Home Homebrew 1/4 Wave 10 Meter Ground Plane

[Riverman]

Easy Peasy. Works great!

Used this: https://m0ukd.com/calculators/quarter-wave-ground-plane-antenna-calculator/

Came up with 98.77" for the vertical. Had a Buddistick shockcord antenna I trimmed to 99 inches. Aluminum tubing or even a crappie pole and wire should work as well.

Attached it to a typical stud connector and mirror bracket atop a 4.5' light stand from Lowes. https://www.lowes.com/pd/CRAFTSMAN-72-04-in-to-72-04-in-Plastic-Work-Light-Stands/1000655903

Used 16 ga. wire for radial. Started with 110" and trimmed for lowest SWR at 28.400 MGZ (10 Meter Calling Channel). Wound up with a SWR of 1.02 using a tick over 100".

Trying to approximate an angle of 76.5 degrees, I attached it to the top notch on my electric fence post. (76.5 is the recommended angle for achieving an impedance of 50 ohms when using a single elevated radial. 45 degrees is recommended when two or more or used. https://www.qsl.net/kk4obi/Elevated Radials.html.)

10 meters is still pretty quiet but opens up occasionally during the day, especially in the afternoons here in north Texas. When it does, it is mostly DX and rarely stateside.

 

[sp5it]

I suggest to use choke balun and insulate antenna and radial(s) from mounting pole.
Also I would use 3-4 radials instead of one. Just one skew antenna pattern.
Mike

 

[Riverman]

I suggest to use choke balun and insulate antenna and radial(s) from mounting pole.
Mike

Mike, I gave that thought during construction. But if I have CMC, it is miniscule. It is easy to detect when using the analyzer as the readings will jump around, especially when touching the radio or coax connectors. I had that when using the Buddistick coil and had to use ferrite beads, but I don't have that with this setup. Don't know why. It' s clear the stand is part of the ground plane since the bracket is not insulated from it, but the readings are stable and good and the antenna is working great, so see no reason to mess with it.

 

[Riverman]

I suggest to use choke balun and insulate antenna and radial(s) from mounting pole.
Also I would use 3-4 radials instead of one. Just one skew antenna pattern.
Mike

Nope, I'm a one radial guy. I love 'em. Less to walk around in the yard and a whole lot less hassle during mowing season. It's my experience these antennas are omni-directional. Although this radial is pointed northeast, I've easily made 5/9 contacts off the sides and back as I have with other similar setups. Sometimes the book stuff just doesn't come to fruition.

 

[Riverman]

Speaking of CMC, when using a Chameleon mini coil and no ferrite beads a few months back, my little desktop callsign display would light up whenever I keyed the mic!
Now that's CMC.

 

[sp5it]

Nope, I'm a one radial guy.

Without a choke balun you have 2 radials

 

[Riverman]

Without a choke balun you have 2 radials

My coax might be radiating, but it doesn’t light up my callsign display or make the hair on my neck tingle. And it lets me talk to Spain, so I’m good with it doing its thing.

 

[sp5it]

Sorry, 3 radials. My bad

 

[Riverman]

Sorry, 3 radials. My bad

Well, you suggested 3-4, so I guess I’m good.
Actually with this setup it’s 5. The light stand has 3 legs.

 

[sp5it]

So.. good SWR have dummy load.

 

[Riverman]

So.. good SWR have dummy load.

This dummy load is talking all over the world.

 

[AudioShockwav]

This one is cool for a DIY 11 meter antenna the guy that built it hangs out here sometimes....


73
Jeff

 

[sp5it]

This dummy load is talking all over the world.

So, if it is your key parameter... I talked all over the world from barb wire fence. It doesn't make it good antenna.

 

[Riverman]

So, if it is your key parameter... I talked all over the world from barb wire fence. It doesn't make it good antenna.

Mine is simple, stealthy and works great. Am very happy with it. No matter what it's called.

 

[Riverman]

This one is cool for a DIY 11 meter antenna the guy that built it hangs out here sometimes....
73
Jeff

I can see the look on my wife’s face if she comes home and finds one of those, Jeff.