Category Archives: Antenna

Because of the very limited space for antenna placement, 20 square meters at most, I have experimented a lot with different antennas for transmitting and receiving over the past few years. Most important for me is the performance on the 10 meter to 20 meter band. For those bands, I Continue reading The Cobweb vs Rybakov vertical antenna part 1→

In the world of amateur radio, the terms balun, unun, common mode choke, line isolator and impedance transformer are often used. But also often mixed up and sometimes lead to heated discussions on forums and social media groups. For your convenience (you don’t have to ask on a forum or Continue reading The difference between a balun, unun, common mode choke, line isolator and impedance transformer→

When I worked with the Cobweb antenna for a while, I started to miss working the lower bands, 30 to 80 meters. Now it’s not easy having all your antennas on only only 20 square meters of space on te roof. I can’t fit an EndFed, G5RV or a Windom. Continue reading The surprisingly well performing Rybakov HF vertical→

If there is one antenna that has grown considerably in popularity in recent years, it is the Cobweb antenna. The Cobweb is so popular because of various reasons, like its small size, only 2.8 x 2.8 m for a version with the 20 meter band, as its longest wavelength. In Continue reading Cobweb antenna pros and cons→

It’s been a while since I posted again, but then I have something to report. Last year, I started experimenting with variants of a horizontal polarized omnidirectional antenna. The Cobweb, the Cobwebb and the Classic Halo. I can now tell, from my own personal experiences, which of these variants could Continue reading Multiband Cobweb(b) vs Classic Halo; final verdict→

There is no other band that is affected by so many forms of propagation as 6 meters (50 MHz). Sporadic-E (Es) in summer and midwinter. TEP (transequatorial propagation) around March/April and September/October. F2 propagation and aurora in periods of high solar activity. Meteorscatter and the almost daily present troposcatter. But Continue reading The Hula Hoop Halo; a simple DIY antenna for 6 meter band DX→

The Cobwebb is an antenna that has gained in popularity in recent years. The horizontally polarized omnidirectional antenna is suitable for the 10m, 12m, 15m, 17m and 20m band. All elements are fed through one single feed line. At only half wave length above the ground, it will outperform any Continue reading A different approach to tuning the Cobwebb antenna→

Better horizontally than vertically polarized If you only have limited space for an antenna, but still want to DX on HF on multiple bands, you will soon have to rely on a vertical antenna. DX’ers among us know that on the 10 and 20 meter band you can often work Continue reading How to build a limited space 10 and 20 meter band Square Halo DX antenna→

In most cases, radio amateurs love it when their antenna resonates, because a resonating antenna is usually an efficiently radiating antenna. At least, when we talk about electrical resonance and not acoustic resonance. The latter can cause considerable nuisance and even dangerous situations. Fortunately, there is an effective and inexpensive way to keep Continue reading Is your antenna making noise? Use a rope!→

Quite a long time ago since I posted on my blog. People around me know I had quite some issues past years with my wife’s health. She had a stroke in 2016 and things changed for our family. I had throttled down my job and quit as board member of Continue reading Upgrading the vertical for the lower HF bands→

I have a license to operate all HF bands, but my Hustler 4BTV 4-band trap vertical only covered 40m, 20m, 15m and 10m. Now the 80 m band is the only band which allows me to work NVIS night and day across the region here, while 1 m is a Continue reading CG-3000 remote auto tuner on HF vertical review→