CO2KK writes... A simple and effective antenna for 6 meters If you own one of those new HF transceivers that includes the 6 meter ( 50 mHz ) band PLEASE READ !!! We all need YOU on the air on 6 !!! Nowadays many transceivers have added 50 mHz to the standard 9 HF bands configuration, some even have 2 meters and 70 centimeters included... But many of the owners of those new generatons multi band HF + VHF or HF+VHF+UHF radios just use them on the 9 HF bands because they don't have installed an antenna for 50 mHz This simple WIRE antenna for 6 meters has proven to be an effective, yet easy to make and install system, using just one single supporting structure. The Asymetric Sloping Dipole for 6 meters is made from no 14 or no 12 bare copper wire... if you use PVC insulated wire the dimensions will change a bit. The antenna is a standard 1/4 wave section , then an insulator that separates it from a 3/4 wave or 5/4 wave section. At CO2KK , the 1/4 wave + 3/4 wave antenna for 50 mHz has given me excellent results, providing the first ever 6 meter band contacts between Cuba and Spain and Cuba and Melilla ( Africa ) on the "" Magic Band "" during a recent F2 opening, Nov 6 2000. I feed the ASD for 6 with 50 ohm coaxial cable, via a 8 turn coaxial cable choke wound on a 100 mm ( 4 inch ) diameter PVC pipe that serves as a ""coil form "". The CO2KK installation has the upper end of the ASD at 10 meters from ground level ( about 33 feet ) and the antenna is sloping at an angle of about 40 degrees. I use dacron line to keep the lower end of the antenna tied to a short mast. Proceed to tune your antenna for minimum SWR at a frequency of 50.2 , which will provide low SWR in the range from 50.0 to 50.5 the most used portion of 6 meters for working DX. You can install 3 of these antennas from the same mast, and switch between them to change your radiation pattern in the three most wanted azimuths. At CO2KK the system is designed to beam to the center of South America to work TEP ( Trans Equatorial Propagation and F2 ) another one is beaming to the center of North America , and the third antenna is beaming to Southern Europe and North Africa. This is a LOW TAKE OFF ANGLE antenna, so it is most effective for F2 , TEP and the very long E skip. Comparative tests using a standard half wave dipole and a 2 element computer optimized Yagi have shown ( in actual practical operation ) that the ASD has an apparent gain very close or even slightly better than the 2 element YAGI at about 1 wavelength above my rooftop. Any questions ? Just e-mail me at arnie@radiohc.org AND... PLEASE GO AHEAD, find some wire, a 50 ohm coaxial cable and coax connector, three insulators and some dacron rope and make your own ASD to start enjoying the wonderful 6 meter band now that we seem to be very near the peak of solar cycle 23 !!! An ASD will not cost much, and if you have space for just one of them, install it beaming into the direction of the most probable band openings !!! Arnie Coro CO2KK December 4 2000"
