2m Dipole Antenna Construction Project
Lightweight portable QRP 2m & 70cm half wave dipole for SOTA or an emergency antenna for the 2m and 70cm Go-box.
Parts:
- Section of nylon kitchen cutting board 50 x 30 mm x 7 mm (2 inch x 1 1/8 inch x 1/4 inch)
- 2 x 495 mm 6 section telescopic antennas with M3 holes,
- 2 x M3 screws 15 mm long with nuts
- 3 x solder tabs
- BNC panel socket with M3 holes
- 2 x M3 screws 10 mm long
- Balun – Toroid core T37-0 Tan (100 to 300 MHz) or T37-17 Blue/Yellow (20 to 200 MHz)
- Copper wire – 6 bifilar turns of 0.72 mm (21 AWG) winding wire
Center insulator can be mounted over a telescopic pole, on camera tripod or hang it from a tree branch.Balun T1 toroid – T37-0 6 bifilar turns of 21 AWG copper wire (ignore the five turns shown in the diagram)
For operation on 144 to 148 MHz, extend each telescopic element to its full length 495 mm (19.5 inches). Center frequency is 146.5 MHz.
VSWR scans with the horizontal antenna 2 metres above ground level. Feedline for the test is LMR195.
At 432 MHz the extended antenna is 3/4 wave length (3rd harmonic)
Post updates:
Last update: 25 June 2019
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Nice one, Andrew. Might have to build one myself. I am a fan of 2m and 70cm SSB from a summit.
Thanks Grant for the feedback. I found the 495 mm 6 section telescopic antennas on ebay.