Antenna Construction

Once you decide on a specific antenna electrical design, there are many different ways it can be constructed, depending on the intended application and what materials you have available.

This is one of the areas that will vary the most among different hams. I will discuss the types of materials that are available to me here in the US, and try to give more general guidance for those in other parts of the world. But probably the most important point is what characteristics are important in choosing materials, and where you might look to find them, rather than trying to use exactly the same material that I happened to select from my junkbox.

Antenna Materials

  • wire
  • rigid rod / tubing
  • feedpoint insulators
  • end insulators
  • feedline
  • rope

Measuring wire.

Simple construction of wire antennas

Construction of wire loop antennas.

Constructing a simple VHF Ground Plane antenna

The importance of Strain Relief

Mechanical Construction of Antennas using rigid elements

Masts and supports

Supporting material