Ham Radio - The simple coax cable emergency prepper antenna.

An old design that many new hams may not be familiar with. Easy to build with minimal tools, great emergency throw-it-together antenna.
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W9TE (Node: 519521)

[@Tom-qx5nl]

Made a dozen of these for members of our search and rescue group. Everyone carried one in their pack along with 50ft of paracord to hoist it into a tree for height. They work excellent!

[@robmcfaddin768]

Kevin, I watched this video a few years ago, and really got interested in making antennas. Havent stopped yet. Thank you for much a clear understanding of a video. A+

[@GrymsArchive]

Back in the 60s I remember My Dad using something along these lines when we went camping. He used large clamp-on fishing weights instead of a bolt.

[@hectorpascal]

After stripping out the coax inner, check the length of the empty braid! I guarantee it will be about 120% longer than the inner, if you have accidentally pulled it flat! Answer?: compare the length to the inner and snip off any excess braid! The VSWR is also helped by dressing the coax at a right angle to the line made by the inner/braid, and putting a few giant ferrite beads over the coax sleeve at the feed point (can often be stolen from old computer video/USB leads!). Both help to prevent the coax feeder radiating and spoiling the SWR.

[@happysoul941]

Thanks for this tip!

[@roberts5482]

if you offset the shield length a little longer by about 5% you can get the VSWR lower. The overall length can stay about at the 38" length but by making the antenna longer, you can tune it very well by folding each end back on it's self and retest the VSWR.

[@MyTube4Utoo]

I had a homebrew 2-meter antenna that was constructed with an SO-239 and (5) lengths of solid wire. I had it mounted about (12) feet up on the side of my house. I knew it would work, but I was surprised at just how well it worked. It was nearly free to build, only took a few minutes, and it would probably have taken a tornado to bring it down. It was there, and still working perfectly for over twenty years. I finally rented the house, and for all I know, it's still there! If only HF antennas were that easy. *lol* Thanks for the video. A new subscriber here.

[@Mark300win]

You just made a vertical dipole! Nice! Add a balun(multiple coax turns) at the bottom after the braid ends, this should remove the hiss and reflected rf in the ur shack

[@evbryans9709]

well done! that video really opened my eyes to the simplicity of what an antenna can be. I already understood the basic construction of "the dipole" antenna and instantly said to myself "vertical dipole" brilliant work you have shown. I overlooked that simple technique often thinking dipole antennas were limited to horizontal polarization and directional operation. you have opened my eyes to how easy an antenna can be made, thank you again! I can't wait to try a construction of a 2 meter "field antenna" emergency build

[@leviowens1453]

This works great I hit a repeater 50 miles away! I love it.

[@benc5464]

So, I watched this video, acquired all of the necessary components and built it. Works amazing! Thanks for the SHTF comms idea!! 🤘

[@davidsradioroom9678]

This is the second time I watched this video. It was a good refresher for me. Great job!

[@jefferysullivan8923]

This was awesome. My interest in radios and HAM in general is mostly for readiness, so this would be an easy build to have in a kit or bag. Really cool. thanks!

[@soaring16]

Very common antenna used in hang gliding. Center conductor runs up the harness mains that you're hanging from. The Shield runs back along horizontally on the back of your harness. Works very well. As you can imagine, range while airborne is very good.

[@MountainMan7.62x39]

Now that my friend was an awesome video!!!! I'm just getting into ham and you made it in a way I could understand.

[@hubercats]

Such a simple yet effective antenna and so easy to construct. Thank you!

[@MarkRobSmith]

Great video Kevin. Really well presented, and full of good tips.

[@JerryEricsson]

Great video, think I will toss one of these together to put in our RV to use when we are on the road, and overnighting in a rural hide a way.

[@radioantigua7832]

it worked! I built this antenna for FM radio reception (98 Mhz, 750 mm long each end, 75 ohm coax cable), and it improved a lot in my stereo set. Congratulations for the video, it is very informative and simple, just what we need in real life... At a local electronic store (in Spain) they told me that they weren't selling FM antennas anymore... You saved my radio, thank you very much.

[@jsm6557]

Wow, Thank you for sharing. I am new and overwhelmed.

[@randyb168]

I really like how you presented this and how easy it looks! I am just getting into radios so looking forward to trying this out.

[@regularfather4708]

I was gonna ask how long for a cb antenna, but then you told me. Thanks for an incredibly informative video!

[@rkp2215]

Great job man! I just did this for my Vertical. Only went 3 ft. up, TREMENDOUS receive distance. Indoor window mounted. Thanks for the vid 😊

[@Federer935]

Great idea well explained - thanks for posting - I'm off to build one!

[@benc5464]

This...is pure gold information. Thanks!!!

[@chuckh5999]

I live in Melbourne (Australia) and I like to listen to 91.5 FM which during the early hours of the morning and late evening is PLAGUED with STATIC. I had tried various antenna fixes ex. you tube and decided to give yours a go using the 75cm dipole length from another on line calculation. Set it up behind the bed head and now almost static FREE and yet the radio signal display is much the same. Sure beats listening to the alternative new wave crapolla. Thanks for your highly informative and educational clip Kevin.

[@HeartlandMakesAndOutdoors]

I am glad to see that I am not the only one who occasionally does not actually get what they wanted recorded, I did it again this morning and one last week as well. Thank you for sharing this video with us, I am going to try this out in the field and see how well it does. Thanks for sharing and thanks for sharing the chart with us as well. Thanks and have a blessed week. Dale KI5ARH

[@Popgunner101]

Thatnks for your video! In the 1990's I was assigned to go to a local hospital and establish comms during a search and rescue drill. I found that inside the hospital where I was told to be stopped my rubber duck antenna from getting into the repeater. I made one of these little dipoles for 2 meters with just a pocket knife. I borrowed some tape from the nurses station and taped the braid back onto the coax so it was just one line. The nurses were able to open one window about an inch at the bottom and I dropped the antenna out the window and down a few feet. It got me into the repeater very well. During an antenna building night with our club I had built ground plane antenna and knew that from the crook of my elbow to a certain spot on my hand was 19.25 " . That came in handy building the antenna at the hospital.

[@mrmicro22]

Very MacGyver! Good practice.

[@9h1gb]

Hi, thank you for the nice video and showing that you do not need big bucks to antenna and ham radio really. In my early days some 40+ years back I used to construct a similar antenna but instead of slipping out the center conductor from the side, as was in your video, instead I rolled the braid down on the coax . It is still a dipole but in so doing the coax does not interact with the dipole as it comes out of the lower end. Well done and keep up the good work Mans 9h1gb

[@Mike88Actual]

Excellent video, thank you! Getting back into SAR, I will absolutely be building one!

[@i-squared]

A ferrite bead at the feed point would help quite a bit in energizing that shield side of the dipole. A snap on noise choke would suffice in a pinch. Also, check the length of the shield. After pulling the center through it gets a bit longer. This is a great antenna in a pinch for new ops. Thanks for sharing. Your video problems sound like mine. 73

[@tylerfoss3346]

Great video, Kevin. Thank you for sharing such useful information.

[@rohnkd4hct260]

these antennas work surprising well.

[@Ferrari_M5]

Just getting into this stuff. Great video and what a great idea!

[@darrylthehorntoadpiper]

Kevin thanks for the great idea and video , I will use this!👍

[@markwilliams8702]

Great video Kevin. Very interesting and informational.

[@alanread6596]

Brilliant video very informative ideal portable antennas for the go bag. 73's alan in the UK

[@shandybrandy5407]

Excellent presentation. You have brilliantly explained this simple dipole 2m antenna 73

[@vetham100]

I'm not writing about the metric system because that's not what the video is about. I am writing to say how much i enjoyed the video, it is very informative with a comparison to boot (maybe i should do the 1/2 wave version LOL. I enjoy all of your videos. Keep up the good work. 73 de VE3QJ

[@eduardopower5254]

Emercmgency Dipole. Great Video sometimes the simplest the better!

[@Swede4Trump]

Greetings from Sweden 🇸🇪 Great channel! You just got yourself a new subscriber 🤖

[@TheVicar]

Many Thanks! I live on top of a hill and snoop on HAM, air + airports, some rubbish on CB, taxi companies, truckers etc. using Uniden scanners This quick aerial construction has made a clear difference from the small stock units that are on top of the house, and your aerial is indoors! I'll look into different aerials I can now make - Cheers

[@Majestiicc12]

Stupid question i know, sorry I'm new... But i also avidly listen to scanners. Would creating this increase what I'd be able to hear on my scanner? I have a little ducky for my scanner.. This looks super simple

[@TheVicar]

@@Majestiicc12 I've only put this inside my house (in the attic) and it picked up Blackpool ATIS 127.200 immediately, which is approx 40 miles away. I have a ducky outside my house, on the roof, and that has never picked up that frequency before with enough strength to hear it clearly. The ducky will pick up other frequencies though, e.g. GB3FC's repeater 430.850, which is the same distance away in the same direction very clearly (N.W.England) I'll put this on the roof and do a test one day + make a couple of different aerials to try out (btw: I'm also very new to this!)

[@Majestiicc12]

@@TheVicar thanks for getting back to me! Hey if you are new as well, by all means shoot me any information tidbits you think are useful as a newbie 😂😂😂 thanks!!

[@TheVicar]

​@@Majestiicc12 A couple of things I've noticed that maybe of use is that 1 of my PC's is near my base scanner and will cause a lot of background noise, its approx 1 metre away from the scanner and the coax leading away to the different roof and attic aerials - so turn everything off in or near to the signal cable and base unit, also look what the coax goes near on the way to the aerials - test, test, test! And also check all connections and have quality cables without any corrosion - seal against rain to stop any shorts and/or rust Secondly the aerial constructed from this video made a lot of difference to the 127.200 signal i mentioned earlier. By mistake I noticed even more quality to the signal when I stood approx 1 metre behind the aerial. The aerial being inbetween me and the ATIS transmitter, which is 40miles away. Is this bounce back of the signal or am I shielding in some way? I replicated this slightly by putting 12ft of 1cm core aluminium (under the road mains feed cable that goes to a house), bent double so it stands at 6ft tall where I was stood - it didnt work as good as the human body, but it did improve the signal. How, I dont understand (The mains cable was found in a hedgerow, after electrical works near my house when all the road was dug up. That was a week after I'd subscribed to Kevin Loughin's channel and I thought, that will come in useful for practicing making some aerials! I've stripped off all the thick copper wiring, some bare, some covered and the centre being a covered nearly 1cm thick solid aluminium core - I've got some quality free wire to play around with! Heavy to carry but what a bonus find) Also as I've heard people on amateur radio say frequently, its all about metal in the sky. So I put a seperate 20inch 164-174 MHz Taxi/PMR aerial on the roof of my house. The original aerial that came with the Uniden UBC355CLT base unit was a 22inch conventional extendable metal unit, but I've only ever attached that to the rear of the base unit which means that aerial has only been tested indoors. The handheld is a Uniden UBC125XLT using a 6inch ducky, which is really good for military airshows, but also works really well when connected to the roof 20inch PMR I need to try lots of different aerials as I briefly talked to M0ICK (an amateur radio guy) recently as he was parked near my house with a huge aerial some weeks ago, during a RSGB VHF radio contest. A sound guy! The aerial he had made me think I need to look up aerials on youtube and then I found Kevin Loughin Weather conditions make a big difference and thats where internet repeaters make a big difference I guess. Listening to people in New Zealand talk to people in the USA when I'm listening to a repeater in the UK is cool Thats everything I know so far. But there's so much to test, learn and understand!

[@TheVicar]

@@Majestiicc12 Check out this vid: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nJOyimaFdqmjpZo There's a lot to learn but there's free software in this video to test aerial construction

[@n2jmb]

Very well done video! Thanks for sharing with us. 73

[@kevinlemon1512]

Hi Kevin, I used to make a similar antenna many years ago but I would pull the shield down over the outer covering of the coax, I believe it was called a co-linear antenna. After watching your video I was reminded about that antenna, I am going try that again for my Go Box, I'll also make one like yours as well. Thank You for the video. 73 Kevin VE3RRH

[@colddeadhands7202]

Very cool and easy to remember if ever needed. Better yet I’ll make one.

[@G0USL]

I've made several of those, to get people on the air, I've also doubled the braid back down the coax (fiddly!) To make it somewhat tidyer and allowing the antenna to be fed from below.

[@kf4dcy501]

in 1995 when I got my first ticket. the antenna book then had this very antenna in it.

[@smoberdeen]

Thanks. These are the two antennas I've made. I made one for 2M and one for CB SSB.

[@ildarmingazov2304]

Hey there! Thanks for sharing! I was doubt about it but now I'm shure it is works. Bye for now

[@ianwalker3922]

nice one keven your a top bloke ive lernt a lot from you and it works

[@chrisblue1515]

Awesome emergency stuff. Thanks! 73

[@ralphb.3802]

Good Video. I got a free scanner without an antenna. I have coax to make a free antenna to see if the scanner works. Thanks for using a camera and tripod to make this video.

[@moniquelegarda1842]

I'm going to try this. Thank you!

[@garygogo9048]

Very cool, thanks for sharing!!

[@frustratedmajority851]

I'm so new to this hobby that you might as well be speaking Chinese and teaching me witchcraft. When I have bad reception I touch the rubber duck onto something metal hoping it will improve like the old television antennas lol. Or hold it up in the air hoping the extra 3 feet will fix it. I data dumped so much comms school knowledge after getting out. Nice video man.

[@JAFO.]

just follow his instructions and enjoy the improvement to your station performance

[@pauljohnbaker]

Well done!

[@outlaw6595]

This is a great video.

[@joseenrique582]

Very nice video.. Great job!

[@tommh44]

I have built an antenna like that before. But I never figured out how to use those BNC connectors. Now i know. Thanks

[@jeromegrzelak8236]

Man you nailed it kg6mn

[@robertallen3133]

Great video !

[@zahedfedaie2282]

Thank you for your informational video.

[@daviddennison4287]

Really cool stuff thanks

[@AbuBakar-Ironwood.]

Awesome..! That's what I'm looking for! 9W8ABM from Sarawak Malaysia 🇲🇾 👍👍👍😍

[@jimmievetor5008]

I made one similar to this antenna and put it inside PCV pipe the coax came in to one pipe the antenna leads through a T and out two leads went through 20 inch pipes. Work well vertical or horizontal. Due to sickness haven’t been on the air but need to redo this antenna.

[@notthatguy4515]

Thank you for the information.

[@starsoldier3643]

I remember back in the day when radios had telescopic antennas. They would snap off. A simple wire with alligator clip worked just fine. Just needed to be the right length.

[@paulcorso5442]

Take note. The radiating element of the antenna is running perpendicular to the metal corner bead in the wall under the Sheetrock. Not sure what affect that may have had on your test and swr.

[@PraxisPrepper]

Thanks for this!

[@joshgotto8295]

This is awesome!

[@teresathomley3703]

Really really cool

[@cwgreen1938]

Kevin, W5BNW here. Enjoyed watching your emergency 2 meter antenna build. After watching I built one and I can hit our repeater which is about 10 miles away but I have to use 5 watts. Works great. Since I found out that you repair ham radios for people, I have a question for you. I have a Kenwood TS930S that I am very fond of. I have had it for about a year and everything works great on it, all accept one little thing. I tried to listen to some CW the other night and found that when I switch to CW the receiver gets very quiet, like no audio at all. I can switch to either side band and tune in the CW. I guess it has been like that every since I bought it, I don’t really know because that is the first time that I’ve tried to copy CW on it. I wonder if you would be interested in repairing it? I live in central Texas and I know the shipping will be expensive to Indiana but I would like to get it fixed.

[@RU2AIM]

*120° angle between the shield & upper radiator element* will provide 1:1 swr @ 0 reactance when cut correctly for center of band, but you may have to wrap a CMC choke in the coax 1/4 wave down from the split. There's a similar design which does not require using the shield for a counterpoise. It requires a coaxial CMC choke balun wrapped from the coax at the 1/4 wave point below the cut, which prevents current from continuing down the casing covered shield past the base of the 1/4 wave point, where the current is lowest and voltage is highest.

[@JAFO.]

and they work! Years ago I made one for CB at my cabin and shot an arrow up through a 100 foot tall pine pulling 15lb test fishing line with it so I could pull up the dacron cord with the coax antenna hanging from it, about 70 feet at the top.. I talked over 100 miles away on that and had a 1.2:1 SWR. I couldn't believe how much better it worked than an antorn99 that was up about 50 feet high.

[@KX4UL]

Good "How To" video. I remember my younger brother and I making one of these antennas for CB radio many years ago. Good to know!

[@razanmagar574]

We can use in twoway radio or not without liscence radio

[@MountainMan7.62x39]

@@razanmagar574 In the US, if you have a FMRS radio that allows detachable antennas (most of the bubble wrap ones from the big box stores have fixed antennas you can't take off), then yes you can. He had the length listed at the end for the FMRS radios.

[@williamhelms9942]

How about slinking the braid over the insulation for a Bazooka?

[@thomasrogen3739]

Good job well done thank you very much.

[@dm.2023]

Nice. Take it one step further and secure both ends with rubber bands then slightly pull your feed line until your radials form a V then secure your feed line. In doing so the antenna impedance will drop from 73 ohms (typical of a dipole antenna) to 50 ohms and give you a better match to your transceiver. The beauty of your wire design is that you can make easy adjustments on the fly and watch your swr meter as you adjust it to get the lowest swr and a perfect match. ;-)

[@awaismushtaq5719]

You took words right out of my mouth sir. That's exactly what I was about to suggest to him

[@awaismushtaq5719]

He could even spread it out till both are at 180 degrees with each other. It'll work like charm.

[@charleszimmermann7784]

Do you need all that coax or can you just have enough to get to your radio? I am looking at making a tactical antenna that would wrap around my plate carrier, so one leg of the dipole would fallow the coax back towards the radio. I plan to run the braided portion back in heat shrink tubing to insulate it a bit more from the coax.

[@spaghettibender7607]

love the price tag...:)

[@timg5tm941]

Do you use a choke on this antenna and as it's a vertical dipole is it ok fur the feed to not be 90 degrees for a quarter weave?

[@loughkb]

I don't use a choke. Not needed for lower power and a dipole. The resonant antenna utilizes nearly all of the power, leaving very little on the coax. You could put the shield at more of an angle, sure, but it will affect the SWR and probably require pruning the lengths to get a good match again.

[@napomania]

Greet video! So if I want to build a dipole for CB 's 11meters I don't have to attach a copper conductor at the coax so that I can adjust and balancing the entire dipole?

[@millsoutdoors8555]

Now the length of the dipole chart is that all the way across or just one side of it?

[@marcstecker746]

Thank you for the well done and very informative video.

[@InventPeace1]

So cool, thanks. I wonder if the SWR could be fine tuned to even 1:1 in the field by making turns in the coax (slight capacitance change?) and listen for louder static sound on reception (rude swr detector?) or by cutting off or adding on length to the dipoles, LOL, We threw a 25 foot extension cord over a tree limb, clipped an aligator clip onto on of the prongs on the plug and then into tv , worked good enough to watch the big game at the camp out ! *mysteriously after the game ended we lost the signal (do they turn up power on tv towers during big football games? )

[@markdoyle8713]

Well done Thank you

[@nontimebomala2267]

Actually, you CAN fish the center conductor out of the braid at the center if you take your time and work with a pencil point and you don't have to remove the outer jacket.

[@wildbillo68]

awesome... i'm tryin it

[@steinshaw2490]

I'm curious, you you were showing the antenna analyzer at the 146.000MHz, but was that the sweet spot/resonate frequency?

[@loughkb]

approximately. 146 is kind of the center of the 2 meter amateur band. It's pretty flat over a decent range though.

[@4wheelinRedneck2]

could 550 cord be used for the top end insulator?

[@dutchdrone1249]

So, the dipole for the 20 meter band should be 197 inches or 5 meters in length?

[@richardvaughn2705]

Just asking, wouldnt it be easier to snatch up some random electrical wires and attact two to the end of your coax instead of going through the trouble of splitting the coax?

[@loughkb]

Sure, you could make a dipole that way. The point of this is you could yank out a piece of coax used for cable tv and quickly have an antenna with nothing but a knife.

[@AndyOutdoorsman]

You could of just relaxed the braid and then just worked it back over the outer jacket, no need to split it.

[@mgde13]

super camera work

[@awaismushtaq5719]

BaoFeng recommends that you need to turn the transceiver off when changing antenna. Mr. Kevin did it without following company instructions. Company says this can damage final stage transistors as they generate pretty good power and without load, they become a toast. Heck! It's his video, his rules!

[@user-yy3ro9uy7j]

Thank you for the video- helped me a lot! Ps: you, Sir, need to grow you hair into a ponytail, that would look so freaking amazing!

[@DavidLee-gz8sn]

What are those screw type bnc called? Been searching high and low for those. Found some similar male connectors but can't find the female counterparts

[@abundantYOUniverse]

How do you think this would work for the aircraft bands? Thanks this was great!

[@hubercats]

Hi Kevin, I’m curious to know if the following antenna concept makes sense. Imagine one chooses 12 inches as the length of each half of a dipole antenna of the sort you describe. If you then wanted an antenna composed of two 6 inch sections, could you place chokes at the 6 inch points along each section to block the current flowing along each section such that the original antenna became, in essence, an antenna of half the span? If this approach worked, then it seems one could make one relatively long antenna yet use it at a variety of frequencies by placing the chokes at the proper distances. - Thanks! - Jim

[@w.rustylane5650]

I have plenty of 75 ohm coax and can make the dipole out of it and use a 50 ohm feed line. Can I do it that way? Only the dipole would be 75 ohm coax and the feed line will be RG-58 for 50 ohm feed line.

[@josefelixdiezgonzalez5668]

hello, I need help with xh data d808, I only get to listen to FM, I would like to listen to air band and band 11 meters, thanks,

[@steveedwards4495]

Hi guys, can use use this as a horizontal dipole with a rubber band each end? Thanks

[@kw4jm699]

Great video. Question: could you make the radiators from other materials, like speaker wire, soldered to the braid and core? Just thinking thiscmight be easier than manipulating the coax parts for the radiators. Thx agn.

[@loughkb]

That's a common dipole antenna. And usually the way people build them. The idea of this video is what you could do with minimal tools in an emergency.

[@jeoffer]

Good content, good explanation, so so video. Maybe draw a spot on the bench to make sure your hands don't float away out of shot.