How to ground a vertical antenna An antenna design that requires grounding to suppress the common-mode or improve efficiency is a poor antenna design, unless significant effort is made to make a low-loss ground. Be sure to install the arrestor at ground level and ground the body of the device well. The conventional vertical antenna is installed at ground level, making it easier to set up, tune, and maintain. Vertical antenna ground system experiment No. Installing Vertical Antennas. Even when the antenna is not grounded, but raised above ground, we still use the terms “elevated ground system,” “counterpoise ground,” “ground plane” and so on. The ground is very rocky and has a lot of tree roots, and I lack the tools and know-how to install a mount for a mast in the ground. Use a ground rod: Install a ground Find HF Vertical Antennas and Packages and get Free Shipping on Most Orders Over $99 at DX Engineering! Antenna, Vertical, 75,40,20,15,10,6 Meter, Ground Plane, Aluminum, 200 W PEP, UHF female/SO-239, 15 ft. Do not dig a hole and bury the mast. I modeled it over a perfect ground which of The value quoted in antenna texts is 2. The tower is an LM-470D motorized 70 foot crank-up supporting a ten foot mast and the following antennas: KT34XA, 40-2CD, 3el 6m, and 80 meter quarter wave sloper This system is designed to allow the tower to be raised and lowered each day. The antenna needs to touch. Ground radial installation. Machine Nut 6-32 6. 890MHz. They are the antennas of choice on the low bands for working DX, as most hams can’t get horizontal antennas high enough to be as effective as a vertical on 80M. — Ed. Because the antenna is oriented vertically, the RF field it radiates is vertically polarized. Note: Lastly, if using a 12ft pole, the very top antenna will be at 12ft mark, the 2nd one, at 9ft, the third at 6ft. 51 m) and three loaded radials (overall 18. it is also immune to the re-radiation of antenna currents flowing on the The Quarter Wave Ground Plane is a very common, simple, and effective antenna. Reactions: merlin. 2 A suitable Transmatch is described in the transmission-line chapter of the 1972 edition of The Radio Amateur’s Handbook. Q – How deep should my mounting mast be in the ground, for my ground mounted vertical antenna with the fold over. As shown in the figure, the antenna is usually fed at the base of the vertical element, however, the radials are not directly connected to the ground and there is nothing to keep them at ground potential. 78 m). And doing this could be the most important change you make to your home theater system. 5m long each. Grounding the antenna is fairly easy if you use the right tools. Instead of a solid ground plane, you could use four radial wires, 0. For $11. Fig26—A 440-MHz ground-plane constructed using only an SO-239 connector, #4-40 hardware and 1/16 On the ground There are more options and more bands! I have a Butternut HF2V, 80m/40m vertical, with 36 radials on the ground. It's at the top of a steep hill behind my house. Amateur radio antenna installation. With mine I get roughly 20dB of attenuation on 80m between my vertical and stations using dipoles out Dual Band Vertical Ground Plane Assembly Collect the antenna sub-assemblies, and hardware. Joined Jul 3, 2003 Messages 3,203 Location DN32su. We found that the 8 rolls of chicken wire performed about as well as 32 conventional radials of the same length. If ground conductivity is fair to good, a short metal stake or rod may provide a Grounding an antenna system is done mainly for lightning protection. Pretty up the coax, and your done. In an electrical sense, a vertical is a dipole with half of its length buried in the ground or “mirrored” in its counterpoise system. Simple to follow, 3 basic rules; length, numbers and location. SWR is under 2:1 from 26. using a minimum of 16 radials, either laying on the ground or buried. I have the tuner mounted at the base of the ladder. The price varies very widely - sometimes well over $200 - but I got mine via AliExpress for about $120, shipped, about a Vertical Antenna Ground Systems At HF Rudy Severns N6LF Introduction A key factor in determining the radiation efficiency of verticals is the power loss in the soil around 1 the antenna. Several hams asked me to describe the antenna after hearing my 100-watt signal on the air. I have a multiband SE-X80 HF vertical antenna which works ok from 20 meters to 10 meters with a tuner. This does not drop incoming signals it I use the ground in my A/C connection on the wall as the electric ground on the transceiver. Luckily, field density is highest close to the antenna, so your roof will have a strong positive effect. It will alter the tuning of the antenna and some RF will be coupled onto the fence due to its close proximity to the vertical antenna. For example ground wave propagation, used for LF and some MF transmissions is often better when a vertically polarised antenna is used. Remember, a 1/4 wave ground plan vertical is just a dipole with one of its elements opened into a disc. This is because the impedance of end fed half wave is When used as a vertical antenna RF radiating element, a key to performance is a good ground wire radial system (not included with the VAK1). I have never seen a vertical half wave antenna that did not have an impedance transformer at the feed point. This antenna comes without radials. This is all part of the antenna system until we reach the RF Choke and Coax back to the shack. The "standard" elevated radial scheme has four or more radials elevated above In the case of an end fed vertical antenna the RF ground "plane" is a number of radial wires stretched out from the base of the antenna. The J-Pole antenna, more properly known as the J antenna [6], is one of the most popular antennas for 2m vertical use in the amateur radio ranks. A vertical antenna only has one mounting point and less wind resistance. Horizontally polarized antennas don’t have this problem to nearly the same degree. Transmitter Current Path Voltage COAXIAL FEED (C)2016 - NO1PC, JIM ASPINWALL Learn how to construct a REALLY EFFECTIVE shortwave antenna in about 10 minutes using common household junk - and THEN how to ground it out to improve the pe antenna. For modeling, the initial lengths of the radials and the vertical were made equal and adjusted for resonance at 1. 4 chicken wire radials were just a little less As I recall from my San Marcos (Texas) visit to Don Newcomb (the man behind Butternut vertical antennas) he used no radials but a ground plane of about 8 large steel plates welded together around the base of the antenna, as the greatest ground losses are About six months ago, Dave KZ9V and I demonstrated how a simple piece of aluminum window screen can be used as an effective ground network for a vertical antenna. I plan to get the Buddipole antenna (Buddipole Deluxe) this coming summer for my various portable ops out at spots where my A ground actually has several meanings: Safety ground, RF ground, Lightning ground. Walk it over to a vent pipe, and slide it in until the clamp meets the top of the vent. Sure, some of the manufacturers say you don’t need them, but as others have noted, for the antenna to xmit well (avoiding ground losses), yes, you do need radials. Ground conductivity as well as the number of radials and their length can affect tuning parameters. 1 dB over the isotropic model. The exception is the vertical dipole, which is now more commonplace since the development of You can attach a wire at the top of the vertical, and drop it down and attach to ground. Good for you! To make it work well, you’ll need radials, and quite a few of them. Read more about the J pole antenna. SO-239 chassis connection with the vertical element solder to the connector solder cup 2. $\begingroup$ rclocher3 commented: I had always thought that the performance of a vertical with elevated radials was better than that of a vertical with radials buried in earth of poor conductivity. The guy lines don’t need to be so tight that you can “twang” them like a guitar. 960MHz to 29. D. I have covered J-Poles quite a bit on this site [2]. Flat Washer 6-32 7. The vertical radiator is one half; the ground is the other. 4. For FM Radio, wavelength is about 3 m, so the ground plane should be 1. There I have a tiny voice inside my head that keeps telling me that i should put up a 10 meter vertical antenna, something like the Tram 1489 since we are heading towards the better half of a solar cycle, any takers? Btw, i already upgraded my 2 meter/70 cm antenna to a weatherproofed Tram 1481 and it was a huge improvement over my homemade Jpole 160 Meter Shunt Fed Tower System - Vertical Antenna I wanted to use my tower as a vertical on 160 meters. Reply to a comment by : N3DT on 2012-11-23 I really don't know why people put up with verticals that need grounds and all the associated losses. An example of this type of antenna is the LDG S9v43 ANTENNA NIGHT PLAYLIST https://www. Many POTA activations use a wire antenna hoisted up a tree and do OK. 75 m First, let's look at a ground plane vertical for 80m (3. It i A solid ground plane will work, and it should be a quarter wave radius. Do not use concrete. Let’s look at the most common way to use the mesh: under the feed point of a ground-mounted vertical antenna. N6LF shares his results from more vertical antenna experiments. Verticals for the low bands have classically been an electrical 1/4 wavelength long (tall) and require a radial system for the current return. 96' | 5. 3 guys on every spacer will really hold the antenna well. Reminder: If you are using an ATU at the base of the vertical antenna, please consider raising the tuning circuit at least 6 inches off of the ground, as well as the ladder line feed, and RF Choke as they too must be above ground. Ham Radio does not have to be complicated. vertical will outperform the same antenna with 3 or 4 radials elevated to any feedpoint height up to 54' and demonstrate a clear advantage in directivity of better than 3 dB. How does the material of a fishing-pole mast affect antenna performance? 4. ] Among amateurs, there has been a long running discussion regarding the effective-ness of a vertical antenna with an elevated ground system compared to one using a large number of radials either buried or lying on the ground Wire ground plane antenna for 20m, using materials from a portable dipole kit. So if you find something it wrong, you may find the antenna wire that you are feeding isn’t touching ground with Page 2 A good ground is imperative for any vertical antenna system. What is the 1/4 wavelength rule? The 1/4 wavelength rule refers to the optimal height of a vertical antenna above the ground, which is typically around 1/4 of the operating Sometimes the only solution for HF operation in small gardens is to go vertical. Minimizing this loss is the purpose of the ground system associated with a vertical. Pro Tip: When considering a location to plant your new vertical antenna, we want to be sure we know the noisy and quiet areas along your home I started computing my interpretation of the ZR-3. My antenna system is not permanent and needs to be stealthily deployed when I use the radio at night. The vertical element and radials are 3/32 or 1/16-inch brass welding rod. Using 32 radials at 32 feet long is preferred and highly recommended. I am building a vertical for 11 meters. With vertical antennas, the ground model will have an enormous effect on the level of losses, far field radiation pattern, and gain. x 7. Non-resonant vertical antennas A third class of vertical antenna that is becoming popular is the non-resonant vertical antenna. Highlighted Features. I operate QRP mostly on 20 but also some on 10. This allows you to make antenna adjustments between the traps and see the result almost instantly. In this video, I bring the topic of ground mounted To lower the incoming noise on a dipole antenna, connect a ground wire to the coax fitting at the antenna base. A- thits angle, fch«= radiation pattern of a vertical antenna is affected the most by ground reflection. 5 Rudy Severns N6LF 26 May 2008 The purpose of this experiment was to evaluate the relative performance of several different elevated radial arrangements for a 1/4-wave vertical. x 11. At the center of Fig. When the Gap Challenger DX first arrived I thought it couldn't be good but I've changed BASIC ½ WAVE VERTICAL DIPOLE: COMPLETE CIRCUIT EQUAL ¼-WAVE ELEMENTS •All of the same concepts and effects as the horizontal dipole. Mounting a hex beam on top of a high urban HF Vertical Dipole Antenna; Ground Mount, Ground Sleeve Kit; Feed Line Kit; Flag Kit (when selecting Flagpole Antenna) Tools Needed: (2) A post-hole shovel and an Allen wrench. Without that path, a monopole essentially has zero radiation of e-m waves into space. Like a center fed dipole, current is highest at the feedpoint, so that is where I 2R losses are highest. For a ground mounted quarter-wave vertical, a minimum of 20 radials, each 32 feet long, should be used. I have a similar vertical antenna in my yard on a TV antenna mast type tripod without stakes hold the Figure 4 - EZNEC comparison: elevated vertical (with 4 radials) vs. Add a lightening arrestor to the antenna feed and ground that with a copper rod. Unwrap the bubble packing from the base section and put it aside. T he vertical is a popular antenna among hams who lack the space for a beam or long wire antennas. The most common vertical antenna is the . Connect the antenna coax. Of course, do NOT raise the antenna off the ground. Coupling RF onto the fence Here are three vertical antennas I’ve used in the field, along with their pros and cons: *** 1. And only one design satisfies this, a no-radial vertical half-wavelength (λ/2) dipole. This was my motivation to build a vertical dipole. They should have some room to move. . Friction locking sections and high-tech polymer tube rings allow the antenna to be quickly Another option would be to test a counterpoise (1/4 Lambda) as antenna ground. The efficiency, radiation pattern, and impedance of an antenna are significantly influenced by the quality of its ground plane. Tried it modeling it NEC for a 40m ground mounted vertical array and decided it seemed reasonable. My favorite feature is the versatile feed adjustment provided by the J part of the antenna. How to establish RF ground for 1/4 wave vertical in apt on 3rd floor (about 35ft above the ground) 1. Even half-wave designs that don’t require HF verticals are a popular antenna option when trees and towers aren’t available. Proper grounding of your antenna can also help reduce interference. The radials each have a section Fig25—Simple ground-plane antenna for the 144, 222 and 440-MHz bands. Grounding provides a path for unwanted signals to dissipate, leading to clearer reception. #hamradio #hamradioantenna #portablehamradio 80 Meter Vertical Antenna DXE-80VA-3 DXE-80VA-3-INS Revision 9d DXE-80VA-3 at 3Y0X Peter I Island (shown equipped with optional Top Hat Ice Kit) The use of an antenna analyzer such as the MFJ-259B will facilitate the fine tuning of the vertical. There are three single wire radials for 28 MHz (8'-4" | 2. All ground mount antennas need a good ground plane. Quarter Wave Verticals. The bottom PVC support would mount a 3/4 pipe adapter cemented in place to allow the vertical antenna assembly to just screw onto the pipe support that is driven into the ground, in my back yard. Antenna up, lean it on the house then get on the roof and pull it up. 1 (left) is the vertical antenna. A traditional quarter-wavelength (λ/4) vertical is a monopole. I was wondering about the grounding of the darn thing. I am building it on top of a camera tripod, I have taken the camera bit of the top of it, and now there a threded hole for a bolt to screw into, the antenna base screws into this which consists of a piece of all-thread 2 nuts, washer, and a disk with a hole in the center for all that to go through, then 2 basic to flagpole antennas. Assembly Documentation. So the horizo fo goonr ground (d sala marsht for , example) to over 3 degree0 fos lor conductivitw y (rocky, sandy) groun (Figd 4). Ground-mounted verticals use the Earth as their counterpoise. The assembled base section with transformer is the 4th pack. There are tons of YouTube videos on ground radials and how these work. This means that the electric field created by the antenna is oriented vertically. By Don HC4/W4BWS Get on the air on 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10 meters with one vertical ground plane antenna! So again I built this old standard vertical antenna. NOTE: This is not a permanent installation. Otherwise you'll unbalance the antenna. The important thing is to eliminate common-mode currents in your antenna system, perhaps with a balun. 2 each 8-inch radial element 4. Or second, install a blocking-type lightning arrestor that will shunt center conductor voltage to ground while blocking voltage from passing through the arrestor. There are 2 radial packs and a vertical element pack. And there's no shortage of people singing praises for both roof-mounted screwdriver antennas on RVs, and reduced-height (but nevertheless, non Let’s have a good look at the Rybakov antenna. All you need to do is make a C-Pole antenna with a current ferrite isolator and the ground issue disappears, you have a vertical with low angle radiation, multiband operation with a tuner and stealth as a side benefit. If memory serves me, the antenna will then have 100 ohm feedpoint impedance, so you'll need to match. a ground mounted 1/4 wl. That is because the antenna is modeled in "Free Space". The system doesn’t work without the ground side. I have the ground lug Thank you for purchasing the S9v31 31’ Mk II multiband vertical antenna, hereinafter referred to as the S9v31. Included is a story about know-it-all relatives. Ground/Radial Systems GROUND MOUNTING A vertical antenna in its simplest form, is electrically equivalent to one-half of a dipole antenna stood on end. This RF ground "plane" should be connected to your station "single point ground" and also be A quarter-wave vertical AM broadcast antenna typically uses a large number of ground radials, often 120 or more, for efficient ground-plane performance. I'm tempted to try an vertical antenna in that location that works on more bands. The vertical radiator is only half of your resonant or non-resonant vertical antenna. 02m long, and the feedpoint is about 1. It has been around for many decades [1]. My first quarter wave antenna was a 5-meter radiator wire (one-quarter the length of 20 meters) with four counterpoise wires on the ground. 2 each 20-inch radial element 3. (Chapter 22 of the 2000 ARRL Handbook, Ed. com/playlist?list=PL01YuCls6edYQkHejzJNAxZqX9eRBeG8BI have been wanting a versatile antenna that I can take with m The 10' will add to the antenna length and the antenna may not tune on some bands with ground mounted radials. the wires and ground. Half-wavelength vertical dipoles, however, As a married ham, having an XYL adds an extra level of compromise – her sense of aesthetics. When mounting the antenna above ground, remember that you must also install a ground plane radial system. [This article is being published in two parts. You have your radios and whatever connected to a great big ground rod near the station. The vertical antenna operates from 80 meters through 10 meters using a good quality outboard customer supplied tuner. This second half essentially makes your antenna a vertical dipole. A vertical attached to the eaves like my friend Ed, W1YSM has, or a mighty tower and beam =like my friend John K1LYP has, were both non starters. Figure 27 — Examples of the voltage from a radial wire to ground with different numbers of radials. Although 3/32-inch rod is preferred for the 144-MHz antenna, #10 or #12 copper wire can also be used. Radials on the Ground This set of experiments used four differ-ent antennas: a 1⁄ 4 wave vertical, an 1⁄ 8 wave vertical with base loading, an 1⁄ 8 wave verti-cal with sufficient top loading to be resonant at 7. The input power to the vertical is 1500 W, the operating frequency is 3. PCV pipe works and a wooden mast can work. I used 36 radials around 3 to 3. Grounding the antenna ensures safety and enhances your radio’s performance. Build one and see how it works. Below th Brewstee r angle the reflected wav froem a vertica antennl partialla cancely th direcse t dipole on a vehicle. Elevated radials can be used, 2 opposing resonant radials per band. I say, it’s a precaution that’s worth taking. The coaxial cable that comes from the antenna also needs to be connected to the GES. 5 MHz and the The antenna was an 80m inverted L with a vertical height of 50 feet. How long is a 40-meter vertical antenna? A 40-meter vertical antenna would be approximately one-quarter (1/4) of a wavelength for the 40-meter band, which is about 33 feet or 396 inches. Here's the problem: you have a vertical antenna with a low resonant impedance 1, let's say \$38\Omega\$, but you need a better match to a \$50\Omega\$ feedline. Grounding a vertical antenna from a balcony. detailed data for 4 vertical lengths over real ground. low frequencies at least, the vertical portion of the antenna is usually less than λ/2. I started with a single 4 foot ground stake (zero radials) and then progressively added 1⁄ cerned about strength, but the antenna sur- vived some recent 40-mph winds (gusting to 50 mph)! This vertical requires a ground plane, and it's best if it angles down to bring the feed- Figure I—The sleek, low-profile whip antenna is hardly visible against the daylight sky. 25 out Grounding vertical antennas is a good practice for safety and performance. that the antenna on the left (blue) matches the model (red) much more closely than the antenna on the right. An inductor Q of 250 was Great idea from Lee M7MLB on how to put together a ground radial plate for a ground mounted vertical antenna. For example, you'll often find that in Northern Germany, radio broadcast antennas are preferrably placed on slightly moist ground – because that increases the conductivity. Conversely, ground-level accommodations make it simple to ground the antenna but leave you with the struggles of interference (however small in scope). In this case we'll assume that the radials are the right length (about 68 ft long) and the base of the antenna is 10 ft above an average ground. These radials are to prevent ground warming and loss of much need Also, I'm not suggesting you don't ground your antenna's counterpoise, but I've read that in the USA, single-point grounding to your home's utility ground, via an independent conductor, is the proper way to ground for lightning protection, but not RF purposes; however, if your coax is on the ground anyway, you may already have fairly good In the case of vertical antennas, it acts as a mirror, reflecting signals into the atmosphere. 2) Vertical radiators must be a quarter wave, 5/8 wave, half wave or I have a multiband vertical antenna mounted onto the railings of my balcony apartment high up on the 6th floor of an apartment building. 840 MHz. With a vertical antenna system, the radials are the second half of the antenna. A quarter wave vertical is one of the most popular HF antennas, because it provides low angle radiation superior to a beam or dipole that is not far above ground. 5 in. antenna. The screen offers similar performance as The Amateur Radio Vertical Antenna Handbook by Paul Lee Directional Antenna Patterns Carl E. Radials Ground-mounted radials, use at $\begingroup$ If you have common-mode currents on the feedline, then the feedline is part of the antenna. But it is paid for. Lock washer 6-32 The TASH antenna performs similarly to a quarter wave vertical at most frequencies. However, also notice that the calculated signal strengths are considerably lower than for perfect ground. It is a vertical conductor /4 high, fed at the end near ground. 1 EX-Engineering DXE-MMP-P2 polymer plastic 25 in. Vertical Antennas Make Vertical Fields. Here is some practical advice from 60 years experience! I've recently made some changes to my backyard antenna setup and ran into a question - I used to have a 1/4 vertical antenna, which I learned on the first windy day needed to have a way to bleed static from the vertical to the radials. , Each. Smith (worldradiohistory. Attach the wire we added to make contact with the coax's antenna ground to the radial plate. Verticals are commonly installed at ground level, although you can also place a vertical on the roof of a building. It is well known that the elements of a dipole will be a few percent shorter than o so λit is usually assumed that groundin a-plane antenna the vertical and the radial lengths will also be a few percent less than Grounding the antenna won't improve its performance. This is accomplished by using a ground block located as close as possible to where the coaxial cable enters the building. The antenna is not grounded. •As we transition from dipole to end-fed vertical or ground-plane we have the same need to provide deliberate return current path. The bottom skirt wire is then driven against ground or, as shown in chapter 4, inductors are placed in each Construct a vertical ground plane with one vertical element, and two radial elements, from readily available parts. 3. Choosing a Site The 18AVT/WB-S can be mounted on the ground, on a rooftop or on a mast. Antenna System I have a 1/4 wave vertical antenna based on a 40m hamstick. With the antenna you describe, a 20' top rail will do fine. 5m above ground level. It’s just one end of my G5RV dipole, or sometimes called a “dummy load”Read More Vertical antennas are nice this way, since you just need a wire straight up in the air and you naturally get an azimuthally symmetric pattern. It is attached to the railings of my apartment balcony at the moment. Nov 14, 2023 #6 Very few people have vertical EFHW antennas on 80m. I have the buddstick antenna and I am very impressed with its operation. The radials contribute to the radiation efficiency of the entire vertical antenna system. Stay tuned for We go 'Back to Basics' with the vertical antenna. Ground-Mounted Verticals Let’s start with some popular opinions about vertical antennas and radial systems: 1) To be effective, a ground-mounted vertical antenna must have a quarter wavelength radiator and 120 half-wave radials, over a coastal salt water marsh. The V2000 covers 6 meter, 2 meter and 70cm bandsBu HF verticals are a popular antenna option when trees and towers aren’t available. This may sound How to build a quick and easy vertical wire antenna for portable HF activations. does not spoil the view of our sunsets and is ready to accept my new 43 foot antenna, ground radial installation and coaxial cable routing. Vertical dipole: The vertical dipole is used in some instances to provide a robust form This is how my Diamond V-2000 is installed and the performance I have gotten out of this vertical antenna. The best solution is to use a ground screen or ground plane of wires or mesh connected to the feed point at the base of the antenna. Quickie Vertical; Omnidirectional antenna; A Cost Effective Current-mode 1:1 Balun The DX Engineering MBVE-2 is a fast taper 33 feet high multi-band vertical antenna system. 00, the cost of a Chipotle Burrito and a Coke (Probably), YOU can build a simple yet DURABLE antenna mount for your Ham Radio and CB Radio Needs. The RigExpert instantly plots SWR (vertical axis) vs. The radials connect to the feed point ground. For HF the propagation modes mean that signals of either polarisation may be used. We believe the S9v31 to be the lightest, In this elevated configuration, the S9v31 functions as a ground plane (GP) antenna and four radials are required for each intended band of operation. Say you have this: simulate this circuit – Schematic created using CircuitLab. 1. Most people don’t go to the extra trouble of grounding the mast and some people will tell you it’s not necessary. Any ohmic resistance produces white, thermal Johnson–Nyquist noise (QRN) which power is proportional to Building a 102' vertical for 11 meters. It is important to note that a true ground-image antenna differs substantially from a ground-plane antenna sy stem which relies merely on a few N/4 radials above the ground. They offer a simple yet effective way to communicate over long distances. Works as ham radio; Transmits and receives; Can I make a vertical antenna myself? The short answer is yes, you can make a vertical antenna on your own. Sure, its ugly. When the antenna-is ground-mounted, a radial system is usually not needed. merlin Active Member. 1 Sevick, “The Ground-Image Vertical Antenna” QST, July, 1971. It can also double as a temporary antenna support for portable operation or Field Day. If you are using a balanced feedline it's probably still best to run coax from the transceiver to the station entrance ground, then have a balun outside. In this guide, we'll cover the importance of grounding your ham radio antenna and the steps to do so correctly. com) Written about AM broadcast directional arrays, two and three tower designs. Maybe you attach the ground to the chassis, or maybe it's part of the ground for your The antenna is simulated over "real" ground of "medium" conductivity (Sommerfeld model), with the lower set of elevated radials . The ground block then is connected to the GES using 14 AWG or larger with as short of a run as possible, and again with minimal bends. To simplify the model of the cage vertical I placed a source at the ground end of each wire. The 5/8 wave antenna now has a 5 dB advantage over the 1/4 wave antenna, at least at some heights. I decided to put all three antenna ring elements in the same plane, top and bottom, like a fan dipole. So you can calculate the theoretical length of a ground plane vertical required to tune at your desired frequency, but if what you really have is a ground plane vertical with this extra wire coming out the other end (the feedline), all that theory about The simplest idea of a groundplane antenna is that you take a quarter- -wave vertical and add four quarter-wave radials at the base. One of the simplest vertical antennas is the quarter wave. In fact you need to worry about lighting protection even if you have no antenna at all. To ground mount your antenna, use a 4 foot metal pipe or mast of 1-1/4 in. The mast you should use depends on your soil conditions. Machine Screws 6-32 x 3/8 5. Ground Mount In most areas with normal soil moisture, the 6-BTV can be ground mounted. 5 inch saddle clamps 2 DX-Engineering DXE-CAVS-2P RigExpert antenna analyzer. The antenna is resonant and a good match for 50-ohm cable; it can be easily adjusted for the best match to eliminate the My go-to vertical antennas where a 17' vertical whip, which is basically invisible, and a 10m fiberglass pole with a 29' wire, 9:1 unun at the base, and hidden in a tree. Considerable informa- If you are going to properly ground the antenna to a single point ground, assuming you are using a coax feedline, use a balun and ground the coax shield. I can see at the side of my building, a ground wire coming down from the roof of the building from other antennas from the roof to ground. It will not block, obscure, or damage The antenna is actually fractionally short, so you may lengthen to suit. When the antenna is mounted close to the ground, the earth below takes the place of the "missing" half of the dipole. This is a top-of-the-line instrument that connects between the antenna under test and a computer. A quarter-wave vertical antenna uses the ground as the other half of the antenna. My grounding system consists of 11 8’ ground rods spaced 16’ apart buried 15 inches below ground with 180’ of #6 copper bonded using Cadwell connection points. It must be driven in. The vertical is like 1/2 of a dipole and needs to have a Above Ground Verticals. It’s easy. The JPC-12 antenna (possibly made by BD7JPC) is relatively inexpensive a portable vertical antenna - made in China, of course - that may be found for sale at quite a few places under a few different brand names (including "Chelegance"). It needs radials. Drive it into the ground, leaving 18 in. OTOH, a vertical monopole does require a path to an r-f ground reference, because that path provides the 2nd terminal of the antenna system, which is required to provide a complete circuit for r-f current to flow into and out of the source (the transmitter). I eventually considered trying a ground mounted vertical antenna, complete with ground radials. protruding. The need for radials to me has always precluded λ/4 verticals from the realm of flagpole antennas. youtube. Best part is its mostly invisible and it will work without radials however if you Vertical HF antennas are essential tools for amateur radio enthusiasts. As more radials are added the impedance of the antenna drops, over perfect ground a vertical is 36 ohms. For elevated radials the antenna mount connecting to the coax shield must be insulated from the mast. The S9v18 is a tapered, ultra-lightweight 18’ fiberglass vertical antenna designed for fixed and portable Amateur Radio use from 20 through 6 meters. So the last antenna is that much off the ground. ) Related Posts via Taxonomies. 5 metres in diameter. Part Number: DMN-CP6AR. It is essentially a vertical dipole, in which one side of the dipole is the RF image of the antenna in the ground. When you bring that 1/2 wave dipole down to earth at 1/2 wavelength above ground, the signal radiated down towards earth is reflected to constructively add to the low angle radiated signal of the dipole. Experimental measurements and calculations show that Why you need ground radials with a vertical antenna is to give the radiation a return path. If we step back and look at a wider sweep, it’s clear that the left antenna measurements look nothing like the model; except for the accident that the SWR is the same at the one frequency we happened to SWR Unpacking your vertical Your ground plane vertical antenna comes shipped in 1 carton. For ground plane antennas made using rigid aluminum or copper tubing, the vertical portion can be mounted by sliding the tubing over an insulated rod, or putting an insulated tubing or pipe beween it and the mounting brackets. Here is a step by step approach for an amateur radio vertical antenna mount using only a hole, gravel and a piece of plumbing pipe. Run it to a ground rod and enjoy hearing stations that were covered up before. A 5 Band 20 - 10 Meter Multiband HF Ground Plane Antenna Project. A Ground Plane antenna project for 10 meters band by N4ZAW. The secret to a good ground mounted vertical is to put many, many radial wires from the feed point along the ground like spokes of a bicycle wheel. dipole at 18’ over normal ground Turning to my trusty ^antenna bible, the ARRL Antenna ook [7], I found the following: Practical Suggestions for Vertical Ground Systems At least 16 radials should be used if at all possible. 4 As described in the journal articles, the original TASH antenna consisted of a right triangle Grounding the antenna ensures safety and enhances your radio’s performance. In a real antenna the bottom ends of the vertical wires would be connected together with a skirt wire like that at the top. –- Even for the 1 mS/m conductivity Cushcraft recommends that the R8 antenna be mounted at least 10 feet above ground level. Ground wave reception at LW and MW may be enhanced by adding an earth ground. In a vertical antenna mounted above ground, the situation is a little different. The other half is counterpoise; an imaginary radiator directly opposite, and on axis with, the wire or aluminum standing on the ground. It helps discharge static electricity and provides a reference point for the antenna system. Here in Northeast Ohio, I suggest using a post hole digger to Advantages The elevated radials greatly reduce ground losses when compared to a ground-mounted vertical antenna. If you put up a vertical with a poor radial system you usually get a good match because the ground LOSS adds to the 36 ohms to get you at or near 50 ohms, but with a big drop in signal strength. Typical vertical antennas do require a graound though some types such as the GAP Challenger use 3 wires insulated from ground (in this application they are referred to as a counterpoise). A – The radials do not have to be cut to resonant lengths with our vertical antennas. You mentioned long wire and dipole antennas, a vertical antenna is a different matter and needs ground radials. One radial wire can be seen sloping away from the bracket at Reminder: If you are using an ATU at the base of the vertical antenna, please consider raising the tuning circuit (the tuner) at least 6 inches off of the ground, as well as the ladder line feed, and RF Choke as they too must be above ground. O. frequency (horizontal axis) in 60 seconds. The antenna ground or earth system can be key to its operation whilst also being a key safety feature. In this view, we retain the concept that ground is an integral part of the antenna At HF and below, vertical antennas have more ohmic losses than horizontal antennas (mainly ground losses). com). Pay no attention to the wire going-off horizontally from the base. A true ground-image system results when a sufficient number of radials are used and an image of only the vertical section is sufficient to describe it. The point of the ground plane (however it is built) is to lower the resistance of the ground around the antenna where RF will flow. If you can run an antenna cable, you can run a ground wire. Lots of buzzing from the coax connector - luckily I hadn't plugged the radio in. 6 MHz), which as in the case of a shortened dipole, is a big challenge for limited space antennas. Figure 27 shows examples of the voltage from a radial wire to ground for ideal 4, 12 and 32 λ 0 /4 radial systems. I have a quarter wave vertical for 20m attached to a 7m fibreglass telescopic pole. A minimum of 30 radial wires, with lengths up to a quarter wave length of the operating The only radials are the 6 8’ groundplane radials that are part of the antenna design. It is clipped onto a wooden rail on my balcony. 2 MHz and a 40 meter mobile whip. A – Your mast should be 3 1/2 feet in the ground and 1 1/2 feet above ground for all our ground mounted antennas. At HF you will not likely notice much if any change by grounding the radio as you describe. Let’s dive in! Grounding an Antenna for RF Performance. There are no traps, coils or linear loading elements to You’ll avoided this simply by grounding your antenna. At the feedpoint I have 3 radials, each 5. For comparison $\begingroup$ You might consider an antenna something like offered by Buddipole Antennas (buddipole. conductor loss (Rc). antenna whenever a storm approaches and hope you'll always be there to do it on time. But, unlike that big copper disk we talked about above, the typical ground doesn’t carry current well, and current (the movement of the charge) is what I've used a ground mounted HF vertical for years with good success. I take you through the parts and setup of the Wolf River Coil Vertical Antenna System and show it in use at In general you would choose a vertical with the highest feed point impedance (radiation resistance + ground loss resistance) so as to keep radiation resistance as high as possible compared to ground loss resistance which may be as high as 20-30 ohms otherwise much of your power delivered to the antenna feed point may be diverted to the ground First, ground the antenna and second ground the mast. This has the effect of reducing the ground loss in the near field of the antenna by shielding the antenna's image from lossy soil. 01 $\lambda$ vertical separation between the The reason for this is that they are, in effect, vertical dipoles and if the end of the antenna is too close to ground, capacitive coupling will detune the antenna. Grounding a ham radio antenna can be vital for optimal radio frequency (RF) performance. Unpack the vertical section and slide the tubing into the next It’s helpful for pulling wires around branches or retrieving a stubborn rope or weight that may be caught in the tree. A voltage-fed antenna, like an EFHW, does not need a ground for radiation purposes, (and neither do other half wave antennas, but that's a different discussion), it needs it for high voltage DC shunting generated by static, or lightening protection; you should ground your coax shield with accepted practices. How to ground the antenna. I don't recall how the spacing of the A Simple ¼ Wave Ground Plane A Simple ¼ Wave Ground Plane Antenna A fun project to build and learn how to tune antennas is a ¼ wave ground plane antenna using an SO239 connector; 12 gage solid copper wire or 36“ brass or aluminum brazing rods ,4 each 10-12 gage automotive buss eyelet connectors. Generally it consists of a quarter wave vertical radiator connected to the center of the coax feeder, and 4 radials, often sloping downwards, that are also about a quarter wave long. element to boom plate 2 DX-Engineering DXE-SAD-075A 3/4 inch saddle clamps 4 DX-Engineering DXE-CAVS-2P 1. Attach antenna to the other and waterproof your coax. Popular 18-26 foot coil-loaded 80m-capable vertical antennas do the same trick. HF Radio. That’s it! Years of work trying to figure this out and Sigi showed me today. Also, working with a limited budget. I don't anticipate any issues being that low to the ground as I mentioned previously, on one should be walking around that area, its my property. So, you have a ground-mounted vertical (or are thinking about it). The 18AVQ in this specific instance, but can be any shortened elevated vertical. I have operated in the past with a ground mounted vertical installed like you are proposing (mounted fairly close to the trunk of a tree and extending up through the limbs above). Once you've done that, there won't be any need to ground the antenna for performance. Since the end fed wire is in the air it still can benefit from an RF ground "plane" underneath the antenna. and safest full-size vertical antenna available and we sincerely hope that you enjoy your new S9v18. The downside is The parts of most antennas that need grounding are usually attached to the mast mount, which is attached to the mast, which is attached to the ground. Reports are excellent. If anyone, it would be only me =). To raise Ground-mounted verticals need to minimize losses from RF energy moving through soil. DX GROUND PLANE ANTENNA. They can be surprisingly effective with a good radial or ground system, and disappointing over poor ground. I then progressively shortened the radials (keeping the vertical height the same) and re-resonated the antenna with a single se-ries inductor feeding all four radials at the feed point. Connect with my channel by subscribing and commenting. Solution: put a coil between the base of the aerial and ground. For a vertical antenna the RF ground usually consists of radial wires which provide an electrical counterpoise or RF ground. And although it's working for me, I'm certain that some of my methods here are not the best or safest for anten Reminder: If you are using an ATU at the base of the vertical antenna, please consider raising the tuning circuit (the tuner) at least 6 inches off of the ground, as well as the ladder line feed, and RF Choke as they too must be above ground. This article is about grounding systems for antennas, covering different aspects of grounds made for antenna safety, or expressly for lightning or just to improve antenna performance, being ground an antenna component. I'm in the process of setting up a 30-foot telescoping pole attached to the rear ladder with a 14-gauge long-wire wound around it and feeding it with an AH-4 Tuner. Marconi. 05 $\lambda$ above ground and . This requires a bit of discussion about modeling results for antennas fed against ground. jkncazv suhlrfnh jqvzc dumi wqkqqs kvrjwxj pyfx wuzzg imkwggi ypoy