Ham Radio 2m/70cm Vertical Dipole Antenna

A simple ham radio 2 meter and 70 cm antenna for fixed or portable use.
Video Rating: 4 / 5

/24 Comments/by
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24 replies
  3. darynsax
    darynsax says:

    Well what can I say I dont have a 2metre 70cm antenna for home but Ive been looking to build one, this is so simple and a brilliant design and I will gave it a try. Thanks for showing us how it was done and If you done mind Ill put it on my radio forum to show the members how you did it.
    73’s from Daryn 2E0DKD

    Reply
  4. zerozedzed
    zerozedzed says:

    Glad you enjoyed it. Feel free to embed the video in your forum. Like all vertical antennas for ground wave the higher you mount it the better it will work. 73! 🙂

    Reply
  5. ON4AEM
    ON4AEM says:

    Nice little project.Very educational.Will build one soon myself.Thanks for sharing it.
    73s from Belgium.Wim.

    Reply
  6. MacintoshWizard
    MacintoshWizard says:

    I am currently working on your antenna design here. I am about to bend my stainless rod, but I am still not sure exactly how to go about it. Could you explain a little more in depth on how to bend it in the vice into that perfect U shape? Thanks!
    73’s KD2AWT

    Reply
  7. zerozedzed
    zerozedzed says:

    My U shape bends are not exactly perfect but are within about a millimeter or so measuring from center to center. Place the rod about 8 or 9 inches into the bench vise and start bending at a right angle. Then take the rod out and place the short end horizontally in the vise and finish bending it. It may take an extra try with another rod to get two that are similar in shape but it shouldn’t take much to get the hang of it. Good luck and have fun. 73! 🙂

    Reply
  8. cl4yd0h
    cl4yd0h says:

    Thank you for this video, I made my own replica and it works great on 2 meter! The SWR on 2m is 1.6 @ 144mhz and 2.2 @ 148 mhz following your measurements.

    Although I can not get anything out of the 70cm side. There is a repeater I can open with a HT with a rubber ducky antenna standing at the antenna location but it will not open it up through the antenna.. I do not have the equipment to check the SWR @ 70cm though.

    I am thinking its the 70ft coax run where I am having the loss.. Thank you!

    Reply
  9. zerozedzed
    zerozedzed says:

    You’re not far off and the antenna just needs a little tuning. Remember “Lower, Longer.” If SWR goes continuously higher from 1.6 (144 MHz) to 2.2 (148 MHz) then the antenna is working better at lower frequencies. So shorten the antenna elements just slightly to tune it higher in frequency. Try adjusting the antenna until you see at least 1.1:1 SWR at 146.000 MHz. 73! 🙂

    Reply
  10. zerozedzed
    zerozedzed says:

    Oops. By shortening the antenna I mean to adjust the elements inwards and not by trimming them. 😉

    Reply
  11. cl4yd0h
    cl4yd0h says:

    Shortened the elements by scooting in approx 1/2″ and SWR is:
    1.2 @ 144
    1.2 @ 146
    1.5 @ 148
    I am still not able to open up the 70c repeater I can open up with a rubber ducky. But I am very happy with the 2m side of it. Thanks for the reply! Great help to a new ham!
    73s

    Reply
  12. zerozedzed
    zerozedzed says:

    You’re getting much closer. 🙂 Try another 1/8″ or so. I suspect that your HT antenna may have a more gain than a simple dipole antenna if testing it at the same height. This antenna will work better the higher it is mounted.

    Reply
  15. zerozedzed
    zerozedzed says:

    I do have some video of making the ends of the cable. It’s from a different project. Give me a day or two to put it together and I’ll post it. 73! 🙂

    Reply
  17. 8BitMicro
    8BitMicro says:

    I was under the impression a balun would be needed. You’re not using one with this antenna. Is there a rule for when baluns should be used?

    Reply
  18. zerozedzed
    zerozedzed says:

    Usually we use baluns in larger HF dipole antennas. For a small antenna such as this a balun is not critical. Using a balun with this antenna may cause more problems in terms of loss rather than be of any real benefit to matching impedance.

    Reply
  20. zerozedzed
    zerozedzed says:

    Reflectors can be added to the antenna giving it an extra 2 – 3 db gain and about a 58 degree beam width. The reflectors can also be stainless steel rods and can be attached with small u-bolts, from wire rope clips like I used to hold the coax on the end of the boom. A reflector for 2 meters might be spaced 15″ back from the driven element and made about 40-1/4″ long. For 70 cm a rough guess would be a 13″ long reflector mounted no more than 6″ back from the driven element. Thanks and 73! 🙂

    Reply
  24. zerozedzed
    zerozedzed says:

    You can use copper, aluminum, or what ever you have on hand but the resonate frequency will probably be different if the element diameters are not the same. BTW, the first one of these antennas that I made was built for 2 meters only and had elements made of steel coat hangers. After scraping some paint off the coat hangers to connect the feed line, I used two screws to fasten the elements and connect the coax to a 1×2 mounted on another board (the mast). It worked – but it did rust. 73! 🙂

    Reply

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