Dipole Antennas

last updated 30 November 2024.

The dipole antenna is one of the most elemental types. It not only makes a simple and effective antenna on its own, but it also forms a basic building block for many other types of antennas.

First, let’s start with some definitions of the terms we will use. Note that in common usage the definitions may get stretched to apply to other antennas.

Dipole Antenna Theory

Most often, “dipole” refers to a half wavelength dipole.

Calculating the length of a dipole.

Dipole length tables.

Feeding a half wave dipole, including altermatives (EFHW, delta, gamma, folded, OCFD

Bending, shapes, and other variants, including equivalent types, other lengths, other feed methods, folded dipoles, 5/8 wave radiator.

Ways to install a dipole antenna. Horizontal, inverted vee, vertical, sloper

Simple Wire Dipole Construction – how to build your own antenna.

Dipoles for limited space

Multiband Dipoles come in many forms: doublet, coupled, traps, harmonic resonances, multiple dipoles on a common feedpoint.

Videos

Installing a Portable Dipole videos

Popular Dipole Antenna projects

Portable Dipole Kit makes portable operation easy.

Backpack Dipole Kit for light weight

Simple Doublet antenna for multi-band use with a tuner.

Link Dipole, often used for lightweight portable operation.

unconventional link dipole for 20/30/40m

Dual frequency dipole elements

Wideband 80m Dipole covers 3.5 – 4 MHz at 1.5 : 1 SWR.

Original Fan Dipole – can cover the whole HF range.

G5RV / ZS6BKW and similar dipole / doublet antennas.

Field Tuning a dipole antenna

Universal Short Dipole can be built for any frequency

Original Windom antenna

Off-Center-Fed (OCFD) dipole.