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The Dipole Calculator (in decimal feet!) The half-wave dipole is very simple to construct. Use 75 or 50 ohm cable to feed the center of the dipole. This could be 50 ohm types such as RG58, RG8X, RG8, RG213, or 75ohm type such as RG11, RG59, RG6 or even 75 ohm twin lead. Even zip cord such as what is used for lamp cords will perform quite well. When 10 meters is open world-wide, why not try a simple ten meter dipole? You only need 16.5 feet of space and if horizontal space is at a premium, try hanging it from a broom stick off a balcony (it is best if you know your neighbors below). Be sure to solder the feed cable to each leg of the dipole. It is also advisable to provide some strain relief which can be accomplished by wrapping the feed cable once around the center insulator and securing with a "black" tie-wrap. Of course, if you are using power in excess of 100 watts, you must be sure that the feed line and insulators will support the power being used. |
