Building Vertical Dipole Antennas for HF Ham Radio

[@m0bob]

I copied the 1/4 wave that you showed in another video. All I can see is, it works excellently and I am really impressed. Previously, I used a multi band end fed commercially made antenna and in comparison to the 1/4, it was useless.

[@McPilot_W3DDS]

Walt: “I’m going to throw this antenna together and see what happens”. 3 minutes later, DX from Europe. Great video Walt!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you! That was a fun afternoon

[@redstickham6394]

It's fun to just toss a wire in the air and see what happens.

[@TheFlyingSquerill]

right in your "element" pun intended... enjoyed hearing the enthusiasm in your voice...sounds like you were at a 1:1 tune yourself there...🙋

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Hahaha thanks! It was a fun afternoon

[@johnhess351]

I just built a hard aluminum center fed dipole for 17m from a giant old tv antenna that is now mounted on a 14 foot 4x4 timber set in the ground so antenna will swivel on its off mechanical center on a bolt like a windmill. First hit: 2750 miles to Trinidad at 90 degree omni orientation even though bottom of lower element was only two feet off ground. It will morph to perfect sloper East, then swivel to perfect sloper West with lower element rising to about 8 feet. Swivel allows horizontal as well as bringing either end down to ground level for trimming and drops feed point to safe step ladder level. I am hooked on vertical dipoles. I guess it has 'armstrong elevation rotator". Just have to set a 14 foot post in the ground. Works like a tiltover tower except it is smaller scale and the antenna is like the tilting tower.

[@F4LDT-Alain]

Hey Walt, your passion for ham radio really is contagious. Thanks for all these great videos that really inspire me. Your words could be mine. Exactly. That's precisely what ham radio is to me. I envy you for living in a place where such field days are possible right now. Me, I probably need to wait a month or so. I was just miserable during my last attempt at portable operation under pouring cold rain. Soaked wet already and realizing that I needed to get out of the car to trim the bloody thing HI*3 😅

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you Alain! The nice weather will be here soon my friend

[@paulkazjack]

The bands were working great today. The Curacao stations were coming through nice to the UK. 73.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Awesome!

[@samallan6616]

You can make a coaxial sleeve half wave dipole antenna and it does not require a matching transformer, or require you to hang the feedline perpendicular to the antenna. You feed it at the bottom and run it along a fiberglass pole or suspend it from a high tree limb. Wind a few turns of coax at the bottom to isolate the antenna from the feedline...instant easy half wave dipole with a couple of Db of gain! I've made several which included shorted quarter-wave stubs at the feed point for static reduction.

[@agoraphobicadam1171]

Ham radio, Big ole antenna and a Jeep on the coastline makes for a great day. I love it when ham ops recognize you on the air and watch your videos. :) KO4HPC 73

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you!!! It’s pretty cool when that happens

[@goodfriend6428]

Another great video. Your enthusiasm is infectious. Thank you! Love the sharing.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you so very much!

[@andy2E0JIU]

Great video walt ,really liked this one 👌

[@gelatodream]

Walt, you really are the personification of the HAM PASSION.. Keep going OM. Hope to find you on the air. 73. K4ITA Leo...😀

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you so very much! 73, Walt

[@JimRinaldi-KC8KYQ]

Walt - Love your videos and couldn't agree more about making antennas! It is probably one of the best parts of the hobby, trial and error and the fun of talking on an antenna you made yourself. Enjoy and be safe always!

[@KL7ECoutdoors]

Nice Walt! That by far is my favorite antenna to build and use. I’ve got to quit being lazy and build me a linked version. 73 my friend! KL7EC

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks! Same here I need to do a linked version. 73 my friend!

[@Retired_Five-0_W4WAG]

Walt is the “Ginsu Master” of HF Radio. “He Slices and Dices and makes DX Contacts” Love It! 😂

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

“But wait there’s more, order now and get a second set” 😂😂😂

[@MrTommy001]

@@COASTALWAVESWIRES Hahahahaha!

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Walt, you are an inspiration! Top Banana!!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks Callum!!!!

[@herja-youngodin2040]

Thanks great video! Newbie in Missouri.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you! 73, Walt

[@nickl3872]

Thanks Walk, this is the best channel. I love the antenna building too. I built my 1st antenna this weekend.. made several contacts.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks so much for the kind words! 73 my friend!

[@cnick6]

Walt, I know you've tried other verticals, but I just picked up the Diamond BB7V. I think it'd be a really interesting comparison test to one of your vertical wire antennas vs a no-radial vertical such as the BB7V. The BB7V has a one extra feature -- it's very portable. It can be set up in 60 sec or less. I use a flag pole stake and pipe for quick portability.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Great idea, I’ve been looking at that antenna for a long time

[@bevo65]

Some electronic joy to start my weekend. Thank you, Walt! 🤠

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks for watching and for the great comment my friend!

[@nickl3872]

Good times! 73s.. look forward to hearing you one day soon

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you!! 73, Walt

[@allandavis_AC4HI]

Great video Walt. I love the fact that are out having fun and not one of those guys that produce videos to hawk some ones product. 73 and stay salty !

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you very much! 73 and stay salty!

[@MikeN2MAK]

It's always fun trying new and different antennas.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Yes it is my friend!

[@snuffy19608]

Ok, first the question I've always wanted to ask: WHAT is the green handle next to your head for? NOW, 2 things good about Walt and his channel I learn and add to my list of things to try when it warms up a bit. Second, I know where the ignant people are, sprinkled in a mongst the rest of the comments!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

@@snuffy19608 thanks! There are 4 green handles like that in my Jeep, they are grab bars to get in and out of the Jeep, one at each door. My wife is 4’-10” and needs them to climb up to get it 😂

[@mikesavage9499]

Great job Walt! That would be my perfect day too, I love messing around with antennas and DX. I would have been tempted to try 6 meter next just for fun.

[@richardwatsonjr.5067]

Earlier today I was working Europe on a 45 year old, 11 meter shakespeare big stick on 10m and 15m, 100w. Great propagation! KC3UWT. 73 Walt.

[@DonDegidio]

Hi Walt, Nice that a few snips and you have another band. Made a contact with J62K at 08:19 this morning during the contest, but there is something going wrong with my wire antenna. Wish I could check it out and make any repairs, but have a corneal abrasion on my right eye that is causing me some blurry vision. Enjoy all your videos. 73 WJ3U

[@t.j.speakman7723]

Awesome stuff Walt. Thanks for sharing. Ya know I love messing with antenna's

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks for watching!

[@fernandoares8297]

You make ham radio fun Walt!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you! 73, Walt

[@WX4CB]

one thing i do when i have built with speaker wire or zip cord, i put a couple of zip ties near the connection point to keep them joined together and also gives you a good secure mount point. works quite well

[@bobkopf227]

Good morning Walt, thanks for another nice video. I wish I had salt water near me but since I live in Missouri that’s not likely to happen 😊

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Sounds like it’s time for a vacation down here at the end of Interstate 64. Just kidding, I think most of my antenna experiments would be great to try inland as well. 73, Walt

[@darylsawdy3910]

Great Video! Thank you from a HF new guy in TN!

[@stevecolby6505]

Walt: Watching your video I thought that you might want to keep to cut off pieces when going from 20 to 15 to 10 meters and crimp connector to reconnect them.....thus making a 3 band linked vertical dipole. You could connect or disconnect the extra bit to band hop. Then you got me thinking about a vertical dual band fan dipole using 300 ohm TV ladder line with one conductor tuned to resonance on 20M and the other on 15 or 10 meters......You go me thinking.....lol.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Awesome, I got you thinking!

[@Peter_S_]

Great video! It's a great configuration to explain to folks and the ability to demonstrate tuning with diagonal cutters seems to connect with a lot of people. I had couple ideas for you to consider. Thinking like a KZbinr, you might want to add a link to your Balun/Unun video at the end and in the upper right when you mention using the balun and show the roll-in picture. Next idea is to add banana jacks to your balun outputs and banana plugs to your elements for easy swapping and now you can throw together a super easy to deploy multi-band dipole kit. Final idea is to consider doing a homebrew balun video to pair with a homebrew dipole. A socket and 24 wraps of 2 conductor wire around a proper toroid and you're there. 73 from the Colorado Rockies.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks for the input! 73, Walt

[@christophermarshall5765]

Nice one!! This is what Ham radio is all about.

[@billjobes1851]

What fun to watch ! Adapt and improvise, right Walt ?

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks for watching! It was a fun afternoon

[@aj2isotadxing]

Great job Walt! Really good video.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you!!!!

[@Andrew-yx7sf]

I use a linked 20/40 vertical for POTA sometimes.

[@genoa1979]

Your made antenna? I search for my garden

[@Andrew-yx7sf]

@@genoa1979 I don't understand your question.

[@KC3UVF]

Good stuff as usual Walt. If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say that your 20m was long due to ground proximity. I always end up 10-20% shorter than what the tool calculates.

[@williamwiese9963]

Still studying for my Technicians, but I'd like to see what you could come up with for GMRS. I know that's not your flavor, but I'd love to see what you could do for some us that aren't hams yet. Love your videos!! Stay safe

[@ChrisKD9YSW]

Well can’t wait to see what you will be building to use with the G90. Yep bought one

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Awesome, you’re going to love that radio!

[@ErikTheVikingMechanic]

Very nice Walt. Thank you for experimenting. All the best M7LDK

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you my friend! 73, Walt

[@giffjim55]

Great video!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you!!!

[@redstickham6394]

Ever built a linear loaded dipole? I've been experimenting with one and having a blast!

[@StreakyP]

a trick with your support pole not being long enough.... see the "shorty 40" antenna for 7MHz... well just half the dimensions & you can use it on 14MHz.... then fits easily on your pole...you don't even need an ATU or balun as the central coil (same number of turns just half the diameter of the 40m one) is tapped to give you the balanced 1:1 o/p Plan B is even simpler, just "linearly load" the dipole by folding both ends back on each other. OK it takes a little retuning of length to get it back on resonance but just 2 foot of foldback at each end overall shortens the antenna by 4' so the "33' dipole" then fits a 30' mast.

[@VE9ASN]

It's incredible how many contacts you make, and fun you have for always doing it wrong hihi!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

hihi I don’t wanna be right 😂

[@robertmeyer4744]

That was great .I keep Walmart speaker wire in my go kit. and some ferrite FT 240 cores . 31/43/61 mix. I want to try a 160 meter veritable dipole at night . 80 and 40 meters as well. to get it up will use a helium balloon . just pick a calm day if windy use a kite . with 160 meters will do end fed with ground plain. will take a lot of wire . love having fun making antenna's .My T2LT coax antenna made with RG 8X was a big hit on CB CH 38 LSB. I got NY to England in the AM on 11 meters CB . just coax on a DX commander 10 meter pole . Callum has longer poles. on my list. 73's

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks! I’ve got Callum’s longer poles on my list too! 73

[@mobiltec]

Very new to the HF part of the hobby. Been having a blast following you. Was that 16ga or 14ga wire you were using Walt?

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks! That was 16ga

[@mobiltec]

Thanks Walt @@COASTALWAVESWIRES

[@timdbl7804]

The config I prefer is the T2LT, otherwise known as Flowerpot antenna

[@skrattswalk1928]

Walt keep going bro. Great stuff. Question🎉 which sand spike will work with DX Commander 7M.? I received a spike earlier this week but the diameter is too small unless I remove the mast from the tubing which im thinking is not a good idea. Any clues?

[@tibbetts35]

New to the hobby and getting my license soon. I live near the beach as well. I want to do DX, it would be so relaxing at some of the areas near me. Whats an easy beginner vertical antenna? Your videos are great, Thank you Walt!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thank you! To me the easiest and best vertical to get started with is a 1/4 wave vertical. This is an old video but describes how to build one: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eHu7emeYlr51pc0si=O3TP-6ZK7SNqAURS

[@tibbetts35]

@@COASTALWAVESWIRES thanks for the help!

[@terencebarfield5864]

Question/instead cutting 20 meter vertical antenna into 15 meter antenna can you fold ends over back on itself to shorten to get 20 meter vertical dipole

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Yes I could have done it that way

[@MrTopSpeedy]

Hi Walt, OH6COQ here! I have an idea for you, Bobtail curtain for 10 meters, should be small enough to make 😅

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Great idea!

[@tomm899]

Im going to make 1

[@truckinguy92]

Any vertical antenna with an elevated counterpoise whether it be horizontal or vertical is a vertical dipole.

[@WQ9V]

I am building a yagi antenna if I mount it on a metal pole will it affect the performance of the antenna? WQ9V

[@MirlitronOne]

"That antenna will never be as good as a J-pole. I've never made a J-pole, but I've read a lot of KZbin comments saying how good a J-pole is." 73 de M1GWZ

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Exactly! I get those comments all the time!

[@LeeMcc_KI5YPR]

20m J-pole? Can I watch?

[@genoa1979]

How much swr you have on 20 meter?

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Around 1.9:1

[@genoa1979]

@@COASTALWAVESWIRES nice i have 18 meter spyderbeam tube i want to try 40 dipole vertical tnk for idea

[@monawarrajayki5445]

Making mistakes and fixing them is how we learn. KO4GBB

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Yes it is! 73, Walt

[@WECB640]

Walt, when they ask you why you build and experiment with antennas, just refer them to "Baby, the Rain Must Fall" by Glenn Yarbrough "Some men climb a mountain Some men swim the sea Some men fly above the sky They are what they must be.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks! That’s great!

[@Philip-KA4KOE]

Because it's there

[@McPilot_W3DDS]

Walt can you sell me some of that dx speaker wire?

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Hahaha Walmart $16.99

[@Philip-KA4KOE]

Slice and dice!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Hack and wack!

[@vincefletcher1547]

We Have A lot in Common 73 Fer Wales.

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Cool! 73 from Virginia 🇺🇸

[@christophersmith1155]

when I tune my dipole , I just folded back the wire instead of cutting. this way I can reuse it again. Im cheap.

[@kellypaws]

The eternal downside of a resonant antenna is that whatever band you choose, you can guarantee is going to be massively crap once you've tied yourself to it. Which is why my length of vertical wire has an external ATU at the base. Which tunes to any band - after 15 minutes trying to get it to tune, and swearing at it. (It's MFJ.)

[@rocketfliervb]

Thank you for the videos!! They give me great incentive to home brew and get out and test!

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks for watching Eric. 73 neighbor!

[@ronfirth5198]

I'm sure that salt water helps! VA3IRF

[@paulswift700]

I love making antennas but sadly I can nolonger doing. I'm just to old now and not very fit. Good luck. De HS0ZLQ, G0MIH

[@COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Thanks for watching. Wishing you good health! 73, Walt

[@jamesabc372]

Maybe some "club" members can assist you Over there if you ask!😊