Antenna Tech

low band pistol antenna diagram
Antenna Tech / Technical Articles

Little Pistol Low-Band Antennas

Some of the biggest challenges presented to the Little Pistol, especially one who wants to become a Medium Gun, are the low bands. This generally means 10 MHz and lower, […]

Antenna Tech / Technical Articles

Tuning Your Dipole Antenna Installation

You’ve gone to great lengths to make sure your antenna is cut for the proper frequency using the 468/MHz formula. You’ve measured twice and cut once, yet the SWR readings […]

large Yagi antenna
Antenna Tech / Technical Articles

Antenna Traps—A Way to Cope With Limited Space

The downsizing of real estate these days reminds me of Halloween candy. Candy bars used to be big, but now they’ve shrunk to something they call “fun size.” Today’s properties […]

rigexpert antenna analyzer
Antenna Tech / Technical Articles

The Difference Between Antenna Analyzers and Antenna Tuners

Do you need an antenna analyzer or an antenna tuner? These devices are actually different tools for different tasks. They both are used with antennas, but one doesn’t necessarily replace […]

am m2 antenna element for ham radio
Antenna Tech / Technical Articles

Antenna Safety—Look Before You Install

The most important thing you can do when putting up an antenna is to look before you install. Go outside and survey your property. Consider every suitable location for your […]

ham radio station basic illustration
Antenna Tech / Technical Articles

What Is an Antenna System?

“System” is a word that gets thrown around a lot. What does it mean from the perspective of an amateur radio operator? Generally, I think of a system as a […]

a pulley and cable system for installing a wire antenna
Antenna Tech / Technical Articles

Getting Your Antenna in (and on) the Air: Tips for Installing Wire Antennas and Verticals

Mother Nature must like Ham operators. We’ve been provided with an abundance of tall, non-conductive antenna supports—aka trees—which grow and flourish on their own. When it comes to wire antennas, […]

a collection of antenna radiation pattern diagrams
Antenna Tech / Technical Articles

Directional Antenna Performance without a Beam

For this OnAllBands blog post, we’ve changed our traditional Word of the Day entry to a Question of the Day: What is the best solution available for creating an optimized […]

antenna radiation pattern diagram
Antenna Tech / Technical Articles

How High Should My Dipole Be?

The half-wave dipole is one of the most basic antennas in all of Ham radio. It also tends to get a bad rap; how many times have you heard somebody—possibly […]

wire antenna kit
Antenna Tech / Technical Articles

Dipole vs Vertical: Which Antenna is Better?

The dipole versus vertical question doesn’t really have a single “right” answer, and amateurs will offer different responses based on their individual preferences. It’s almost like the Ford versus Chevy […]