DIY Ham Radio Antennas!
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- Опубліковано 8 лют 2025
- In this video I show that making your own antenna can help you fix an antenna when it's not working. I show an early prototype CaHR antenna and how we will bullet proof the antenna.
Coffee and Ham Radios Store, coffeeandhamra...
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#hamradio , #antenna , #podcast
Making home brew antennas for me is one of the most satisfying aspects of the hobby. 73’s KB3ZWR
I know right? That first antenna and first contact is so satisfying! Thanks for watching!
I've bought exactly 2 antennas since I got my license ( not including mobile for 2m 70cm) I've even built me own screwdriver antenna. One of the antennas was a kit to learn about winding UNUN's, and the other was from a very good friend's widow. she was getting a lot of really crappy offers and didn't know what any of the gear was worth. She had a Buddipole that was brand new, never opened. Some one told here they were only worth $50. When she told me that I told her the real cost and then bought it from her. She then had me go over everything he had and I priced it all. She had another Ham try to HELP her, but he was only helping himself. He was a bloody crook. Would offer pennies on the dollar then resell it. So I cleared out anything with any value. There was some stuff that really was not worth much, and we just set low prices and I told her if any one makes an offer within 50%, take it. The other guy was quite pissed. He was buying up stuff as he got the money ant relisting it at 4 times the price. But I think I got my friend in a bit of trouble when she started to learn thee real value of some of his stuff! You know the saying "My fear is that my wife will sell my stuff when I'm gone for what I said it was worth!"
You really get a better understanding of bands and how RF works once you build your first antenna, especially if you have to tune it to resonance. Once you have those fundamentals in your head, you can start building your own antennas and see what's good or bad about your own design and make improvements!
Yes , you really does help you understand how they work.
@@temporarilyoffline yes I was speaking to a man on a 17m vertical we made and he could hear me on his side in Pennsylvania 5/2. On 20watts. Fantastic. I was 5/9 into him in Germany.
@@temporarilyoffline on his sdr in Pennsylvania. He was in Germany lol
@@MarkTurner-u8s that's gotta feel real good!
@@temporarilyoffline yes it does. Fishing as just taken over at the moment and I’m moving house so the classic can wait a wee bit. Iv got them into catching a 20lb plus carp. My fault lol. Having fun with my grand kids tho. Soon be my great grand kids. I have 2 of lol. Laters pal. It’s all great moments memories Merry Xmas pal
Yes you should that’s what it is all about. The pride when you chat across the world on a antenna you have made 👍🏻🇬🇧
It really is cool when you make your antenna and make a great contact and you saved money also. Thanks for the comment!
I think his teacher wants to know more off the results of my grandsons results.
Big fan of building antennas. It’s fun and usually not too complicated.
Most info on an antenna you want to build is out there and today with the internet easy to obtain. Thanks!
Building antennas is super fun. Finding an interesting plan or coming up with your own then having it work is a great feeling. I have bought a few antennas but have built way more, especially wire antennas. I build my own 49:1 transformers for EFHW because this is my favorite home built antenna. I've built loading coils and feed points for dipoles and inverted V's. Lots of plans and instruction on UA-cam so don't be afraid to try.
Totally agree Jack. Wire antennas are usually easy and cheap, thanks for watching!
Every ham should build at least some of their antennas. You learn so much and have some pride in what you built. Chuck, keeping it real as always. Thanks for what you do Chuck. The channels that pimp everything new that comes out for clicks and so often lie by omission drive me crazy. 73
Drives me crazy also and sometimes you need to buy an antenna. Sometimes time and materials cost more than making you just need to weigh all options. I usually build though, thanks for the kind words and keep making!
I just built a 3/4 wave 10 meter antenna today, no coil, super bandwidth, just in time for the 10 m dx Contest. I built a EFHW and have worked asia QRP. that is my prefered way to operate, I built my own 4 element 6 meter beam, I built my own stacked horiaonal loops for 2 meters. HELL YES BUILD YOUR ANTENNAS AND ENJOY.
That's awesome , I built a 5 element LFA yagi for 6m and last year I went coast to coast, it was great!!
I think every Ham should be able to build their own antennas. Beam antennas ok not so easy. but dipoles, verticals, Fan Dipoles, and end feds are so simple and saves you so much money. Kits are fine. You get everything you need and you learn just how easy it really is!
I agree, small 2m Yagis are a good way to start and understand how they are made. Thanks for sharing.
@@KK6USYHamRadioAdventures First beam I maid was a 3 element 5 meter. When the band was in, it worked fantastic. Just a broom handle, and 3 pieces of aluminum tubing. I'm sure the original had some sort of matching unit, but there was nothing on the plan for it, so I built it. Lost it somehow. Been missing for at least 10 years!
Oh sure NOW you release this video after I bought and assembled the Poseidon... 😂 Building antennas is the most fun I have in radio!
Lol I was smiling watching you build the Poseidon , everyone needs more antennas!!
You still made it with your own hands lol
@@MarkTurner-u8s 🤣 true
@@prephampaul I have 2 grandsons. We make antennas and try them. Blog and record from start to finish. We sent them into school for their project work Next project is to put up my dxcommander classic. Wooohooo
@@MarkTurner-u8s That's a great idea. Mine will be visiting next week... I'm thinking of ideas now.
nothing better than making a contact on an antenna you made yourself .
Right?, Thanks Johnleese8418.
No commercial ants, baluns or traps or amps here . 40 years of home brew resonant ants, and almost every qso is over 10,000 miles. I also learnt cw, which i am very proud of , and to be able use all modes. 73.
Hey Chuck is one of my favorite part of ham radio even if doesn't work lol, 73's my friend.
Always been my favorite part of the hobby!
Not having actually seen the video yet, just from reading the thumbnail, the answer is yes! First licensed sometime in the last century, my first antenna was a quarter wave vertical for 2 meters. It was made from a couple of steel coat hangers and a SO-239 from Radio Shack. I didn't think I was ever going to get the solder to stick to steel. But it did. The thing worked great. And, cost next to nothing. Even today, #$% years later, my main antenna is a homemade fan dipole. Again, inexpensive and does the job well. There is a certain feeling of pride of accomplishment when you get that antenna in the air, tuned to perfection, and you make that first QSO.
I think the 1/4 wave vertical was my first antenna and I never looked back still making my own!
Nice work Chuck 👍
Thanks Ape , I know you like to make antennas!
Great info Chuck. Will need to buy one. Building antennas is a great starting point for learning to solder and what goes into antennas.
Yea something I didn't mention improving your soldering skills.
One of my favorite aspects of amateur radio is building antennas
I’ve built dipoles, Verticals, Yagis, Quads, End feds, ect. Many worked perfectly, and just as many, not so good! But with a few tweaks here and there I can usually achieve decent results.
Experimentation is half the fun! And I encourage every operator out there to at least try!
I do a lot of camping and radio myself. Along with an analyzer the various connectors and such. I always have cheap Harbor Freight VOM with me. It’s gotten me out of antenna problems many a time.
Good point, a affordable multimeter is great to have and also if you can afford a antenna analyzer or even a Nano VNA are a great help. Thanks for sharing!
Nice Job, Chuck. 💯👍
Thanks UG!
Great show
Thanks Coolie!!
Built my first 2 antennas and bought 1. Will be building my 10m vertical and horizontal dipoles for this weekends ARRL 10m contest. Using 16awg speaker wire for my homebuilt ones. Have 250ft of 20awg wire coming for the next set of builds. Absolutely enjoy the act of building and setting up "my" antennas.
73
KJ5FWC
Speaker is great for affordable and great antennas! Thanks for sharing.
I think a couple of spot of High Temp RTV for the back of the toroid to sit in. i have used that for some of aviation electronics I used to help build. Thanks for the videos Chuck! 73
Yea I got lazy forgot it and just used the antenna , until I couldn't. It's all fixed now and zip tied down!
I have bought a few Yagi antennas over a span of 60 years. They were cheaper than buying the parts. They were also very large antennas. The vast majority of my antennas have been homemade. It’s frankly hard to beat a dipole on 40 meters and above as you can get it reasonably high very easily. My best antenna ever was probably my 80 meter half square. For 160 it’s the approximately 165 foot inverted L. I find that if I have three homemade dipoles pointing in different direction on a switch I am almost as good as when I had my full size four element 20 meter Yagi at 70 feet. The cost of wire, coax and a remote switch is nothing compared to the expense of a 70 foot tower and a large Hy-gain mono bander. Rotors are not cheap either. Not to mention the effort involved to install and maintain the big antenna! Antennas is one thing we can still build in ham radio and we should all know how to do it.
@@dandypoint well said
Dandy that was well said. I agree big Yagis are hard to beat what they cost unless you have access to the aluminum. Wire antennas are sooo cost effective they are hard to beat!
Keep up the great work!
Thanks Mike, you too buddy!
Building is fun Chuck, 73s from Dubai
Hmm Dubai, my wife loved visiting there with here friends. Thanks for watching!
Place we have called home since 3 decades. Vibrant city. Like watching your videos, 73s
The answer of course is YES!
I agree!
Yes I am watching!!!!!!
Dang in trouble again, did you see there was a guy from Dubai ??
6 seconds in. Yes, hams should make their own antennas. Baluns and ununs too eventually. Early hams built their own radio, just to get on the air. With the exception of the magmount on my truck, I've built all my antennas. It's not hard. Currently vertical ground plane for 2 meter and 70 centimeter. Dipoles and long wire (with balun) for HF.
Good point on the securing of the toroid. I'm going to seek some rubber to sandwich with in the box. Small enough to not build up heat, large enough to actually hold it wedged in the box without messing up the lid seal.
Yea Baluns used to stress me out until I made a few and now it's just another part to the puzzle! Thanks for the comment!
you should build one or two for sure, be able to do it.. understand the way to do it. but its fine to purchase high quality ones as well, once you know the basics of operation.
I think when you build one you have a better idea of the quality of some of the premade antennas.
Made a 40-10 portable delta loop that takes names.
Are you saving the names? This is an antenna I want to build and experiment with maybe a second one to behind it to take farther away Names!
@KK6USYHamRadioAdventures check your email
Yes & no, We should build our own antenna as I feel it's in the spirit of the hobby.
The no part not everyone can for whatever reason so those that can need to help also in the spirit of the hobby.
Well said , find a Ham that needs help and help them make their first antenna.
I hate building antennas. Hate it. I’m not a crafter, builder, or home brewer.
Slacker
But you have built them right? If you have I bet you learned something right? Have you tried Homebrew Beer it's pretty good if you do it right, Oh you were talking antennas my mind strayed on the beer Thanks for sharing!
@@jamesgeorge1709 James be nice and don't be a sad ham lol! Looks like he has tried and that counts!
Most people buy a transceiver but there is no reason to not build your own aerials. Wire is cheap.
I built my five attic 20m to 10m dipoles, 60m band inverted vee and 4 element 2m end fed collinear and mag. loop. I built a copy of a Joystick which is an inductance on an insulated pole with a 25 foot long wire feeding it through a tuner.
I was given a 6m dipole and recently a 2m dipole and thinking I might extend it for 4m (70 MHz).
Years ago I built a 5 el Yagi for 2m and 3 el for 70 MHz.
I have a NANO VNA now so it's easy to see if an aerial is too short or too long. Much easier than with just an SWR meter as I used to do.
G4GHB.
Dang you have built a lot of antennas and I like it! I need to try a mag loop seems like a fun project!
@@KK6USYHamRadioAdventures Tnx for your comment.
I even made a mag. loop for 2m as an experiment, it was tiny.
I have about 16' of thick coax I was given and temporarily rigged up a mag. loop and tried it for 80m and with a lot of capacitance on 160m.
I need to make a proper frame to put it on.
73, G4GHB.
As it snapped
And it snapped hard!
No earth connection
Lil bit of hot glue should be good enough ??
I know and I closed it up and forgot! But it's fixed now oh yea and better than before!
Only if you want to an it floats your boat.
Yea I get it some just don't want to build and just Buy and that's ok too!
It's a do it yourself hobbie. I make my own as well as help others. My topped J-pole on 2M outperforms the F23H. I like being able to do better than commercial products on ,y own.
Yea I have seen some of the "oh these are built like a tank" until you open it up and see it's not built that good on the inside. Thanks for the comment and watching!
Not only should you make your own antenna you should also build your own radio and you should also build your own mic and headphones. You're not a real ham if you don't.
I think I have done all those , but the radio was a kit does that count? Thanks for watching!
I don't think people should buy antenna
Well sometimes?
Not ALLL hams have the mechanical ability to do that
I think most can learn that, maybe they won't make the prettiest antenna but something that works and they can use. Sometimes there are limiting factors that can keep them from building. Thanks for the input!
I built my own cobweb. Talked all over with it! VA3IRF
Those have a lot of wire, glad to hear it works good!
@@KK6USYHamRadioAdventures , Yes, about 108 feet of wire. But the results are pretty amazing!
Yes you should that’s what it is all about. The pride when you chat across the world on a antenna you have made 👍🏻🇬🇧
You are correct Mark!