This is another video to help you get on six meter. In this video I explain the half wave dipole antenna and show as an example the dipole that I built. A half wave dipole is one of the simplest antennas that you can build. The dipole is usually two pieces of wire, attached to a center insulator. The dipole is fed with coax, with the center conductor going to one wire and the shield going to the other wire. The formula to calculate the length of the antenna is Length in feet = 468/ Freq in mhz. So for six meter with 50.125 as the target frequency this works out to 9.34 feet or 4.67 for each of the two wires. Here is a link to a dipole calculator www.kwarc.org I build my dipole using ½ aluminum tubing attached to a center insulator that I build out of a piece of Plexiglas scrap that I picked up for free from a window glass store. I added various nuts, bolts, and u-bolts to make up the center insulator. You could also make the dipole by inserting some number 12 or 14 wire inside ½ inch pvc tubing. Or, hang the wire dipole from a tree. When you build the dipole cut your tubing or wire long, then trim to length by using an SWR meter or antenna analyzer. I use my MFJ antenna analyzer to help me tune my dipole. I also show my Elk Antennas dual band beam that mounts on the top of the mast. You can learn more about Elk at www.elkantennas.com I hope this is enough information to help you put together a simple antenna to give six meters a try. Randy
Six Meter Dipole
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{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
Nice Video, i have added you to my fav on you tube just a side note, if you cut the element to short, you can add a screw and 2 nuts use one nut as a stopper then Adj te screw to get the antenna back to where it needs to needs to be… just an idea… but good job… De K4eeZ
Probably, if it will be strong enough for the longer 10 meter elements.
Have a piece of lexan that’s 1′ x 1′ square.
Then, cutting it in half will yield two plates. Sounds like we can do another one for 10 meters. What do you think?
He changed his web page. It is about 6×12 or whatever fits you parts.
The pdf file isn’t available from N4QLB it seems. Can you give dimensions on the lexan glass mast mount you made?
Hi Randy,
Nice video. A coax choke balun wouldn’t go amiss near the feedpoint – probably 5 or 6 turns around an aerosol can – something like that.
73 – Rob VK2GOM
@ltkordek b/c internet slower than radio
Thanks for the information – very useful.
Yeah as long as it is not a conductive surface basically metal you can hang it off a tree if you want to, you can lay metal on metal but it must be insulated, hope that helps.
hi,im just getting into shortwave listening and im going to be using a 102 foot long wire antenna,but space in my garden is limited so im going to have to run it in a square pattern..ive seen a lot of guys running these wires over trees e.t.c..is it ok to have these wires touching objects as long as the wire is coated in plastic or similar?..just wonderd what your thoughts on this were,,thanks,,any input would be great…wayne.
That would be where your internet connection isnt quick enough!
73′s
Jonathan
M3VJO
Hey Randy,
Great video, as you may know I am a big 6 meter fan. I recently posted a video showing some 6 meter contacts using my MFJ-9406 QRP Rig.
73
VE3UK
This is another great video, Thanks for posting.
I never get tired of watching all your videos.
John/KD5VKT
Imperial Measurements should be noted in fractions not decimals, oh yeah, and there’s no ‘Z’ in REALISE either, thanks for the lesson…
Great tutorial!
Cool beard!
Randy, why does my videos on youtube continually stop and re-load? I can’t get the video to continue uninterrupted.
Help….
ltkordek
Great video’s.cant wait to get my ticket again after not haveing one for 11 years.and you just gotta love the mfj antenna analyzer!! gotta have one of those.
nice set up randy, I think i mite do that same type of thing. right now I want to work 2, 6 and 440.
73
jimmy c
hey randy another great instructional video and was wondering if you could make that dipole into a beam by just adding a reflector and a director
73
chris/KC9NRV
Thanks for share^_^
Randy
73
Farid/VR2UNG
Another great video.
Thanks for the effort.
Rich W0RWC
CIAO…
Verry good !
iz5ovp Mauri Lucca
Randy, Great video as always. Good demo of the dipole and antenna analyzer. Keep them coming.
Art-K2ADC
meh wish i was smart like you with the math and measurements
I want to learn to build my own antennas but the math is hard 
i never was taught how to measure 
or was taught the kind of math you used in the video.
looks and simple.
thanks for the video, randy
73, hein