How Do You Make A Beginner's Ham Radio Antenna?

First Video Submitted Question! How Do You Make A Beginner's Ham Radio Antenna? Seems an easy enough question right? Well not really... This video has all the info you need to know to successfully make your first antenna (ham radio or not). Hopefully this will demystify how radio waves and antennas interact.
Mag Mount Antenna:
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NanoVNA-4H
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[@robertatpierpontbeach]

Thanks, Stu; I appreciated the use of simple to follow graphics. Full wave to half wave to quarter wave has always been a challenge for me to follow although most training quickly skips through the concept. Your use of vacuum comparison was good.

[@AG6AG]

Hi Robert,
Great to hear! It's always nice to get a good review from someone that is a true "Elmer" in the community.
Stu
AG6AG

[@mikewalker4134]

Good explanation of radio waves and antenna info. Thanks, AK6HP

[@AG6AG]

It was fun to do... Thanks for noticing!
Stu

[@DonzLockz]

Well explained and great graphics. Pictures say a thousand words.🍻🤠

[@AG6AG]

Thanks 👍
Stu
AG6AG

[@אררטי]

Great video, Stu. It covers the bases quite well. Like button: smashed. Subscribe button: destroyed. Notification bell: annihilated.
Dipoles are one of the first kinds of antennas that new hams build. Potentially stupid question here: the thing that I still don't quite understand is why we attach the actual core of the coax (the signal) to one leg and the shield of the coax to the other. Why not just connect the core of the coax to the centre of a single wire? That way all the signal would go to the wire. Would love to hear your thoughts. 73

[@AG6AG]

Hi Armen,
Thanks for the thumbs up and great question!
Visualize an electric circuit.
- When we use AC current, there are both a hot and a common wire, with one on each side of the device.
- The current moves back and forth from one wire to the other wire passing current through the device (light bulb or whatever).
- The device uses the current to create action (light, heat, motion, etc...).
- If we remove one of the wires the current no longer has a complete circuit to create the action.
- The device is no longer energized.
Now, let's look at a transmitted signal.
- The transmitter generates electricity flowing into the transmitter antenna.
- This makes electrons vibrate up and down the antenna, producing radio waves.
- Half of those radiated waves exist on the shield of the coax.
- Not connecting that side of the coax would cause the coax to radiate half the signal. (not good).
As with everything, there are exceptions. A non resonant long wire sends the shield side to earth (needing a grounding rod). This is why we need a 9:1 unun to transform the characteristic impedance to match the antennas funky impedance of the antenna itself.
Hope that clears it up for you... It was a struggle for me to wrap my head around it as well when I was getting started.
Stu
AG6AG

[@LionRoars918]

I am running a longwire indoors about 53 ft with a 9:1 UnUn and at 91 for my DXCC (it has taken about 2-3 years). I do FT8 of course as that is the only thing I can receive.

[@AG6AG]

Hi Lion,
And old ham told me that the only bad antenna is the one you are not using... I've used all sorts of antennas in the field and will tell you that a 9:1 will let you just about load anything! I had a buddy load a barbwire fence with 160M and got Qs!
Cheers,
Stu
AG6AG