2 meter halo antenna

[jazzboypro]

Hello all,

I would like to experiment with 2 meter SSB. Been looking a some horizontal antennas and i saw this halo antenna. At the moment i don't want to go into beams and rotator stuff. Is this halo antenna worth experimenting with ? do any of you use one ?

Many thanks
73 de va2fcs

 

[mass-man]

thru the years I've been on again, off again on 2 mtr SSB! But without a beam, you are gonna need some power! Actually even with a beam, but even more so with the halo. But for $55 you could give it a try...you might find absolutely no activity on 144.2 in your area. Here in N. TX most of the sparce activity is on 144.250!

 

[jazzboypro]

Yeah i don't think there is much activity around here. The antenna is not expensive so there is not much to lose in trying.

 

[WA8ZTZ]

Had a 2 meter halo years ago mounted on a tripod up on the roof about 25' or so above the ground. Worked great with my Heathkit "Twoer"... 5 mighty watts of AM power. Made lots of contacts but then there was a ton of local activity. Your luck probably gonna depend on how much activity around you... otherwise you are at the mercy of the atmospherics.

 

[k9wkj]

I worked both FL and CO from WI
on 2M FT8 this summer on a halo

 

[jazzboypro]

I worked both FL and CO on 2M FT8 this summer on a halo

All i have on 2 meter is my GP-3 antenna for repeater work. I sure would like FT8 on 2 meter.

 

[AK9R]

If you are handy and can get the necessary copper pipe at reasonable prices, you could build a halo antenna.

Here's one design: Mike Fedler N6TWW - 2 Meter Halo Antenna

Here's a design for a square loop: 2 meter loop

 

[jazzboypro]

If you are handy and can get the necessary copper pipe at reasonable prices, you could build a halo antenna.

Here's one design: Mike Fedler N6TWW - 2 Meter Halo Antenna

Here's a design for a square loop: 2 meter loop

Thanks for the links

 

[sprman1955]

I seem to remember Ringo Ranger antenna my dad used on 2 meters .....

 

[AK9R]

The Ringo Ranger was a vertically-polarized antenna typically used for FM. The "ring" part had something to do with how the feedline was coupled to the vertical element.

The OP is looking for a horizontally-polarized antenna. The "halo" refers to the ring shape of the radiating element.

 

[k9wkj]

there was a halo design spelled out in the Feb issue of QEX using
aluminum yard sticks
here is that article that was previously used by a club

 

[vagrant]

I typically use the M2 loop antennas for the ARRL VHF contests, but I am usually 6000‘ ASL and the omni let’s me be lazy. ( I would otherwise use a log periodic 2/70 and Yagi on 6 ) Anyways, you will probably make more contacts on 6M if you do not have an antenna for that already.

When you add shipping to that linked antenna, you may want to take a look at M2 antennas as well.

 

[geartow]

All i have on 2 meter is my GP-3 antenna for repeater work. I sure would like FT8 on 2 meter.

all my 2meter and 70cm ssb contacts have been with a vertical polarized antenna . dont be afraid to get on the air with whatever you have and call cq you may be surprised with the results.

 

[WB5ITT]

all my 2meter and 70cm ssb contacts have been with a vertical polarized antenna . dont be afraid to get on the air with whatever you have and call cq you may be surprised with the results.

It can work but cross polarized contacts are 20db DOWN from using the same pol on both ends...that's a 1000x difference in power....

 

[prcguy]

It can work but cross polarized contacts are 20db DOWN from using the same pol on both ends...that's a 1000x difference in power....90

Not really. 90deg cross pol can be upwards of 35-40dB in an anechoic test chamber or when looking out into space at a satellite with a well designed feed for best cross pol. Most satellite operators won't let you access their satellite with less than 30dB cross pol. For terrestrial use it can reach 20dB between H and V polarity but not always due to reflections off buildings, bridges, cars, etc, that skew the polarity. A 20dB change would be 100X, not 1000X. 30dB would be 1000X.

 

[jwt873]

There's a group of us locally that meet evenings at 8 pm for SSB chats. (2m on Monday, 70cm on Wednesday and 23cm on Fridays).

We all run horizontal, but every now and then someone will check in vertically polarized to try out the sideband function of their multi mode rig.

There's a performance hit, but pretty well all the nearby vertical stations can be heard. As prcguy points out, there generally are reflections that prevent the polarizations from being 'pure'.

 

[WB5ITT]

Not really. 90deg cross pol can be upwards of 35-40dB in an anechoic test chamber or when looking out into space at a satellite with a well designed feed for best cross pol. Most satellite operators won't let you access their satellite with less than 30dB cross pol. For terrestrial use it can reach 20dB between H and V polarity but not always due to reflections off buildings, bridges, cars, etc, that skew the polarity. A 20dB change would be 100X, not 1000X. 30dB would be 1000X.

Cross pol is accepted in broadcast and LMR as being 20 to 23db difference....I stand corrected on the 100x vs 1000x.....typo on my part...