Really enjoyed that video Dave. Learnt a whole bunch of stuff that I can make good use of building myself an antenna. I also enjoyed watching yourself in the shack taking part in the contest. Again learned a lot from being able to watch you, and it gave me a bit more confidence to not only listen, but to key up that mike and call in. Thanks Dave, regards to you and your family, David (M0XQZ)
Wonderful video! I've been a ham since I was 16yrs and were now 57yrs. Made many dipole and inverted-V antennas but sure had all my question answered here. Wish I had this video back in the day. Going to blame you for having me out in the garage this weekend. Thanks so much for sharing. Rob Mn.
Really, really useful video dude! I'm still just going on my tech class license but I've been looking into HF and wondering for awhile how one properly sets up and tunes a wire dipole/invert V like this. Thanks for the extended detail of the full setup and tuning process. Helped me get a good handle on the final steps!
Great job and thanks for including the FD operation at the end... nice antenna. You show that careful tuning can make a big difference in the antenna SWR.
KM4KYA Thank you so much for the excellent videos that you produce. I am a hands on type learner and even though I understand the theory, the videos bring everything alive. You do a great job and very informative. I built the 40 mtr inverted V per your instructions and it worked first time. I am so pleased with myself that I had to let you know, You made it possible for me. Thank you for ALL you do and Gods Blessings to you. Jay KM4KYA
I've been building antennas over 56 years and I've found a better way to adjust the length of the inverted vee legs WITHOUT AN SWR ANALYZER! We know that a quarter-wave antenna length in feet is 234 divided by the frequency in MegaHertz. But take your first SWR readings across the band (in this case 40 meters) and find where the SWR "dip" is. Then decide where you actually want it to dip (say the middle of the band) multiply that frequency times the length and that becomes your new "constant" instead of 234. Use that new constant to figure the difference between original length and the length you want for the new "dip" (such as the center of the band). The difference will be in feet (such as .25 feet). Convert to inches (such as .25 feet = 3 inches) and shorten (or lengthen) each leg of the inverted vee that much, and VOILA!!
+Brian Bowling Use a watt meter, preferably one with an SWR meter built in. If all you have is a watt meter with no SWR position, take a forward power reading (transmitter to wattmeter input & antenna on the output side) Then reverse the cable to take the reverse power reading. The formula for figuring SWR from these two values is a little complicated, so go to this web site: allenk.home.infionline.net/vswr.html.
Thanks for posting a video which is easy to understand from start to finish. My GAP Titan DX vertical is down for repairs, so I am new to homemade wire antennas, and this is the best video I have seen so far. I will be subscribing and going through your old videos. Right now I have a 40 meter Double Bazooka on the way, but I can see with the right equipment a homebrew antenna has an advantage with lower costs, and putting up an antenna to fit one's location needs. WV8FKG
If you put RTV on your connection just before you slide the heat shrink down when the tubing shrinks it "squishes" the RTV out and around the connector and forms a nice water tight seal. I do this on boat wiring and it works great.
Great (pair of) videos. I'm looking to make a more modular antenna structure where the center feed point can be used with multiple "sets" of elements, either swapping them out, or doing a non-parallel fan or an umbrella inverted V. This is a pretty good place to start.
this is already a old movie but i really like it I just bought my first HF trx and expect it to arrive this weekend , but i never made an HF antenna before , so was doing some research on how to actually do that Thanks for sharing your experience 73' De PA4V
Well done video. When I got my Novice license in 1970, there was no internet and you were own your own with the help of the ARRL Handbook which was/is excellent. No thought about buying a dipole and I am pretty sure none were available for purchase. You scrounged for any old scrap wire you could find and used the formula to get the desired length. We didn't have a analyzer so, you had to use your crystal controlled transmitter.Lots of fun. Hi Glad you are helping the new guys. 73, WA4AOS
Thank you Dave. I live in a remote part of Alberta, Canada and there are no operators within hundreds of miles. I got my full spectrum licence a few years ago but getting up on the air has been very slow and often frustrating. The course may give you a licence but it sure doesn't explain how to set up and operate. Antennas have been my biggest frustration. I am not finished your videos yet but I have learned more in a few hours than all the technical reading in two years. I'm looking forward to seeing the rest. I must say that I know your passing information during the contest but I have no idea what you are saying. Perhaps another video for those new to the hobby. Again, Thanks. Denis VA6DBC
you don't need more pockets you need a couple of boy scouts that are working on a merit badge to help you. just got my first HF today will make one of these within a couple of days. thanx for the vids
Glad to hear it. :) You can anchor the ends of the antenna anyway you need to -- house, fence rail, dog tie, etc. and one end can be higher than the other. Just try to get the correct angle. 73 and good DX! :)
Hello, Now 2020 exactly 08/20, Great 2 videos. You may have changed my mind on 10 meter dipole to inverted V. I am traveling and on 2m mobile, cant wait to get back to my shack and start on my V. Also enjoy antenna most in HAM hobby, made a 6 m squalo and contact are 600 to 1200 miles. Thanks again including live contact on web. Hope you still Haming!! KI5JWA 73
All great information for any novice antenna builder. However, this video is about 30 minutes longer than necessary. The antenna was quite useable the first time you put it up. After taking 3 inches off each end, it was perfect.
Excellent vid, I think Ham radio can really benefit from these type of vids on youtube. Your time and effort is appreciated. I look forward to your future vids. Especially on loading coils. VK2MRX.
@KB3LZV An inverted V that slopes will work and are often mounted that way when space is a problem. If you could mount a 10' section of TV mast to your deck then that may get you 22' in the air. Glad you enjoyed the videos and good luck with your antenna project. 73! :)
Instead of soldering the antenna leads to the center insulator, I have found standard plastic wire nuts do as good a job. I insulate the wire nuts with uncured rubber tape. Several of my dipoles using this method have been up for 8 years and have given me no trouble at all.
I love this video I got to go on to QRZ.com to check out the available ham radio gear that is available for purchase while I listened to Dave and he built his antenna project.
man Dave I really like to pully system you have set up. once I finish up my bean for 2 SSB I am planning a 160M dipole. having a sytem like you have wound be great.
@johnvaldesmagic It will make a good long distance antenna for 11 meters but it will not work very well for working local stations. Horizontal antennas are for sky wave propagation and not for ground wave use. The formula for calculating the length of each side is 234 / 27.205 = 8.6 feet or about 103-1/4". Add an extra length of wire for the connections. Tune by adjusting the antenna a 1/4" to 1/2" at a time on each side making it either shorter or longer for the best SWR match.
learned something new. I never knew you could shorten an antenna by simply folding the end. I always cut mine...Don't know why the electrons in the wire see the length as "shortened" when the ends are simply folded using insulated wire. The electrons still have to flow through the conductor in the folds and wouldn't see the fold at all. Need this explained to me. But thanks for the video! Loved the QSO 's!!!!
Good antenna school thanks. There was something about feeding the HF antenna somewhat off center and I don't remember which is longer the center conductor or the braid.
Really good video, thanks for taking the time to get it up on youtube. I'm really enjoying your videos too, keep up the good work! 73 de 2M0JAS (James)
David excellent video! Thank you for taking the time and your patience to go in depth. It is appreciated! I do have one question for you. Since your not using a Choke Balun or 1:1 device, how are you keeping Common Mode Currents off your feedline?tnx es 73's de K8KEM (also a david)
very informative video, the only question I have, your shortening the span of the exposed active element's but not trimming the wire back, is the variance's in SWR / Tuning due to simple lack of exposure or due to the additional inductance on the end's of the wire's, I only ask due to the fact that this is not covered by our syllabus and Im looking to string out some stealth's which will need some tweaking and tuning, and according to theory due to the wire being insulated by however many kV worth of insulation surely the electrical wavelength of the wire would remain the same until trimmed, perhaps the ARRL books detail more in this line than the RSGB, or is this knowledge you've gained through personal experimentation, Im also planning on stringing up a 49:1 with a 150m element as Im hoping once I gain my next licence to work some VLF, any thoughts on this would be welcome also ( using an MF bucket tuner)
What an awesome video! Nice job. I have a question about wavelength. The wavelength pertains to the antenna length...does it also apply to the height? in other words a 1/4 wave cut for 40 meters is appx 32.8 ft-should the antenna also be at 32 ft?
He Dave, first of all i like to say that i really like your videos. But watching this video, left me with some questions. I want to build an inverted v antenna, now ive looked into them for a bit. What i saw was that there are ferrite beads that can be put on the coax where the antenna ends and the coax starts. Will ferrite beads be good to add to this antenna? Or will it not be to much to bother about? I've red that it improves the signal by filtering out all the higher frequenties. My next question is: Can i use stranded wire for an antenna? Are there any pros or cons? Im looking to use stranded wire, because it needs to be packed into a backpack. And i dont want to bother with solidwire so much, because of bending/breaking, and having to straiten it out. Hope you can help me out. Best regards, Jeff
Great Vid Dave, I learned something.. I want to build your 40M dipole but want to mount it on a roof top in NYC. Do you think it will work ok?? Thanks again for the vid... Awesome... N2YDC
Dave you make great video's thanks.. I like your tilt tower, any chance on getting the plans on how to make that I do a LOT of welding and can't see buying one thanks again KF5AXY...
What a great video. Thanks for your efforts. One question. At the feedpoint, you are connecting the dipole antenna using solder. So the RF signal has to go though solder which doesn't offer a characteristic impedance. Won't this increase my vswr?
Should be ok if the connection is soldered correctly and no cold solder joints. I made mine using wood insulator (from left over patio deck wood) and just used 2 bolts/nuts on each side to hook up the wires. My inverted v was a pretty good antenna. I noticed that it really shined in close dx conditions. I could talk 1-3 states away like a telephone call while my neighbors running more power was talking 500-1500 miles further. In fact, they couldn't even hear the short skip but I could lol.
Your video's have been most informative! I plan on a CB Inverted V Dipole 11 meter full wave. Your in depth details has given me the confidence to try this antenna. Any suggestions on the 11 meter would be appreciated. Also what is the purpose of the coil addition to the dipole antenna? Thanks to you I can make one, but I have no idea what it is used for. Homestead CB'er slipping into the HAM dimension...
@Jackupnow If the feed-point impedance is 50 ohms then you have "maximum transfer of power" to the antenna and there is no RF feeding back down the coax. We use a balun in a horizontal dipole to achieve 50 ohms. The inverted V with the elements adjusted properly will already have a feed-point impedance of 50 ohms without a balun and there is no need for an RF choke. Please see my video Dipole and Inverted V Antenna Basics for more information. Thanks and 73.
Hi Dave, nice video, thank you. I realize you made this in 2011, but can multiple bands be installed like this on the same mast in a fan shape? I assume they would all run to the same balun? I'm new to Ham radio and still learning.
You can use the larger caps and plugs but they will be a bit large. You can also use two caps and a section of PVC pipe. With the 1-1/4" caps you'll want to take an SO-239 connector with you while shopping to make sure that it fits as some caps are made with a thicker wall. Also, some guys mount the SO-239 on the outside of a flat cap if doesn't fit on the inside. Check my website for the feed-point connector parts kit. Thanks for watching and 73! :)
A simple way to attach insulated stranded wire would be run the wire through the eye bolt hole, or insulator, fold the wire back and secure with a wire rope clip. You can use plastic ties but they will not last long. The dual band and tri-band inverted V antennas are all made with solid gauge wire, too. Insulated stranded wire of course will not hold it's shape and so solid gauge wire is recommended on the multi-band antennas. Thanks for watching and please visit my TH-cam channel. 73! :)
@Jackupnow The wire will most likely be less expensive to purchase in your country rather than to have it imported. Search for 14-1 solid PE. More details on my Facebook page as someone else asked, too. My web site and Facebook links are posted on my TH-cam channel. 73! :)
Dave are you still active? I really enjoy your antenna building vids. I know you’ve built many wire antennas. Which is you pick between an ocf, doublet or bazooka? Tnx 73
Please note: The height of the ends of the antenna above the ground looked different through the camcorder lens and is instead about 10' instead of 15'-20' as mentioned in the video.
I've tried this 40 meter antenna for receiving AM broadcast stations but it did not work well. My 160 meter antenna works a lot better but still doesn't do as well as it should. You'll need at least 250 feet of wire and much more if cut to the correct wavelength. Plus 3 times that amount of wire for directors and reflectors, 3 large towers (120 ft tall), and a ton of money. Or, buy a AM replacement antenna for a transistor radio for about $4.00.
They can still interact with each other if they are too close together. Even though they are running in different directions, they are both still horizontally polarized. Space them as for apart as possible. Thanks for watching and 73! :)
Great video and very informative. I'm curious about the meaning of the "one delta kansas" that you gave each of your contacts. I'm guessing it has something to do with the contest.
Dave , Im putting up a W8AMZ G5RV Jr. in the inverted V configuration. My issue is that the ladder line and coax will have to drop down only about 3 feet or so and then go in a horazontal to my upstairs ham shack. Is this going to cause major problems with the efficiency of the antenna and or throw my SWR's completly out of wack ??
If you have the space try making the 40/80/160m antenna. The tri-band antenna is easier to tune than the 40/80m antenna as it should not require any modifications to the coils. Please visit my website for more information about both antennas. If you have questions then please click the link on my website to my Facebook page. Questions, antenna photos, etc. can be posted on my Facebook page. Thanks for watching and good DX! :)
An antenna so simple even I can do it..............maybe. I thought that was a Kenwood on your desk. I just picked up 2 TS 440 SATs (one hardly used) and can't wait to get home to set em up.
nice video my friend,i'm from brasil and have some issues with a dipole 20/40 meters on my icom ic- 706,i have another radio kenwood ts-440s work fine ,but now is hard listen other people in the ic-706 : (
Dave, Wow! excellent videos! You have taught me so much in the last few days since I found your channel. I have subscribed. I was wondering if you have done any propagation wave modeling on the 40/80 or 40 inverted V? (ie EZNEC). Do they tend to omni-directional? I live on an acre, but it is wooded so I am trying to find out the best location to put the antenna to give me the most options. Thanks, Joe KJ4LZM
Recently someone mentioned to me that a dipole antenna, one of the most efficient antennas, may only be 98% efficient. Meaning even with maximum transfer of power to the antenna there may still be a very small amount of RF coming back down the coax cable. This small amount of reflected power should not be enough RF to cause any real problems.
Really enjoyed that video Dave. Learnt a whole bunch of stuff that I can make good use of building myself an antenna. I also enjoyed watching yourself in the shack taking part in the contest. Again learned a lot from being able to watch you, and it gave me a bit more confidence to not only listen, but to key up that mike and call in. Thanks Dave, regards to you and your family, David (M0XQZ)
Wonderful video! I've been a ham since I was 16yrs and were now 57yrs. Made many dipole and inverted-V antennas but sure had all my question answered here. Wish I had this video back in the day. Going to blame you for having me out in the garage this weekend. Thanks so much for sharing. Rob Mn.
Really, really useful video dude! I'm still just going on my tech class license but I've been looking into HF and wondering for awhile how one properly sets up and tunes a wire dipole/invert V like this. Thanks for the extended detail of the full setup and tuning process. Helped me get a good handle on the final steps!
Great job and thanks for including the FD operation at the end... nice antenna. You show that careful tuning can make a big difference in the antenna SWR.
Dave, thanks for your simple, nice and clear tutorial. 73 from Indonesia
Great video Dave very informative I'm going to build my own antenna in the next couple of weeks using your advice. best 73s from across the pond
KM4KYA Thank you so much for the excellent videos that you produce. I am a hands on type learner and even though I understand the theory, the videos bring everything alive. You do a great job and very informative. I built the 40 mtr inverted V per your instructions and it worked first time. I am so pleased with myself that I had to let you know, You made it possible for me. Thank you for ALL you do and Gods Blessings to you. Jay KM4KYA
Thanks Dave!
Thank you for showing how to make and adjust the antenna 40m!
I repeated the antenna 40m and your balun 1:1, this bunch works great !!!
nice vid. thanks Dave for taking the time and having the patience to show newbies like me how to go about this procedure. Excellent work.
Thanks for the great show and tell. I will start on my inverted V tomorrow.
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION...
Best how to video ever for dipole antennas. Thank you so much for sharing. Im sure it has helped many people like myself.
I've been building antennas over 56 years and I've found a better way to adjust the length of the inverted vee legs WITHOUT AN SWR ANALYZER! We know that a quarter-wave antenna length in feet is 234 divided by the frequency in MegaHertz. But take your first SWR readings across the band (in this case 40 meters) and find where the SWR "dip" is. Then decide where you actually want it to dip (say the middle of the band) multiply that frequency times the length and that becomes your new "constant" instead of 234. Use that new constant to figure the difference between original length and the length you want for the new "dip" (such as the center of the band). The difference will be in feet (such as .25 feet). Convert to inches (such as .25 feet = 3 inches) and shorten (or lengthen) each leg of the inverted vee that much, and VOILA!!
Dave Mitchell Genius. 73
+Dave Mitchell So how do I "take my first SWR readings across the band and find where the SWR 'dip' is" if I'm not using an SWR ANALYZER?
+Brian Bowling Use a watt meter, preferably one with an SWR meter built in. If all you have is a watt meter with no SWR position, take a forward power reading (transmitter to wattmeter input & antenna on the output side) Then reverse the cable to take the reverse power reading. The formula for figuring SWR from these two values is a little complicated, so go to this web site: allenk.home.infionline.net/vswr.html.
+Dave Mitchell I see. Thanks very much for the reply and the link. That is a handy calculator.
Watched the whole thing! Seeing you make all those contacts after putting your antenna up was really inspiring! Thanks for the great vid!
KN4NPB
Great videos, love the no nonsense approach..Thanks and 73's
Thanks for posting a video which is easy to understand from start to finish. My GAP Titan DX vertical is down for repairs, so I am new to homemade wire antennas, and this is the best video I have seen so far. I will be subscribing and going through your old videos. Right now I have a 40 meter Double Bazooka on the way, but I can see with the right equipment a homebrew antenna has an advantage with lower costs, and putting up an antenna to fit one's location needs. WV8FKG
If you put RTV on your connection just before you slide the heat shrink down when the tubing shrinks it "squishes" the RTV out and around the connector and forms a nice water tight seal. I do this on boat wiring and it works great.
RTV sounds like a good idea. Dielectric grease will work as well. I don't know which one is better choice.
@@kattasudhir RTV because i has an adhesive property.
Great (pair of) videos. I'm looking to make a more modular antenna structure where the center feed point can be used with multiple "sets" of elements, either swapping them out, or doing a non-parallel fan or an umbrella inverted V. This is a pretty good place to start.
this is already a old movie but i really like it
I just bought my first HF trx and expect it to arrive this weekend , but i never made an HF antenna before , so was doing some research on how to actually do that
Thanks for sharing your experience
73' De PA4V
Excellent video. You have more patience than I do.
Well done video. When I got my Novice license in 1970, there was no internet and you were own your own with the help of the ARRL Handbook which was/is excellent. No thought about buying a dipole and I am pretty sure none were available for purchase. You scrounged for any old scrap wire you could find and used the formula to get the desired length. We didn't have a analyzer so, you had to use your crystal controlled transmitter.Lots of fun. Hi
Glad you are helping the new guys.
73,
WA4AOS
Wow! Thank you ! I have watched 3 of your Antenna Videos and I have learned a lot.
Again GREAT information and a big thank you ...Hugo Atlanta
Nice job Dave, very well done.
Great video ..what a beautiful spot you have in KS..I am an FM enthusiast but know nothing about ham radio. I know a bit more thx
Windham vt
Like your style of building 🦿🇺🇸
Great video. I can't wait to get started.
Best antenna vid I have seen.
Another great video, Dave
Dave just re-watched several antenna video…nice job .
Thank you Dave. I live in a remote part of Alberta, Canada and there are no operators within hundreds of miles. I got my full spectrum licence a few years ago but getting up on the air has been very slow and often frustrating. The course may give you a licence but it sure doesn't explain how to set up and operate. Antennas have been my biggest frustration. I am not finished your videos yet but I have learned more in a few hours than all the technical reading in two years. I'm looking forward to seeing the rest. I must say that I know your passing information during the contest but I have no idea what you are saying. Perhaps another video for those new to the hobby. Again, Thanks. Denis VA6DBC
Very nice build. Great!
Good job. I have to do this to mine. Thanks for the video.
Nice video! Hope to build one when I get a HF rig.
Thanks for this video. Great JOB . Very informative.
you don't need more pockets you need a couple of boy scouts that are working on a merit badge to help you. just got my first HF today will make one of these within a couple of days. thanx for the vids
Glad to hear it. :) You can anchor the ends of the antenna anyway you need to -- house, fence rail, dog tie, etc. and one end can be higher than the other. Just try to get the correct angle. 73 and good DX! :)
great video dave, thanks.
Hello, Now 2020 exactly 08/20, Great 2 videos. You may have changed my mind on 10 meter dipole to inverted V. I am traveling and on 2m mobile, cant wait to get back to my shack and start on my V. Also enjoy antenna most in HAM hobby, made a 6 m squalo and contact are 600 to 1200 miles. Thanks again including live contact on web. Hope you still Haming!! KI5JWA 73
All great information for any novice antenna builder. However, this video is about 30 minutes longer than necessary. The antenna was quite useable the first time you put it up. After taking 3 inches off each end, it was perfect.
Nice and useful video Dave...
Excellent vid, I think Ham radio can really benefit from these type of vids on youtube.
Your time and effort is appreciated.
I look forward to your future vids. Especially on loading coils.
VK2MRX.
@KB3LZV An inverted V that slopes will work and are often mounted that way when space is a problem. If you could mount a 10' section of TV mast to your deck then that may get you 22' in the air. Glad you enjoyed the videos and good luck with your antenna project. 73! :)
Instead of soldering the antenna leads to the center insulator, I have found standard plastic wire nuts do as good a job. I insulate the wire nuts with uncured rubber tape. Several of my dipoles using this method have been up for 8 years and have given me no trouble at all.
I love this video I got to go on to QRZ.com to check out the available ham radio gear that is available for purchase while I listened to Dave and he built his antenna project.
I have the same rig for HF I love it great radio
Another great idea.
very good and highly detailed video!Tnx,73!
i miei complimenti,veramente bravo.
Great video! Thank you.
outstanding video it was a great help to me ..thank you for what you do...73....thomas in north central missouri
Thank you for your detailed assembly instructions. I wish I had room for a 40m dipole or inverted v but I don’t. 10 and 20m maybe. 73
Thanks for another great Ham Radio Video! Way cool!
Catch ya on MidCars! :)
Jimmy, ARRL TC, WX9DX
Enjoyed this one a lot, very informative - thanks for doing this.. 73 de VE2PDT
man Dave I really like to pully system you have set up. once I finish up my bean for 2 SSB I am planning a 160M dipole. having a sytem like you have wound be great.
@johnvaldesmagic It will make a good long distance antenna for 11 meters but it will not work very well for working local stations. Horizontal antennas are for sky wave propagation and not for ground wave use. The formula for calculating the length of each side is 234 / 27.205 = 8.6 feet or about 103-1/4". Add an extra length of wire for the connections. Tune by adjusting the antenna a 1/4" to 1/2" at a time on each side making it either shorter or longer for the best SWR match.
Dave, thank you so much.
This will be perfect for field day 2013 :)
I always enjoy your videos, they are very informative.
73
VE3QJ
learned something new. I never knew you could shorten an antenna by simply folding the end. I always cut mine...Don't know why the electrons in the wire see the length as "shortened" when the ends are simply folded using insulated wire. The electrons still have to flow through the conductor in the folds and wouldn't see the fold at all. Need this explained to me. But thanks for the video! Loved the QSO 's!!!!
Think of the net current in that section of folded wire. One flowing forward, one flowing the opposite way - effectively cancelling each other.
Excellent video, thanks de N9oqu
Great video……
Good antenna school thanks. There was something about feeding the HF antenna somewhat off center and I don't remember which is longer the center conductor or the braid.
nice job
Thanks for the video. I really enjoyed it! 73, David, N5GEB.
@aka572 Yes, it's the contest exchange. Delta class are home stations on commercial power. Alpha class stations are club portable stations.
Thank you !!!
73!
Really good video, thanks for taking the time to get it up on youtube.
I'm really enjoying your videos too, keep up the good work!
73 de 2M0JAS (James)
David excellent video! Thank you for taking the time and your patience to go in depth. It is appreciated! I do have one question for you. Since your not using a Choke Balun or 1:1 device, how are you keeping Common Mode Currents off your feedline?tnx es 73's de K8KEM (also a david)
very informative video, the only question I have, your shortening the span of the exposed active element's but not trimming the wire back, is the variance's in SWR / Tuning due to simple lack of exposure or due to the additional inductance on the end's of the wire's, I only ask due to the fact that this is not covered by our syllabus and Im looking to string out some stealth's which will need some tweaking and tuning, and according to theory due to the wire being insulated by however many kV worth of insulation surely the electrical wavelength of the wire would remain the same until trimmed, perhaps the ARRL books detail more in this line than the RSGB, or is this knowledge you've gained through personal experimentation, Im also planning on stringing up a 49:1 with a 150m element as Im hoping once I gain my next licence to work some VLF, any thoughts on this would be welcome also ( using an MF bucket tuner)
What an awesome video! Nice job. I have a question about wavelength. The wavelength pertains to the antenna length...does it also apply to the height? in other words a 1/4 wave cut for 40 meters is appx 32.8 ft-should the antenna also be at 32 ft?
@VerifyHistory You always adjust both sides. The lengths of the antenna elements must always be equal. ;)
Great video Dave...making this shortly, probably this weekend. Do you need to run a choke when doing an inverted V?
He Dave, first of all i like to say that i really like your videos.
But watching this video, left me with some questions.
I want to build an inverted v antenna, now ive looked into them for a bit. What i saw was that there are ferrite beads that can be put on the coax where the antenna ends and the coax starts.
Will ferrite beads be good to add to this antenna? Or will it not be to much to bother about? I've red that it improves the signal by filtering out all the higher frequenties.
My next question is: Can i use stranded wire for an antenna? Are there any pros or cons? Im looking to use stranded wire, because it needs to be packed into a backpack. And i dont want to bother with solidwire so much, because of bending/breaking, and having to straiten it out.
Hope you can help me out.
Best regards,
Jeff
great video Dave as usual really enjoy your antenna projects good explanations & most importantly easy to follow 73's from vk2oz mike.
Great Vid Dave, I learned something.. I want to build your 40M dipole but want to mount it on a roof top in NYC. Do you think it will work ok?? Thanks again for the vid... Awesome... N2YDC
Dave you make great video's thanks.. I like your tilt tower, any chance on getting the plans on how to make that I do a LOT of welding and can't see buying one thanks again KF5AXY...
Thanks for the videos! Very helpful... If we cannot find 1 1/4 caps n plugs.... Can we use 1 1/2 ? Will that affect operation?
What a great video. Thanks for your efforts.
One question. At the feedpoint, you are connecting the dipole antenna using solder. So the RF signal has to go though solder which doesn't offer a characteristic impedance. Won't this increase my vswr?
Should be ok if the connection is soldered correctly and no cold solder joints. I made mine using wood insulator (from left over patio deck wood) and just used 2 bolts/nuts on each side to hook up the wires. My inverted v was a pretty good antenna. I noticed that it really shined in close dx conditions. I could talk 1-3 states away like a telephone call while my neighbors running more power was talking 500-1500 miles further. In fact, they couldn't even hear the short skip but I could lol.
Your video's have been most informative!
I plan on a CB Inverted V Dipole 11 meter full wave. Your in depth details has given me the confidence to try this antenna. Any suggestions on the 11 meter would be appreciated.
Also what is the purpose of the coil addition to the dipole antenna? Thanks to you I can make one, but I have no idea what it is used for.
Homestead CB'er slipping into the HAM dimension...
Nice video was that a Hustler 5 band vertical that i saw in the garden?
After actually using a tape measure the ends of the antenna are 11' feet above the ground. ;)
Hi Dave like your video you have any suggestions on a short 40meter dipole for limited space?
Hi Dave 😁 ki4wyv love your videos
@Jackupnow If the feed-point impedance is 50 ohms then you have "maximum transfer of power" to the antenna and there is no RF feeding back down the coax. We use a balun in a horizontal dipole to achieve 50 ohms. The inverted V with the elements adjusted properly will already have a feed-point impedance of 50 ohms without a balun and there is no need for an RF choke. Please see my video Dipole and Inverted V Antenna Basics for more information. Thanks and 73.
Hi Dave, nice video, thank you. I realize you made this in 2011, but can multiple bands be installed like this on the same mast in a fan shape? I assume they would all run to the same balun? I'm new to Ham radio and still learning.
You could use a "Jenkins ring" to solder the two ends together.
You can use the larger caps and plugs but they will be a bit large. You can also use two caps and a section of PVC pipe. With the 1-1/4" caps you'll want to take an SO-239 connector with you while shopping to make sure that it fits as some caps are made with a thicker wall. Also, some guys mount the SO-239 on the outside of a flat cap if doesn't fit on the inside. Check my website for the feed-point connector parts kit. Thanks for watching and 73! :)
Dave
Great video.
I have one question.
Where did you get the feed point connectors you used in your video?
Thanks
KB4SGA
John K.
Congratulations!
Wonderful video.
73 de VA6POP
A simple way to attach insulated stranded wire would be run the wire through the eye bolt hole, or insulator, fold the wire back and secure with a wire rope clip. You can use plastic ties but they will not last long. The dual band and tri-band inverted V antennas are all made with solid gauge wire, too. Insulated stranded wire of course will not hold it's shape and so solid gauge wire is recommended on the multi-band antennas. Thanks for watching and please visit my TH-cam channel. 73! :)
@Jackupnow The wire will most likely be less expensive to purchase in your country rather than to have it imported. Search for 14-1 solid PE. More details on my Facebook page as someone else asked, too. My web site and Facebook links are posted on my TH-cam channel. 73! :)
Dave are you still active? I really enjoy your antenna building vids. I know you’ve built many wire antennas. Which is you pick between an ocf, doublet or bazooka? Tnx 73
Please note: The height of the ends of the antenna above the ground looked different through the camcorder lens and is instead about 10' instead of 15'-20' as mentioned in the video.
I've tried this 40 meter antenna for receiving AM broadcast stations but it did not work well. My 160 meter antenna works a lot better but still doesn't do as well as it should. You'll need at least 250 feet of wire and much more if cut to the correct wavelength. Plus 3 times that amount of wire for directors and reflectors, 3 large towers (120 ft tall), and a ton of money. Or, buy a AM replacement antenna for a transistor radio for about $4.00.
They can still interact with each other if they are too close together. Even though they are running in different directions, they are both still horizontally polarized. Space them as for apart as possible. Thanks for watching and 73! :)
Great video and very informative. I'm curious about the meaning of the
"one delta kansas" that you gave each of your contacts. I'm guessing it
has something to do with the contest.
Grid coordinate
Dave , Im putting up a W8AMZ G5RV Jr. in the inverted V configuration. My issue is that the ladder line and coax will have to drop down only about 3 feet or so and then go in a horazontal to my upstairs ham shack. Is this going to cause major problems with the efficiency of the antenna and or throw my SWR's completly out of wack ??
If you have the space try making the 40/80/160m antenna. The tri-band antenna is easier to tune than the 40/80m antenna as it should not require any modifications to the coils. Please visit my website for more information about both antennas. If you have questions then please click the link on my website to my Facebook page. Questions, antenna photos, etc. can be posted on my Facebook page. Thanks for watching and good DX! :)
An antenna so simple even I can do it..............maybe. I thought that was a Kenwood on your desk. I just picked up 2 TS 440 SATs (one hardly used) and can't wait to get home to set em up.
Dave prarabéns,belo video.
73
PY4 OP Milton Gouvêa
Brasil
nice video my friend,i'm from brasil and have some issues with a dipole 20/40 meters on my icom ic- 706,i have another radio kenwood ts-440s work fine ,but now is hard listen other people in the ic-706 : (
Dave, Wow! excellent videos! You have taught me so much in the last few days since I found your channel. I have subscribed. I was wondering if you have done any propagation wave modeling on the 40/80 or 40 inverted V? (ie EZNEC). Do they tend to omni-directional? I live on an acre, but it is wooded so I am trying to find out the best location to put the antenna to give me the most options. Thanks, Joe KJ4LZM
Recently someone mentioned to me that a dipole antenna, one of the most efficient antennas, may only be 98% efficient. Meaning even with maximum transfer of power to the antenna there may still be a very small amount of RF coming back down the coax cable. This small amount of reflected power should not be enough RF to cause any real problems.