What is a good *simple* 10 meter antenna?

[steve_qix]

Since things seem to be happening on 10 meters, it's time to build a transmitter and get up there.  This gives rise to needing an antenna.

First of all, I cannot put up a beam without changing everything around, so that's out.  I was thinking of either a ground plane (at 90 feet) or hanging an inverted V off the existing feedline (also at 90 feet) that's used for the 160 and 75 meter antennas (I currently have the 160 and 80 meter antennas on the same coaxial line).

Anyway, the key is simple    But effective    I'll probably be running around 100 watts output from the transmitter.

Suggestions? Ideas? I bet there are a lot of them out there.

Regards,

Steve

[w3jn]

As cited in the other thread

http://amwindow.powweb.com/tech/htm/tenmant/tenmant.htm

[Steve - K4HX]

Several ideas here.

http://www.amwindow.org/tech/htm/tenmant/tenmant.htm


Lots more though. I'm in the same situation. I'm going to put up a quick and dirty dipole and then go from there (probably something directional).

[KA2DZT]

Nothing is simple at 90ft.

Is this going to be a tube rig or SS??

I've used a loop fed with 50ohm coax and a 75ohm 1/4 wave xfmr length of coax from the loop.

Fred

[Steve - K4HX]

Hang JJ's beam from any tree. Remember, 30 feet is a full wavelength on 10 meters, so really 90 feet is over kill for a horizontal antenna. A vert ground plane at 90 feet would be FB though.


http://www.amwindow.org/tech/htm/10m2el.htm

[W2NBC]

Steve,

Just to let you know HOW good 10 meters is.. I've heard Tim (HLR) and others talking about it, so this morning just before work I fired up the Flex 1500 (5 watts outpoot) and using a 220 Ft long flat top at 90 Ft, I was able to work 2 Italian stations, the Ukraine, and Germany through modest pileups.. That was within about 10 minutes! The dipole is fed with open wire and tuned by a floating single L network.. Obviously the pattern is skewed, but a ground plane at 90 feet would be fantastic at 100 watts! The point is , if you can couple those watts through a simple T match with the coax to your antennas up there now you would be in business!!

You're 5 and 9 and happy DX my friend!!! 

[WD8BIL]

Steve,

Here's what ya need to do, sonny!
String up a 1/2 wave dipole at the best height you can in any direction you can.
It's a start.

And, for as easy a 10M dipole is you can string up another at 90 degrees somewhere else later.

Remember, I worked Japan last cycle on 29MHz AM with a barefoot Viking 2 and dipole at 15'!

[WA1GFZ]

Just about anything will play when the band is open.
12 element log works well
but not as nice as 4 10 element logs stacked and phased.

[W7TFO]

12 element log works well
but not as nice as 4 10 element logs stacked and phased.

Add a bit O' tilt and that will qualify for EME...

73DG

[W1RKW]

I use an 11m vertical 1/2 wave ant  at 40ft. and it works quite well.  But I also use my 75 meter dipole at 50ft. which also works good.

[Ed/KB1HYS]

Vertical Dipole, lower half made out of copper pipe, coax up throught the pipe.  Upper half use one of those 102" stingers.  Trim for VSWR you like.

Clamp the copper pipe to the highest vertical object you can. 

done.

[WA1LGQ]

Steve, I found this pdf of a 10M Jpole 1/2 wave vertical, built it and hung it from a 50 ft high branch and it works very well.  Easy, quick and maybe better than a 1/4 wave. No radials. Great on the locals too. Trim the wire as needed.http://www.qsl.net/n1lo/10mjpole.pdf

I like the idea of the dipole off the existing feedline but it will be directional. The DX is coming in from all over the place, changes every day. Its been crazy...........Larry

[n1ipa]

Steve,
My first ant I put up when I got my ticket back in 91 was a delta loop up about 30 feet with a 1/4 wave matching stub.  My first contact was the carney islands and then I worked all over the place from there, also with that setup the swr was good across the 10 meter sub band at that point and did not have to use a tuner for that setup.

Good luck with your choice.

Jim

[KX5JT]

Put an incandescent lightbulb dummy load outside (maybe inside!) with a 100 watts into it and you just might still work the world!

[ke7trp]

This weekend, I might haul a Cantenna dummy load up the tower for fun.  I bet I can log some decent contacts!  Since I have an extra rope and pulley, This would take about 10 minutes.

C

[W2VW]

So what did you land up using to get that 5 and 3 report from Ireland Steve?

[The Slab Bacon]

This weekend, I might haul a Cantenna dummy load up the tower for fun.  I bet I can log some decent contacts!  Since I have an extra rope and pulley, This would take about 10 minutes.

C

If you wanna do something like that, don't bother with the Cantenna, use a 100w incandescent lightbulb. They work pretty good. And they dont leak oil..............

[KC2ZFA]

what do you guys think of this: http://www.hamuniverse.com/10metercoaxdipole.html ?

[Pete, WA2CWA]

what do you guys think of this: http://www.hamuniverse.com/10metercoaxdipole.html ?

Just looks like a variation of the well-hyped bazooka dipole that's been around for years. Claims of low noise - broad-band - better then apple pie - etc.

[K1JJ]

Steve,

A guy with your talents and motivation might consider something that is not only a strapper, but really cool. You did say, "simple" but hear me out...

You have a 90' tower.  Go out and pick up 8 stainless steel CB whips - or aluminum tubes that are each about 8-9' long.  Then mount each two halves of a "dipole" onto a  ~4" X 8" fiberglass plate using u-bolts.   You now have four sets of  2-half-waves-in-phase for 10M.

Start at the top of the tower and mount the first set and then the other three spaced equally about 17' apart down the tower.  Make sure the elements are insulated from the tower using the fiberglass and additional u-bolts.

You now have a PAIR of stacked lazy H's. (eight elements, four dipoles stacked)  Use open wire and flip the connection so the dipoles are fed 180 degrees out of phase as you go up. The bottom "dipole" connects to the shack with openwire and you feed it with a tuner.

This array will cover both the USA AND Europe with a bi-directional pattern.  I wud have to model it, but the take-off vertical angle would be compressed down in the lower 7 degree area, perfect for 10M.    The horizontal pattern wud be perfect for Europe but maybe a little narrow for USA, but WTF.  Just right for VK and south Pacific.

That stacked system is as easy as pie, but VELY effective, competing with the big Yagi schlongs out there. Remember that VERTICAL take-off angle is everything. That's what stacked antennas are all about.


Heck, if I didn't already have up triple five's for 10M, you can bet I'd put up this lazy H array.  I just turned them with one SW, one NW (USA) and the third towards Europe. We'll see how that works out for now.

T

[WD5JKO]

For those without a 100' tower, but have some trees, try the "Half Square". These offer about 3db gain, are bi-directional, and put out a low angle of radiation when the top is only about 15' off the ground. This is a huge bang for the buck spent. Here is one similar to what I use:

http://www.antennasmore.com/halfsqua.htm

Fed at a corner it is 50 ohm feed. Length is 17' with two 8' vertical drops.

This antenna is a candidate for a 'Big Box Store' special where the materials should be very low cost. Here is one case where one was home brewed:

From Dick K2HT #3727 - 10-Meter Half Square Antenna
Scroll down near the bottom:
http://naqcc.info/newsletter_140.html


Jim
WD5JKO

[flintstone mop]

I like the simplicity of the 10M J pole.......The dimensions given are close for a good match? OR do we play with the 450 ohm stub to make the match??

And Tom you should be whirl wide with your array of aluminum.

Fred

[KB2WIG]

F,

I've been looking at the Cebix site. "They", (he's dead), have a lot of antenna ddesign and modeling  information. He has a section primarily for 10m operations.

http://www.cebik.com/

I've been toying with the idea of  "A Vertical Doublet for 30-10 Meters".

http://www.cebik.com/content/gp/v20.html

As far as "JJ" and his 4 half waves in phase, I hate him and his al uminium farm. Deeply.


klc

[K3ZS]

I added a 16 ft center fed element in parallel with my 135 ft. doublet.  I feed it with a tuner and balanced window line.   According to EZNEC the pattern on 10M is almost the same as a regular dipole.  I used some PVC pipe cut up into 6 inch pieces, slotted the ends and used them as spacers with the regular 135 ft antenna.      I did this years ago as suggested by K1JJ, now I can finally use it.

[steve_qix]

Tom, good suggestions!

If I get really serious, something like that would be the ticket.

I found something a lot of folks seem to like - the Imax 2000.  It's a 5/8 wavelength vertical.  How they get away with no radials is questionable - although there is a "radial kit" one can get as well.

The antenna is not expensive, and looks quite sturdy.  Any ideas?  I'm still wondering if the take-off angle would be too low with the Imax 2000.  It seems to me that the best take off angle would not be 0 degrees - probably more like 30 degrees, but I don't know for sure.