By Bob Witmer, W3RW

The W3RW
Looking for
better-than-dipole
performance on 6 and
10 meters without
investing in a beam
and rotator? Here it is!
6- and
This novel antenna
includes a matching
section to deliver a
10-Meter
near-50-Ω match on
both bands. Long Wire
received many inquiries about the increase in the amplitude of the gain lobes I wanted a configuration with its feedpoint

I antennas described in my article,

“Wire Gain Antennas for 6 Meters.”1
My favorite wire antenna—in terms
of overall ruggedness, simplicity and pattern
compared to those of a typical dipole
antenna’s broadside pattern. Also, there’s
an increase in the number of lobes (and
nulls) that provides somewhat omnidirec-
at a current loop (1/4 λ from one end of the
antenna) to present a low-impedance to the
feed line. This approach essentially separates
the antenna into a “long” section and a 1/4-λ
coverage—is a 4-λ long wire. In the spring tional coverage. Figure 2 shows some section. After examining the individual 3-
of 1999, with the sunspot cycle improving, I theoretical pattern comparisons. and 5-λ antenna dimensions using 28.35 MHz
decided I needed an antenna that would also and 50.15 MHz as frequencies of operation,
provide some gain over a dipole on 10 meters. Dual-Band Long-Wire Design it became clear that these antennas have one
With this goal in mind, I investigated how to Constraints thing in common: The long sections are
make a long-wire antenna that works well on By changing which trees I used to support almost equal in length. With that in mind, I
6 and 10 meters. Here’s what I found. my wire antenna, I had room (just over 105 came up with a dual-band long-wire antenna
feet) to put up an antenna longer than the design (see Figure 3) that uses ladder line as
Why Use a Long-Wire Antenna? original 77-foot, 4-λ antenna. After playing part of the 1/4-λ sections for each band and
Wire antennas are among the easiest to with the antenna-length formulas, I found shares a common long section.
install and use (and arguably lowest in that a 3-λ, 10-meter long wire or a 5-λ,
cost), but most hams don’t think of using 6-meter long wire would fit. Both antennas Dual-Band Matching Issues
long-wire antennas on VHF. Long-wire provide the gain I was looking for—but Figure 1 shows the variation of radiation
antennas can be used on VHF—particularly I didn’t have the room to put up both! resistance, as measured at a current loop,
on 6 meters—as easily as on the HF bands. with wire antenna length. Using this as a
The following paragraphs describe typical Eureka! The Dual-Band Long-Wire guide, the dual-band long-wire antenna
long-wire gain and pattern characteristics; Antenna has a theoretical feedpoint impedance of
feedpoint characteristics are discussed later. Like the 4-λ, 6-meter long-wire antenna, about 125 Ω on 10 meters (3λ) and 140 Ω

Gain
Antennas more than a couple of wave-
lengths long at the operating frequency Figure 1—The variation
exhibit gain over a dipole. The maximum in radiation resistance
and power in the major
lobe of an antenna 4λ long has an estimated lobe of harmonic (long-
gain over a dipole of approximately 3 dB wire) antennas. Curve
(3 dBd); see Figure 1. The estimated gain A shows the change in
for other multiple-wavelength wire radiation resistance
antennas varies. A 3-λ antenna should have with antenna length, as
measured at a current
a gain of slightly more than 2 dBd; a 5-λ loop, while curve B
antenna exhibits a gain of about 4 dBd. shows the power gain
in the lobes of
Patterns maximum radiation for
long-wire antennas as
With the gain increase comes a change a ratio to the maximum
in the antenna’s radiation pattern. Along the of a 1/2-λ antenna.
axis of the wire, there is a narrowing and
1
Notes appear on page 48.
46 April 2000
Figure 2—Predicted horizontal radiation patterns of a long-wire antenna as a function of length. At A, pattern of a 50-foot-high 3-λ
long-wire antenna (solid lines) compared to that of a dipole (dashed lines). At B, pattern of a 50-foot-high 5-λ long-wire antenna
(solid lines) compared to that of a dipole (dashed lines). Tnx Dean Straw, N6BV

Wavelength Transmission Lines.”)

The total lengths of the two coax sec-
tions are close enough that the combina-
tion match works for the frequency pair of
28.35 and 50.15 MHz, although frequen-
cies of 50 and 29.9 MHz provide an opti-
mum calculated dual match. With the com-
bination of the dual-band matching section
and the dual-band long wire, an overall
good match to 50-Ω line is obtained over
the low-frequency ends of 6 and 10 meters.

On-The-Air Performance: Does it

Work?
The system appears to work well—just
like individual 6- and 10-meter long wires!
With the long-wire antenna’s maximum-
Figure 3—The W3RW strength lobes favoring the North/South
dual-band long-wire directions, I use a two-element 6-meter quad
antenna. At 28.35 in the attic to provide extra gain to the West.
MHz, the total
antenna length is 102 Although there are directions in which the
feet, 4 inches (3λ). At quad is significantly better than the dual-
50.15 MHz, the overall band long wire, I’ve found that the long wire
antenna length is 5λ can hear everything the quad can hear—
(97 feet, 10.5 inches).
including some signals the quad doesn’t.
My first QSO with the antenna came just
after I finished making some adjustments.
on 6 meters (5λ). Either feedpoint impe- So, I decided to evaluate other approaches. With my IC-706 connected directly to the
dance lends itself to using a 1/ 4-λ 75-Ω coax end of the coax matching section, I an-
matching section to match a 50-Ω coax feed Eureka Again! The Dual-Band Coax swered a station in upstate New York calling
line, but the typical 1/ 4-λ coax matching Matching Section CQ on 50.125 MHz. He came right back to
section on 10 meters doesn’t work on I thought of the dual-band matching me and we exchanged good signal reports
6 meters and vice-versa. A wideband 4:1 solution when I decided to experiment by (he was off the slightly weaker major lobe’s
balun could be used for matching, but the adding a number of 1/2-λ coax sections after end of the antenna.) After that, I switched to
resulting impedance transfer would probably the 6- and 10-meter 1/ 4-λ sections. Com- 10 meters and proceeded to work quite a few
not be as close to 50 Ω as the 1/4-λ matching parisons showed that there is a combination South and Central American stations in the
technique provides. Also, most 4:1 baluns of 1/ 4-λ and 1/2-λ transmission-line sections main line of the antenna’s stronger gain lobes.
are relatively heavy, adding to antenna sag. that results in total coax lengths for each With the help of a small antenna tuner, I
Wideband 4:1 baluns are also expensive band that are almost the same. (See Figure 4 stretched the antenna’s 10-meter bandwidth
compared to the cost of 20 to 30 feet of coax. and the sidebar “Characteristics of Half- to cover the repeater segment and proceeded
April 2000 47
 Characteristics of Half-Wavelength
Transmission Lines
A key factor in the dual-band matching
solution is the 1/2-λ characteristic of transmis-
sion lines. Any impedance presented at one
end of a 1/2-λ of coax—with coax of any im-
pedance (that’s the important part)—that
same impedance is seen at the opposite end
of the cable. For example, if you connect a
1
/2-λ (or any multiple of 1/2-λ) of 75-Ω coax to
a 50-Ω load, a 50-Ω impedance is seen at the Figure 4—The W3RW dual-band matching section. Lengths shown here are for coax
other end—even though the characteristic with a velocity factor of 0.66. The upper cable leg consists of a 50.15-MHz 1/4-λ section
impedance of the coax in between is 75 Ω. of RG-59 coax in series with a 50.15-MHz 2-λ (four 1/2λ-lines in series) section of RG-59
(All wavelength references are to electrical coax. The lower leg is a 28.35-MHz 1/4-λ of RG-59 coax in series with a 28.35-MHz 1-λ
lengths of coax; this takes into account the section (two 1/2λ-lines in series) of RG-59.
velocity factor of the cable.)

To properly cut the matching line, you I have had no complaints about RF in the
must know the velocity factor of the 75-Ω shack or house on either band. I derived this
to work several additional stations. coax! The matching section I use is made approach from the information in Table
As I write this, the September VHF of 0.66 velocity factor RG-59 coax, but 19.4 on page 19.16 of The 2000 ARRL
contest and Hurricane Floyd’s visit occurred cables with other velocity factors can be Handbook for Radio Amateurs.2
about two months ago. I didn’t actively used as well. (When selecting the matching-
participate in the contest, but I did use it to section coax, remember that the center Summary
further check the antenna’s 6-meter conductor in foam-dielectric coax has a The W3RW 6- and 10-meter long-wire
performance. With a transmitter RF output tendency to migrate, potentially resulting antenna is a resonant multiwavelength
of 100 W, I found I could work everything I in a short to the shield if the coax provides antenna that provides gain over a dipole on
heard, including several sporadic-E contacts some structural support or is coiled.) I took 6 and 10 meters and integrates a unique coax-
late one Sunday, but I did have to use a the precaution of verifying the coax cable matching section to provide a close
400-W amplifier to make an Auroral contact. velocity factor by cutting an approximate match to 50 Ω on both bands. This is a
Ten-meter performance has been great! I’ve 1
/4-λ section and checking its length and predominantly horizontally polarized antenna
had no trouble working most DX I can hear frequency characteristics using a dip meter. optimized for the SSB portions of the 6- and
from all over, including 7X, 9K, JA, ZS, Larger-diameter 75-Ω coax (such as RG- 10-meter bands. Considering its simplicity
ZL—and even a DS—with just 100 W output. 11) can be used if you want lower loss, but and low cost, you ought to give it a try!
the cable is heavier than RG-59, and will
Construction Tips likely increase the antenna sag. Notes
Figure 3 shows the antenna details (not Interestingly, the data tables for coaxial
1
J. Robert Witmer, W3RW, “Wire Gain Anten-
nas for 6 Meters,” QST, Feb 1997, pp 66-67.
to scale). Cut the wire sections of the cable show that the loss of many RG-59 2
ARRL publications are available from your
antenna a little long and wrap the far ends coax types is similar to, or slightly lower local dealer, or directly from ARRL. See the
of the extra wire lengths back onto the main than, RG-8X coax types at 50 MHz. ARRL Bookcase elsewhere in this issue, or
wire. This way, if you need to lengthen the check out the ARRL web site at: http://
antenna, you just unwrap the extra wire; Adjustment www.arrl.org/catalog/.
3
Please contact me for price and availability of
you don’t have to worry about adding more To tune the antenna, first adjust the a partial kit consisting of the dual-band
wire. If the antenna is too long, simply wrap lengths of the 1/4-λ sections, then adjust the matching-section coax, the 1 /4-λ open-wire
more wire back onto the main run to reduce long-wire sections to minimize the SWR on section and additional assembly informa-
tion. Bob Witmer, W3RW, 146 Forest Trail
the antenna’s overall length. both bands. Then check the 1/ 4-λ-section Dr, Lansdale, PA 19446-6415; w3rw@
I started out with a little more than lengths again. It takes no more than a arrl.net.
5 feet of 450-Ω #14 stranded copper-clad couple of iterations to achieve the lowest
ladder line for the 1/ 4-λ antenna section, SWR on both bands. The exact length of References
allowing for connection to the center the dual-band coax matching section The ARRL Antenna Book (Newington: ARRL,
15th ed., 1988)
insulator and the 10-meter wire extension. doesn’t appear to be critical. I cut the Edward M. Noll, W3FQJ, “A Multiband Long-
As shown in Figure 3, one conductor of the matching section a little longer than 29 feet wire Antenna,” ham radio , Nov 1969, pp 28-
450-Ω line (the upper one) is used on 10 (using 0.66 velocity-factor coax) to provide 31
meters. The shorter conductor (lower one) the extra length needed for the connections ARRL’s Wire Antenna Classics , (Newington:
ARRL, 1999)
is used on 6 meters. Make the cut for the to the wire and ladder-line sections and for John D. Heys, G3BDQ, ed., “Practical Wire
6-meter section so that it is inside one of the end coax connector. The resulting match Antennas,” (Potters Bar, England: RSGB,
the solid-dielectric sections of the line. was close enough to not require adjustment. 1989)
Cutting the ladder line this way helps
maintain the overall physical strength of the Coaxial Choke Balun Bob Witmer, W3RW, was first licensed in 1962
6-meter section. (By the way, the dual-band To isolate the feed line from the as K3VAX; he got his Extra class license in
long wire survived Hurricane Floyd’s visit!) radiating currents of the antenna, I use a 1967. His Amateur Radio interests include
Weatherproof the antenna by sealing the choke balun consisting of four feet of the equipment and antennas, 6- and 10-meter
operating and HF DXing. Bob is a program
coax-to-wire connections, the connection matching-section coax wrapped in four manager for BAE Systems of Lansdale,
between the matching-section coax and the turns just below the antenna feedpoint. This Pennsylvania, with responsibility for a variety
50-Ω feed line, and the connections at the approach may not be as effective as using of electronic warfare programs. Bob has
ends of the matching section. Use a low- a traditional balun, but it seems to work; written several articles for QST. You can
loss 50-Ω cable between the matching and considering the unbalanced antenna contact Bob at 146 Forest Trail Dr, Lansdale,
section and your shack. configuration, it may work almost as well. PA 19446-6415; w3rw@arrl.net.
48 April 2000