Help me recreate a HF antenna I made 35 years ago

[CAvoyager1960]

I made a rotatable horizontal dipole antenna (from an old 1966 version of the ARRL antenna handbook) I'll be honest... it was for SSB CB (11 meters) so I adjusted element lengths from 10 meter design. It worked great! Also, being there is no reflector/director, you only had to rotate it 90 deg. I was studying for my HAM license but discovered SSB CB and never looked back. Now after all these years I am still going to get a license but want to play with CB some more. I posted this here because I am hoping for some technical advice (most CBers just use store bought antennas) At the time, I had a friend who lost their big vertical base station antenna from a strong wind so he gave me what was left of it (plenty of aluminum tubing to play with) The design has a copper coil (air core, spaced winds) that can be tuned for a good match (I got SWR of 1.1/1) I can't afford aluminum tubing but have some old scraps of copper tubing (and some thick solid copper wire for the coil) This is going to be a budget project. The old ARRL antenna book was from the local library but I found the exact same book online. Looking at it, I am trying to remember just how I did this (I'm 64 and my memory is not so good) Some of the measurements don't make sense (neither of the elements are 1/4 wave long) Why bother with such an old design? Because it worked so well. I want to "shoot skip" on SSB. Back then, I got a really good contact from CA to Detroit Michigan (just suing stock radio... no amp) The guy couldn't believe I didn't have a beam. I'll post more details soon (and more questions) I'm using an old Cobra radio with SWR meter (but it's not SSB) Hoping to build/tune/test this while I save up for a new radio.

Here's the antenna I'm talking about (found a pdf of the old book):

 

[W4AXW]

Are you planning on using this antenna on 15 meters? Or 11 meters?

 

[WA0CBW]

This is right out of a vintage ARRL Antenna Handbook.
Bill

 

[CAvoyager1960]

11 meter (for SSB CB) I have new 6 amp power supply so using this as a "base station" Not sure how I will mount the mast to the house.

 

[merlin]

Sounds just like me in my old days. Yea, that hombrew antenna worked very good.
Basically, it is a loaded 1/4 wave element and counterpoise.
Easy to mod for 10 meters by shortening both elements using the formulas from the anteena book.
The inductor would also have to be cut back and made reasonant at the frequency you intend on.
My days, I used a grid dip meter for tuneup, but today, a handy gadget is the Nano VNA. It will show your SWR plot and or smith chart for precision tuning.
This dipole is a perfect start to build a 3 element Yagi, a boom of appropriat length and elements for reflector anf directors.
Dimentions for these can also be found in the antenna book. One of the easiest antennas I ever made and performance was terrific.
Don't need a heavy duty rotater either, any TV class will work.
That diagram shows specs for a 15 meter dipole, one for the SSB part of 10 meters would be 4 foot shorter end to end.
I would also use an outboard SWR meter for tuneup, the internal ones often just don't make it.

 

[CAvoyager1960]

I might just use some steel conduit for the elements... it's very inexpensive (and save the copper tubing for another project... a 2 meter "J pole") Can't afford aluminum tubing.

 

[W4AXW]

7 or 8 years ago I built a Center Fed half-wave dipole for 11m from two sticks of 1/2" Type M copper water line and a $5 plastic cutting board. No coil, I wanted to minimize losses and saw no need to shorten the antenna since each element was just over 8-1/2 ft long. Worked western Europe, northern South America on 30w, antenna feedpoint 25 ft above ground level. Copper tubing is cheaper than aluminum, lighter than steel pipe and a slightly better conductor of RF. The whole thing was about $25.

234/27.385 MHz = 8.54 ft. each "pole"
468/27.385 MHz = 17.09 ft. total
Those numbers are not exact but a good starting place. Some tuning to your favorite frequency may be required.

Why introduce loss with a coil if you don't need to? It adds up if you're operating with low power.

7 3 and good luck homebrewing

 

[CAvoyager1960]

The truth is this is mostly for sentimental reasons (and that it just worked so good) but yes... in my situation (where I am putting this) slightly smaller helps. We have a metal roof and I am limited on how high above the roof I can mount this (budget and mounting issues) This is not my house (long story) No HOA or anything like that. I'm concerned about interaction with the metal roof... hoping that if the driven element is not close to the roof that the other element (counterpoise) might not care about the metal roof. Like I mentioned, this only needs about 90 deg rotation to cover all directions (I'll post some pics later) I am very handy with "okie rigging" LOL Have many tools, wood scraps, bolts/ screws, ect. If this plan is a bust because of the metal roof, I have a plan B (simple vertical element at peak of roof with radials) but I really prefer a horizontal antenna.

 

[CAvoyager1960]

Here's the pics of the roof outside my bedroom (that awning is my window where the coax comes out) This side of the house is the "junk yard" and well hidden on the side of the back yard (so don't judge the mess) There is also a fence about 12 foot from the house (another option to mount a pole away from the house/roof) Can't get it as high but would be easier to rotate by hand. The roof is very odd (metal "tiles" that look like terra cotta style but are actually on top of the original wood "shake"... can't even walk on it) The good news is whatever way I do this it won't take a very long coax cable.

 

[prcguy]

You want to keep the antenna far away from any metal roof, awning, etc. Very far away like 20ft or more.

 

[CAvoyager1960]

I was afraid that might be the hitch in my plans. Might just mount something to the fence (10 foot 2x4 from the ground and mounted to fence, then 10 foot metal mast... trust me, I will find a way to rotate it ) Otherwise, what do you think of ditching this plan and just mount a full 1/4 wave vertical pole to the crown of roof with radials? My main goal is "shooting skip" using SSB and really set on horizontal antenna

 

[CAvoyager1960]

I've been busy... but still interested in talking about this antenna design. I've also been doing some homework: