www.qrp4fun.de Antennas, masts, and tuners

Sometimes I would like to use also a fullsize beam for 80 m, but it works amazing also with smaller antennas. If you don't believe me and dreaming further of the ideal antenna (which you never build), so consider: Any antenna is better than no antenna! At this webpage you will find antennas, masts and tuners.
 
Fibreglass Telescope Tower FTT Walter Spieth, DK9SQ to the top
 
Vertikal Vertikal I live in a multi-family house with 3 floors. Since I do not have the possibility for the use of a constantly structured antenna, I use a diagonal vertical antenna on my balcony.
This consists of a 10 m long fibreglass telescope pole FTT by Walter Spieth, DK9SQ. The pole could be fastened with a few clips very well on the balcony. Slipping away the base of the pole is prevented by two narrow steel strips, which connect the base of the pole with the balcony lattice inside. The pole protrudes 8.9 m over the balcony lattice. Around the free end of this pole are wound 10 m wire.
An automatic tuner at the feed-point (in a weatherproof sheet metal chassis) permits a use of this antenna for all bands between 80 and 10 m. As ground system thereby the metallic balcony lattice serves. The feed-point of the antenna is "only" 4 m above ground.
If I am not "on air", the antenna can be pushed together within 1 minute and disappears then almost completely behind the balcony lattice. A description of the vertical antenna on the balcony is available. If you have any problems with an antenna approval, take a look at my experience and measures regarding approval and the way to self-declaration.
 
Super Antennas MP-1 Vern Wright, W6MMA to the top
Difona HF-P1
 
MP-1 MP-1 You don't have enough space, in order to transport and/or develop an antenna? Then the MP-1 by Super Antennas, Vern Wright, W6MMA, is exactly the correct antenna for you. The antenna was as HF-P1 with metric threads also buyable from QRPproject (QRP-Shop). This multi-band antenna can be stowed away problem-free together with the Transceiver in a bag and simply developed. It's maximum length in dismounted condition amounts only 27 cm (37 cm at the HF-P1, due to its longer metal rods).
For the development it requires only a point, to attach it. And this point can be e.g. already the table, at which you sits. After one attached a coaxial cable and put the provided radials to the baseplate, you can kick-off. The antenna can be tuned from 40 to 10 m simply by shifting the metal cylinder. The cylinder serves thereby at the same time as tapping for the coil and as condenser. If a perpendicular development is not be possible, the antenna can be installed also tilted. A telescope at the upper end of the metal cylinder improves its effectiveness. The scope of delivery include belong the antenna with the baseplate, the radials from flat ribbon cable and and a small fastening clamp. I have already reached the other side of the Atlantic with this antenne, but one should not expect miracles from it.
In the meantime a ham in my hometown produced for me two additional alumnium rods with non-metrical threads at its ends. These are as long as the coil, so the transport together with the coil is not a problem. When it is in use a better match is to achieve - but I haven't measured it. The HF-P1 as follower is buyable by Difona and available always with two long rods.
 
Can antenna Arthur Wenzel, DL7AHW to the top
 
Can antenna The MicroVert by Jürgen Schäfer, DL7PE, based on foreign sources was described briefly in different places. But his version could not inspire me, since the necessary pipe lengths in the lower amateur radio bands become very fast unmanageable. After Arthur Wenzel DL7AHW read the description in the antenna magazine AntenneX, he improved the original. In order to build also such an antenna, read the description of the construction of the can antenna. Where can you buy this antenna? In the bottle store next to you. The photo on the right is the antenna version by Peter, DL2FI, which is named "Cudgel of Berlin".
 
Spiderbeam 18m fibreglas telescope mast Founder Cornelius Paul, DF4SA to the top
 
Spiderbeam Especially QRPers should not be stingy with the antennas. At the beginning of August 2006 me reached via a mailing list the first news of the existence of an 18 m long telescope mast by Spiderbeam. The tip towers above the sixth floor of a house! Up to this time I used only the 10 m long mast by DK9SQ for a multiband vertical or other antenna constructions. With the new mast antenna constructions move closer now, which were unattainable so far because of tie points lacking. The mast is well transportable. How would it be to set up with theses mast a vertical antenna for 80m or an wire pyramid? Look at my experiences with this mast.
 
Multi-band antenna to use out and about to the top
 
Questions raise again and again, if someone want to be select the right antenna for an activity outside the domestic radio station. I looked for example a suitable antenna for my transceiver Elecraft K1, which is usable for 40, 30, 20, 17 m and comprise an internal antenna tuner. Developed a multi-band antenna, which can be adapted to the respectively found locations.
 
Twisted-Hille antenna Peter Zenker, DL2FI to the top
 
Peter Zenker, DL2FI, has made known here in the German-speaking area an antenna especially suitable for portable operation, which comes from the other side of the Great Pond. Based on the length specification of Karl H. Hille, DL1VU, a light antenna was created in which the antenna wire and the feeding line consist of one piece: the Twisted-Hille. It is very easy to recreate, as the construction instructions of an extended version show.
 
DX-Wire 10 m GFK Mast Mini Peter Bogner, DK1RP to the top
 
10 m GFK Mast Mini Particularly who goes on journeys with his radio station, who has again and again problems with the antenna transport. The standart length for 10 m long telescope masts is about 1.15 m (independently of the fabricator). Such a long thing fits usually no longer into the suit-case, so it is necessary to check-in the mast e.g. with an travel by air separately as bulky luggage. A transport length of only 67 cm possesses 10 m GFK Mast Mini by Peter Bogner, DK1RP, DX-Wire. Regardless the mast is uncompressed 10 m long. The 17 segments have diameters from 4 to 48 mm. It weights 1.3 kg and will supplied with a fabric bag.
In the meantime, I have provided the mast with a protection.
 
Lambdahalbe 6 m GFK Portable Mast Willi Daubermann, DH3PZ to the top
 
6 m GFK Portable Mast with and without coat If you still looking for another shorter and lighter mast than the 10 m GFK Mast Mini, then there also the 6 m GFK Portable Mast by Lambdahalbe. It possesses a transport length of 57 cm, uncompressed 5,85 m and weighs only 580 g. The 12 segments have diameters from 1.5 to 38 mm. The mast is delivered with a slip-resistant coat, which makes it relatively sheltered from damages if compressed. As indicated by the dealer, it is a fishing rod used by fishermen. I stripped the coat off one mast. There is a rod of Geologic inside. If you want to erect the mast vertical you should keep away the mast from lateral wires with large forces. However the mast is the best way suitable for a vertical antenna. And it even still fits into a backpack.
 
LDG Electronics QRP Automatik Tuner Dwayne Kincaid, WD8OYG to the top
 
LDG QRP Atomatic Tuner The QRP autotuner by Dwayne Kincaid, WD8OYG, LDG Electronics is a full featured auto or semi automatic antenna tuner designed for RF transmitters (1.8 to 30 MHz) using 0.1 to 10 W (30 W at 50 % duty cycle CW or SSB).
The tuner use a switched configuration with 8 capacitors (256 variations), 8 inductors (256 variations) and Hi/Lo-Z settings to provide over 131000 tuning combinations. The network works great with just about any coax feded antenna (dipole, vertical, beam, etc.). It can be optimized to work with balanced line feded antennas (and random wires) with a 4:1 or 6:1 balun (not provided). It is possible to tune impedances from about 6 to about 800 Ω. This corresponds to an SWR of about 8:1 for Low-Z and 10:1 for Hi-Z. Tuning time has been improved to between 0.1 and 3 seconds with an average time of 1.5 seconds.
LDG QRP Atomatic Tuner Operation of the tuner is auto or semi automatic. In auto mode, the tuner will seek a 1.5 match anytime the SWR is above 3. In semi mode, the tuner will only seek a match when the tune input line is grounded. Both modes require that more than 0.1 W of RF power be present. Up and down input lines are provided for fine tuning the inductors and capacitors an can be used in either mode.
Four outputs to LEDs provide an indication of SWR an status. It is possible to indicates standing wave ratio lower 1.5, 2, 2.5, and 3 and greater 3. The fourth LED is a tuning indicator. It is lit when the tuner is trying to find a match.
Result: Easy to built and easy to use. Good for QRP!
In the meantime I still made a few modifications for the QRP Automatic Tuner, which facilitates the work with it.
 
LDG Z-11ProII © LDG As follower there was the version Z11 with latch relais, so that the tuner consume after tuning next to nothing current. In addition the tuning algorithm was modified, so the tuning process is quicker. At the time there is the Z-11ProII for up to 125 W, which can be powerd from 8 AA batteries or from an external power supply. And this tuner used also latch relais.
 
Emtech ZM-2 Roy Gregson, W6EMT to the top
 
Emtech ZM-2 The ZM-2 by Roy Gregson, W6EMT, Emtech tunes unbalance fed antennas (for example long wires, windowms, short wires) and balance fed antennas (for example dipols, loops, verticals) and tunes out coax fed antenna mismatches. It was also buyable from QRPproject (QRP-Shop). Does all the above at 80 thru 10 m, and usually much faster then other ATUs up to 15 W maximal. In the ZM-2 there is visual SWR indicator. It is usable for output power until 15 W and from 80 to 10 m.
Emtech ZM-2 You can use the ZM-2 in the field and at home in the shack. An evening project for many, maybe two evenings for others. Two big knobs for vernier tuning because the ZM-2 tunes so sharp. One large and one small toroid to wind. Very easy construction via pictorial drawings. All parts furnished, including a stick-on panel layout. Wire is furnished. Kit is complete, no other parts to try to find. Size is 13 × 7 × 4 cm.
 
Tuner for multiband Fuchs antenna Frank Lamprecht, DL7AQT to the top
 
Multiband Fuchs antenna Multiband Fuchs antenna The Fuchs Antenna got its name from the Austrian radio amateur named Fuchs, who first decribed it in 1928. It was a monoband endfeed half wave dipole. The length of the antenna should be a ½ λ or a multiple of it. For 3.5 MHz you need about 41 m.
These tuner for a multiband antenna was design by Frank Lamprecht, DL7AQT, and published 2002 in the QRP-Report. You can match any endfeeded antenna wire there development on all bands between 10 and 80 m! A short description of this from QRPproject (QRP-Shop) buyable antenna is available.
 
QRPproject ZM-4 Peter Zenker, DL2FI to the top
 
ZM-4 The antenna tuner ZM-2 by Emtech do not matchs antennas with a low feet point impedance. In addition it is practical unusable for 160 m. Hence Peter, DL2FI, looked around in the WWW and make some experiments. Based on the information by Charlie Lofgren, W6JJZ, and Lloyd Butler, VK5BR, the ZM-4 originated from the ZM-2, which was buyable from QRPproject (QRP-Shop). It is usable from 160 to 10 m and matchs also antennas with a very high and very low feet point impedance. However the mechanical design (wiring by the ZM-2) was simplified by courtesy of a printed circuit board.