Building the Inverted V Dipole

[@super66craig]

Well done Walt! You are a national treasure for us poor guys with nothing but wire and free time. 😊

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks Craig!!!

[@Alpha_Charlie_Company]

These videos keep getting better and better! Great job Walt!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you so much!!!

[@johnkershaw9575]

Another great one. Thanks. I'm a big believer and user of dipole antennas. At my QTH I have an OCF that can talk around the world when conditions are right. Cheap and effective.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks John! You’re spot on, cheap and effective.

[@williamsteele5729]

Your killing me! All of your vids are great, your vids are the only ones I really look forward to. Since watching you I have bought a tr usdx and also pulled my elecraft kx3 out of moth balls. I bought the ventenna balun/unun and talked to Croatia with 10 watts last night. I was going to buy the G90 as it's on sale now but I really like the FX-4cr (I have a tuner, mfj, and a small antenna analyzer fg-01). I also bought the M1ECC EFHW FOR 20 meters and the isolator. Come to think about it, I also bought the 17 foot mfj collapsible antenna. You should be getting comissions on all of this. Keep up the good work. Brock KC4SMI

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks Brock! I really like my FX-4CR but it was a long wait to get it (took months). My G90 is still probably my all time favorite radio. Hope to catch you on the air! 73, Walt K4OGO

[@garyh8315]

Another great vid Walt. The simplest antenna to build and get you on the air. With a good day field plot with increased chance of DX when conditions are right.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks Gary, this was a fun and easy build.

[@bodstrup]

Hi Walt - felt I had a stroke of Genius. Inspired by the military AS-2259 NVIS antenna, I build an X shaped Inverted V with wires for 20 and 15 meters - along with about 6 meters of guy wire at the end of the antenna wires - for a total length around 11 meters Mast was raised to about 8 meters With tent stakes to hold the lines extending the antenna wire - I now had a very stable antenna setup - and one that was resonant on 20 and 15 meters - SWR no worse than 1.5. With the Icom antenna tuner or the IC 705, I was even able to tune for 40 meters - though likely not being efficient. On 20 meters however, I had a 1400km QSO to italy using 10W - and received 9+10 in signal report. Next experiment will be with a wire cut for 40 rather than 20 meters - should give me 40 - 20 - 15 and possible 10 meters - without needing a tuner. finally - going to try the concepet with my *very* bendy 12 meter Spiderbeam mast .. expecting to get a fine DX antenna with a high efficiency

[@GSWEAR66]

Another great video! Thank you Walt!!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you Greg!

[@jeffrobodene1485]

Great job. Absolutely like K7MEM's Antenna Calculator! Interestingly enough, I never knew each side of the inverted-V were different lengths. I plan on building a 1:1 balun, I'll stick the mast in a 5 gallon bucket with concrete, and make two small gallon buckets with concrete to make this setup completely portable. Thank you, again Coastal Waves & Wires.

[@charleswa]

Timely video. I'll be putting together a 10 meter dipole this weekend getting ready for field day. Have an old 25 watt Radio Shack HTX-10 HF radio to try. I have a 16' telescopic pole from my friend's kite store (about $50) to hold it up. I will have a 10 meter hamstick as well plus my aunt will have an IC705. Should be fun! 73

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Sounds like a fun antenna project!

[@m7trsradio]

Walt great antenna. I built something like that then added 40m to it, which as you know became a linked dipole. Started off small them now quite a big span foot print. Nice work. Living the little rig. Just finished building a loaded vertical. Just need to get outside and see if it works. This weekend🤞🏽 Motters M7TRS 73 👍🏽

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Hey Motters! Have fun this weekend! 73 Walt

[@mcgrath16511]

i currently use an inverted V in 20 meter..performnce is outstanding.. easy to build!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

I agree! Thanks for commenting

[@normancarnahan4893]

Thanks for the video ! Reviewing the basics is always helpful. Next … how about a horizontal folded dipole for 17M? Using 6” or 8” spacers?

[@AKA_Clunker]

Very impressive for an antenna that can be built so cheap! Unbelievable that it’s basically on the ground and still works so well. I’m building one to use on 11 meters soon, I’m going to shoot for 20 or 30 feet at it’s highest point.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

That should work well. Good luck!

[@mikestone9129]

You"re the King of wire antennas. I'm always excited to see what you will come up with next. Maybe a chicken wire antenna:-)

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you Mike!

[@jeffrobodene1485]

Mikestone9129, do you mean an eatable chicken wire antenna? LOL.

[@KC3UVF]

If it makes contacts, it's good. DX is great, but there's nothing wrong with regional contacts. Keep on makin em Walt!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks! I plan on making as many as possible before I leave in a couple weeks

[@Andy2e0ree]

Great one Walt I keep missing you on the band 73

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks Andy, we will catch each other!

[@loraz0]

Hey Walt! I built one very similar, but it is linked for use between 10 and 20m. Tune 10, then 12, etc. It works well for portable use. I get stuck on verticals and should use it more.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

That's cool!

[@wblue74]

Great antenna, I put up a 20 metre dipole of bare copper wire, good contacts on 10 Watts. Easy to put the centre on a pole tied to the garden fence. Can't get it too high there, since some arsehole decided to put telegraph wires there at about 7 or 8 metres.

[@agoraphobicadam1171]

Poland to New York, U.S.A. Holy Moly, That's awesome! :) KOP4HPC 73

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

I wasn’t expecting it! 73, Walt

[@dandypoint]

Excellent! I have been doing the same thing for years! Right on about the wires being electrically longer as they get closer to the ground. I will email you a link to a video I did demonstrating I did on how simple you can get! 73, N4DJ

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Cool! I’ll look for it

[@Redbelly357]

Just ignore the guys that try to armchair quarterback everything. I know some of them and they've never built anything themselves. Keep the good videos coming.

[@jimnelson726]

GREAT VIDEO OF THE INVERTED V!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you Jim!

[@airheadzradioadventures]

Great stuff as always Walt!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you! I’ll be looking for you guys on the bands when I get back to the states!

[@airheadzradioadventures]

@@COASTALWAVESWIRES would love to get you in the log!

[@6kd6]

Hi Walt, nice video man. The good old dipole, the mother of all antennas. Nice construction too. "Ideal Operating Conditions" (i.e. height, materials, etc. etc.) do not exist. You go out there with the stuff you make and get qso's done. Cool. Listen, maybe a good follow up could be and off center fed dipole (you could re-use some materials -not the case for the balun-), and there you have a multiband antenna... maybe... 73 de Guido, EA1FPN

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Hi Guido! Thanks for the kind words. That would be cool to put up inverted. I might try that! 73, Walt K4OGO

[@DK5ONV]

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you so much Uncle G!!! 73 my friend!

[@christophermarshall5765]

Nice antenna. Set up properly they work great. My home base radio is one of the new Yaesu FT-710 radios, 12 metres of LL400 coax I'm waiting for, & a Hy-Gain VA6160 vertical antenna. I might make an inverted V for portable operations to work with my FT-891 radio. De VK5FCHM.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks for watching and commenting. 73, Walt K4OGO

[@Ben--David]

I messed up and built a perfect 20M antenna. I used SS guy wires rather than rope seems to resonate. and get 20 over 9 from 1,800 miles away. With an inverted V EFHW. It used to be an NVIS Multiband, now it is a single band 20M. May hook up my tuner to try to bring the other bands back in.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Give that tuner a try!!!

[@stevecolby6505]

Hi Walt: Nice video on inverted-V antennas. I was thinking a linked inverted-V might be easily switched from band to band without taking it down since the legs extend towards the ground. A micro banana plug connector at 3.3 feet from the end of the legs on each side would get you resonant on 17 meters when disconnected. It's would be the "Coastal Bandsurfer-V". In your setup, you might be able to reach the connectors from ground level....no muss no fuss.....worth a try? Maybe have a 15, 12 and 10 meter disconnect too? Not sure you could reach those from the ground though.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Sounds like a good idea!

[@Philip-KA4KOE]

A good resonant dipole is hard to beat.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Yes it is!

[@bradleyjohnson452]

Another nice thing about this antenna is that painter poles in the 12' range are less expensive and easier to transport

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Great point!

[@ehayes5217]

Yep, can't beat the ole' Inverted V; have had many over the years; while omnidirectional, they'll certainly work well; however, many years ago, I put up a ZS6BKW (a modified version of the G5RV) & have never looked back; can work most bands using just my IC-7300's internal AT; as always, a great video, 73 de WA4ELW in TN 🇺🇸 dit dit 😃

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you! 73 de K4OGO

[@osrzgz]

Muchas gracias por la informacion de sus videos,,, muy completos e interesantes. Felicitaciones

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you very much! 73, Walt

[@TheAtomicZombie10]

Great video, really interesting. Might have to try this myself

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks!!!!

[@eduardopower5254]

As usual great video Amigo! 73!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you very much Eduardo!

[@donaldsmith3048]

That antenna is almost the same as another antenna I saw on here. But it was made for 20M and 40M.. I had printed out that and given to my club. Many said that they wanted to make one. With the 4 wires coming from the top that antenna held itself up. 73 W4DES

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Oh wow, that sounds cool. Kind of an inverted linked dipole. 73 K4OGO

[@donaldsmith3048]

@@COASTALWAVESWIRES No! it had 4 wires 90 degrees apart. Like 40M wires run north south, 20M the wires run east west. Like a fan dipole. You don't need to switch, add or remove wires. Also, the 4 wires can be used to hold the mast in place. 73 W4DES

[@Ron_pd3ron]

I have one also, 9 mtr high for 40, 20 and 10 mtr. I have taken down my horizontal dipole. A friend of my has build one, he don't belief it. That good

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

That’s awesome, thanks for sharing!

[@Stingmni]

More inspiration sir. I have plenty space, but want to try it just the way you did

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

I hope it works great for you! 73, Walt

[@doubleD_K2DRD]

Walt, Would like to know about a FAN dipole. Searching your videos and not seeing anything. Want to build a 40m 20m for field day 2024. Great video !! Build the inverted V antenna a few months back, with your help, and getting great results. 1:1 balun and a choak cut for 40 meters, Also thought it would be rather directional, but have good contacts off any side, K2DRD

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

I need to get out and build a fan dipole, that's something I have never done. 73, Walt

[@pasjeihobby]

Wow such a great contacts !

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

I was surprised how well it performed

[@StuartM0TTQAmateurRadio]

One of the things I have been meaning to do for a long time is put up an inverted-V and compare it to the vertical by the sea. Maybe take an antenna switch over and late one night see how they compare working the US on 20 or 17. I should really do it while we have these still summer nights.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

I would really be interested in the results Stuart, make a video!

[@MikeN2MAK]

I hadn't really done much with dipoles, since end fed wires and verticals have been easier for me to setup portable. But I've been giving them a shot recently and it's not that bad now that I'm getting used to it.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

I was the same, never did much with dipoles. Glad I built this one.

[@radio_air]

Good DX, Walt! 73.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you! 73 de K4OGO

[@MegaJunebug3]

Wow,i had no idea a dipole could do that,just crazy

[@tedmead465]

Darn straight! I have a 20 meter home brew dipole about 32 feet above the ground and i've made contacts in Scotland, France, and Russia from NW Pennsylvania USA. On a 5 watt qrp radio. 73 KC3TEC. Dipoles are easy to make and cost next to nothing.

[@MegaJunebug3]

@tedmead465 nice!!!! I just finished an inverted v 5/8 wave and tomorrow going to try it out. If it works I'll check my measurements and build a few more for some people wanting to get on the air

[@jamesabc372]

Walt ,have you made a "flat top "wire dipole with fishing rods as support yet. The good thing is you only need 1 support mast and you can rotate it. Up high enough it's bidirectional. For 20 meters 33 ft is perfect. You don't have the extra lobes.

[@edurrant]

Many of us SOTA activators use a linked version of the inverted V which makes it multi-band. I regularly work into VK early morning on 20m SSB from hilltops here in central Europe with just 20w or less. As you say, a great antenna for portable usage. By the way NVIS propagation only works up to the critical frequency of the ionosphere and that never goes above 10MHz so NVIS is (as far as I understand it) physically not possible on 20m. 73 Ed DD5LP

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks for the great comment Ed, 73 Walt K4OGO

[@chipweather]

I built this antenna just with no balun instead had a air choke. Had to cut a few inches down from the calculator. Works much better the my vertical. Probably because of my obstructions.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Awesome!

[@WECB640]

Well Done Walt. 73 OM

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you my friend! 73

[@joecannon1231]

Hi Mate, Thanks for this video and all your others, I have a very small back yard 9mt X 3 to 5Mt I'm hoping that this will get me out but I have hills on all sides, New to ham radio again.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

This might be the perfect antenna for you. I think it gives a bit of a higher takeoff angle which may be just what you need to skip over the hills around you. 73, Walt

[@WHNorthcote]

You could raise it up a bit more then add a reflector wire that will give you more direction if you place it east/west. Could be something to try.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Could be something to try

[@williamwiese9963]

Love your video! Just getting into radio, been studying for m ytech, and already have my gmrs. What could you recommend for gmrs freqs? I would love to tinker and build something.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks so much! I really can’t recommend any GMRS frequencies as I really don’t do much there, I’m more of a HF guy and do a little 2 meter stuff. Sorry I couldn’t help you out there. Good luck on the tech, it’s going to open up a great world of radio for you. The 10 meter band is really starting to open and you’ll be able to make some great worldwide contacts! 73, Walt K4OGO

[@williamwiese9963]

Oh thank you so much! I can't wait, you got a thumbs up and a new subscriber out of me! Keep up the great videos 🔥

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you!!!!!!

[@jerryKB2GCG]

what did you use for a mast ? Balun home made it commercial? How do you measure the angle of the antenna legs sloping down?

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

The mast is a 6 meter telescopic pole, this could be done easy with telescopic Crappie fishing pole (they’re cheap on Amazon). The balun I used was made by N9SAB and he sells them on eBay and Etsy. All the measurements are on the diagram that is on the antenna calculator. At the bottom of the diagram the distance from the center pole to the ends of the antenna are shown.

[@keathrhymer5449]

Question. If I take my hamstick dipole and mount it an angle of 45 degrees would that make it tx both horizontal and vertical or neither ?

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

I honestly don’t know but think it would have the same characteristics of a sloper antenna.

[@quadcam24v]

I have my portable inverted vee for 40m up 26 feet (8M) on a squid pole, and its a great performer for POTA in the bush in Australia. It's really wobbly though at 8m especially when the wind gets gusty 😅 One day I'll upgrade the license and get on 20m.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Cool, thanks for sharing

[@jamesabc372]

Maybe you can find a tripod stand that would help. Also you can make a "flat top dipole antenna using fishing rods as support for your wire. At 28-33 ft it should be bidirectional. Good luck!😊

[@quadcam24v]

@@jamesabc372 I upgraded to a spider beam, 12m of solid fury. Also gotta keep it slightly tensioned, then no more wobbles!

[@petemillis4666]

How can you say it's not exactly sexy? All antennas are! GREAT video as usual! 73 M3KXZ

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Hahaha yes they are! Thanks Pete, 73 K4OGO

[@AdamCasner]

Is the balun a must for these? If so can you link? Thanks!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

No a balun is not a must for a dipole but will help it greatly. Any 1:1 will work.

[@bullterriertransylvania]

Hi Walt, just an observation, on the X5105 it looks like after the analyze the SWR is 1 but later when you start activating on the FX-4C the SWR is 1.4/1.9. Why is that? Or isn't it too much the 1.9SWR? Usually I try to keep my antenass SWR near 1-1.3SWR for the best performance since Im activating with 5W.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

I noticed that occurred during peak modulation on the FX-4CR. Something I need to investigate. It didn’t seem to affect the signal as you could see in the contacts.

[@G5STU]

5:48 M7SZY top bloke, uses my logging platform 👍

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Yes he’s a great guy, always enjoy talking to him.

[@NG9D]

That’s a great HF antenna! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 73 Lynn NG9D

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

It really surprised me. 73 Walt K4OGO

[@warrenpercell297]

Thanks for this one, Walt. I wonder if I build one for 40 meters if it will work well for the other resonant bands? Yet another experiment to try. You've given me quite the to-do list. 73

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Hi Warren, I bet it would. 73

[@hedfan3235]

Hey Walt! Great video! Did you get the E=Mail I sent you about my idea for a HF Vertical?

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks! I’ll go look, I’ve been busy and a little slack in keeping up with emails.

[@qutips33]

I have a fan dipole 40.20-15 and my antenna is approximately 7 meters above the ground and I have many contacts to USA, Japan, China, have 98 countries. so dipole antenna is a good antenna LA2VLA 73

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

That’s awesome, thanks for sharing! 73 de K4OGO

[@munni8275]

sir can you please show me how to create a inverted v dipole antenna in ansys hfss software

[@n0vty873]

2 different element lengths?

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Yes I followed the K7MEM Calc to do that and it worked well

[@Electrimusprime]

So you took 50ft of wire either side?

[@mewrongwayKOCXF]

👍👍👍

[@contouraerials]

How many watts?

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

20 watts

[@bodstrup]

btw - Amir moved pretty quickly from Tel Aviv to Faero Islands….

[@Steven_VE9SY]

Yes it technically should be higher, but lowering the antenna changes it's properties, and give it different take off angles. Thus it give different DX. Changing the direction of the antenna, will change things too. It's called experimenting. When I had my own house and property, (Luckily I had great neighbours ) I was always Had 4 or 5 different antennas in different spots on the property. Weekends, You would find me right after breakfast changing out at least one antenna that I found and read about through the week. Quite often we (my wife is a ham as well. I'm the experimenter and she's the cheap labour hi hi ) would work on the antennas through week, so we could get it up and trimmed and use it all meek. I had an OFC that was our main antenna at the top of the tower that worked fantastic. Every thin from 80 up to 10 no tuner until you got to the lowest part of 80, and the highest part of 10. Just above 29mhz. If we were doing a contest, it was the antenna we used. But I would flip antennas sometime to see if I could pet a better signal and if so us it. I've had them at 10 feet, and at 60. Some worked great, and others got repurposed. Others just buy something over priced because the ad said it was the best antenna you will ever own. They have no idea of the possibilities of antennas that are cheap to build and work so much better.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks for watching and thanks for the great comment! 73 de K4OGO

[@1965RonnieP]

I'm always thinking in American !

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Hahaha, I’m an engineer and I work all day in metric but that imperial measurement system is always how I think in the real world

[@patriot9455]

"you should", I bet you will, when you want to.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Haha yep