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Five-band HF Linked Dipole [updated January 2025]
17 January 2025 | by An improved build
This antenna was first described in the November-December 2023 Communicator. After a year of using it, I’ve developed some improvements. - Updated January 2025
I appreciate inexpensive but effective antenna design. Sure, you can spend hundreds of dollars to buy a multiband antenna for POTA or GOTA but they are so simple to build, why would you want to? You can enhance your skills and communication capabilities by constructing custom antennas.
One popular and versatile option is the multi-band HF dipole antenna often called a segmented or linked dipole. This antenna design allows for effective communication across multiple HF bands by connecting or disconnecting sections along its length making it an inexpensive asset for ham radio operators, particularly outdoors enthusiasts and those needing a light, packable wire antenna that can be erected almost anywhere, and with good results—better than an end-fed, because each segment of the antenna is pre-tuned during construction, and can be used safely even when no antenna tuner is available.
Ideally it is hung from a pole or tree branch at 20 feet (6m) as an Inverted V, with the center point high and the dipole legs spread at least 110-120 degrees. I have worked the globe with this set-up on sideband and 20 Watts.
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| Oly one side of the dipole is shown |
~ John VE7TI
Manna80 and other Special Event Stations
You may wish to add these to your calendar
We will publish a report in The Communicator's next issue.
I would like to inform you about a few special event stations we will put up in the next few months.
February 14,15 and
16th, PA80OV will be operational from Gennep, Netherlands.
I will be a guest operator, and probably the organisation has written to you
allready, but it is nice to know.
https://radioclublimburg.nl/pa80ov/
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The two others are also very interesting.
At the end of WW2, the Netherlands suffered a
hunger winter. Allied forces conducted a humanitarian action called Operation
Manna.
In April this year, 80 years ago, tons of food was dropped over the western
part of the Netherlands, saving many people from starvation and death.
To commemorate this event, we will activate a
couple of stations, including GB80MAN, VE80MAN, VK80MAN, PH80MAN.
We are hoping Poland is participating as well, and we hope the USA will put up
a station.
https://manna80.radio/the-team-in-the-netherlands/
As you have seen some SES from us, we will put
up PH80MAN at a former drop zone.
I have added a flyer with this mail. This one is in Dutch, but an English
version is under construction... will follow as soon as it is done!
Lastly, I would like to
inform you about PA82AD.
This is a call we used 5 years ago to celebrate 75 years of freedom. We held a
DX-pedition but due to COVID, we could not really complete our goals.
Please read the qrz.com page from bottom up.
To finish this DX-pedition as planned, we will
be operational for a very last time.
Thanks again for reading, and hope to hear you on the bands.
73,
~ Sander PD9HIX
ICQPodcast Episode 447 – In The Grid
In this episode, we join Martin Butler M1MRB, Chris Howard (M0TCH), Martin Rothwell (M0SGL), Frank Howell (K4FMH), Bill Barnes (WC3B) and Leslie Butterfields (G0CIB) to discuss the latest Amateur / Ham Radio news. Colin Butler (M6BOY) rounds up the news in brief and the episode's feature is In The Grid.
We would like to thank Walter Washburn (KT0D), an Anonymous Donor our monthly and annual subscription donors for keeping the podcast advert free. To donate, please visit - http://www.icqpodcast.com/donate
Colin Butler, M6BOY, is the host of the ICQ Podcast, a weekly radio show about Amateur Radio. Contact him at [email protected].
Amateur Radio Weekly – Issue 364
FCC upholds record $34,000 forfeiture against Amateur licensee
Ham interfered with operation of fire suppression aircraft.
ARRL
Morse Walker
A free, web-based CW pileup trainer with modes such as POTA, SST, and CWT, plus beginner-friendly features, including adjustable speeds and Farnsworth spacing.
Morse Walker
Time Mapper UHD
A visually stunning program that combines mapping and time functions to produce an ever-changing 4K or HD World Clock display.
EI8IC
The decline in ARRL membership and market share, 2001-2023
With the publication of the 2023 Annual Report by the ARRL, we now have two more years of membership and Amateur license data.
K4FMH
SSTV test cards
Test cards created for the purpose of providing good-quality reference images for SSTV development at the resolutions used by SSTV modes.
VK4MSL
A different kind of Foxhunt
My vision was to have a Foxhunt available whenever you want.
VE7SAR
ChatGPT prototyping of Ham Radio mapping applications
It took ChatGPT and I about 20 minutes to come up with a prototype map of POTA QSOs.
Copasetic Flow
Is an EFHW antenna truly multiband?
Resonant on every band, earn DXCC in a single day.
Ham Radio Outside the Box
The magic that only comes from a radio you built yourself
The many benefits of true homebrew.
SolderSmoke Daily News
Pi Pico makes SSTV reception A snap
This Pi Pico SSTV decoder makes it cheap and easy to get into slow-scan television.
Hackaday
Video
D4C unveiled
Inside the world’s most dominant Ham Radio superstation
W1DED
Is Ham Radio addictive?
Two 60-year hams discuss their own obsessions and share stories about Amateur Radio operators who have really gotten obsessive about the hobby.
Ham Radio Perspectives
Get Amateur Radio Weekly in your inbox.
Sign-up here
Amateur Radio Weekly is curated by Cale Mooth K4HCK. Sign up free to receive ham radio's most relevant news, projects, technology and events by e-mail each week at http://www.hamweekly.com.
A different kind of Foxhunt
Suitable for the urban fox
From the January-February 2025 SARC Communicator
The last few months, I've been thinking about a different way to do a Foxhunt. My vision was to have a Foxhunt available whenever you want, especially this time of year. Not everyone lives in town, and everyone's busy shopping and might not be able to dedicate an afternoon on a specific day for a group search. But what if the fox kept calling you out for a few minutes here and there, whenever you had a chance? No pressure, just try it out and see what you can find with your gear, experimenting with different antennas to get the best results. Go get that Fox!
Where to start with my build? You guessed it: Google and YouTube. The first step was to make a Fox using things I had in my toolbox. I got a Baofeng radio, Arduino UNO, batteries, a waterproof box, and a Drok buck converter. Simple enough, right?
I first searched using Miss Google and came across this: https://www.hackster.io/nfarrier/auto-keyer-for-radio-fox-hunting-e89b99 "Cool, I can do this," I thought, so I did. After putting it all together, I programmed the Arduino UNO using the Arduino software with the code from that website. I set up the CW message, and everything tested just fine. My vision was starting to come true!
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| My power supply was an 18 volt 5.0 Ah Lithium-Ion Battery (Makita BL1850b) feeding in the Drok Buck Converter to reduce the voltage to 7.4 Volt for the Radio and that voltage was also perfect to feed the Arduino Uno as it has a 12 volt connection with its own regulator to supply 5 volt to the board. |
I could hear it from the east and west side of town. All was good darn... a few days later I couldn't hear it anymore until I was right beside it. I took the Fox home and discovered the TX (transmit) wasn't putting out power anymore, even though the battery was still good. My Fox SX5 Mosfet transistor must have failed. It must have been spending too much time in TX mode. So, I replaced the radio and changed the transmit message, reducing the time by almost 50 percent.
There goes the fox hunt, second radio blown. How disappointed you all would be! I talked to a fellow ham about Baofeng radios. He uses them more often than me, and he showed me in the manual that the duty cycle is very small, 03/03/54 minutes (RX/TX/Standby). My fellow ham had a spare radio he wasn't using, so I bought it from him.
I did a few more programming changes to adjust the duty cycle. I also decided to add "MORE POWER!" (à la Tim Allen) So, I added a second Makita battery for a longer stay in the den.
I relocated the fox to be closer to home, just because I know I'll need to replace the batteries in a few days. For those of you in the area, I hope you all get a chance to find the Fox.
Happy Fox Hunting! 73,
~The Silver Fox VE3BQM
Hams meet Marines
A special event station from The Netherlands
This is an HF activity on January 23 from PA25MC, which will be on the air for just one day to introduce Marines to the world of ham radio. They will try to use as many HF-bands as possible on SSB. They remind us to please remember that Amateur procedures are new to them, but will do everything to get them up to speed quickly.
Marines are used to speaking English but naturally keep their communications short. The organizers would really appreciate it if you contribute to a successful event by connecting with them!
PA25MC is organized and supported by PI4VBD, the club station of the Royal Army. Their station will always comply with the user regulations and regulations for radio amateurs and has no military function.
QSL info for PZ5JT
Ready or not here I come…….
On Wednesday it was time to see if I could uphold a New Year's goal I had set for myself. Each Wednesday is the CWops Mini test for 1 hour at 1300 and 1900 UTC. I have been taking part in this weekly event for a few years now. I found it greatly helped me increase my confidence with higher speed code, becoming more familiar with my N1MM+ keyboard commands and building on my hearing the code and moving that to typing it.
The code speed in the CWT's as they are called on average goes from 32wpm to 36wpm. There are times when your pushed and speeds can rise to 40 plus. I have always searched and pounced for contacts during this one-hour mini-contest. There have always been these apprehensions to run or call "CQ CWT". The mini-contests are always very well attended and these ops have an excellent grasp on CW. In the past, I have tried for a short while to run and it has been a lacklustre event for me from plan nerves and getting from ears to brain to keyboard flustered. I found once this happens things go downhill for me very fast. I then in defeat go back to search and pounce. I have been practicing over the past year with code contest programs, I have been very active in CW contests running and now it was time to commit to running in the CWTs. During the morning CWT at 1300 on Wednesday I warmed up my ears, and brain and searched and pounced for about 15 minutes. Then it was time to find a clear spot and send out "CQ CWT VE9KK". Unlike in weekend CW contests when I ran this time I felt a bit nervous. You never know the speed someone is going to come back to you at. I am perfectly fine with that as I want to improve and if you send "??" or part of a call they will slow down and all is well.
In the 1300 UTC session, I ran for 20 minutes and actually, I was very surprised it really went off very well. Sure I did ask now and then for a repeat, had a typing breakdown due to nerves and now and then hit the wrong macro key sending the wrong message. In the 1900 UTC session, I ran for 30 minutes and it was better but as I was in the swing of things we had a power outage!
Looking back I did ok and better than I expected, I am very glad I took the plunge and I know over time I will get better and the nerves with calm down as well. Now I know some readers will think "What is the big deal". That is very true but for me, it is like I am playing High School football and was picked up and placed in the NFL. In my humble opinion these ops are the cream of the crop when it comes to CW contesting and to be honest I find it intimidating. But one week down and 51 more to go or thereabouts!
Mike Weir, VE9KK, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from New Brunswick, Canada. Contact him at [email protected].
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