Loaded Antennas

For the Lower HF Bands

Jim Andera, K0NK

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Extra Class Privileges

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 Frequency and Wavelength
Frequency Band Half Quarter
MHz Wavelength Wavelength Wavelength
1.8 - 2 160 m 246 ft 123 ft
3.5 - 4.0 80/75 m 126 ft 63 ft
5.33 -5.43 60 m 86 ft 43 ft
7.0 – 7.3 40 m 66 ft 33 ft
10.1 – 10.15 30 m 46 ft 23 ft
14.0 – 14.35 20 m 33 ft 14 ft
21.0 – 21.45 15 m 22 ft 11 ft
28.0 – 29.7 10 m 16. 6 ft 8.3 ft
50.0 – 54.0 6m 9 ft 4.5 ft

The 40 m (daytime) and the 75/80 m (nighttime) bands tend to be the most useful for
Kansas-Missouri communications
 Loaded Dipole

Loading
Coils

4
 Effects of Loading an Antenna

 + Shorter Physical Length

 - Lower Efficiency
 - Narrower Bandwidth
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 Available Loaded Dipoles

 Hy Power Antenna
Company makes a
number of loaded
dipoles. 63 – 78’
long for 75/80m
 MFJ makes the
MFJ-17758, a two
band, 80- and 40-
meter center-fed
dipole. 85’ long

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Hy Power Antenna Company

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 40/80m Trapped Dipoles

The 40m traps also serve as loading coils in the 75/80m

section, shortening the overall length of the antenna.
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 The Same Principal Applies to
Loaded & Trapped Verticals

 https://www.smeter.net
/antennas/coil-loaded-
vertical.php
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Build Your Own Loading Coil

http://www.66pacific.com/calculators
/coil-shortened-dipole-antenna-
calculator.aspx

Keep this distance relatively long

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 Design the
Inductor
http://www.66pacific.com/calculators/coil-
inductance-calculator.aspx

Result: Inductance
11 = 10.5 microhenries 1/11/2020
Magnet Wire

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Build a Trap Using Coax

 Coaxial Trap Design (free

software), by Tony Field,
VE6YP.
 http://www.seed-
solutions.com/gregordy/Am
ateur%20Radio/Experimenta
tion/CoaxTrap.htm

 1.5” I.D Schedule 80 PVC

conduit has an O.D. of 1.90”
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Homebrew Coaxial Traps
Coaxial Traps
Ref: QST Aug 1994 – WN8X

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 Homebrew Coaxial Trap
Construction

 Stabilize the coil with black

RTV and liquid electrical tape.
 Use liquid electrical tape to
protect the exposed braid and
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center conductor
 CQ DX

Keep in mind, that the low

angle-of-radiation of a
vertical will likely give
better DX performance
than a dipole--unless you
can get the dipole ½
wavelength high.
That is 130 ft on 80m! 16 Dipole Radiation Pattern vs Height 1/11/2020