Build a Continuously Loaded Helically Wound Vertical Antenna for Ham Radio with Affordable Materials
The world of ham radio is filled with fascinating people, ideas, and projects. One such project that caught my attention is the "continuously loaded, helically wound vertical antenna" designed by Bev AH6NF (YL). In this article, we will analyze the design, materials, and steps to build this antenna, and then we'll give it a try ourselves to see how it performs. Design The design of this antenna is simple yet effective. It is a vertical antenna that is helically wound with a 91cm stinger. The stinger can be folded along the 122cm mast for easy storage. The antenna is continuously loaded, which means that it is designed to operate on multiple bands without the need for an antenna tuner. Materials The materials needed to build this antenna are readily available and affordable. The list includes: 1.22 meters of 1.27 cm white PVC water pipe 9.14 meters of 1.63 mm² insulated electrical house wiring 2.38 mm diameter brass brazing rod, 91 cm long Miscellaneous junkbox stuff Numbe