Thread: antenna length
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Old March 31st 05, 05:25 AM
UltraJohn
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Smitty wrote:

The wavelength times the frequency equals the speed of light. (radio
frequency waves travel at the speed of light.) Make the antenna
proportional to 1 wavelength. 1/4 wave antennas are common, but you can
make them half wave or full wave or 1/8 wave or whatever you have room
for.


Sure you can make your antenna any length you want. . . It's just that some
work great and others don't work worth a d#$n. I don't think your 1/8
wavelength antenna will do all that well. Use the K.I.S.S formula and make
either a 1/4 groundplane or 1/2 wave dipole. Jim's formula's work great,
figure out what length you need from what he said then cut it a bit long
hook up a SWR bridge to it. Check SWR at low end and high end of band trim
the antenna a little and when the high end starts to get a smidgeon better
than the low end stop, your there.
John
wd8ope, wa4fms, kg4jp, kg6jp and now kc5vb.