A simple, cheap and easy to build 26 feet long vertical antenna that works DX on 20 - 10 meters including WARC BANDS.
It is designed for portability for field days, camping, or permanent installation, cost, and to achieve at least 1/2 wavelength on the WARC bands.
You will not believe it's performance until you try it!
Material List:
1 ea 10 foot 3/4 inch EMT conduit
1 ea 10 foot 1/2 inch EMT conduit
1 ea 102 inch CB whip
3 each hose clamps
Assorted bolts, nuts from junk box
Insulating support for base of antenna (3 inch)
Assorted # 12 wire or plumbers tape for radial ring
4 to 6 or more radials + - 16 feet long from wire for each radial
NOTES and BUILDING TIPS: (See drawing above)
It is assumed that you will use a good tuner with this antenna and low loss coax with short runs. Cheap RG-58 types of coax is not recommended. As designed, the swr will be high on the bands since this is a non-resonante antenna so an external tuner will most likely be needed. The internal tuner on your radio may not have enough range to work properly.
Slide 1/2 inch EMT pipe into 3/4 inch EMT pipe 18 inches
Drill and bolt or pin above sections together. (Assure that you have good electrical and mechanical connections between all sections)
Hose clamp the CB whip on the outside surface of the 1/2 inch EMT section assuring that it overlaps 12 inches with the 1/2 EMT for a total length of all 3 sections for a total of 26 feet top to bottom.
Use some form of insulator on the base to isolate the antenna from ground.
Build your ground and radial ring from about 12 inches of wire and lay around the base of the antenna.
Atttach the radials, as many as you can lay out.
Attach the center conductor of your coax to the base of the antenna and the shield to the ground ring where radials are attached.
Raise antenna (See Antenna Raiser Project) and support....you may need to guy it with rope if windy.
Connect to tuner and rig...........ENJOY!