Need antenna for Kenwood TS-940

[Raptor05121]

Hey guys, I finally got my TS-940 up and running thanks to a few local guys at the clubhouse. Using their antennas, she sounds great. Is there a sub-$200 antenna that I could buy that would mate with the TS-940s band plan? I would mainly be doing PSK31 and phone, and 10m at this point but once I get my General, a little higher

 

[ko6jw_2]

I would make two suggestions:

1. Invest in an ARRL Antenna Handbook.
2. Build your own antenna. You could make a wire antenna for 10 meters for a whole lot less than $200 and learn something in the process.

Also, consider taking the money you save by building your own antenna and buy a reasonable quality SWR/Watt meter for test antennas.

 

[prcguy]

Until you upgrade, an old CB antenna would work fine for 10m if shortened a bit. Local 10m operation is usually vertical polarity anyway. As k06jw mentioned you can build a wire antenna for very little cash and if you have the space, a 94ft long center fed dipole called a ZS6BKW is my favorite because it has a good match on 40, 20, 17, 12, 10 and 6m without a tuner. Its similar to a G5RV and if you want to concintrate on just one band a single band dipole is about as simple as it gets.

I've had several vertical antennas and unless you have lots of ground radials under them the wire antennas seem to work much better. Avoid the gimmick antennas that are small, usually vertical and have little or no ground radials or counterpoise. They put a lot of effort in the advertising but not in the actual antenna and if an antenna seems too small to be true, it always is.
prcguy

 

[AgentCOPP1]

Building your own antenna really is very simple. If you decide to go that route, you'll want an antenna analyzer to properly tune your antenna. It's possible to do it with just an SWR meter, but it's much easier with the analyzer and I'm sure someone in your club would be willing to lend you one.

 

[vagrant]

Hey guys, I finally got my TS-940 up and running thanks to a few local guys at the clubhouse. Using their antennas, she sounds great. Is there a sub-$200 antenna that I could buy that would mate with the TS-940s band plan? I would mainly be doing PSK31 and phone, and 10m at this point but once I get my General, a little higher

Solarcon IMAX-2000 or Solarcon A99. I personally own the IMAX-2000 and it works very well for me from 15 - 10 meters. The base of the antenna is 33' above ground. That antenna should cost around $125 shipped from Solid Signal. I do not use the radial kit and others I know who have the kit say it did not help at all. Your milage may vary. Spend the rest on some poles/mast, mounts and coax.

Here's the thing, 10 meters is great when it's really kicking from October to March. I've worked Norway to New Zealand and places in-between with that antenna and 100 watts with SSB. When propagation is really kicking in I can use a five watt QRP rig on phone, but those instances are not often.

For $125, that Imax 2000 antenna has done a very good job for me. Still, building your own is fun. We are amateurs, so enjoy that aspect of it. For the rest of the bands, including the one's the Imax covers, I use Off Center Fed dipole wire antennas. Again, you can build or buy here for under $200. You could also run one N/S and the other E/W. You can work the world with a wire.

 

[k9rzz]

Build a 10 meter dipole, get it up in the clear, and buy a six pack of beer to celebrate your antenna building talents. ~:^]

 

[WB4CS]

If you have the room and supports for it, an 80 Meter Full Wave Loop (AKA Skywave Loop) is a pretty good all band antenna. About 275 feet of wire and some ladder line feedline and you're good to go. If built properly it can work on 80-6 Meters without a tuner (although a tuner would be recommended.) There's plans on the net for building such an antenna.

I will say though, that the higher you go in frequency the more lobes and nulls the antenna gets. So at 10 meters you'll have several lobes with a good bit of gain, and several nulls that will be almost deaf. I'd second what has already been said, putting up an additional 10 Meter antenna would help out and could work better if the station you want to work is in one of the nulls.

HORIZONTAL LOOP ANTENNA CONSTRUCTION

 

[Raptor05121]

Solarcon IMAX-2000 or Solarcon A99. I personally own the IMAX-2000 and it works very well for me from 15 - 10 meters. The base of the antenna is 33' above ground. That antenna should cost around $125 shipped from Solid Signal. I do not use the radial kit and others I know who have the kit say it did not help at all. Your milage may vary. Spend the rest on some poles/mast, mounts and coax.

Here's the thing, 10 meters is great when it's really kicking from October to March. I've worked Norway to New Zealand and places in-between with that antenna and 100 watts with SSB. When propagation is really kicking in I can use a five watt QRP rig on phone, but those instances are not often.

For $125, that Imax 2000 antenna has done a very good job for me. Still, building your own is fun. We are amateurs, so enjoy that aspect of it. For the rest of the bands, including the one's the Imax covers, I use Off Center Fed dipole wire antennas. Again, you can build or buy here for under $200. You could also run one N/S and the other E/W. You can work the world with a wire.

Vagrant, I had a few local members also tell me the IMAX-2000 is a good antenna. I bought it with the ground plane kit for $140 shipped. It will be here tomorrow. Just have to pick up some LMR-400 from a local member and I should have my first home station on the air.

 

[Raptor05121]

Antenna arrived....and the base section's fiberglass was split. Waiting on the replacement to arrive.