Radio - HAM - Antenna: DIY quarter wave ground plane antenna
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 ก.ย. 2024
- How to make a quarter wave vertical 2 meter ground plane antenna.
Parts for project: astore.amazon.c...
In this video I go through the build of a UHF / VHF (146 MHz) quarter wave ground plane antenna that can be used for repeater communications.
This is a simple wire antenna that makes use of a SO239 UHF / VHF connector and four radials. It is very quick to assemble with some simple tools. It is advisable to use an antenna analyzer to find the correct SWR (standing wave ratio) and resonant frequency.
This antenna also works well for receiving with a radio scanner.
Other items / topics mentioned in this video:
* Yaesu FT-897 HF / VHF / UHF all mode transceiver
* How to get your HAM / amateur radio license
* RigExpert AA-200 antenna analyzer : www.rigexpert.c...
* Pin nose pliers, screw driver, marker, tape measure (feet / meters)
* 12 gauge solid copper wire / building wire
* PL259 / SO239 UHF / VHF connector
* Antenna length = 234 / freq (MHz)
* Impedance = 50 ohm
* Coaxial braided cable RG8X / RG-8X
* How to use an antenna analyzer
* PVC pipe for mounting / mast
I am back watching this as I am going to try and mount my 2m/70cm 1/4 wave ground plane antenna in the attic. My Nano VNA tested this as good on the bench. Now I am routing the LMR400 up the wall to pop up in the attic. I will miss my boys routing this cable haha. Thanks again for your your step by step instructions and helpful hints. I will also test this outside if need be.
Hi Danieal, thanks very much for the feedback. It's great to hear you made one and that SWR is great. I hope it works well for you.
Cheers,
Martin.
My pleasure, I hope to do another DIY antenna build but it will take a while before I get to that video. Thanks for the feedback. Cheers Martin.
Yes! That's a brilliant idea and I'm sure it will work well. Do post back if you get it together.
My pleasure, I'm glad it was of value. Thanks for the feedback.
Thanks for the post. Enjoy building them and I hope the exam goes well. Cheers, Martin.
Yes...great idea, I have seen some great results with folks using plumbing pipe...I will put it in the job jar.
Thanks very much....yes, some solar testing kit has arrived which I'll introduce in a video this week. I'm waiting on some hybrid capacitors to arrives to pick up on several solar projects....so watch this space....
My pleasure, thanks for watching.
My pleasure, thanks for the feedback Alex.
My pleasure, thanks very much for the feedback.
BTW a 1/4 wave 2 meter antenna is 3/4 waves on 440Mhz. and works great on both bands with gain.
Hi there, my callsign is KD8LON...but I'll only have my kit arrive in the US in about a month or so...but I'm here in the US now. Cheers, martin.
There is a neater way to make loops. 1. Measure back along the wire about pi times the diameter that you want. 2. bend the wire 90 degrees at that point. 3. Form your loop with the wire you bent over, in the opposite direction to the 90 degree bend. For an eye type loop, like the one that you made in this video, you would make your 1st bend at about 45 degrees. This method keeps the loop or eye in line with whatever you are making it from. It's easier to do in practice than to describe in words.
Yes, easy enough to test although it might not show the whole picture in terms of radiation patten but let me add that to the "to do" list too.
Thanks for the feedback.
Greetings from Sweden 🇸🇪
Awesome channel, loved this video!
You just got yourself a new subscriber 🤖
Great video it helped me out lots as I'm just getting into Ham and I've built a few of these antennas as well as a few dipoles
Thank you.Nicely explained, this helps us newbies understand.
David St.Germain My pleasure David. Thanks for the feedback.
Your welcome sir. Thank you for posting such well done information 73.
You can put one end of the wire in a drill the other end in a vice lightly pull on the and trigger the drill only a couple turns you can make the wire perfectly straight antenna and radials like a bought antenna
some loc tite sealant is perfect for the nuts on the bottom as well, and just a pet peeve i have from school is always put the wires around the screws or post clockwise , not a have too, but as you tighten the screws they are turning and tightening with that, and all the electricians i know always do it that way, a lil petty i know but just a suggestions.
Aaah....thanks, appreciate you posting that tip.
Всех свободных операторов с Днём Радио! "Телеграф", 73!
Just passed the test for Technician license with a 100%. Received a Yaesu FT-4VR, mono band, 2 meter HT from the local Ham club for passing the test. While I wait for my license and name to appear on the FCC database, I need to build a 2 meter antenna so I can hit the local repeater. I can hit the repeater outside on my deck but I want to be able to do so inside my QTH. The little rubber ducky antenna is not that good. I've got several pieces of 1 inch PVC pipe to go inside my 18 foot mast pole for the 1/4 wave ground plane to sit in.
Ok correct me if i am wrong but i think you could get better. By adjusting the radials you get a better impedance, which in turn helps for better swr. Surely you would have been better trimming the antenna to a resonate length and then adjusting radials for swr, or i mean keep radials at a 40' angle and work from there. But my question is which would you trim the radials or the radiator? Great video by the way.
Wonderful Video, very informative and excellent presentation !!! Love the way you explain everything and don't leave anything out.
Awesome vid. I'm a newbie w. baofeng uv5r so looking for a little more range. Ur vid made it crystal clear. Will share and search ur vids for more like Help The Newbies type stuff. Thx again.
My pleasure.
Very great work. Please, It´s posible that you explain how to make a similar dual band antenna that works with 2mt and 70cm. bands?. Thanks
Very nicely done mate! Question, do you turn off your Rig Expert every time you cut the wire in order not to damage your analyzer?
Thanks that was very informative. I am just getting into scanning. I am having problems receiving the CHP here in CA. I need a antenna that will receive only at between 39 and 42 MHz. I and using a discone right now and it works great for most other frequencies but not for the low band. Will this design work for what i need?
We should do a test 12 gauge wire antenna vs 1/4 inch copper
plumbing pipe and see if the sensitivity makes a difference,
Very informative video. One question: You snipped some of the wire off the vertical portion, but not off the 4 lower ones. Is there any reason you did not try snipping off say 1/8" off the lower ones?
Thanks!
I have the same question
Hi, nice work on tuning the antenna! How many watts do you think you can pump into this quarter wave?
Thanks
Martin if you could reply asap. quick question. How would I make this produce 34MHz?
Do I make the building wires longer?
Great video! Cant wait for the 10-20 meter HF stuff keep up the good work! Any updates on your solar projects? 73's
build this antenna already, now i have made a Slim jim antenna. Its standing at a poal of 5 meter, im doing next year exemen for Novice. Im going to build this ground plane again. End get it at a poal of 10/16 meters. want to work at 144 mhz end 145 en 70 cm so hope to talk to u some time greets.
Fantastic video. Thanks for posting it.
where did you get the number 234 for your antenna length equation?
holy smokes man, $660.00 for that digital analyzer have you lost your mind.... lol, i will stick with the lower end MFJ , but i was looking at that one you have there and it is a great lil beauty .
Could you use a thicker size wire to make it strong enough for a mobile antenna mounted on a vehicle?
Assuming that what you mean by ‘mobile’, is using an aerial on a vehicle with a metal roof, then no, you don’t need the ground plane radials, because the roof of the vehicle acts as the ground plane.
However, if the vehicle has a huge panoramic glass roof which you have ‘some-how’ managed to attached to the aerial mount to, then ‘yes’, you need radials for the ground plane.
Finally, unless you are driving around in a low-speed milk-float, this wire would go out of shape very rapidly on anything faster. At that point, you need to use solid steel rods, instead of copper wire and possibly use a much better mount too.
Nice guy i have sucessful make the antenna in frequeancy 143.400 Mhz as follow your show on video. The SWR meter show reading 1.2
Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I really like your videos.
Thanks again Martin! Thumbs up as usual.
thanks enjoyed it will look out for more from you
hi, i wanting to build one of these antennas to transmit on the fm band (at around 103.8mhz) . can it be used outside as it is and, if not, what would i need to do to weatherproof it?
Great work man! thanks allot! you're really good at explaining things.
My pleasure, thanks for the feedback.
how do you figure the angle on the ground plane? why 45*
Great video, thanks.
nice video thanks for sharing.
let do another test as a dipole with no radials and see
what differences that makes...
How would one tune this without an analyzer?
VHF/UHF SWR meter.
very nice explanation. u r awesome.
where did you get the value 246?
Try 468 divided by the frequency.This formula will give you the length to cut your vertical element and radials to on a groundplane antenna like in the video.Use the same formula also for dipoles or inverted vees.
Great!
cool
Brilliant. Thank you.
In the United States SOLDER is pronounced with out the "L" - please look in an American dictionary.
You sure do waste a lot of wire. Yer antenna is a little long.
My pleasure, thanks for the feedback.
My pleasure, thanks for the feedback.