Antenna: Your first Antenna

I Want a Antenna

@Oct/06 2015

In Oct , i have a long festival, building a 40 Meter DC receiver, and this is first DC receiver i ever build. and also, my first antenna need to be setup for 40M reception. the only antenna i can setup for laboratory use is the Long Wire Antenna. it's obviously easy to setup. i do some google, of course.

here is what i got:

at least 10 M, suggested, i use 12 Meter long wire(also a suggest length), diameter 1 mm copper wire.

http://vk6ysf.com/longwire_antenna.htm

don't use any band's half wave length and it's multiplier.
if you can not have a perfect ground, use another 1/4 wave-length wire as another counter pole.
what i built is not a true long wire antenna, more precisely, it's random end-feed wire antenna (true long wire at least one wave length, also, refer:http://vk6ysf.com/longwire_antenna.htm)

some detailed instruction

ARRL's suggestion is everywhere on WWW:

http://www.arrl.org/random-wires

actually my antenna hook up a tree which is below my apartment. and i can not have a ground, so ARRL suggestion is, use another 1/4 wave length as counter-poise, like this:(from W8JI: http://www.w8ji.com/long_wire_antenna.htm )

W8JI's site suggest the counterpoise should above the ground, and, ARRL mentioned the counterpoise could be 1/4 wave length, and can be folded. let me jump the theory and experiment that later after i have a transmitter ready. one thing worthy to mention: the antenna-tuner should near the feed point, then the RF energy go out off your lab.

Build your First Antenna

ok, let's build it, here is the insulator, cheap and easy construction:

the Anchor to hook up the antenna:

Effect? there is audio sample from the DC receiver use this antenna, for now i use it as receive antenna only, so no tuner, no counterpoise:

more? waiting for a transmitter...