I just completed building the five element version of the Dream Beam antenna and got it up and on the air today. I must say, I am extremely impressed with how well this antenna works. I am hitting repeaters nearly 60 miles away with only 10 watts and the signal coming back is S5-S7 (no pre-amp). Initial testing of my dream beam, before raising it, showed SWR's at 1:1 on 146.520 and no higher than 1.4:1 across the entire 2 meter band. No post assembly tuning was necessary! I did make one modification. Instead of connecting an entire 50, 75, or 100 foot length of coax to the feed point (once it's siliconed, it's pretty much permanent) I made a feed line. I used a piece of RG-8X, long enough to put in a few turns in for an RF choke, soldered on a PL-259 and attached a barrel connector. Now if you need to move the antenna for any reason, you won't have to disconnect a long length of coax from your radio, just disconnect from the barrel connector and off you go. My dream beam is pictured on my QRZ page Thanks Matt and Darron, you guys are a hoot to watch and the background music is awesome. 73 KV3S
It is 35 years since I last used an IFR1200 shown at the beginning. (I used to do installation of base-stations and repeaters for a living). It was an excellent piece of kit and I'd have one tomorrow if there was one I could afford one.
Very cool! The proof is in the results. It's always satsifying when your antenna works the way it's supposed too when you get done building it. You guys got me wanting to build two now. One for 2 meters and another for 70cm. You guys had fun building it. Great video and thank you for all the little details that you included. Thank you for sharing your project!
Best 2m design out there. I use the 5L version, my buddy uses a 7L version. We talk simplex (over 17 miles) regularly at half a watt. My antenna is at 33 feet. His is at 24 feet. He can use his VX-8DR to talk to me on 50 milliwatts! Unfortunately half a watt is as low as I can go. The only downside to this antenna is weight. This things are absolute pigs lol. We have redesigned them using fiberglass booms and spreaders with aluminum directors and reflector. 4lbs for the 7L version. Right around 3lbs for the 5L. I can hit repeaters at 80 miles day or night. There is a fairly tall repeater at over 100 miles that I get into on a regular basis. LOVE this antenna. I may have to try an 8 element version...12 ft boom and an estimated 16.2dBd gain! The only people that say that this design isn't worth the effort are the people who haven't used one. Great job, fellas!
That is somewhat of a contradictory statement. If that were true, you could take a 7 element Yagi and remove D1, D2, D3, and D4, but leave D5, and it would be the same boom length but it would NOT have the same gain. The elements are necessary every 0.15 to 0.25 wavelength for several reasons. If they were not significant, then you would see people with long booms with very few elements.
Half a watt is as low as you can go? There are several ways to get that lower. One of the ways I use is dump some of that power into a dummy load. That is, connect both your antenna AND a dummy load at the same time (using a power divider or a custom made "phasing" harness). There are also attenuators that should handle 1/2 watt in. A 6dB attenuator would make that 1/8th of a watt (about 125 mW).
I doubt an 8 element antenna of this type will be 16.2 dBd. More likely it will be closer to 16.2 dBi which is about 14 dBd. If you already have a 5 element, why not make an identical one and stack them vertically? That should squash the radiation down closer to the horizon and may add about 2 to 2.5 dB of maximum gain.
Nice touch with the camo tape. Not only looks cool, but will protect the pvc from UV light. One of my Home Depot antennas started breaking down after 4 years in the sun light.
Excellent advice about personal protection! You can't replace your eyes. I would also suggest gloves while running the drill. I had a bit break once and put a nice slice across the back of my hand as it cartwheeled away.
I built this and have the Swr down to 1.12 @146MHz everything is as straight as I can get it but I’m not hitting anything new? Everything I can hit with the beam plugged into the HT I can hit with the HT w/ the abree antenna? Am I doing something wrong I had really high hopes of hitting something new.
I love using PVC for projects but when using white PVC outdoors be aware that UV from the sun really weakens it over time. I have seen it become like egg shell. There is gray PVC pipe used for outdoor wiring and it has good UV protection built in. If not then get a good spray pain to coat the PVC pipe once it is assembled. Antennas are one of the things us hams can build and they are fun. All the best.
Hi Don, Came across this antenna of yours a couple of weeks ago and set to and built one over the weekend , I only had some PVC & some 20mil fiberglass tubing I used for the spreaders and made the boom out of some 2x2 wood that I have dressed up. I then made up the copper loops with the #8 wire but I brazed them together except the Dir element made as per instructions. Ive set it up on an 9 foot pole at the moment but intend to put it up on a 10 mtr aluminum pole so I can rotate to any position. But even at 9ft I am blowing my mates out of their shacks, it's amasing, SWR is 1.02 to 1.04 over the range of frequencies that I use.My frequency range from 146525 to 146900 so am very happy with this design. regards Lance Smith ZL2ALS
I utilize two meters for the national calling frequency 146.520 Mhz and sky warn when ever severe weather threatens my home town of Kokomo which inside Howard County in north central Indiana upon reviewing this video of Don's antenna I think he did a great job of producing that antenna.
+Tony Ridlen Thanks very much. It is a proven design. I have made a lot and I get a lot of emails with successful results. The only time people have issues is when they stray from the path. Try it before you redesign it. You won't be disappointed. It beats the pants off any single antenna system. 73s
i just finished my 2 meter the evening before i got my general upgrade. whats nice about it is that with the mast unscrewed it slides right into the back seat of my 2010 crown vic police panther. its 5 14 2020 and theres supposed to be a vhf contest this weekend. couple hours and up to the top of the mountain i go. im running a ft 991at 50 watts, but my QYT 980 plus does all of 75 watts. comparrison time. lol only thing i changed on build was i used 1/8th inch copper tubing sleaves and soldered all but the driven. using a mfj921 tuner just to dial her in till i can get a analyser on it thanks for the build guys . Next up is a 3 rectangle moxon build. did a single for 6 meters and so impressed. very simple build and very light with exremely good gain . give it a try if ya get bored. thanks again . k2gfi,73
For the reflector loop and director loops solder or braze the ends together and use slots at both ends. It will save you the weight of all the bolts nuts and washers for connecting the ends of the loops. Buy doing it this way you can form the loops on a work bench before inserting them in the end slots and adding the end caps.
Awesome vids! This will be 18' up in my attic. Not the 40 you recommend. But I can reliably hit repeaters at 65 miles with my N9TAX antenna at the same height with 65 watts from a TM-281A. I can occasionally hit a repeater at 137 miles with some atmospheric help. Simplex @ 20 miles is no problem at all (Haven't tried any further than that). I live in Oklahoma so it's pretty flat out here :) Hoping the 5 element dream beam will extend my tx/rx distances even further. Cost will be lower since I won't be using end caps or glue/sealant, though a cheap $100 rotator will be needed.
Awesome video thank you. Putting up my homebuilt 11 meter experiment quad today and wasn’t 100% on how to wire in the coaxial feed into the driver. This is the first video I saw that showed that part which is very important. I appreciate it thank you very much for sharing.
there you go !!! ....saw the first video , i bought the pvc and still have it , now that im retired ill build this " improved version " ....have a second tower i want to put up for satelitte work ! thanks for upload and ill be sure to wear saftey glasses to eliminate and cuts or bruses ......ill let you know in few days how this works for me ......de N5OMV .....ODESSA TEXAS !!!!
For the notch in the ends of the PVC, use a drill press drill a hole and at the bandsaw cut from the end of the pvc pipe into the drilled hole making a slot. This is faster and maybe cleaner that chipping away with a drill bit as if it were an endmill. Another method could be using a router table with the slowest speed setting and then just slot it.
Newbee to Ham but knowing something about pipe. You ought to try locating some schedule 80 fittings in key locations like the T that holds the entire Antenna to the mast. Schedule 80 is much thicker and is also much more resistant to decay in sunlight. Regular PVC becomes brittle when left in the sunlight. Schedule 80 does not. Also the fittings you are using to cover the ends of the loops electro-mechanical connections are called couplings. I just say this so it's easier for someone to locate the parts, not to be a prick. Thanks for the video. Its this kind of tinkering that I find interesting about the hobby. Perhaps one day my roof will sport some interesting roof art.
Here is a Danny Hodges the UHF TV antenna builder guy tip for you for straightening wire. Chuck up one end of your wire into a drill and the other in a vise and run the drill a few revolutions and it will get all the crooks out of your wire.
Have you guys considered making a 5 element 2m antenna with a 70 cm antenna on the front for satellite communications? I think there are some possibilities for that.
Is that rg 6 your using ? And is that shield aluminum ? I'm wondering if you reach up and touch the coax jacket would it affect the swr ? In another word that loop antenna Is balanced the coax is not so when you point the antenna at someone to talk do you have to point off a little to get maximum signal ? If so you have common node current on the coax and need to separate the feed line from the resonate loop . The coax regardless if it's 50 ohm or 75 ohm can do good just pay attention to the loss . If you are using copper shield coax the a sleeve choke can stop common node current and make a hudge difference in directivity the antenna . I have built a out 30 of the quad 4 sided antennas and they work great , there the best to remove noise and if you want some eme action then add the yagi directors to it for some killer performance. You guys are doing great keep up with the diy . Kc5ulu
*MUY BUENA,Y BELLA ,ADEMAS DE EFICAZ ANTENA AMIGO!!!!* Pero,entiendo que en EEUU,suelen ocurrir vientos muy fuertes.Mi pregunta es,soportara dicha antena esos vientos,ademas de las aves de gran porte en la zona,cuando se posen sobre el alambre de ella???Cordial saludo amigo!! FELICITACIONES !! 73DXS!
Too many post to find if this has been asked... Why not crimp and solder the wire loops ends together (except for the driven element, obviously) rather than drill holes and use the screws? Also...how about using this concept like a Quagi, using 2 loops, but yagi type directors for the rest?
Just a follow up seeing how I have not heard from you so I have put in the following Standard wire gauge ( UK) SWG # 8 = 4.1mm or 0.160” conversion is 8.6 metres per kg American Wire gauge ( USA) AWG # 8 = 3.2mm or 0.125” conversion is 13.5 metres per kg
looking at this antenna, you mention that you can rotate it vertical or horizontal for FM or SSB .. but .. the elements are loops ,, Not a conventional yagi configuration of rods and dipole ...so i doubt this antenna has any polarity ..
Interesting antenna, looks like a decent loop antenna, seems I will be building one of these soon when the weather gets better here. Cheers Eddie VK6YA
Hey guys, love the build. Simple, thorough, and effective. I did not hear it in the video but would this antenna be horizontally or vertically polarized? Thank you guys again for your hard work teaching less experienced hams like me. 73
Maybe cut the pipe just a BIT longer 1/16 inch or so and then use a bench sander to shorten and square the ends? Sorry for so many comments... You guys are a hoot!
Any way to add more directors to add gain and distance? If so, there is a project. I need to hit a 2 meter repeater about 100 miles away, The path is from Panama City Fl to Tallahassee Fla.
For the notch in the wire support you might use a "Mill bit" which is made to cut from the side. They come in 2,3 and 4 flute styles. They're cheap on bay from China (where else?) I use them for cut out's for meter faces, etc on plastic project boxes. Jeff KJ4RWH
Can you use it for ISS contact? Just curious. Im new to HAM. Got my first radio in April....got my Tech License early June....passed the General two weeks ago....taking Extra exam next weekend. Loving this hobby. 73.....KI5JHX
Can't believe that guinea hen at 27:53 , Morse code it would be a, a ,a a,a a a a a and pretty loud too . Funny. That extra little bit of parallel coax at 25:28 to match the natural higher impudence of a loop a the director coupling ? N6GRG
isnt it directional? can I get just the dimensions of the loops and the details of the feed and director tuning. Im a welder and will make mine with stainless and fiberglass. Thanks, Craig KD9UQE
Nice work. Why is that 2" of unshielded coax important? Is it for tuning or was that a joke? lol Could you guys get this guy on the channel (De Bohannan) so we can see his stuff! Thanks
Can I ask what is the 45 ft #8 solid copper wire is it 4.1mm ? But as it being a US website and all measurements are in inches I would suggest that you are using American wire gauge AWG which is 3.2mm is this correct? As I would like to build this antenna and being in Australia I would need the correct gauge copper wire standers so as to have the same thickness of solid un-coated copper wire could you please let me know this fact
Can I offer a suggestion on the tool to use for cutting the slot in the tube end. I worked as a tool sharpener (cutter grinder) the last nine years before I retired, with that said, my suggestion would be to get a 2 flute end mill, yes it will be more expensive than the drills you already have but it was manufactured to be used in a side cut, where the drills weren't. Just thinking of the safety you guys were talking about. :)
Don, the draw that you have on your web, the distance between the U --------+----------U. Are the distance between each element? Also, the measurements that show where you put the 8awg wire, is the radius of each circle or is the distance or length of the pipe? Do you have both squematics draws in better resolution? I will thanks you a lot. 73
Appreciate the video guys. Did any of you happen to notice or perhaps model what Front to Back ratio is on either the 5 or 7 element by chance? Thanks in advance. W7WX
+IBTJn The seven is pretty amazing - depending on mounted height and etc. I can't hear a 65 watt mobile 3 miles away off the back side on the 7,. Some repeaters make it in, varies. Its pretty much a laser beam on receive. 73
Good night. I find it interesting the design of its antenna. I'm a ham radio and I wonder if there is a pdf file with the data to make the antenna and if possible you can send it to me. From already, thank you very much.
+Steve Dickinson Yep, might take a friend to keep it pointed right. - Careful using high power into the antenna. Check gain formulas before juicing it, most of the time no more than 30 watts is ever needed for anything. Keep away from it when cranking it out, there are risks with high power and human tissue.
I'm in Arkansas too, I hope to get my license soon, I'd just have to get some equipment. one of my jobs is working on the HF radio's for the Arkansas national guard I hope to become an expert at it someday.
Regarding polarization, wouldn't this configuration be circularly polarized negating the need to rotate the boom 90° to select polarization? and,... thank you for making this video ac0v
I know that this is meant for SW radio, however it would seem that it would work for hdtv signals as well, I am just asking for the sake of curiosity seeing the frequency ranges being 75Ohms - 350Mhz.
You said in the video to mount the antenna in a vertical position for SSB use and I know that's true for a normal Yagi (weather you want horizontal or vertical polarization).But being that this antenna's radiating elements are all round, would there really be any difference which way the antenna's frame is actually mounted? Or am I missing something here?
This is a good question because since it's a resonant loop the polarization depends on where it's fed. If fed on the side it is vertically polarized and on the bottom or top it's horizontally polarized, right? Like a Cubical Quad. AA5IT
So by turning this antenna on it's side, it can be used for SSB? Another question (since I'm not the most innovative person) How could this be modified so that I could perhaps "flip it" from horizontal to vertical and back? Or does horizontal polarization work for repeaters as well? Sorry if these questions sound stupid... lol
Solom America Yes you sure can, if you notice the mast is mounted with hose clamps, this is so it's easy to flip the polarization. Repeaters are vertical, but ssb is not. Try 70cm on this beam also. It will surprise you. 73s.
Blair Tinker It would need to be slightly larger in circumference to add inductance to cancel out the capacitance you added with the air. Also rain will cause your antenna to detune because it turns your wire into coax basically by sheilding your wire with conductive rain water. You can wax the wire with really dry thick car polishing wax to keep the rain off.
Why didn't you feed the coax through the director element and then down the support? Edit: seems like alot of work to hit a repeater ;-) and how much power do you think you can pump through this?
Chris Johnson With it being open copper wire you could probably get thousands of watts. What happens with pvc pipes though is that they eventually fail at 1000 watts or higher because the high voltage at the 90 degree and 270 degree points could arc and burn the pipe. This antenna though is attached at the high current points on the loop so it should handle it all. The antenna they made is a full wave loop in vertical polarization which is the equivelent of 2 vertical dipoles placed side by side with good spacing. Its a yagi array of loops so the small loops are directors and the large loop is the reflector. Its the equivelent of having two normal yagis with the same element arrangement side by side (broadside array) but you get this gain from just one beam instead of cophasing two beams. Also loops have less noise.
What is a good antenna for VLF wanting to study lightning via SDR, we are looking for two types one for a fix'ed station to "hear" Sfrics as storms enter Central AR, the other would be ether a roof mounted or towed system.
Brian Walton It should work out pretty close however some changes in the length of the driven element might be needed. As shown and designed it will near dead land on 146.520 As long as you don't try to redesign everything else you should come out pretty good. 73s
I just completed building the five element version of the Dream Beam antenna and got it up and on the air today. I must say, I am extremely impressed with how well this antenna works. I am hitting repeaters nearly 60 miles away with only 10 watts and the signal coming back is S5-S7 (no pre-amp). Initial testing of my dream beam, before raising it, showed SWR's at 1:1 on 146.520 and no higher than 1.4:1 across the entire 2 meter band. No post assembly tuning was necessary!
I did make one modification. Instead of connecting an entire 50, 75, or 100 foot length of coax to the feed point (once it's siliconed, it's pretty much permanent) I made a feed line. I used a piece of RG-8X, long enough to put in a few turns in for an RF choke, soldered on a PL-259 and attached a barrel connector. Now if you need to move the antenna for any reason, you won't have to disconnect a long length of coax from your radio, just disconnect from the barrel connector and off you go.
My dream beam is pictured on my QRZ page
Thanks Matt and Darron, you guys are a hoot to watch and the background music is awesome. 73 KV3S
It is 35 years since I last used an IFR1200 shown at the beginning. (I used to do installation of base-stations and repeaters for a living). It was an excellent piece of kit and I'd have one tomorrow if there was one I could afford one.
Very cool! The proof is in the results. It's always satsifying when your antenna works the way it's supposed too when you get done building it. You guys got me wanting to build two now. One for 2 meters and another for 70cm. You guys had fun building it. Great video and thank you for all the little details that you included. Thank you for sharing your project!
Best 2m design out there. I use the 5L version, my buddy uses a 7L version. We talk simplex (over 17 miles) regularly at half a watt. My antenna is at 33 feet. His is at 24 feet. He can use his VX-8DR to talk to me on 50 milliwatts! Unfortunately half a watt is as low as I can go. The only downside to this antenna is weight. This things are absolute pigs lol. We have redesigned them using fiberglass booms and spreaders with aluminum directors and reflector. 4lbs for the 7L version. Right around 3lbs for the 5L. I can hit repeaters at 80 miles day or night. There is a fairly tall repeater at over 100 miles that I get into on a regular basis. LOVE this antenna. I may have to try an 8 element version...12 ft boom and an estimated 16.2dBd gain! The only people that say that this design isn't worth the effort are the people who haven't used one. Great job, fellas!
That is somewhat of a contradictory statement. If that were true, you could take a 7 element Yagi and remove D1, D2, D3, and D4, but leave D5, and it would be the same boom length but it would NOT have the same gain. The elements are necessary every 0.15 to 0.25 wavelength for several reasons. If they were not significant, then you would see people with long booms with very few elements.
Half a watt is as low as you can go? There are several ways to get that lower. One of the ways I use is dump some of that power into a dummy load. That is, connect both your antenna AND a dummy load at the same time (using a power divider or a custom made "phasing" harness). There are also attenuators that should handle 1/2 watt in. A 6dB attenuator would make that 1/8th of a watt (about 125 mW).
I doubt an 8 element antenna of this type will be 16.2 dBd. More likely it will be closer to 16.2 dBi which is about 14 dBd. If you already have a 5 element, why not make an identical one and stack them vertically? That should squash the radiation down closer to the horizon and may add about 2 to 2.5 dB of maximum gain.
Nice touch with the camo tape. Not only looks cool, but will protect the pvc from UV light. One of my Home Depot antennas started breaking down after 4 years in the sun light.
Excellent advice about personal protection! You can't replace your eyes. I would also suggest gloves while running the drill. I had a bit break once and put a nice slice across the back of my hand as it cartwheeled away.
I built this and have the Swr down to 1.12 @146MHz everything is as straight as I can get it but I’m not hitting anything new? Everything I can hit with the beam plugged into the HT I can hit with the HT w/ the abree antenna? Am I doing something wrong I had really high hopes of hitting something new.
I love using PVC for projects but when using white PVC outdoors be aware that UV from the sun really weakens it over time. I have seen it become like egg shell. There is gray PVC pipe used for outdoor wiring and it has good UV protection built in. If not then get a good spray pain to coat the PVC pipe once it is assembled. Antennas are one of the things us hams can build and they are fun. All the best.
Hi Don, Came across this antenna of yours a couple of weeks ago and set to and built one over the weekend , I only had some PVC & some 20mil fiberglass tubing I used for the spreaders and made the boom out of some 2x2 wood that I have dressed up. I then made up the copper loops with the #8 wire but I brazed them together except the Dir element made as per instructions.
Ive set it up on an 9 foot pole at the moment but intend to put it up on a 10 mtr aluminum pole so I can rotate to any position. But even at 9ft I am blowing my mates out of their shacks, it's amasing, SWR is 1.02 to 1.04 over the range of frequencies that I use.My frequency range from 146525 to 146900 so am very happy with this design. regards Lance Smith ZL2ALS
I utilize two meters for the national calling frequency 146.520 Mhz and sky warn when ever severe weather threatens my home town of Kokomo which inside Howard County in north central Indiana upon reviewing this video of Don's antenna I think he did a great job of producing that antenna.
+Tony Ridlen Thanks very much. It is a proven design. I have made a lot and I get a lot of emails with successful results. The only time people have issues is when they stray from the path. Try it before you redesign it. You won't be disappointed. It beats the pants off any single antenna system. 73s
i just finished my 2 meter the evening before i got my general upgrade. whats nice about it is that with the mast unscrewed it slides right into the back seat of my 2010 crown vic police panther. its 5 14 2020 and theres supposed to be a vhf contest this weekend. couple hours and up to the top of the mountain i go. im running a ft 991at 50 watts, but my QYT 980 plus does all of 75 watts. comparrison time. lol only thing i changed on build was i used 1/8th inch copper tubing sleaves and soldered all but the driven. using a mfj921 tuner just to dial her in till i can get a analyser on it thanks for the build guys . Next up is a 3 rectangle moxon build. did a single for 6 meters and so impressed. very simple build and very light with exremely good gain . give it a try if ya get bored. thanks again . k2gfi,73
For the reflector loop and director loops solder or braze the ends together and use slots at both ends. It will save you the weight of all the bolts nuts and washers for connecting the ends of the loops. Buy doing it this way you can form the loops on a work bench before inserting them in the end slots and adding the end caps.
Awesome vids!
This will be 18' up in my attic. Not the 40 you recommend. But I can reliably hit repeaters at 65 miles with my N9TAX antenna at the same height with 65 watts from a TM-281A. I can occasionally hit a repeater at 137 miles with some atmospheric help. Simplex @ 20 miles is no problem at all (Haven't tried any further than that). I live in Oklahoma so it's pretty flat out here :) Hoping the 5 element dream beam will extend my tx/rx distances even further. Cost will be lower since I won't be using end caps or glue/sealant, though a cheap $100 rotator will be needed.
Hope you guys are still fun nine years later!😊
New ham here, been looking for an epic antenna to run an HT off of. I think I just found it!
My father and I shall have a blast making this
How did it go? N2NM
@@maxthedog6919 ended up getting general and going hog with HF. 🤣
Awesome video thank you. Putting up my homebuilt 11 meter experiment quad today and wasn’t 100% on how to wire in the coaxial feed into the driver. This is the first video I saw that showed that part which is very important. I appreciate it thank you very much for sharing.
Great project idea as soon as I get my technician and then general license!!
+Gene Harmon Awesome, get to studying. It is a great hobby! 73
there you go !!! ....saw the first video , i bought the pvc and still have it , now that im retired ill build this " improved version " ....have a second tower i want to put up for satelitte work ! thanks for upload and ill be sure to wear saftey glasses to eliminate and cuts or bruses ......ill let you know in few days how this works for me ......de N5OMV .....ODESSA TEXAS !!!!
For the notch in the ends of the PVC, use a drill press drill a hole and at the bandsaw cut from the end of the pvc pipe into the drilled hole making a slot. This is faster and maybe cleaner that chipping away with a drill bit as if it were an endmill. Another method could be using a router table with the slowest speed setting and then just slot it.
Newbee to Ham but knowing something about pipe. You ought to try locating some schedule 80 fittings in key locations like the T that holds the entire Antenna to the mast. Schedule 80 is much thicker and is also much more resistant to decay in sunlight. Regular PVC becomes brittle when left in the sunlight. Schedule 80 does not. Also the fittings you are using to cover the ends of the loops electro-mechanical connections are called couplings. I just say this so it's easier for someone to locate the parts, not to be a prick. Thanks for the video. Its this kind of tinkering that I find interesting about the hobby. Perhaps one day my roof will sport some interesting roof art.
One day I hope I can learn to make a really good FM antenna. I get horrible FM stereo reception out here in the boonies.
9999plato
Here is a Danny Hodges the UHF TV antenna builder guy tip for you for straightening wire. Chuck up one end of your wire into a drill and the other in a vise and run the drill a few revolutions and it will get all the crooks out of your wire.
Looks like you guys had a lot of fun putting this together. Good stuff and thanks for sharing! 73
Great design! I will be building the 7 element version next week and mounting it near the top of a 60' pole. 73 de KD8TQT
+Andy Homrich Awesome, you wil love it. Visit the site mentioned for current plans and etc. Keep us informed.. 73
Like the Hornady hat.
Have you guys considered making a 5 element 2m antenna with a 70 cm antenna on the front for satellite communications? I think there are some possibilities for that.
Is that rg 6 your using ? And is that shield aluminum ? I'm wondering if you reach up and touch the coax jacket would it affect the swr ? In another word that loop antenna Is balanced the coax is not so when you point the antenna at someone to talk do you have to point off a little to get maximum signal ? If so you have common node current on the coax and need to separate the feed line from the resonate loop . The coax regardless if it's 50 ohm or 75 ohm can do good just pay attention to the loss . If you are using copper shield coax the a sleeve choke can stop common node current and make a hudge difference in directivity the antenna . I have built a out 30 of the quad 4 sided antennas and they work great , there the best to remove noise and if you want some eme action then add the yagi directors to it for some killer performance. You guys are doing great keep up with the diy . Kc5ulu
*MUY BUENA,Y BELLA ,ADEMAS DE EFICAZ ANTENA AMIGO!!!!*
Pero,entiendo que en EEUU,suelen ocurrir vientos muy fuertes.Mi pregunta es,soportara dicha antena esos vientos,ademas de las aves de gran porte en la zona,cuando se posen sobre el alambre de ella???Cordial saludo amigo!! FELICITACIONES !! 73DXS!
Too many post to find if this has been asked... Why not crimp and solder the wire loops ends together (except for the driven element, obviously) rather than drill holes and use the screws?
Also...how about using this concept like a Quagi, using 2 loops, but yagi type directors for the rest?
Dang it - now I gotta try it , thumbs up 73 !!!
Just a follow up seeing how I have not heard from you so I have put in the following Standard wire gauge ( UK) SWG # 8 = 4.1mm or 0.160” conversion is 8.6 metres per kg
American Wire gauge ( USA) AWG # 8 = 3.2mm or 0.125” conversion is 13.5 metres per kg
looking at this antenna, you mention that you can rotate it vertical or horizontal for FM or SSB .. but .. the elements are loops ,, Not a conventional yagi configuration of rods and dipole ...so i doubt this antenna has any polarity ..
+rob b Its unclear when you think about the full wave. Not having any? I dunno about that for sure. It works great regardless. 73s
Long time in the making of this antenna. Sure glad you posted this update.
Interesting antenna, looks like a decent loop antenna, seems I will be building one of these soon when the weather gets better here.
Cheers Eddie VK6YA
+BeachSandInspector Technologies Thanks a lot. You will have success! 73s
Hey guys, love the build. Simple, thorough, and effective. I did not hear it in the video but would this antenna be horizontally or vertically polarized? Thank you guys again for your hard work teaching less experienced hams like me.
73
nice! good job guys!
73 from the home of the rock n roll hall of fame
Maybe cut the pipe just a BIT longer 1/16 inch or so and then use a bench sander to shorten and square the ends? Sorry for so many comments... You guys are a hoot!
Was that a low battery warning near the end or a guinea?
Killer antenna!
All your videos are worth watching for the music alone!
Any way to add more directors to add gain and distance? If so, there is a project. I need to hit a 2 meter repeater about 100 miles away, The path is from Panama City Fl to Tallahassee Fla.
Good antenna! The music covers up your talking. And is only good for people that like that type of noise
I love how he puts on his safety glasses to use the antenna analyzer. Nice looking project. Could you put a 440mhz antenna nested inside that one?
Lewis Burmeister passive coupling onto the 2m antenna might make it difficult.
For the notch in the wire support you might use a "Mill bit" which is made to cut from the side. They come in 2,3 and 4 flute styles. They're cheap on bay from China (where else?) I use them for cut out's for meter faces, etc on plastic project boxes. Jeff KJ4RWH
Don, you and you friend had make a great job with that antenna, I will try to biuld it one day.
Greatings from the CE zone.
73´s
XQ6WBM
You guys have moxi. Great work there ! Subbed and many thanks.
one word fantastic and thanks for showing this
I would like to know from where you take this meassurements, its from a antenna modeling software? Thanks in advance 73s wp4kp
Will try out your design aboard the K3SAV shack. Would be interested in a 220 version if possible. Thanks for the great video
+Taraxicum Officinale Thanks very much! 73
Love following you guys.
the cross pipes; make them longer so you can slip the cap on. then mark the proper length.
Can you use it for ISS contact? Just curious. Im new to HAM. Got my first radio in April....got my Tech License early June....passed the General two weeks ago....taking Extra exam next weekend. Loving this hobby.
73.....KI5JHX
Uau,um verdadeiro canhão da simples e de baixo custo , ótimo projeto .
Can't believe that guinea hen at 27:53 , Morse code it would be a, a ,a a,a a a a a and pretty loud too . Funny. That extra little bit of parallel coax at 25:28 to match the natural higher impudence of a loop a the director coupling ? N6GRG
isnt it directional? can I get just the dimensions of the loops and the details of the feed and director tuning. Im a welder and will make mine with stainless and fiberglass.
Thanks, Craig KD9UQE
Nice work. Why is that 2" of unshielded coax important? Is it for tuning or was that a joke? lol
Could you guys get this guy on the channel (De Bohannan) so we can see his stuff! Thanks
You guy's are great, Great presentation, knowledge, and sense of humor, keep up the good work. 73's KC5OPH
thank you very much sir. 73
Adnan Aqil they are not using it for radio?
What was that tool/device you are using on the 38th minute and what was it for? What were your measuring?
Can I ask what is the 45 ft #8 solid copper wire is it 4.1mm ?
But as it being a US website and all measurements are in inches I would suggest that you are using American wire gauge AWG which is 3.2mm is this correct?
As I would like to build this antenna and being in Australia I would need the correct gauge copper wire standers so as to have the same thickness of solid un-coated copper wire could you please let me know this fact
At 6:29, them PVC cutters are sexier than socks on a rooster. Nice!
Have y’all thought about using 1/4” copper tubing to widen the bandwidth? What are your thoughts on using 1/4” copper tubing?
Can I offer a suggestion on the tool to use for cutting the slot in the tube end. I worked as a tool sharpener (cutter grinder) the last nine years before I retired, with that said, my suggestion would be to get a 2 flute end mill, yes it will be more expensive than the drills you already have but it was manufactured to be used in a side cut, where the drills weren't. Just thinking of the safety you guys were talking about. :)
+n8pu Its what you have to work with. Lots of tools could be used. Keeping it tight is a good idea. 73s ty
Don, the draw that you have on your web, the distance between the U --------+----------U. Are the distance between each element? Also, the measurements that show where you put the 8awg wire, is the radius of each circle or is the distance or length of the pipe? Do you have both squematics draws in better resolution? I will thanks you a lot. 73
Appreciate the video guys. Did any of you happen to notice or perhaps model what Front to Back ratio is on either the 5 or 7 element by chance? Thanks in advance. W7WX
+IBTJn The seven is pretty amazing - depending on mounted height and etc. I can't hear a 65 watt mobile 3 miles away off the back side on the 7,. Some repeaters make it in, varies. Its pretty much a laser beam on receive. 73
A nice weekend project while it rains! So, the 7el version works on 70cm? How's the SWR, do you have a plot?
You two guys are a hoot.
Good night. I find it interesting the design of its antenna.
I'm a ham radio and I wonder if there is a pdf file with the data to make the antenna and if possible you can send it to me.
From already, thank you very much.
I'd love to see a video on the mass. was it made from pvc also??
Well done gentlemen! Digital Camo is Icing on the Cake! Much Respect!!!
This looks a great antenna project guys. I wonder if it would be good if held in the hand and used for contacting satellites/space station? 73's M6PTS
+Steve Dickinson Yep, might take a friend to keep it pointed right. - Careful using high power into the antenna. Check gain formulas before juicing it, most of the time no more than 30 watts is ever needed for anything. Keep away from it when cranking it out, there are risks with high power and human tissue.
Im gonna try the 7l design to see how it works for me. Thank you for sharing. 73 de KM4DME.
i would like to see a 70c version of this. or if possible make 70c in between the elements to make a dual band
Visit the mentioned website in the description. The 70 cm is shown and discussed. 73
Nice project and it looks incredible! Thanks for putting up this video guys.
@35:28 Rigidididitty is so important : )
The beam survives a major storm that killed 3 other antennas. visit seekstars.com/searcy/storm/
Awesome! I'm planning to mount my QFH antenna on the roof of my house. How do I protect it from lighthing? Do you have instructions on what to follow?
Build a lighting conductor above it. It will also protect your house.
for size reasons how about a 70 cm version ? also does this mean it can be used on 23cm?
I'm in Arkansas too, I hope to get my license soon, I'd just have to get some equipment. one of my jobs is working on the HF radio's for the Arkansas national guard I hope to become an expert at it someday.
+teknowil Great deal, don't wait. So much to do in Ham radio.. Goodluck and 73
ThePress Man Did you ever get your license?
How much watts can you put on that antenna Max!?
Regarding polarization, wouldn't this configuration be circularly polarized negating the need to rotate the boom 90° to select polarization?
and,... thank you for making this video
ac0v
It would be vertical or Horizontal, depending on the feed, which I did not see, video too long to watch.
I know that this is meant for SW radio, however it would seem that it would work for hdtv signals as well, I am just asking for the sake of curiosity seeing the frequency ranges being 75Ohms - 350Mhz.
+wrksnfx No telling. Worth checking out.
Nice work and in which Polarization is this Antenna?
Man if I ever get out to Arkansas I def want to hang with youz guyz
Where are you based? I'm in Scotland.
What is the actual polarization and gain of this antenna?
Could this be modified for FM broadcasting?
You said in the video to mount the antenna in a vertical position for SSB use and I know that's true for a normal Yagi (weather you want horizontal or vertical polarization).But being that this antenna's radiating elements are all round, would there really be any difference which way the antenna's frame is actually mounted? Or am I missing something here?
This is a good question because since it's a resonant loop the polarization depends on where it's fed. If fed on the side it is vertically polarized and on the bottom or top it's horizontally polarized, right? Like a Cubical Quad.
AA5IT
+Frank Fertitta Well, it's full wave It works as shown and ssb is awesome when turned correctly. 73
can i do this for 10-12 meter by increasing all measurements multiplied by 5 to 5.5
yes l second that:::?
So by turning this antenna on it's side, it can be used for SSB? Another question (since I'm not the most innovative person) How could this be modified so that I could perhaps "flip it" from horizontal to vertical and back? Or does horizontal polarization work for repeaters as well? Sorry if these questions sound stupid... lol
Solom America Yes you sure can, if you notice the mast is mounted with hose clamps, this is so it's easy to flip the polarization. Repeaters are vertical, but ssb is not. Try 70cm on this beam also. It will surprise you. 73s.
ThePress Man could it be scaled to make it a little smaller?? 73's KM4DSQ Ronald
I wonder what difference it would make if I used a plastic coated copper wire? I have a quite a bit of it kicking around.
Blair Tinker It would need to be slightly larger in circumference to add inductance to cancel out the capacitance you added with the air. Also rain will cause your antenna to detune because it turns your wire into coax basically by sheilding your wire with conductive rain water.
You can wax the wire with really dry thick car polishing wax to keep the rain off.
Where do I find your bill of Material on QRZ
will the wind blow it around bend the copper
Great video! Thanks.
were can someone get the plans for this antenna
Why didn't you feed the coax through the director element and then down the support?
Edit: seems like alot of work to hit a repeater ;-)
and how much power do you think you can pump through this?
Chris Johnson With it being open copper wire you could probably get thousands of watts. What happens with pvc pipes though is that they eventually fail at 1000 watts or higher because the high voltage at the 90 degree and 270 degree points could arc and burn the pipe. This antenna though is attached at the high current points on the loop so it should handle it all.
The antenna they made is a full wave loop in vertical polarization which is the equivelent of 2 vertical dipoles placed side by side with good spacing. Its a yagi array of loops so the small loops are directors and the large loop is the reflector. Its the equivelent of having two normal yagis with the same element arrangement side by side (broadside array) but you get this gain from just one beam instead of cophasing two beams.
Also loops have less noise.
Awesome project!! What are you using for mast? I need ideas in order to get mine up there...Thanks.
+Robert Fernandez Push up poles are very useful 73s
+ThePress Man Thanks! Got 45 ft mast made of 4 ft aluminum cammo poles.
What is a good antenna for VLF wanting to study lightning via SDR, we are looking for two types one for a fix'ed station to "hear" Sfrics as storms enter Central AR, the other would be ether a roof mounted or towed system.
Interesting. You might try a 59-73 OCF or any windom. 73
love the video!!!! who sings the song in the background? nice touch!! where can a person get the plans to print for the antenna?
+Ron Hall
Hi Ron, the music is from Mofro, Orange Blossoms ;) (the start of the video)
Question, you use #8 solid copper wire, what changes would be required if I were to use $6 solid copper (larger diameter)?
Thanks
Brian Walton It should work out pretty close however some changes in the length of the driven element might be needed. As shown and designed it will near dead land on 146.520 As long as you don't try to redesign everything else you should come out pretty good. 73s
So if you hooked a one watt radio up to here the ERP power would be somewhere in the ballpark of 45watts? Oh the glorious Tx AND Rx strength!
Awesome 😎 Videoclip & Thanks for Sharing!
would you have been able to use glue first then take off hose clamps?
Paul Pedraza Unlikely. It needs strong support. They don't hurt it at all.
Is it 50 ohm direct feed ?
Excellent job, nice antenna, thanks for the video!
You are most welcome. We enjoy what we do. Keep safe, 73