Low-Loss Feedline on a Budget: Building 450 to 600 Ohm DIY Ladder Line from Common Materials

Low-Loss Feedline on a Budget: Building 450 to 600 Ohm DIY Ladder Line from Common Materials: A complete technical guide to DIY ladder line for amateur radio. Build 450–600 ohm open-wire feedline cheaply, with less loss than coax on any HF band.

Extended Lazy-H Antenna: A Classic Multiband Wire Design from QST

Extended Lazy-H Antenna: A Classic Multiband Wire Design from QST: The Extended Lazy-H antenna, introduced in QST in 1955, is a balanced, open-wire-fed HF antenna offering efficient multiband operation.

Twin-Lead J-Pole Antenna for VHF and UHF Amateur Radio

Want a simple, low-cost antenna that actually performs well on VHF/UHF? The twin-lead J-pole might be exactly what you need.

Built from basic 300-ohm twin-lead, this classic design combines a half-wave radiator with a quarter-wave matching section, giving you efficient performance without radials or complicated tuning networks.

Why it’s so popular among ham operators:
• Easy to build with minimal materials
• Naturally omnidirectional—great for repeaters and local contacts
• Adjustable feed point for low SWR without extra components
• Lightweight and portable—perfect for field setups or emergency kits

Whether you're experimenting with antennas or need a reliable backup for your station, this design delivers solid performance for its simplicity.

Check out the full build guide and dimensions here:
🔗 https://vu3dxr.in/twin-lead-j-pole-antenna-for-vhf-and-uhf-amateur-radio/

The New Digital Frontier: Meshtastic vs MeshCore for HAM radio

The New Digital Frontier: Meshtastic vs MeshCore for HAM radio: Deciding between Meshtastic and MeshCore for your off-grid LoRa setup? We compare these two powerhouses through lens of amateur radio. Meshtastic vs. MeshCore

Building a Quarter-Wavelength Coaxial Collinear Antenna for 2 Meters

For VHF enthusiasts, the Coaxial Collinear antenna remains one of the most practical, compact, and high-gain omnidirectional antennas. It is especially popular for the 2 Meter amateur band (144–148 MHz) because it combines ease of construction with impressive gain and low-angle radiation — ideal for local repeater work and FM simplex operation.

While most builders use half-wavelength sections of coax in traditional Coaxial Collinear antenna designs, the quarter-wavelength COCO offers an interesting alternative that simplifies matching and can be made more compact without compromising much performance. While less common in published literature for the COCO, using λ/4 sections connected with phase-reversing joins can still achieve the desired collinear phasing effect. This is often done by including an initial matching or phasing section that adjusts the impedance and phase relationship for the array.

Building a Quarter-Wavelength Coaxial Collinear Antenna for 2 Meters: