Find on this site... Site Index  ·Classes ·Exams ·Clubs ·Hamfests ·Addresses    Search site:    Call sign search:   ARRL Member Login... Username:   Password:    Register    Forgot userid/password?  Quick Links... ·Join or Renew ·Catalog & Store ·ARRL Courses ·Classifieds ·Getting Started

Operating Activities Licensing News/Bulletins Services Education Public Service Support Donate to ARRL ARRL Info Text-only

GCLM Chapters GCLM Homepage Introduction Procedures and Practices Rules and Regulations Components and Circuits Radio Signals and Equipment Antennas Propagation Electrical and RF Safety   ARRL Products: Space/Satellites (More) Amateur Radio Astronomy -- Explore the contributions of radio amateurs, and how to make and set up equipment to study the signals coming from space. Nova for Windows -- A popular Windows-based satellite tracking program, used by thousands of hams. Realistic maps show satellite positions, ground tracks, orbital paths, and star background. The ARRL Satellite Handbook -- First Edition. Explore, track and operate ham radio satellites! Radio Nature -- Now Shipping! -- The reception and study of naturally originating radio signals. The ARRL Image Communications Handbook -- Use Amateur Radio to see and talk with other hams! Enjoy the imaging modes: NBTV, ATV, SSTV and WEFAX.

Chapter 6 – Antennas

Antennas are the key to radio — without them, signals are not transmitted or received.  Amateurs enjoy building and experimenting with antennas and you will, too!  Section 6 covers this important section in detail.

Antennas

• How Antennas Work - a collection of antenna articles
• The ARRL Antenna Book - the amateur’s standard reference for information on antennas, feed lines, and propagation
• Antennas - Service and Education - L.B. Cebik W4RNL’s informative Web site on antennas
• Antennex - antenna experimenter Web magazine

Transmission Lines

• ARRL TIS Transmission Lines - articles and references about feed lines and SWR
• ARRL TIS Antenna Tuners - information on impedance matching equipment

Table 6-1 Feedline Characteristics

The table printed in the 1st printing of the General Class License Manual is in error. The following table contains the correct typical loss data for several popular types of coaxial cable.  Cable loss and other parameters such as velocity of propagation vary between manufacturers and sometimes from batch to batch.  If you are using the cable in a way that depends on an exact value, measure the cable with test equipment.  The values in the table below were calculated using the on-line calculator at Times-Microwave ().