2 Meter J-Pole Antenna Build

**IMPORTANT UPDATE - READ THIS DESCRIPTION**
I discovered a site on the web (www.hamradio.me) where the author, John Huggins, covers some very important details about J-poles. You need to go read the articles here before you decide that the J-pole is the antenna for you.
In the process, you'll discover that there were a number of things I didn't know when I made this video. Take it for what it's worth. If I'm able, I'll produce an update in the future.
****************************************************************
Amateur radio (Ham radio) has been on my hobby list for many years. One of my favorite aspects of the craft is constructing my own equipment, and antennas turn out to be one of the best spots to do this.
I'm making a J-pole antenna from upcycled copper plumbing pipe. It's a very simple design, based on the calculations I found using this online calculator:
m0ukd.com/calculators/slim-jim...
It's very, very well matched across the entire 2 meter ham band. J-poles are omni-directional antennas, and so exhibit little gain - just a little more than 2dBi generally speaking. Still, I'm able to work up to 50 miles reliably with just a handheld, producing 7 watts max.

[@welshgreezmunky]

I've just passed my uk foundation exam, this is going to be my first RF project. I've watched a few videos but yours explained the construction best. Thank you.

[@edbathgate5680]

Matt, being the antenna expert that I am, I wanted to offer a suggestion. At 2:30 it shows you removing the valve. Next time, leave the valve in, at allows easier tuning of the antenna to resonance, you just twist the knob to reduce the flow of electrons and re-resonate the antenna on multiple bands. You could have fun by telling people that. ;-) Nice construction and good use of old plumbing!

[@MattHeere]

LOL. Thanks Ed. I'll try that on the next one :)

[@dxexplorer]

I never tried a J-Pole antenna. Now you made me curious. Turns out I have all the parts. All I need now is to buy the tractor 😅😅😅. Thanks so much for sharing this. 73 DE YO6DXE.

[@WD7N]

Matt... Great job and lucky you for getting free copper pipe. I've made copper J-Pole antennas for years and have a few that have worked well for 30 years. Last year I made one for GMRS and it works great. I live near Yellowstone NP (Eastern Idaho) and we have ham and GMRS nets organized very well. We have two GMRS repeaters (BYU-Idaho and another about 30 miles from here at 9000 feet) as well as ham repeaters that can be used for nets and emergencies and my copper J-Poles stand up to the harsh weather we have here. I've painted my J-poles in a camouflage manner and they have withstood the test of time. Keep up the good work there. 73...Matt...WD7N

[@fbrieden]

Greetings from Carbondale, PA! And, I have been in Zelienople numerous times at Badger. Thank you for your excellent presentation; very articulate, well organized, and informative.

[@berettamod961]

Okay so I'm a general class but I have no real hands on experience with a lot of this stuff. I studied and passed both the tech and general exams on the same day without even touching a radio. Been a fun trip so far but the learning curve is kind of high at this point and its been a year since the big bad test! Thanks! The video is much appreciated! :)

[@jasonperon]

Wow.....Nice tutorial...60 yrs young and haven't heard Zelienople, in yrs along with Downyville, Mars, Evans City..Moody & Peron Families...73 to you!

[@solswis]

Very professional looking (and sounding) video. Well done.

[@AlForte13]

thanks for the J-pole demo Matt - great job liked and subscribed

[@weimaraner3240]

Love the video, very clear and concise instruction without the usual "my way is the only way and here's why I'm the best"

[@MattHeere]

Thanks! Lots of ways to put together antennas for sure - and my wife makes sure I know that I'm not the best :)

[@mjtaggart]

Great vid. I’m sitting for my tech exam tomorrow morning and stumbled across your j pole built. Super helpful. Also, western PA shoutout. I grew up in Slippery Rock.

[@TheMyeloman]

While not really in the realm of what I would've considered interesting this video was REALLY cool! Even if I never get into Ham radio there's always some sort of takeaway and I love learning new things. Well done and a great video!

[@MattHeere]

+Tracy Luegge Thanks Tracy! I knew this one would be a stretch for some of my audience. Glad to hear that you got something out of your time investment.

[@chriswesney]

Those copper j-poles work great. I bought one from kb9vbr (if I remember his call correctly) back when I first got my license. Works great for an omni-directional antenna.

[@bigguyprepper]

I'm usually a frequent traveler from around Washington up through to Erie, and stay in Grove City often. I can never manage to make a contact on any of the repeaters listed around there. Glad you could

[@MattHeere]

Next time you're passing through, get yourself onto the N3TN repeater (146.85- PL131.8). That's the one I monitor most of the time. W3UDX is probably the 2nd most active in this area.

[@Beauchot78]

Great Video!! I appreciated the detailed Instructions.

[@wadepatton2433]

If I were King of the FCC, there would be no amateurs licensed who hadn't built a J-pole. They're so easy and work so well and tend to be durable. I've made them for 2, 6, and 10m.

[@MrBrianShaffer]

Good video. Don't forget to account for lose in that extremely long cable you had between the SWR meter and the antenna. The best method would be to connect the meter directly to the antenna.

[@saschaffer]

Awesome video. Thank you!

[@DevinAkin]

Fantastic video - thanks!

[@AttilaSVK]

Both woodworking and amateur radio are topics I like, so I'm subscribing :) 73 from OM5ATT :)

[@AndrewMiguelez]

I don't understand Ham radio in the slightest, but darn that was so cool when you got a response at 50 miles. Great project!

[@MattHeere]

+Andrew Miguelez Thanks! There's never been a better time to get into ham radio BTW. Lots of options that don't even require a radio, just a computer or tablet. You also no longer are required to learn morse code.

[@AvoidingChores]

great test

[@coldwaterjimmy7044]

Nice ... Thanks for the great information

[@donaldsmith3048]

I was looking at some copper fittings, found there is a thing that is used to stop noise in water pipes. It should slide up and down on the end to change the length.

[@ramjet4025]

Nice to see a Jpole video with a coaxial choke.

[@mikepetney8400]

that's pretty awesome, I'm new ham radio and just got my call sign about a month ago, I'm also from Pa I live in a small town near Somerset. im going to build one and who knows I might be talking to ya soon

[@aurtisanminer2827]

I’ve been able to reach a repeater pretty reliably from almost 80 miles away with the factory antenna that came on my baofeng gt3tp. I was able to make a brief contact with that same radio on that repeater from 96 miles away, too. I could hear the repeater pretty reliably, but they couldnt hear me. A better antenna could have fixed that. I’m going to try to make that same contact again with a diy yagi at some point.

[@alzeNL]

really love your video, i'm going to try and create mine this weekend - hopefully its alll good and i can get a video of it on youtube with your link for credit :D

[@mitch5077]

I was focused on the Electric Shaver, Show's you where my mind goes!

[@jasemali4977]

thank you matt for good explanation how to build j-pole antenna , 2 qui please 1. how many inches the copper pipe 2. working 50 miles direct or via repeater 73

[@bhamptonkc7]

Good one

[@jakesnake_27]

Now that's cool!

[@HighDesertAdventurer]

Great video. I'm a month in to this hobby and have much to learn. My wood shop is currently 20° so I'm inside seeing what I can learn with the University of KZbin -K7HDA

[@pulsenetwork1796]

Hi .I have a question regarding this jpole .at the lower section this is 1/4 wave match with two poles in line .now what if you removed the smaller 1/4 pole substituted it with a air coil to be its match .wouldn't this be a much lighter antenna?.that way you could put a funnel over it to protect it from rain from coil .

[@skellym37061]

What kind and how much coax did you use Matt?Thanks for all of your great videos!

[@NotSure416]

6:57 This is what I'm going to picture now whenever someone says they're "Mobile". lol

[@asyncawaited]

Sweet antenna! I might just build this one myself. 73, KE0IMD

[@skyscratcher8825]

Just getting into HAM heard and brought a smile to my face Zelienople PA! I flew a private jet out of the airport earlier in my career! Great info. Would this work well with my UV5R5 starter setup?

[@MattHeere]

Small world! I'm a member of Condor aero down at KPJC, and this antenna is currently providing the LiveATC.net feed for that airport. It'll work fine with the HT by the way.

[@markoono2014]

Hi Matt, you made great videos about antennas...im not into radios or antennas but if you wouldn't mind I would like send you an antenna idea from my friend..thanks

[@BikerBytes]

It’s not only radio that’s metric, i99% of the world is 👍😜 Nice video, I made something similar with good results. Cheers from 🇦🇺

[@leapy3377]

Absolutely amazing video, I plan to use it on 70CM on DMR do you have any suggestions as to what length the Jpole should be? Your video is the only one that actually gives valid information all the way through many thanks.

[@MattHeere]

Use the link for the calculator in the description to get the exact lengths. It'll depend a little bit on where in the 440 band you want to tune. It's not really possible to cover all the way from 420 to 450 effectively with one antenna (at least not without a tuner of some kind), but then you usually only need 440-450. Use nice fat copper pipe and it'll tune up just fine. Good luck!

[@thrash99er]

Did i miss it, what kind of handheld are you using?

[@michaeldavidson9939]

Did you measure the vertical sections from the top or bottom of the horizontal piece?

[@w.rustylane5650]

Just passed my Technician license test yesterday with a 100%. Now I need to make me an antenna for my Yaesu FT-4VR I got for free for passing the test. It's a mono band 2 meter HT. While I wait for my license and name and call sign on the database I tested the radio and I have to get out on the deck to hit the local repeater. I want to be able to do that from the inside of my QTH. So I need to build an antenna or antennae. I don't have that kinda access to copper pipe to make an antenna.

[@twentyone3811]

Congrats

[@MattHeere]

Congrats on the license. The antenna can be made from any copper. If you have a spare bit of house wire it'll work. The bopper pipe is nice for it's mechanical strength, and the larger conductor diameter give you more bandwidth, but neither are really necessary for the RF to flow.

[@donaldsmith3048]

Now you have an antenna for your tractor. I am not sure you will be able to hear the handheld with the tractor running. Maybe you need a mobile radio on it.

[@n3ssaya972]

Hey Matt! Great video! I just have one question: can I leave the coupler soldered just on the lower side and leave the upper side unsoldered, so I can split the long part for easier transport? For example have the "fixed" part at 50cm and the "unfixed" at 100cm. I hope you understand what I mean. 73 de E73HAK

[@MattHeere]

You can, but you'll likely need to add a hose clamp at that joint. It's important to have a very solid connection there, and I'm not sure that just sliding the fittings together will quite cut it. There are also j-pole designs that are made from twin-lead which work well and would be much easier for portable use.

[@dalesworld1308]

Huge question - are you banished to shaving in the workshop? Cheers!

[@CharlesReiche]

2m sprint? Darn I missed it out of town on business!

[@roger571967]

you are cool !

[@MattHeere]

+Roger Eden LOL. My family begs to differ, but thanks!

[@Jake-yv9cr]

I am not too familiar with different connector types, which one did you use where you just soldered in the wire? And should I do testing with my ht or with my base radio? Will the SWR be similar if I do it on the ht and then transition it to the base radio?

[@MattHeere]

The connector is a panel mount SO239. I essentially made my own pannel to mount it in with the flat piece of copper. The SWR of the antenna will be indpendent of the radio, so you can test it however you want and then move it around. Do remember that unless the SWR is perfect, that the coax is technically part of the antenna.

[@Vichardhara303]

Nice Video ...very useful ..hey this is VU3YWB From India ..

[@Dougwrench]

Hi and thanks for the great video. the question I have is did you cap the tops of the verticals?

[@MattHeere]

I did. Keeps the elements out of the antenna.

[@Dougwrench]

I built the super J-pole version and happy to report that it is measuring a 1.2 SWR reading and am able to hit a repeater 20 miles away with full quieting on a 5w Baofeng HT!

[@tjholley3655]

I have to point out the mower in the back left window

[@justins380]

wow I have a bunch of scrap copper pipe now I'm really interested in making a J-pole. What was the diameter you used? Does diameter make a difference? Your video just jump-started my interest in this hobby. I have had my license over a year and only made contact with one repeater one time.

[@MattHeere]

The diameter isn't terribly important. Fatter pipe gives you more bandwidth, but it's not that relevant for a 2M antenna for repeater work. Dust off that license! Ham radio is great fun and it's actually about 100 things you could do. I'm happy to help you get back into it if I can.

[@timholtzclaw8930]

That's more than me.

[@Kc6vbv]

KC6VBV Excellent Video! 1st class production. Just one question, do you use rosin or acid core solder?

[@MattHeere]

Neither in this case. This is solid solder. I did use a flux paste on the joints though, which is roughly equivalent to what's in a rosin core.

[@yeahdude1986]

What do your neighbors think of you driving around with your antenna on the back of your tractor all day? LOL just kidding. Great video man!

[@kennethturcolas2298]

hello sir thank you for this helpful video that you'd done.. i wish ivied seen this in 147mhz measurement because what you do is for 146mhz

[@MattHeere]

147 MHz tuning point is just fine, especially if your primary purpose is to use 2M repeaters. I went for the middle of the band because I was equally interested in the bottom of the 2M band due to a local contest.

[@kennethturcolas2298]

ahmm. sir, so its ok if i use your measurement for 147MHz?

[@MattHeere]

Better to visit the calculator listed in the description and get exact numbers for your project: m0ukd.com/calculators/slim-jim-and-j-pole-calculator/

[@kennethturcolas2298]

i see the calculator sir. what my question right now is the measurement on that calculator is what i use on making j-pole?

[@faditech6793]

All in all a great video, but I didn't favor how you soldered the SO-239 using a torch, I prefer to use a soldering iron (and plugging it with a connector) so the insulating plastic material does not melt !!!

[@MattHeere]

To each their own. Most irons aren't hot enough to do the job properly, and you're just as likely to melt the insulator by keeping the iron there too long as you are being too hot with the torch. Either way it helps a lot to have a quality connector. Some of the cheap stuff coming out of China you could about melt with a hair dryer.

[@faditech6793]

@@MattHeere during the good old days, the insulation was made of a fiber-like material, now it is all soft low-heat grade plastics from China

[@724599]

Matt O.M. Great and Q5-S9 video, TKS, 73's W4HTM

[@TMS5100]

no wonder it was nearly perfect out of the box: copper is about the most efficient metal you can use for an antenna, and big copper pipe like that will give you fat bandwidth. result = incredibly forgiving antenna.

[@tomohawkravenmoon4518]

great video, this is kc2clk 73

[@watchmanmichael2023]

🎺😊👍🏼

[@solo63137]

Great video, what would the gain on one of these be?

[@MattHeere]

J pole is just a vertical dipole, fed with a quarter wave matching stub. Maybe 2dBi or so. The benefits are In the ruggedness primarily

[@Sonnyblack100]

What’s better , j Pole , slim Jim or a double stack dipole ?

[@user-vj4hq2ij3o]

thank you for the good video .... I will try to make one ... but one point ... I think you cant TX on 147.999 you have to consider the TX band width so the max usable dial freq. for FM is 147.7Mhz .. de yi3whr

[@MattHeere]

Basically correct (typically FM is 16kHz wide on 2M, so 8 above/below the carrier) assuming that you are actually modulating the carrier. If you transmit nothing, then you only transmit the carrier itself and no sidebands (ideally). Of course, with the radio being a Baofeng, there's no telling where all it's actually transmitting :)

[@user-vj4hq2ij3o]

thank you for the reply ... one question ... do you have an idea how this antenna work with satellite and is there a chance to make it 2 band antenna .. actually that what I'm trying to use it for ???

[@MattHeere]

Yes and no. A 2-meter 1/2 wave will tune up just fine on the 70cm band, but since it's 3/2 wave on that band the radiation pattern is screwy. If the antenna is vertical, the primary lobe for 70cm takes off at a 45 degree angle. It's usually still a lot better than a rubber HT antenna, and it's always better than no antenna! This would make a frustrating antenna for satellites though. You really need something directional that is either circularly polarized, or that you can move to change the polarization. You can't hold the j-pole in your hand without messing up the RF currents, and even if you could you would look like some kind of bizarre failed swordsman waiving such a thing around.

[@user-vj4hq2ij3o]

Matt Heere Hi hi ... Thank you for the info.

[@jurpikag]

Has anyone or does anyone have any comments about mounting a copper j-pole on a mast in a tree? I have a large oak I can get up another 50' easily. Also is a metallic or non-metallic pole better to mount to?

[@MattHeere]

Definitely check out the link in the description. John has all the details about the mast. Short version is that a metallic mast WILL be a part of the antenna. Whether that turns out to be good or bad depends a lot on your specific install setup. Otherwise, more height is always better for VHF and up - assuming you're willing to put some serious cash into your coax. The loss in 50' of coax could easily wipe out a lot of the benefit you'd get.

[@user-neo71665]

so you got a mag mount on your truck, thats cute let me show you this...............

[@dwightstewart7181]

Does the DIAMETER of the copper tubing matter? For example, could I use tubing half that diameter, or even one quarter that diameter, without negatively impacting the antenna's performance characteristics? I need an antenna with a very low footprint visually. Smaller tubing would obviously help.

[@MattHeere]

Smaller diameter will result in slightly less bandwidth, but otherwise won't change anything.

[@dwightstewart7181]

@@MattHeere .. Thanks. I'll have to play around with this a bit to see what it can do.

[@zacharymcdonald33]

I'm a fairly new ham and this will be my first homebrew antenna, when tuned for 2 meter can it also be used for 70cm?

[@MattHeere]

Hi Zachary. Unfortunately probably not. 70cm is 1/3 the wavelength of 2m, so the two parts of the antenna, which are supposed to be 1/4 and 1/2 wave long, become 3/4 and 1.5 wavelengths long at 440. That really throws the whole theory of the matching stub out the window. But if you have an SWR meter you can give it a try. Just because it isn't a good match doesn't mean that it can't be used (as long as it's not absurd like 20:1 or something). You'll just have to keep the power down, and don't expect to get the reach of an antenna that's appropriate for the band.

[@albertolara]

Mr Matt puede usted presentar un plano de la antena con las medidas pues no hablo su idioma y no le entiendo muy bien gracias

[@spqa2004]

Aquí tienes las instrucciones para construir una antenna J-pole. Espero que te sierva bien. techlandia.com/construir-antena-jpole-vhf-uhf-tubo-aluminio-como_217173/

[@vk3fahmamad196]

Hi Matt, do you have a video that's showing how to make a 2m/70cm Vertical antenna? Thanks

[@MattHeere]

I don't but it's not a bad idea :) . In the mean time I definitely recommend checking out the Ed Fong DB-1: edsantennas.weebly.com/. I bought one and it works really, really well. I doubt we could build anything nearly as good for the $30 price tag.

[@vk3fahmamad196]

Thanks Matt, keep on touch. 73

[@pulsenetwork1796]

Looks good but I have a question see the bottom part of your T fitting acting as a boom pole it shouldn't be made of copper .Why is yours got copper ? cause that would act as another length to your calculation ? .

[@pulsenetwork1796]

Sorry I've just looked again you don't have a T part on yours just two elbows .I have T on mine what could I use for the base area ?

[@MattHeere]

You can use anything non-conductive, such as a hardwood dowel or PVC. Alternatively, you can have a look at this design which is in the process of being patented, but allows you to mount to a grounded, metal mast: www.hamradio.me/antennas/mast-mountable-antenna-patent-application.html

[@pulsenetwork1796]

yea I saw the page but wondered why folk use copper for base section that's a conducter should be made of unconductive stuff for bottom piece

[@kaynediaries630]

Big tnx to you,,, hope to see more bout antenna building from u

[@jessewhite34081]

So first I'm a rookie and I want to make a j pole for my 2 way walkie talkie in theory will a j pole work I'm at 400-470mhz on a retevis H-777 or is there another antenna that I can build that will work better

[@jessewhite34081]

I have a SMA connection on my 2 way with an adapter

[@MattHeere]

Bad news about those radios. They're not legal for use in the U.S. because they have no FCC type acceptance. Also they don't transmit across that whole range. They have pre-programmed "channels" which are all over the map. Some of them are common police and fire department frequencies and you can get yourself is a LOT of trouble transmitting on them. Most of them are licensed business frequencies, and if they're in use locally then you'll have some private company that paid a lot of money for that license coming after you. There are two channels (462.625, 462.725) that fall under GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) rules. You can get a license to operate GMRS from the FCC with no test. There is a fee and the license has to be renewed every 5 years. I would suggest one of two courses of action (actually you could do both): 1. If you really want to get into radio then the best thing you can do is find a local Amateur Radio club and show up for their next meeting. They will be THRILLED to help you get properly licensed for HAM radio, and you'll be able to do so much more with HAM radio then anything else you just won't believe it. 2. If you just want to do something simple right now then get a GMRS license from the FCC and head over to Amazon and pick up a real GMRS radio. This will have all of the GMRS frequencies and will be type accepted by the FCC so it will work properly and legally. If you want to build a J-pole for GMRS (which is legal!) then you'd choose a center frequency of 462.6 for the calculator in the description. Good luck!

[@joshua-the-seer8494]

Will this work with Old corroded/dirty scrap Copper tubing

[@MattHeere]

It likely will. RF travels on the outside of a conductor, and it'll go around holes no problem. It may be harder to tune up because it may act longer or shorter than it really is, but it'll work in the end.

[@jack002tuber]

J poles are great. No radiators, easy to build, easy to set up, works well. What's not to like?

[@jfrphoto01]

Well, the J-Pole antenna is a radiator. I think you meant ground plane radials (counterpoise) and you can make a J-Pole with a counterpoise. It would be mounted just under the antenna's base and is used to decouple the coax outter shield surface from the antenna helping to reduce or eliminate common mode currents from traveling down the coax into the shack. It will also lower the angle of radiation making it easier to do simplex work, especially on the 70cm band. A choke coil or ferrite beads of the proper mix for VHF/UHF will do the same thing with less work!

[@chasecrum1616]

what can you tell me about the coax coil you have at the top of the pole ?

[@MattHeere]

It's just the left over RG8x from the cable I bought to connect the HT to the antenna. You need an RF choke of some kind at the feed point, and a loop of extra cable seems to be the simplest solution.

[@ozzstars_cars]

never realized making an antenna could be so scientific

[@MattHeere]

+Ozzstar It's pretty straight forward as long as Chaos doesn't show up. The dimensions are fairly critical, but the calculators on-line are really good. Take it easy my friend!

[@loveredhead2]

I have built a j pole, but am having an issue trying to get the connector to stay on. Any suggestions?

[@MattHeere]

You pretty much have to make some kind of mounting plate for it, and solder the plate to the pipe. You'll see videos of people soldering the connector directly to the pipe, but I'm pretty sure that most of them are melting the inside of the connector in the process. Take a look at 6:44 in the video and you'll see how I ended up doing it.

[@bhamptonkc7]

Are there down sides to a.copper J pole antenna?

[@MattHeere]

Cost is an issue. Copper pipe is pricy compared to wire. It's also a good SWR match, but a lousy radiation pattern on 70cm. Other variations on the end-fed 1/2 wave (which is all a J-pole is) have solutions to this problem. Check out the DJB antennas from Dr. Ed Fong for instance.

[@BTUvsCAL]

I am "really" new to this and have 1 question....can this be made of steel tubing? to be exact how about square steel tubing?

[@MattHeere]

Steel is very hard to work with for antennas. Anything magnetic behaves wildly unpredictably with respect to frequency based on its exact composition. Non-magnetic stainless is OK, but even it has somewhat strange capacitance between the inner and outer wall. All things are possible, but I'd recommend that you stick with copper or aluminum, especially if you haven't built many antennas.

[@BTUvsCAL]

@@MattHeere thanks

[@mdnkln]

Is 1/2” copper or 3/4” copper best to use?

[@MattHeere]

Doesn't matter much. 3/4 will have more mechanical strength, and a slightly wider bandwidth. Neither is really necessary though.

[@yy5cav]

Gracias por hacer este vídeo, saludos desde Venezuela Sur América @yy5cav Carlos Valero

[@vincea3037]

What solder is used for this J-pole?

[@MattHeere]

About anything will work. I happened to have lead free plumbing solder and flux, so that's what I used. However regular old rosin core electronics solder will work fine. Just takes quite a long bit of it since it's usually much thinner.

[@toddwilliams7130]

Have a question. Does the bottom section length (Below the T connection) make a difference. Prob. a dumb question, I realize, if someone could give me a straight non sarcastic answer, I'd be grateful..

[@MattHeere]

Hi Todd. Not a dumb question at all. In fact, it's probably the most prevalent myth about j-pole antennas out there. The answer is a resounding YES. The bottom section of the j-pole is an active part of the antenna. People claim that because it's a D.C. short that you can ground it or otherwise ignore it. Nothing could be farther from the truth. RF current flows through the bottom of the antenna, and if you attach it to anything metal then you've effectively made that metal part of the antenna (usually, to all sorts of ill effects). If you want to see all the gory details of the modeling and math; this is the best article I've come across: www.hamradio.me/antennas/j-pole-antenna-should-i-ground-it.html

[@FC-eb6zs]

Can you use this antenna for the 70cm band as well? Which is a better antenna the J-pole or the 1/4 wave ground plane? Which one for dual band. Thanks

[@MattHeere]

The J-pole tunes up well on 70cm. The radiation pattern tends to shoot a lot of the RF at high take-off angles though. In general it'll work well for repeaters, but it's kind of so-so for simplex use. A 1/4 wave 2M (3/4 wave 70cm) has reduced performance on 2M in exchange for being better on 70cm for low angle work. It's not that one is better than the other, just possibly better suited for any given task.

[@FC-eb6zs]

Matt Heere so make one for 2m and one for 70cm?

[@FC-eb6zs]

Matt Heere i havent been able to do any simplex yet but trying to reach my local repeaters. My HT cant reach them.

[@MattHeere]

@@FC-eb6zs Make the 2M one and try it on 70cm. If it's good enough then you're done. If not, you can make a dedicated 70cm one.

[@FC-eb6zs]

Matt Heere cool im going to try that. Thank, oh i almost forgot, i am going to mount the antenna on a extra fence post i have in the yard that used to have a bird feeder. Can i mount both antennas(thats if i make two) on each side of the post or do they need to be far apart? Thanks again. 73

[@dbcooper1961]

What is the part # and name for where you connected the coax to the antenna?

[@MattHeere]

That's an SO-239 connector. You'll often here it referred to as a UHF connector in ham circles. If I had it to do over again though I'd probably use an "N" connector. SO-239 is much, much more common, but N connectors are a better impedance match.

[@dbcooper1961]

Thank you for the info. I just made my J pole, inspired from your video. I have seen many people that solder both leads directly to the antenna, but having the ability to simply unhook the coax seems to be a plus for me. Being new to Ham I am trying to learn all I can at once.

[@kurtr1181]

What is the gain on that antenna? And is it directional at all? Or is it completely omnidirectional?

[@MattHeere]

J-poles are 1/2 wave radiating elements, so they run~2.4dBi same as any other dipole would. The antenna is omni-directional in the horizontal. Gain comes from not shooting RF straight up or straight down.

[@kurtr1181]

@@MattHeere Thanks! I want to use fishingline to pull the jpole and coax up to about 70 feet near the top of a tree. So it would be hanging, either from the coax or the line. Is this an unusual setup for a jpole? Most people are mounting them on masts but that won't be nearly high enough for me.

[@MattHeere]

@@kurtr1181 Not unusual for a j-pole, although I think most of them that are deployed the way you describe are made from window line rather than copper pipe. Kevin Loughin actually just published a video about a window line j-pole variant today. Would be worth checking out.

[@amitrajg]

This is the most easiest guide available in youtube. Thanks for sharing the knowledge. Which cable is used ?

[@JoseCosta-xl1ko]

Hi Matt. It is possible to put the measures in a plane? The diameter of the main influences these? I do not know english. We appreciate your help.

[@MattHeere]

It's best to use the link in the description rather than follow a plan. That way you can setup the antenna for any frequency you want. The diameter of the material does not change the required length of the components, but larger diameter materials offer a wider well tuned bandwidth, higher power capacity, and (very, very) slightly enhanced received performance.

[@JoseCosta-xl1ko]

What is the size of the bottom of the antenna which is attached to the support? Sorry but I am a bit ignorant in this matter and I'm learning .... Thanks

[@MattHeere]

My antenna is essentially 3 pieces: - The tall part (the 1/2 wave radiator) is 147.4cm - The short part (the 1/4 wave matching section) is 49.1cm - The bottom of the antenna is 4.5cm across, although this dimension isn't as critical. My feed point - where the coax cable attaches - is 4.9cm up from the bottom. Since I'm attaching to a non-conductive mast (PVC pipe) it really doesn't matter where I attach to the antenna. If you're going to use a metal mast then there's a lot more work to figure out where and how to attach it, as well as the grounding scheme.

[@doomgod314]

Is a tuner really required?

[@MattHeere]

Not as a rule if you tune the antenna somewhere in the middle of the band. More than enough bandwidth to keep the SWR well below 2:1 across all of 2M. A little tougher up on 70cm with the band being 30MHz wide here in the U.S.

[@bobdenault5607]

how many times and what size did you wrap the choke

[@MattHeere]

Wish I could remember Bob. I ended up using this as a receive antenna for air band traffic from the local airport, so it's currently in my attic hooked up to a Raspberry PI with no choke at all (because it's RX only). On my other antennas, one of which is another J-pole, I've switched over to ferrite beads for common mode current reduction. I think they work better, and they're certainly easier to deal with on low loss coax.

[@wallstreettrader1]

Sorry for the late reply...4 windings @ 5" diameter.

[@30CalCoreLokt]

Is that a CB swr meter?

[@MattHeere]

No, it's designed for 2 meter. I should say "Was designed" because it's since died...

[@chancha807]

I would like to build a dedicated 2meter ssb antenna. Any recommendations?

[@MattHeere]

For SSB you want horizontal polarization. A dipole is easy, but any of the 2M tyagi designs are best..

[@chancha807]

@@MattHeere thank you for the quick reply. Means alot. I live in NYC and I am not able to put anything on the roof. What kind of simple but effective antenna would you recommend?

[@MattHeere]

@@chancha807 go with the dipole for starters. It's easy, cheap, and will work almost as well as much more complicated antennas.

[@chancha807]

@@MattHeere can you post a link for a dipole yagi ? The max watts would be about 200.

[@robertlivingston360]

I am finding that a conductive mast can interfere with operation. If you think about it, the signal can go up OR down from the feed quarter wave stub. Depends on the number of half wave multiples that can fit into the mast length for the frequency in use. If by chance the multiple of half waves is close to operational resonance it can "pull" it off frequency. You can take great effort to tune without a mast only to discover a bad match when installed on the mast ... the luck of the draw! Best to use a plastic insulator section just below the "J". It explains why some people have good results and others bad. Otherwise, an unexpected bad mast length can cause grief. VA7WN

[@hrdknox2000]

Hi! KN4BVB here. I just got my Technician's license three weeks ago (there about) and I built and have successfully tested and used a "coat hanger antenna" to reach in the neighborhood of 18-20 miles on my Baofeng UV5R when the antenna is suspended from my balcony of my apartment. I want to be able to reach friends in Utah. I live in Alabama. That's a long way to go, I know. But would a J-pole get me there and what requirements do I need to meet in order to make contact to that range? Will I require additional licensing for Ionospheric bouncing? Can I make this contact possible with my current level of FCC licensure and what kind of equipment will I require to make that kind distance possible? Thanks! Pete

[@MattHeere]

Hi Pete and welcome to ham radio! The good news is that you certainly can communicate between Alabama and Utah with a tech license. Bad news is that it isn't going to be direct via RF, at least not right now. The 2 meter and 70cm bands covered by the UV5R won't make it nearly that far on their own, or even with a repeater (one exception noted below). Here's what will work: 1. If you and your friends can both reach a repeater that's part of the IRLP network (you'll need to Google that term) then you can both communicate using your handhelds, while the repeaters talk to each other using the Internet. 2. Echolink is a different take on partially using the Internet. You should definitely set yourself up with Echolink, and if you want to try it out connect to the N3TN-R node (esp. at 8:45AM eastern). That's where I hang out :) 3. The one kind of repeater that can work over that distance is a satellite. Satellite contacts are tricky, and short, but a ton of fun. 4. You're licensed for voice on 10 meters. With the sunspot cycle where it is, 10M is all but dead. In a few years though it will do what you want - at least sometimes. 5. You could learn morse code. You have privileges for it on lots of other HF bands that will work at other times, and CW is amazingly efficient. 6. If you upgrade to General class you'll get voice privileges on the rest of the HF bands, which at various times are capable of spanning that distance. Again though, HF propagation is pretty lousy at the moment, and even in the best of times the band you need for a given distance isn't always open when you need it. Best advice I can give you is to find a local ham radio club and join up. You'll meet lots of folks who have experience that they're just dying to pass on to new hams. Best of luck and 73's, Matt

[@petershaw608]

Matt Heere I am part of a radio club. The folks I will be talking to have stationary rigs. I can do the same, I just need to know what I need to have to make that connection happen. They are MUCH better prepared than I am on just about every level. Good folks and I want to be able to communicate with them in the event of a national or global crisis. I want to run a cross country civil defense drill where we communicate over radios. I am willing to buy better radio and antenna equipment but it might take a while before I can pass my test to upgrade to a General Class. I don't have a lot of time to study and take practice tests right now.

[@MattHeere]

Yep. Time is always the problem. Lean on those guys in the club. It'll save you a lot of time getting setup. Do bear in mind though that there just isn't any 100% guaranteed direct RF path over that distance regardless of equipment. It requires that the propagation conditions to be just right, even if you end up with access to all the Extra class frequencies and the best equipment available. Morse code (or one of the various digital modes) will be 100X more reliable than voice, but even they won't be 100%, especially here in the basement of the sunspot cycle.

[@petershaw608]

Matt Heere I suppose then that my next best plan is to try to build a network of like-minded ham operators within range of my position and relay messages cross country.

[@MattHeere]

You'll pretty quickly find that "nets" (networks) designed for this purpose are already abundant in ham radio. You'll want to get that General ticket to participate directly in the ones that fit your current distance requirements, but you can get lots of practice on the local repeaters with your handheld in the mean time.

[@270550100]

Hello Can someone tell if this construct the ANTENNA I will work on my own radio which is Baofeng UB-5R? Thanks

[@MattHeere]

Σαββας Κωστομοιρης Yes, it will work. The Baofeng has a standard SMA antenna connection. I used a PL259 on my antenna, which is easily adapted to SMA. I used my j-pole with my Baofeng just yesterday. I did not want to take my Alinco out in the snow :)

[@270550100]

Dear friend Thank you for your prompt reply Always health you and your families thanks again

[@MattHeere]

You can make the j-pole out of pretty much anything conductive, but the calculator pretty much assumes that you're using copper. The plumbing pipe is handy because it's sturdy, and the large diameter conductor give s pretty good bandwidth. You could make this from stiff wire though if you had to. The connector is just a couple dollars. The wire to connect from the radio to the antenna will be the most expensive part of the whole deal.

[@MattHeere]

No problem James. 1/2 the fun of amateur radio is all the stuff there is to learn :) 1 - Any gauge will work so long as you're not transmitting so much power that you melt the wire (which is very, very hard to do). There are versions of J-pole antennas made by cutting out certain sections of twin-lead wire, and that stuff is usually 20 or 22G. The main consideration is that the antenna needs to retain its shape somehow. 2- The connector is called a PL-259. It's the de-facto standard for antenna connections on the HF bands. It is still quite usable on 2M. Higher frequencies than this are generally handled using either BNC or SMA connectors these days. Typically with this particular connector the equipment is the female and the cable is male on both ends - but of course you can build it any way you want. 3. Part of the beauty of a j-pole is that it does not need a ground plane. In fact, you need to be careful if you mount this antenna on a grounded mast, as that can interfere with the antenna pretty severely. 4. My copper is .75", which is pretty much the standard for water supply plumbing around here (at least, where they're still using copper).

[@Jimmyzb36]

Great video! Thanks! However,,, you will never get this thru the drive thru.

[@RESISTAGE]

reaching a repeater is one thing, but doing simplex is totally another. how much distance is gained doing simplex? thank you.

[@MattHeere]

Actually the radio signal doesn't know the difference. What's special about repeaters isn't the gear, but the fact that they generally have good antennas, and good elevation. If another simplex user had those same qualities, then the range would be the same.

[@user-fr2fz3hj6t]

Без синей изоленты и здесь не обошлось

[@chrisb3989]

The units of measurement in the metric system are millimetres meters and kilometres you should abandon centimetres as ancient history.