Dipole Antennas
last updated 18 August 2023.
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.
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.
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.