Moregain 5-Band Dipole: Your Ultimate Ham Radio Antenna Solution!

[@SuperDoug51]

I live in the Kansas City area and knew Bob Quenstedt, the owner and designer of the Mor-Gain antenna. He was getting on in years and wanting to sell his design and equipment. This was in the late 80's or early 90's. He gave me a tour of his manufacturing area. He had rented the second story of an old wooden warehouse in Leavenworth Ks. He built a wooden jig the exact length of the antenna. He had a wire caddy with I think wire welder copper coated steel wire on it. A big Weller soldering Iron was used to heat the wire before pressing it into the plastic like supports. It was all built in place on this jig one at a time. It would have required disassembly to move. I passed on it because it was too time consuming to make and too difficult to move the jig and setup. I always thought it was a very cleaver antenna design though. Bob gave me one to test. I strung across the showroom of my surplus store. A little clunky but it worked Ok. Today I wish I had bought it from him. Doug Jones N0CDT

[@Sky1]

Wow that is an awesome story. I still have mine, it came with a bad connection that took me a while to find, now she works pretty good. I had to repair it a time or two. I like that I can run several bands without the tuner but nowadays autotuners are so smart that you really don't even need to think about it. Mineis up about 45 feet. Yeah it is heavy and kind of a pain that I need the center support but it does okay by me!

[@Sky1]

If I do a video on how to build one of these from scratch how many would be interested in watching?

[@haunsfroehlingsdorf3382]

I would for sure be interested in this. Please! -73 KI0GU

[@markbaustian9503]

I use to build those antennas in Leavenworth Kansas back in the early 70’s for Antenna Inc. Still have the burn marks on my arms from the high wattage soldiering irons we use to use to heat the wire to embed them into the plastic spacers. Bob Q. was an electronics genius.

[@Sky1]

I burned myself a couple times repairing it. I used a torch to heat the wire. If overdone it becomes brittle and breaks. Haven't found the original spacers so I used Glue sticks.

[@markbaustian9503]

We use to get boxes of the plexiglass rod and used a bench top table saw with a jig to cut the various sizes.

[@haunsfroehlingsdorf3382]

@@markbaustian9503 Do you have the dimensions for this by chance? I have modeled this in a spreadsheet, but if you have the dimensions, that would be helpful. -73 KI0GU

[@markbaustian9503]

@@haunsfroehlingsdorf3382 I worked there almost 50 years ago and I don’t think I ever knew what the dimensions were. We built the antennas on a long jig that Bob Quinstead designed and built. Sorry I can’t help you out.

[@pantograph]

This is a nice compact antenna, especially considering that it works on 80m, where the element is folded twice on each side. This creates an element that resonates on both 80m and 40m. The higher bands are simple dipoles in parallel with the feed point. These were advertised in QST for decades, so there are probably a lot of them out there, if they survived the elements. There's a similar antenna called the Cobra, but it is just a little longer and is fed with open wire and requires a tuner to match the TX.

[@jonthebru]

I just added 60 meter elements to a 40 meter dipole making it a fan dipole. I am using 1/2 inch PVC as the spreader. I'm finding it difficult logistically because there are so many parts and wires. My elements are separated by 9 inches.

[@markschnittker4770]

I found one of these rolled up in my dad's back yard. I had been trying to figure out what it was. Searching for "folded fan dipole" I stumbled on your video and now know what it is. Thanks for sharing, and thanks for showing the documentation which I can take a screen shot of.

[@JohnHill-qo3hb]

I had one of those when I first got my ticket, in fact, I still have it, 41 years old, great antenna. The spacers are Lucite rods.

[@Sky1]

Thanks! I used glue sticks to repair it but they are much heavier. I may do a video where I make one from scratch.

[@haunsfroehlingsdorf3382]

@@Sky1 the glue sticks are much cheaper than the lucite rods. Are they sturdy compared to the original spreaders?

[@theoldhobbit3640]

I built a similar one but only 10/20/40 mtr bands. Works really well. Thank you for sharing.

[@LeMa121]

40m will do 15m to

[@chrisjenkins-powell]

Hi there... do you have a link to that document pls ?

[@Sky1]

Will do a video on how to build one soon

[@dennistrian2076]

@@Sky1 please do

[@omni1951]

w4ggs invented this antenna. Later had to sell the company because of a divorce. I had talked to him on the phone years back. He later sold it and the second person had a heart attack and closed down.while he was still alive I offered to buy the company but never heard back from him.He later died. I also have this antenna but needs to be rebuilt.

[@Sky1]

Still use mine, had to rebuild it a couple times

[@JayN4GO]

I build these with copper clad steel. Only 3 wires though. They work well.

[@omni1951]

I talked to the person who invented this antenna years ago w4ggs. the wire as soft drown capper weld wire. I still have mine.

[@InternetGoldMiner]

@@omni1951 none of these new posers know how to build anything except a you tube video

[@haunsfroehlingsdorf3382]

@@omni1951 Any chance I could get the dimensions from yours? I tried building one of these, but the harmonics make the math difficult with the folded elements.

[@AndyDaviesByTheSea]

Hi thanks for uploading this, I'm just about to erect a multi band fan antenna (80, 40, 20 and 15metres) and was looking around to see what else is out there. I have enough space for a half wave dipole but never thought about folding back the 80m section, that's got to be very helpful to a lot of folk. Kind regards . . . Andy GW0JXM

[@tahoma6889]

DOUBLET with remote tuner!!! Best all around with ease. It will offer gain over a standard dipole.

[@donaldsmith3048]

You can use PVC for the spacers. Can you scan the paperwork and post it for us. Maybe someone can make one.

[@saulojao]

Great material! Is it possible to get a copy of this pdf file? It'll be worth a useful a lot for me and my boyscout troop (we do a lot of radioscouting activities). Thanks, and congrats

[@ziadkhatib5519]

Hi can you send a pdf file of this antenne

[@brentjohnson6654]

I would be interested in the pdf of this antenna.

[@davecampbell9803]

Great video, thanks for sharing brother. I'd love a pdf as well if thats possible. VA3KEG

[@RC-Heli835]

What kind of wire is that? Looks like electric fence.

[@Sky1]

Solid tinned copper

[@MYtimeNspace]

Can you post a PDF of this antenna?

[@Sky1]

said it was Copyright so no sorry. Look at ARRL, I think they got plans for one.

[@saulojao]

Hello @@Sky1! Does the document has any information about copyright owner? I don't mind to buy a copy them from owner (or representative), but unfortunately I haven't found any information about how to do, or who to look for... Thank so very much!

[@haunsfroehlingsdorf3382]

@@Sky1 The copyright expired long ago, I verified already. Happy to post the copyright if you are interested

[@haunsfroehlingsdorf3382]

The US patent for this is US3229298A

[@mavgk6155]

SURE LOOKS LIKE AN ALPHA-DELTA ANTENNA TO ME

[@Sky1]

This antenna has 5 bands, the 75 meters folds around it also has several tuning taps, that the Alpha Delta does not have. The conductors are solid tinned copper with Lucite spacers. This also sold for less than half the cost, is patented and unfortunately no longer sold. I have another video where I had to repair it and go into more detail on it but have not uploaded it yet. The More-Gain dipole albeit heavy, is an amazing dipole

[@joea4279]

Looks like a real mess to setup ! Hope its with the troubles . Good luck Tnx Joe

[@Sky1]

yeah still at ground level hopefully this weekend

[@jameslee522]

those look like glue sticks

[@Sky1]

The broken ones were replaced with Glue Sticks the original ones are plastic