Tag: antennas
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Building a 1:1 Common-Mode Choke for HF
RF in the shack, unstable SWR, mystery noise: a lot of it traces back to common-mode current on your coax. A choke is a cheap, quick fix.
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The Yaesu ATAS-120A: My Take on This Motorized Mobile Antenna
An overview of the Yaesu ATAS-120A active tuning mobile antenna, including how it works, what it covers, and how it performs on my Jeep paired with an FT-891.
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The Chameleon MPAS 2.0 – The Compromise
A modular HF system that packs into a backpack and deploys a dozen different ways. Here’s how the Hybrid Mini upgrade changes things, and how the SS17 compares to the stock military-style whip.
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What Is a Moxon Antenna? Plus Some Great Build Videos
The Moxon squeezes real gain and a strong front to back ratio into a surprisingly small footprint. Here is what it is, why it works, and where to watch it get built.
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Building a Roll-Up Slim Jim Antenna for VHF/UHF
The Slim Jim is a J-pole’s flexible, packable cousin, built from ordinary twin lead and small enough to roll up and stuff in a jacket pocket. Here is how to build one.
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Which Portable HF Antenna Should You Actually Bring?
Random wire, EFHW, dipole, or Moxon. Each one earns its spot in a portable kit for different reasons. Here is how to decide what actually goes in the bag.
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What Is a Yagi Antenna, and Do You Need One?
A Yagi is a directional beam antenna that focuses your signal in one direction for real gain. Here is how it works and whether it belongs in your station.
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HT Antenna Upgrades: The Cheapest Performance Boost You Can Make
The rubber duck antenna your handheld shipped with is the single biggest thing holding it back. A better antenna is the cheapest, most effective upgrade in the hobby.
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Different Antenna Configurations You Can Run With an EFHW
One end-fed half-wave wire can be deployed in a surprising number of shapes. Here are the common EFHW configurations and when to reach for each.
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How Ground Radials Impact Your Vertical Antenna
A quarter-wave vertical is only half an antenna. Here is why ground radials matter so much, and how the number and type you use changes your performance.
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How to Build a Wire Dipole Antenna for HF on a Budget
A simple, cheap half-wave dipole is still one of the best-performing HF antennas you can build. Here’s how to cut, build, and tune one for under $30.
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Automatic vs Manual Antenna Tuners: Which Do You Actually Need
An antenna tuner does not actually tune your antenna, it tricks your radio into seeing a happy match. Whether that trick should happen automatically or by hand is a genuinely practical question, not just a budget one.