A Collapsible Tri-Band Antenna for 6 Meters, 2 Meters, and 70 Centimeters with a 10-Meter Option

Here’s a VHF/UHF (and maybe a piece of HF) antenna you can build with most parts readily available at your typical hardware / big-box store. Depending on how you build it, it can be mounted permanently or easily broken down for use in portable / remote locations.

BOB HERKLOTZ

This is an easy-to-build tri-band fan antenna with excellent performance on our most popular VHF / UHF bands. It has horizontal elements for 6 meters and vertical elements for 2 meters and 70 centimeters (Photo A). It’s fabricated with 14-gauge THNN wire and electrical PVC tubing to support the wire. Also, a 10-meter option can be easily added. The antenna breaks down into 2-footplus sections for easy transport to the field (Photo B) or can be permanently mounted, either suspended from a tree or mounted to a mast. A 1:1 balun and PL-259 connector are built into a quarter-wave standoff to separate the coax from the lower vertical element. This antenna can also be configured for other bands without the 2-meter / 70-centimeter elements, such as a 6- and 10-meter…

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CQ Amateur Radio (Digital) - 1 Issue, March 2023

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