3 Best HF Antennas For Ham Radio Beginners (Effective)
3 Best HF Antennas For Ham Radio Beginners (Effective)
If you are new to ham radio, what are the best shortwave antennas to start out? Here are my top 3 favorite HF antennas that are simple, efficient and easy to use.
Nerdy ham radio t-shirts and more: https://teespring.com/stores/ham-radio-soul – thanks for the support!
simple but to the point!
Hello Lucien – Here is a link to HF antennas which might be of interest to you and others.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdrIOKXF7jE
Any antenna list should include the venerable G5RV and its variants. MY first antenna and still my best.
An excellent guide for beginners. Very straightforward.
Is DH standing for Germany ? (a beginner)
Thank you, but would have been better with some pictures.
I think good advice. I was told to start with a 40m dipole. Using only 40W i often get to NZ and occasionally the east coast of the usa from the east coast of oz. It gets you going, it’s simple to build and is fun
I agree with all of your points! Those are all effective, inexpensive, and easily implemented antennas.
I just want to toss in another suggestion to be considered:
A Fan Dipole that is simply multiple resonant dipoles with a common feed point and spacers (using wooden dowels, sections of PVC, etc) between the elements. This antenna is one of my favorites. It requires only one support point in the center and can be deployed as an inverted V or flat with supports on the ends. The big advantages, of course, are:
a) – Requires only one coax, and not ladder line.
b) – Provides multi-band operation without the need for a tuner, so you can switch bands and immediately start operating.
c) – It is a full-length antenna with no loading coils or traps that lower efficiency and narrow the bandwidth of operation.
d) – It is inexpensive.
e) – It is easily constructed and tuned.
f) – It can handle a lot of power (up to 1.5kw).
g) – It can be suspended vertically to provide a very low angle of radiation for DX and requires NO radials.
If I had to choose only one HF antenna to use for the rest of my life, this would be it. It’s simplicity, lack of a need for a tuner, and ease of use simply cannot be beat. Mine provides operation on 40m, 20m, 17m, 15m, and 10m – the most popular HF bands. Adding 160m and 80m, of course, is also quite possible, but makes the antenna much larger.
Thanks, for the video!
I would not recommended a mono band antenna to someone that doesn’t yet know what band they might prefer.
If they wish to start on MF/HF,
They should look into an all band Doublet antenna.
Introducing the "All-Band" Doublet
https://ftp.unpad.ac.id/orari/library/library-sw-hw/amateur-radio/ant/docs/Introducing%20the%20All-Band%20Doublet.htm
I keep seeing videos trying to get people into Ham Radio. I have NEVER seen a video other than Ham, that gives these lists but shows NO pictures of what they’re recommending.
Well said in short video. Thank You.
vu3tbu
Hello Lucien – Very nice video and very well explained. Another great antenna for the beginner is the Zepp, either a half-wave or End Fed. They are the simplest to make and with 450 ohm feeder you have far less loss as you would have with a coax fed dipole.
It’s a video–SHOW something, besides your hands and face.
The BEST HF Base Antenna is by far the Mosley PRO-96S. It is the KING of multi band antennas. It cost a lot and is a Beast in the air and on the air as well but in this case you really get what you pay for. It is great being the KING.
I assume it’s a high frequency but I thought single side band did that
I have a small garden so I use a small endfed
Thank you for this great vid! It is very helpful. If you have not already done so, I would love it if you made a vid demonstrating how each of the three types is erected. I generally understand how, but it would be interesting to see how you put them up, and where.
You sir are hitting the nail on the head , dipoles are the answer to most radio ham aerial problems. I myself have made many of them in the past . My favourite was an inverted K two dipoles one for 20mt and one for 15mt both sharing the same feed . Just coax with no balun . Resonant on both bands and tuneable on several others with an homemade ATU . A resonant cut dipole takes some beating. Best wishes Brian G0rlb
I have a older Cobra 40 Channel with a HF switch no one can tell me what it does yet it’s a 29 XLR it still works good what is HF on a CB radio or do I have something different it is 40 channel thank you
Im a newbie just licensed, thanks simple really helps
Thank you, I will build one and give feed back
73 de ve3hip in welland Ontario Canada 🇨🇦
how wud a dipole work indoors?
This is one of the best videos I’ve seen on YouTube because it’s totally accurate. I am a new hammer and I’m looking for a way to have an inexpensive antenna that will help me to work multiple bands. Do I ask you a question my friend? Can you recommend any retail antenna that would help me work 10 m and other bands as well?
End fed half waves are ok but feeding at the high voltage node is sketchy at best. not a high power antenna. Definitely need a choke to stop common mode currents on the coax. Dipoles are the best beginner option.
Good advice
Interesting. Tim , KB0VQP.
Not to mention that a good Doublet cannot be beaten by a similar sized antenna that is coax Fed.
Thank you for this video. I am a new tech license in California and am really confused about which antenna to use. This was very helpful.
nice video 73
There are some great online resources for construction of all three of your recommendations. Will you be making another video on the construction, tuning and using these three antennas?
73
KE0OAP
Hello Lucien – Another great antenna is the T2FD (which I have). It is a great Multi-Band antenna and can be used without an ATU. I have one now for around 2 years or so and to be honest apart from my GP i wouldn’t use anything else. http://www.dannex.se/1530m.asp
Good advice Lucien (IMHO). Remember that "Every time an amateur buys a commercial antenna, an angel cries."
🙂
Thanks. Great video but it would have been helpful to show pics of each type.
Never ever buy HF commercial antenna as HAM beginner.
Vielen Dank.
I am right in the middle of figuring this out… I have my 240 volt power drop right in the middle of my backyard, so no vertical is possible. I have high voltage transport lines that run through all of the neighborhood backyards so long vertical is double no no. I found a small tower to install on the side of my house but again, G5RV jr must not have it’s ladder line parallel to conductive structure (the tower) so scratched that one off…
Started to thinker about a dipole in inverted V but my house siding is aluminum so I have to scratch any dipoles…
I tried the HFLW with a 9:1 unun, that was extremely poorly performing, I had install the match box at 35′ high at the top of the tower but the other end of the 58′ long wire was crossing my power drop and the other end would tie at aroud 8′ high at the end of the back yard, remember that I can’t put anything high at the end of the backyard due to the high voltage transport lines… scratch that one off also…
Started to investigate with EFHW but then again, due to the install conditions that prevent me to install the antenna wire horizontally and that it will cross path with my power drop, I’ve been told that those antenna would not work well either… scratch that one also…
Started to look at verticals like cha-250b and alike, bad and mediocre reviews on eham, they are really expensive and only handle 200w which render digital modes to around 30-50w max.
I found the alpha antenna promaster 1080, 18′ vertical with a 25′ horizontal nvis element. Theorically, that antenne should be installed at ground level but the manufacturer stated that it WOULD work in a tower if the counterpoise is the tower itself. It was quite expensive 350$, I’ve made 30 countries and hundreds of contact since october 2018 but still, I have a LOT of noise on 80, 40 and 20… like S6-9 noise levels so I mainly hear big gun american stations which is not I want to do…
Already invested 350$ on that so-so vertical antenna… I am left with pretty much two other choices but will require a lot of investment again… either a rotatable dipole but they only cover 40-20-15-10 and are extremely narrow bandwidth antennas, some are quite big like 35′ total lenght and they have mixed reviews about their construction solidity, weather proofness and burnt traps and coils… these are 500$+ for iffy antennas…
I am left with a cobweb that horizontally polarized (should cut the noise floor levels), omni-directionnal so no rotor needed, they are resonating dipoles, no traps or coils, 1500W PEP so should be ok for 100W digital, are less sharp in bandwidth than rotatable dipoles and are said to handle harsh weather conditions like I am having right now, winter just started tonight, our first snow storm that will be followed by a ice storm… BUT, these cobweb are quite large at 16’X16′ for the 40m version (even though the site state they are 12X12) and at last but not least, it will cost me 650$+ to get one…
It is not as easy it is said in this video…
thanks Lucioano terrific review 73 from kb2uew