Ham Radio: The Cobweb Antenna

Now the higher HF bands are waking up let’s look at an antenna with a small footprint that more than punches above its size.
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73.

[@Ishybunny16]

Steve Webb is my grandad. He doesn't talk to me about it really and only heard about the cobwebb from my mum who used to do the soldering.

[@mikes6844]

Hi Tim, I’ve had one of the Steve Webb originals for quite a few years now and been very happy. It does sit on a crank up mast so I manage to get it up to 35 foot. When not in use it just sits above the ridge of the roof, not very visible to the neighbours. Highly recommended. Thanks for the vid 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@timg5tm941]

Sounds like a good set up Mike 73

[@TomG2NV]

Very good Tim! Interesting type of antenna, with lots to recommend it ,small footprint, resonant multi element with no rotator required and pretty easy to make your own! I've read lots of reports suggesting they work well without having to be at great heights, It would be interesting to do A/B testing with two identical Cobwebs at different heights. 73, Tom

[@timg5tm941]

Agree Tom... I think 30 v 10 feet would be useful

[@sydei3ieb204]

Great info on the antenna, Tim. Congrats on the move in to the new shack. Looks a lot warmer that the shed! I can't wait to see it fully decked out. Keep the videos coming and thanks for making them. 73's De Syd EI3IEB

[@timg5tm941]

Thank you Syd and for your support 👍

[@sydei3ieb204]

@@timg5tm941 Hay, you are doing all the work Tim! I'm getting all the rewards.

[@Paddy_Roche]

Food for thought there Tim, thanks for the video. Massive congratulations on your Subscriber count my friend. I remember you reaching 400 for goodness sake. 👍🏽

[@timg5tm941]

Thanks Paddy, you have been with me for the long haul and it’s fully appreciated mate 73

[@donalfinn4205]

This is my go to channel for aerials.👍☘️

[@timg5tm941]

Cheque's in the post!

[@markg6jvy135]

Nice informative video Tim 👌 Sure you’ll soon have that new space filled up with gear 😉👏👏

[@ianxfs]

Another tip is to make sure the element end joining cord is not water absorbent as apparently this can affect the SWR in the wet. Thanks for the video Tim 👍🏻

[@timg5tm941]

Cheers Ian

[@mezzoono]

Can also contribute to rain static interference - have sealed the ends of my cobweb wires and is now quiet !

[@Isszarya]

Another one on the way cant wait

[@Isszarya]

Had the original cobweb fantastic wish I had it now

[@ZL1BQDRoly]

Great to see the new shack in action.....cheers

[@timg5tm941]

Cheers Roly

[@MikeM0XMX]

I have had a Cobwedd up for around two years now. My is the the MFJ -1835. It took a but of reworking when I bought it (new from a local emporium). It is the single wire version. I have since re-strung it with good quality wire and paracord. It is now great and resonant on most/all parts of all the bands. 73

[@timg5tm941]

Yes I hear lots of stories that the MFJ version can require additional engineering. Sounds good 👍

[@mezzoono]

Hi Tim, I’ve had one of the Steve Webb originals for about half year now and been very happy, particularly with the 30 & 40mtr add-on.

[@G3PWP]

Hi Collin could you tell me where you purchased your add on kit or did you make it yourself ? warm regards Mike

[@mezzoono]

@@G3PWP done all the math myself and build - Thanks Mike love yr work

[@timg5tm941]

The 40m add on sounds a great idea

[@Ray_M0MXN]

Thanks Tim, shack looking cool 😎

[@timg5tm941]

Thanks Ray 73

[@andy2E0JIU]

Great video tim didnt realise they were that small.going to go have a look 👍

[@timg5tm941]

Worth a look certainly

[@tomcruiser2407]

Great video, yes I have one and it is (was) the best omnidirectional antenna. Where there is a lot of light there is also shadow. 1. Very narrow band. 2. extremely sensitive to moisture and 3. very sensitive to a lot of snow. Mine was totally destroyed this year and the elements were completely pushed down. And now I'm thinking about whether I should buy or build one again.

[@timg5tm941]

Glad it worked for you!

[@chrisbartlett6022]

Love the echo Tim, means you have space to put stuff :-)

[@timg5tm941]

That’s the plan 👍👍

[@isanac81]

Excellent video!!!

[@timg5tm941]

Thank you!

[@Isszarya]

Tim please get one

[@xxxjesmarco]

Keep watching your videos even when its in inches en feets..you are a Engelsman , be a engelsman.great voice even with that echo.... ThankYou

[@timg5tm941]

Thank you!

[@tixilx]

Good Stuff - As always ☘️

[@PeteSnipe]

Just revisited this vid as am thinking about constructing a Cobweb myself. Interesting comments about characteristics during precipitation. Whilst can't predict the performance of the antenna, I can predict the critique from my wife as I erect another blot on the landscape... Anyway, it was good to hear your comments

[@timg5tm941]

Thank you, Peter - I have similar considerations here! 73

[@BoB4jjjjs]

I have plenty of spiders and it is time they made their keep! Could I make an aerial look like a washing line me wonders? Two washing lines, would the land lord fall for that? :-l

[@timg5tm941]

Worth a try!

[@garyh8315]

I like the cobweb design. I live in a hollow, so take off is limited and do not want knitting all over. A little height with this would be nice.

[@timg5tm941]

Very good antenna for its size certainly

[@theoldhobbit3640]

Hi Tim. I have to assume all is well on the C19 front and no worries. Nice looking shack and I bet it will look really great when you have fully moved in. I cant really get HF at my QTH simply because I have a really small garden and a overly cautious XYL HiHi and even a glorified cloths lines is out of the question. Thanks for sharing and Im sure there will be those who will give this antenna a consideration. 73

[@timg5tm941]

I’m all good thanks mate! You do very well with your 2m portable set up 👍

[@theoldhobbit3640]

@@timg5tm941 Just ordered a 6ele 2mtr beam and a rotator so I can operate from home on ssb and take part in the 1st Tuesday of the month competition, really enjoying and expanding on the 2mtr front. 73.

[@Isszarya]

Twin wire is the best

[@ynot6473]

try a large cloth wall hanging, it'll break up the plain walls, and soften the echo.

[@ReedAB8AS]

Cool!

[@timg5tm941]

Thanks!

[@alzeNL]

Hi Tim ! Glad to see you are well and thanks for another fantastic video. I was wondering with your new 'shack' you could do something on cable management/keeping cables tidy. For a computer this is straightforward, but with a transceiver, computers and all the other wires/connectors, would love to know a good way to keep things tidy and safe/working for radio use. My shack is amess of cables and i cant find a good video on amateur radio cable management anywhere !

[@timg5tm941]

Ah a nice idea! Thanks 👍👍

[@michaelm1keyhardy865]

Wish you would put some of those tiles in your room like callum lol

[@timg5tm941]

I like doing things my way

[@ben2e0omr]

Cal's a poet but he doesn't know it!

[@mrsmith2687]

Hi Tim, some great videos you have here on KZbin, I am looking at a multi band cobweb but it would need to be mounted in the loft, is this possible do you think or would I be better off using and EFHW sloper, I am in quite a restricted area so as stealth as possible or loft mounted Thanks

[@timg5tm941]

A cobwebb is 8 feet square so you will need a decent attic in terms of space as you will need a good few feet of clearance from the antenna. I have seen a few designs for fan dipoles in attics - you can zig zag to fit in 40m for instance. OR you can feed as big a dipole as you can fit with ladderline to an atu via a 1:1 or 4:1 BALUN and multiband that way. Hope that helps.

[@acestudioscouk-Ace-G0ACE]

Another informative video thanks Tim! 4 metres is becoming popular in my part of Berkshire, do you think you could push a cobweb/b to 6 and 4 metres?

[@timg5tm941]

Oh yes absolutely.. some vendors sell a 7 band version to include 4 and 6

[@acestudioscouk-Ace-G0ACE]

@@timg5tm941 Thanks for the feed back Tim, that could be useful.

[@netwarecracks7780]

nice shack Tim, I'm still in the shed!

[@timg5tm941]

Ah... I still miss the shed!

[@MAV8865]

Tim - since this video is now 2yrs old, did you get around to a buying a cobweb and if so how do you find it?

[@timg5tm941]

Hi Martin, no I didn’t sadly

[@lee.m.bennett2635]

Tim gets an "echo mic" ...hehe

[@timg5tm941]

Ha!!

[@gm4vyq]

Hi Tim. Great video put out just when I was thinking of making one. Out of interest, as I am very limited getting any height to an antenna, if this was 4m high would it show some NVIS characteristics? Look forward to seeing the finished shack. 73. Liam GM4VYQ

[@timg5tm941]

Hi Liam like any dipole the nearer to a Halfwave in height the lower your take off angle (unless you go appreciably higher than half wave in height which can cause Nulls as well as lobes). At 4m you are nearly a Halfwave on 10m. You’ll still make contacts and occasional DX at that height even at 20m. 73

[@ynot6473]

NVIS only works up to about 8MHz, so this one isn't applicable to that kind of propagation.

[@andy2E0JIU]

Hi Tim,would the cobweb antenna at 35ft beat a hustler ground mounted vertical for dx?? Hustler works great but want better and no room for a hexbeam as already tried that.cheers

[@kevhaworth5313]

Verticals need good ground systems or be close to saltwater to excel. Try between 16 and 32 radials as short or as long as you can get them, more short ones are better than a few long ones. You may notice your SWR goes up, this is down to ground losses being reduced as the efficiency is improved. It also depends on the bands you want to work. I have a Cobweb at 35 feet and If I can hear a station, I work them. I also use verticals close to or over saltwater, they are superb performers then. If you can't get close to the sea, this is how a 1/4 wave plays over a VERY good ground system, 100 plus radials. kzbin.info/www/bejne/e4imhYNrYtF-abs

[@timg5tm941]

Kev's explanation below is spot on

[@andy2E0JIU]

@@timg5tm941 cheers guys but had both up now for few months and must admit the cobwebb out performs the vertical 99% of the time and ALOT less noise :) am using around 280 meters of radials on the hustler and am about 1 mile as the crow flies from the beach.bith performing very well BUT cobwebb swr changes ALOT in the wet

[@timg5tm941]

@@andy2E0JIU great to have the options 👍

[@andy2E0JIU]

@@timg5tm941 defo mate,now to get the 80m efhw back up ...surprising how much you can fit into a 40ft garden :)

[@robdaines2448]

hi thinking for buying a cobweb but will need to go on our apartment block it is approx 25mtrs above ground is this going to be a problem thanks rob

[@timg5tm941]

At that height it’ll be a very nice antenna

[@robdaines2448]

@@timg5tm941 ok thanks will give it a go and will let you know down the line

[@americaswayout4489]

what is the full length from end to nd of the two poles '

[@timg5tm941]

On the cobwebb .. each of the four sides is around 8 to 9 feet long so 2.5-2.7m approximately

[@americaswayout4489]

@@timg5tm941 Tim, I have the mount and some solid fiberglass poles that are 7ft11inches, with they be long enough?

[@timg5tm941]

7/11 sounds short ..

[@americaswayout4489]

@@timg5tm941 That is why I needed? the actual required length so when I add to the ends it will be enough, thinking of adding some wooden dowls covered by a small pvc pipe, if it is just a few feet?

[@timg5tm941]

@@americaswayout4489 that could work

[@isidooliveri5286]

Troppe chiacchiere e pochi dati tecnici

[@timg5tm941]

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