Flex Antenna
Numerous people on several yahoogroups, of which I am a member,
have commented about the need for a flexible HF antenna.
This is a prototype antenna I built up from material on hand.
- Materials
- 3/8" outer diameter Vinyl tubing
- aluminum grounding wire
- copper wire
- Construction
- Cut a 6" length of aluminum wire
- Cut a hole big enough for the wire to pass through in the tubing. It should be about 4" from the end.
- Using your cutters put a notch in aluminum wire very near the end.
- Tie your copper wire to the aluminum wire. It will slip up into the notch.
- Solder the wire to keep it from slipping.
- Feed the aluminum wire through the hole you cut.
- Wrap the vinyl tube with the copper wire.
You may want to insert a rod of some sort into the tube to make it easier to wind the wire. - Secure the end of the copper wire with tape.
- Trim Vinyl tubing and aluminum wire to fit into appropriate antenna base. (I suggest 3/8" x 24TPI whip tip adapter.)
- Evaluate on antenna analyzer
- Have fun!
The antenna shown has approximately 20" of tubing.
The analyzer says it is resonant on 6M and 70cm.
On the air tests with the Yaesu FT-817 show this to be true
in operating as well.
Variation: use a section of 3/8" x 24TPI bolt instead of the aluminum wire. Warm the vinyl so you can work the bolt head into the tubing. Use a ring connector on the wire at the bolt end. Tape the wire to the tubing around the bolt head to help secure everything.
