MHz)
Thus dipole antenna lengths (halfwave) for the new bands are: 30
meter band--46'3" (14.1 m); 17 meter band--25'10" (7.87 m); 12 meter band-
18'9" (5.72 m).
The formulas for a quarter-wave ground plane antenna are:
Antenna or radial length (feet) = 234

f(MHz)
Antenna or radial length (meters) = 71.5

f(MHz)
Accordingly, lengths for the new bands are: 30 meter band--23'0"

(7.0 m); 17 meter band--12'1l" (3.9 m); 12 meter band--9'4" (2.8 m).
Scaling Antenna Dimensions
Simple wire antennas may be scaled to a close approximation from an

existing band to a new band. The following multiplication factors apply
for the new amateur bands:
20 meter dimensions x 1.40 Dimensions for new 30 meter band
These scaling factors apply to half and quarter-wave dimensions and
to matching stubs.
For example, a 20 meter dipole is 33'1" long. It is desired to scale it to
the 30 meter band. Accordingly, 33'1" equals 33.08' (see Figure 9). Thus
33.08 x 1.40 = 46.31', or about 46'4". This agrees within one inch of the
length computed by formula. Remember the new bands are quite narrow
in frequency and an antenna cut for the center ofthe band will function
well over the whole band.
LE N GT H 3 0 M E T ER B A ND 17 M ETER B A ND 12 M ET ER B AND
FEET (M ET E R S ) ( IO .I - IO. I~ M H z.) ( 1& .0&8- 1&.16& M H z.) (2 4 .8 9 - 2 4 . 9 9 M HZ)
FREE SP ACE
4 &' 7 " ( , 4 .e 2 .. ) 21 ' 2 - ( s , 2."> 19 ' 9 " ( • . 0 3 ")
HA LF- WA VE
._-
H AL F - W A V E
46 ' 3 " ( 14 . 1 .. ) 2.5 I 10"'( 7 .87 M ) 18 ' 9 " ( ' .1 2 .. )
W IR E ELEM ENT
QUARTER-W AVE 23 '0 " (1 .0 .. ) 12." II " (3 . . .. ) 9' 4" (2 . . .. )
WIRE E L EMENT
Fig . 8 ANTENNA LENGTHS for the three new HF bands. Lengths are for
center frequencies In each band. Antenn9s cut for these dimensions will
exhibit low SWR over the entire band since the bands are narrow. Free
space dimensions are given for calculation of coaxial transformers.
Trap Dipole Antennas for the New Bands
Since the new hfbands have no harmonic relationship to the existing

amateur bands, nor to each other, multi-band dipoles of the type shown
in Figure 3, page 75, and Figure 4, page 76, are impractical. The trap
dipole, shown in Figure 5, page 78, will work for any band combination.
As an example, a two-band dipole for 30 and 40 meter operation is
desired. Referring to Figure 5, the high frequency 30 meter center section
will be about 46'3" long. The switching traps are each resonant at 10.1
MHz (the low frequency edge of the 30 meter band). Each trap is
composed of a 25 pF, 3 kV ceramic capacitor and a coil. The coil
inductance is 10 uH. A suitable coil consists of 22 turns No. 14 wire, 1-
1/2" (3.8 ern) diameter and 2" (5.1 em) long. The trap is adjusted to
resonance before placing it in the antenna. A dip meter will do the job .
Each end section of the antenna is cut 4' (1.22 m) long and the antenna
is raised in the air. Minor length adjustments are made to the end
sections t o place the resonant frequency in the middle of the 40 meter
ba n d. This can be done by trimming the tips equally for lowest SWR on
th e transmission line at 7.15 MHz.
In like fa shion, multi-band trap antennas may be designed for other
band combinations. Information for determining coil inductance is
given in most communication handbooks, such as the " Ra dio
Handbook" (Howard W. Sams Co., 4300 W. 62nd St. , Indianapolis, IN
46268, publisher, or the "ARRL Handbook", American Radio Relay
League, 225 Main St. , Newington, CT 06111 , publisher).
The final step is to determine the length of the tip sections. For a
starting point, the overall length of a two-ba n d antenna at the lowe st
band is taken to be 0.85 of th e length of a full -size dipole. Once the
a nte n n a is assembled, the tip sections are trimmed to frequency.
D ECIMA L I NC H CEN TI M E,E R
.08 I 2 .,
. 17 2 5. I
Figure 9
. 25 J 7 .6 Conversion of decimal foot (left
. 03 ~ 10 .2 column) into inches (center) and
.4 2 5 12..7 centimeters (right). For example
•' 0 • 15 . 2. 3.58' equals 3'7". And 7 Inches
. 58 7 17. 8 equals 17.8 em. One inch equals
.66 8 20 .3 30.5 em.
. 7> 9 22 .9
.8 J 10 25 .4
27.9
.92
"
1.00 12 3 0 .5
Multi-Band Antennas for the New Bands
The end-fed antenna design discussed in Chapter 8, Figure 2, will

work on the new amateur bands. The radial wire, or wires, should cut to a
quarter-wavelength for each band using the formulas given earlier in
this chapter. Remember that with this type of antenna a good deal ofrf
will be present in your station and proper grounding plus the use of
radials is essential for normal operation.
The Universal Antenna, discussed in Chapter 12, Figure 1, is suitable
without change for operation in the new bands. The coil taps, shown in
Figure 3, will have to be determined by trial as discussed on page 164.
INDEX
Adapter, coaxial, 56, 57, 76, 115, 132 "Universal", 157-164
Antenna vertical, 39, 105-121
beam, 25, 136, 13 7, 148-155 vertical, multi-band, 116-119
center-fed, 157- 164 VHF beam, 135 -138
center insulator, 87 wavelength , 18,20,21
"Cobra" vert ical, 113-115 whip , 92,93
co llapsible, 140 Vagi (144 MHz), 152-155
connector splice, 53 Arrestor, lightning, 168, 169
counterpoise, 97
"Demi-Quad" loop, 144-148" Balun transformer, 70, 155, 17-174
Dick Tracy", 133-135 Beam antenna, 25, 135-138, 148-155
dipole, 23, 30-32 , 38, 70-91, 127 front-to-hack ratio, 26
end-fed, 92-104 Quad,148-152
extended, 144 MHz , 119-121 "Long John" Vagi, 152-155
five-eighths wave, 115-120
folded, 103, 104 Center-fed antenna, 157-164
front-to-beck ratio, 26 "CIA Special" antenna , 135-138
gain, 26, 2 7 Coaxial adapter, 56 , 57, 76,115,132
ground p lane, 30, 40 , 41, 105-113 Coax ial cable, 45 -60
half-wave, 21, 38, 42 contamination , 46 , 48
impedance, 29 -35, 92 cutting technique, 54, 72, 73
incident wave, 61 drip loop, 52
indoor, 125-127 ground, 169, 170
Inverted-V, 86 impedance, 49
"Invisible" , 123-142 "Invisible", 126
isotropic, 26 lightning arrestor, 168, 169
"Long John" Vagi, 152-155 line check, 57
Marconi, 92, 102, 103 loss, 58, 173, 174
mast, 176-178 mismatch , 58
matching, 63 nomenclatu re, 46, 48
multi-band, 74-84, 92-104 noncontaminating,48
noise pickup, 106 power capability , 59
placement, 90 resistance, 50, 57
polarization, 29, 30, 147 waterproofing, 50-52
"Pole-Lamp", 128-131 Coaxial plugs, 52-57
Quad Loop, 132 "Cobra" antenna, 113-115
Quad (50 MHz), 148-152 Collapsible antenna , 140
radial wires, 95, 96 Counterpoise, 97
radiation resist ance 15, 16, Cubical Quad antenna , 148-152
29-35,93
reactance, 34 Decibel ,26
reflected wave, 61 "Dem i-Quad" antenna, 146-148
resonance, 17, 19,23 "Dick Tracy" antenna, 133-135
"Scotsman's dipole", 72 Dipole antenna 23, 30-32, 70-91, 127
single wire, 100-102 construction, 70-74
three-eighths wave, 102, 103 rad iation resistance, 29 , 31-33
trap, 77-84 resonant length, 38
tuner, 19,93,98-102 multi-band,74-84
tuner, h-f, 160, 161 "Outriggers" , 85
tuner, vhf, 138 placement, 86, 90, 127
" T w in Lead", 103-105 "Scotsman's", 72
" T w i n-T " , 88 vertical, 39
Director element, 25 M arco ni ant en na, 92 , 102 , 103
Drip loop, coa xial li ne, 52 M ast, antenna, 176-178
Matching, antenna, 63
Egg insulator, 72 Meter, SWR, 61-69
Electrica l leng th , antenna, 19-21 Mismatch, coa x ial cable, 58
Electromagnetic spectrum, 15 Multi-band antenna, 74-84, 92-104
Element, paras it ic, 25 , 26
End -fed anten na, 92-104 Ohm's L aw , 31
Extended vert ical antenna , 4 2, 119-121 Open w ire feedl ine, 161
Feedline, open wire, 161 Parasitic elemen t, 25

Feed point impedance, 29 -35 Penetro x-A compound , 107
F er r it e bal un, 170-173 Plug, coa x ial, 52 -57
Ferri te r-f choke , 15 1, 152 Pola rization, 29 , 30 ,145-147
F ield, antenna, 16 Power gain, 26, 2 7, 42
"Figure-8" antenna pattern , 74
"Flag pole " antenna, 133 -135 Quad , Demi-, 146-148
Front-to-back rat io, beam, 2 6 Quad loop, 132
Frequency, resonant, 17, 19-23 Quad (50 MHz), 14 8-152
Ga in, an t enna, 2 6, 42 Radi ation , 15, 16

Ground connectio n, 94-9 7 Rad iat ion resista nce , 29 -35, 93
Ground plane antenna, 30, 4 0, 41, Radial ground, 95-97 ,105,109
105-113 Radia tor, antenna , 105
multi-band, 10 9- 1 13 Reactance, 34
extended (1 44-MHz), 119-121 Reciprocity theory , 16
Ground, radia l, 9 5 , 96 Reflected wa ve, 61
Gu y wires, 179, 180 Resonance, 17, 19,23
R-f cho k e co il, 151 , 152
Half-wave length, 21 Resistance, co ax ial line, 50, 57
Hal f -wave antenna (see dipole) RTV-102 sealant, 51, 74, 135
Ha lyards, 180-181
Hertz, 7,14,20 " Scot sm an 's di p o le" , 72
Hertz antenna, 39 Silicone sealant, RTV-102, 51 ,74,135
Sing le w ire ante nna, 100-1 02
Impedance, ant en na, 29, 34 , 3 5 Soldering t ec h n iq ues, 174-176
Impedance, coa xial cabl e, 49 Spectrum , elec t romagnetic, 14, 15
I ncident wave , 61 Spreader, open wire l ine, 162
I ndoor antenna, 125, 126 Stand ing Wave Rat io (SWR), 18,61-64
I nsulator, antenna, 45 , 8 7 Stereo int erf erence, 128
I nterference, stereo , 128 Strain insu lat o r , 72
I nvert ed-V ant enna, 86 SWR meter, 61-69,101
"I nvi sib le" antenna, 123-142
Ionosph ere, 8 T elev ision interfe renc e, 127 , 128
Isotropic antenna, 26 Three-eighths wave anten na, 102, 103
Li ght ni ng arrest o r , 16 8, 16 9 Transmission line (see coa xial line)
Line, coa x ial (see coa x ial cab le) Transformer, balun , 70, 155, 170-174
Li ne, ope n w ire, 16 1 T ransformer, coa xial l ine, 116
Linear tra nsfo rmer, 137, 145 T rap dipole antenna, 74 -84
Load, antenna, 24 Tuner, antenna, 19,93,98-10 2,160, 161
Loa d ing coil, 21,116,117-120 "Twin-T" ant en na, 8 8
"Long John" beam anten na, 152-155
Loss, co ax ial cabl e, 58, 173, 17 4 UHF coaxial f itt ing , 56, 57
Universal h-f anten na, 157 -164
Matc hing transfo rmer, 137 , 145

Simple, Low Cost Wire Antennas For Radio Amateurs by William

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Simple, Low Cost Wire Antennas For Radio Amateurs by William

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Simple, Low Cost Wire Antennas For Radio Amateurs by William

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

SlffiPL(

RRDIO RffiRTfUR CRUDOOH

Copyright © 1990 by William I. Orr

Published in 1993 by Radio Amateur Callbook

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number : 76-190590

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be

Manufactured in the United States of America

CHAPTER 1. SUGAR-COAT ED ANTENNA FUNDAMENTALS.. 5

Your antenna is a very important part of your amateur station . An

Sugar-Coated Antenna Fundamentals

Your antenna is your most important piece of radio equipment. It is

A brand-new chapter on "invisible" (low profile) ant ennas is pro-

1- The antenna is a very important part of your station. A low pow-

The Early Days

tension in space: like stretched rubber bands) to explain the phen-

Thirty-two years after Maxwell's amazing electromagnetic theory and

"wireless" stations used very long waves, since it was obvious to

The Great Days

the sensitive superhetrodyne receiver about 1935, short wave radio

lar is less than a half-century old. Antennas, a nd ham antennas to

The Radio Antenna

Heinrich Hertz had a very clear notion of Maxwell's mathematical

Fig. 6 THIS 85-FOOT ANTENNA is located at a COMSAT earth station and is

Radio Waves and The Nature of Things

IOld Mother Nature's Mysterious Ways l

The earth and eve rything on it is continuous ly bombarded by energy

About 1880, e xperi menters developed precise instruments for mea-

60 3 40 1.6 .50 800 10000

1 0 0 0000 ODD 200 0 0 .3 0.003 3 00 .0 7 .0 4 .0 0 3 .0 0 0 3 .0 00 0 1

Fig . 1 THE ELECTROMAGNET IC SPECTRUM is a chart showing the relationship

High frequen cy electric energy can be gene rated by a radio t ran s -

Fig . 2 MODERN CONCEPT OF A RADIO WAVE i s a combination of magnetic (H)

The Two-Way Antenna

Electrical energy is radiated into space and retrieved from space by

Fig. 3 WORLD'S BIGGEST ANTENNA? Huge antenna built in Lafayette, France,

STAT IONARY WAVE

Fig . 4 RADIO WAVELENGTH . A simple case of wavelength brought about by the

Resonance and Antenna Length

Wavelength and Frequency

Radio waves exist because it takes a certain amount of time for

WAVE CREST ~ONE WAVELENt;TH---...I

FOR 14 MHZ. WAVELENGTH = ',~O • 21.2"ETERS = 70 FEET

Fig. 5 WAVELENGTH AND FREQUENCY are related to each other by a simple

In the case of high frequency radio, the wavelength is expressed more

Wavelength in meters - 300 _

The illustration tells the story better than words.

Measurements in the United States are usually expressed in feet

One wavelength, in feet = 984 _

This is the fundamental for m u I a from which many significant

Very Short Antennas

The physical length of an antenna often poses a problem, especially

CUBICAL QUAD ANTENNA is popular among radio amateur DXers. Quad

The radio wave is an electric "undulation" which is a portion of the

Your Antenna and Signal Interception

The electron movement in the antenna element actually reradiates a

With any type of electrica l power source, whether it be a storage

RADIO ANTENNA connected to RADIO

Vagi beams are made up of j //

The Beam Antenna and Signal Gain