1/4 wave coax vertical dipole
Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2014 3:45 pm
Got bored today so I went down the shops to pick up a few bits and decided to have a go at making another one of these to maybe mass produce if the interest was there..
The basics of this antenna are that is is still a dipole ( two poles + and - ) ,but instead of using a boom as stand off, the dipole is end fed and can be mounted at the end of your mast.
Calculate your half wave lengths using the NRG formulae.
Cut a Full Wave length of coax- be it 213 etc ( i've used 58 as the loss at the length i'm going to use is .3dB )
Now from the top of your cable measure your 1/4 wave and mark the coax.
Strip the coax so the outer is still there ( take off the insulating layer only )
So you should be left with the sheath still, on...
Now take the sheath and fold it back down the coax ( turn it in on itself so that it flows back down the unstripped cable ) If you've done it right you should now have a quarter wave up ( the centre still in its jacket ) and the sheath folded over the coax. Does it look familiar yet ???
You now have a basic end fed dipole - with a Balun - as the bottom section is flipped over the transmission line.
Now there are many different ways to do this.
I've gone with cutting the sheath off and replacing it with a length of 15mm copper as it's more stable and you don't have to adjust it's length.
If you dont and use the coax itself, the sheath needs to be trimmed to allow for the velocity factor and in reality that will be shorter than the positive leg.
Now that's as far as i've got as I have no test equip. to match it at the moment.
The whole thing will be enclosed in some PVC for weather-proofing but you dont have to if you don't want to. A quick dab of silicone at the join where the two poles meet would be fine for a temporary measure.
I'll be honest and tell you that I've only used this antenna once in the past, and only because someone walked off with the antenna but left the TX, this got me back on in less than 30 mins.
If you're clever you can also adapt this method for a proper GP antenna.
I will keep you posted. Pics soon.
The basics of this antenna are that is is still a dipole ( two poles + and - ) ,but instead of using a boom as stand off, the dipole is end fed and can be mounted at the end of your mast.
Calculate your half wave lengths using the NRG formulae.
Cut a Full Wave length of coax- be it 213 etc ( i've used 58 as the loss at the length i'm going to use is .3dB )
Now from the top of your cable measure your 1/4 wave and mark the coax.
Strip the coax so the outer is still there ( take off the insulating layer only )
So you should be left with the sheath still, on...
Now take the sheath and fold it back down the coax ( turn it in on itself so that it flows back down the unstripped cable ) If you've done it right you should now have a quarter wave up ( the centre still in its jacket ) and the sheath folded over the coax. Does it look familiar yet ???
You now have a basic end fed dipole - with a Balun - as the bottom section is flipped over the transmission line.
Now there are many different ways to do this.
I've gone with cutting the sheath off and replacing it with a length of 15mm copper as it's more stable and you don't have to adjust it's length.
If you dont and use the coax itself, the sheath needs to be trimmed to allow for the velocity factor and in reality that will be shorter than the positive leg.
Now that's as far as i've got as I have no test equip. to match it at the moment.
The whole thing will be enclosed in some PVC for weather-proofing but you dont have to if you don't want to. A quick dab of silicone at the join where the two poles meet would be fine for a temporary measure.
I'll be honest and tell you that I've only used this antenna once in the past, and only because someone walked off with the antenna but left the TX, this got me back on in less than 30 mins.
If you're clever you can also adapt this method for a proper GP antenna.
I will keep you posted. Pics soon.