The following technical articles are available for download from the ARRL Technical Information Service:

These are the articles that have been selected by the ARRL Lab staff for the web pages of the ARRL Technical Information Service at http://www.arrl.org/tis. They are primarily from QST, with some QEX articles, some reprints from older ARRL publications. TIS pages consist of a number of these articles plus links to other related sites.

A number of these articles are on the ARRL members-only site.  For information about becoming an ARRL member, to get access to these articles, QST magazine, a wide range of other ARRL member benefits and the opportunity to help with ARRL’s ongoing work for amateur radio, visit http://www.arrl.org/join.html.

Antennas 
Antenna Articles for the New Ham:

· Wire Antennas for the Beginner (1,781,534 bytes, PDF file)
QST June 1983, pp. 33-38
Every ham knows how to make and install wire antennas. But if you've never done it, you probably have a few questions. Here are some answers.

· Ground-plane Antennas for 144, 222, 449 MHz (109,309 bytes, PDF file)
ARRL Antenna Book, 18th Edition, pp. 18-16 to 18.17
(If you can't find aluminum rod or wire or welding rods, try metal coat hangers - they work too.)

· Build a Portable Groundplane Antenna (1,206,418 bytes, PDF File)
QST July 1991, pp. 33-34
Need a better antenna for your hand-held radio? Here's the answer.

· Feeding Your Station (1,743,425 bytes, PDF File)
QST December 1983, pp. 20-23
Fat coaxial line, skinny cable, open-wire feeders or 300-ohm ribbon line - the correct choice can save the beginner a few dollars while helping to ensure maximum performance.
Feedback: QST April 1984, p. 51. There is an error in Table 1. The capacitance of RG-11A/U is 20.5 pF/ft, not 0.5 pF/ft as shown.
Feedback: The first formula in note 1 should read m = ft x 0.3048

· A 15-Meter Beam "On A Budget" (602,286 bytes, PDF file)
QST February 1971, pp. 41-43
Even the simplest beam can be expensive due to the cost of aluminum tubing. Here's a solution.

· Choosing An Antenna (406,416 bytes, PDF file)
QST January 1962, pp. 25-29, 140, 142
As the title indicates, this article is written to help the newcomer decide on the kind of antenna to select for his station.

· The Arial Performers of the Radio Circuits Part 1 (999,273 bytes, PDF file)
QST November 1978, pp. 42-46
Antennas are as different as the hams who use them.

· The Arial Performers of the Radio Circuits Part 2 (1,876,039 bytes, PDF file)
QST December 1978, pp. 44-48
Why do some antennas get out better than others? Here are some practical answers plus all you need to know for building a simple coax-fed, half-wave dipole.

· What Does Your SWR Cost You? (149,201 bytes, PDF file)
QST January 1979, pp. 19-20
Wondering whether to spend a fine day with the YL or with your antenna? This article may help you decide.

· Antenna Accessories for the Beginner (1,786,359 bytes, PDF file)
QST February 1979, pp. 15-19
How many antenna gadgets are needed to put out a good signal? Perhaps your station is over-equipped, or maybe you've been shortchanging yourself on accessories

General Antenna Articles:

· HF Amplifiers versus Antennas--One Ham's Opinion (39,999 bytes, PDF file)
QST November 1998, pp. 54-56
The solution to "getting out better" is not necessarily "more power".

· Low Power, Crummy Antenna (293,108 bytes, PDF file)
QST December 1998, pp. 57-59
A major part of the fun of amateur radio is putting together a station that works from stuff you have just laying around. Antennas lend themselves to this practice nicely.

· Antenna and Tower Safety (15,694 bytes, PDF file)
QST June 2001, p. 91

· “What’s Up Top”
QST June 1960, pp. 38-40
Crud and rust can be a real detriment to the performance of your antenna. Here are some procedures to make it look (and work) like new again.

· Stacking Yagi Antennas
By what distance should stacked Yagi’s be separated?

· Beam Talk for the Layman (members-only) (263,249 bytes, PDF file) Members Only
QST July 1958, pp.35-37
Step-by-step tuning of a gamma matched Yagi antenna and other thoughts on installation.

· Sound-Card Antenna Measurements and Other Useful Techniques (members-only) (1,560,065 bytes, PDF file) Members Only
QEX Jan/Feb 2002, pp. 33-46
Measure antenna and receiver performance and record results, even when you are not present, using your computer’s sound card.

· Tower and Antenna Wind Loading as a Function of Height (192,267 bytes, PDF file)
QEX July/August 2001, pp. 23-33

· A Low-Loss VHF/UHF Bias Tee (members-only) (279,405 bytes, PDF file) Members Only
QEX May/June 2002, pp. 52-54
A simple circuit that lets you superimpose DC control voltage onto the transmission line without altering the RF characteristics.

· Tower and Antenna Wind Loading as a Function of Height (192,267 bytes, PDF file)
QEX July/August 2001, pp. 23-33

· An Inexpensive External GPS Antenna (253,745 bytes, PDF file)
QST October 2002, pp. 36-39
An easy to build antenna for your GPS unit for better reception.

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HF Beam/Yagi Antennas:

· Simple Offset Feeding of Wire-Element Beams (members-only) (209,735 bytes, PDF file) Members Only
QST October 1999, pp. 45-46
This approach to matching a feed line to an antenna uses the antenna itself as an impedance transformer.

· Why A Beam Antenna? (1,221,309 bytes, PDF file)
QST January 1972, pp. 36-39
Some basic antenna information for the newcomer about Yagi antennas including a tutorial on antenna gain and construction of a 15-meter beam antenna.

· Simple Gain Antenna for the Beginner (778,544 bytes, PDF file)
QST August 1981, pp. 32-35
A tutorial on the Yagi antenna with construction of a two element beam for 10-, 15-, or 20-meters.

· The Building-Supply Yagi (members-only) (920,911 bytes, PDF file)Members Only
QST March 1991, pp. 22-24
Here's a cheap, easy-to-assemble, two-element Yagi you can build for 10, 12, or 15 meters.

· Two on 10 (237,149 bytes, PDF file)
QST April 1999, pp. 67-69
A two element 10-Meter beam designed for portable or permanent installation. (Additional information)

· A Two-Element Duoband Beam (members-only) (880,439 bytes, PDF file)Members Only
QST April 1993, pp. 36-37
Explore the 12- and 17-meter bands with this small, lightweight Yagi.

· A 15-Meter Beam On A Budget (members-only) (602,286 bytes, PDF file)Members Only
QST February 1971, pp. 41-43
A two element beam made from electrician’s thin wall tubing.

· Basic Beams for 12 and 17 Meters (members-only) (1,494,442 bytes, PDF file)Members Only
QST August 2000, pp. 57-62
Some well-designed and easy-to-build antennas for the 12- and 17-meter bands.

· A Three Element Lightweight Monobander for 14 MHz (members-only) (178,829 bytes, PDF file) Members Only
QST July 2001, pp. 28-31
A portable easy to build light weight antenna

· A Portable 2-Element Triband Yagi (257,252 bytes, PDF file)
QST November 2001, pp. 35-37
This novel wire antenna is great for permanent or portable, QRO or QRP, and old-timer or beginner operation.

HF Dipole Antennas:

· The NJQRP Squirt (151,957 bytes, PDF file)
QST April 2001, pp. 40-43
A reduced-size 80-meter antenna designed for small lots, portable use, and a fine companion for QRP or the Warbler PSK31 Transceiver .

· The Monoband HF Dipole Antenna (89,852 bytes, PDF file)
QST April 1993, p. 64
Construction and installation of a dipole for 80-, 40-, 15-, or 10-meters.

· Antenna Here is a Dipole (1,677,174 bytes, PDF file)
QST June 1991, pp. 23-26
Step-by-step tutorial on constructing dipoles for any one of the HF bands from 1.8 to 28.4MHz.

· The Bent Dipole (members-only) (25,905 bytes, PDF file) Members Only
QST May 1997, pp. 56-57
Although not strictly a "project" article, it does answer a common question. "Can I arrange the legs on my dipole to fit my yard?"

· Feeding Dipole Antennas (members-only) (1,173,201 bytes, PDF file)Members Only
QST July 1991, pp. 22-24
A continuation of the above article covering open-wire feed line, coaxial feed line and baluns..

· A Modest Multiband Antenna (members-only) (935,012 bytes, PDF file)Members Only
QST July 1994, pp. 68-69
Construction of the 135 foot, ladder-line fed, multiband dipole. This antenna requires a transmatch (antenna tuner). (See - Transmatch/Antenna Tuner).

· Five Bands, No Tuner (members-only) (11,448 bytes, PDF file)Members Only
QST June 1995, p. 59
A multiband dipole for 40-, 20-, 17-, 12- and 10-meters. This one is fed with ladder-line, a balun and coax and does not require an antenna tuner.

· The Off-Center-Fed Dipole Revisited: A Broadband, Multiband Antenna (members-only) (658,195 bytes, PDF file)
QST August 1990, pp. 28-34
A discussion of the Windom and the off-center-fed dipole as multiband antennas.

· Broad-Band 80-Meter Antenna (members-only) (257,091 bytes, PDF file)Members Only
QST December 1980, pp. 36-37. Feedback, QST February 1981, p. 46.
Construction and theory of operation of the "cage" broadband 80-meter antenna popular in the 1920s.
Note: ARRLWeb: The "Cage" is Back! W1AW Installs New/Old Antenna.

· The Clothesline Antenna (members-only) (96,738 bytes, PDF file)Members Only
QST July 1998, pp. 56-58
A somewhat camouflaged, ladder-line, balun, coax fed multiband antenna. Requires antenna tuner.

· Multiband Dipoles Compared (26,496 bytes, PDF file)
QST November 1996, pp. 73-74
A comparison of different multi-band dipole techniques.

· The G5RV Multiband Antenna ... Up-to-Date (members-only) (445,845 bytes, PDF file)Members Only
ARRL Antenna Compendium Volume 1, pp. 86-90

· The Off-Center-Fed Long-Wire (members-only)
W1FB's Antenna Notebook, 1987, pp. 36-38 Members Only
This is a simple wire multiband antenna that can be fed with either coax or ladder-line and can be made to operate well from 160- to 10-meters with an antenna tuner.

· QRP-France with a "Junk Box Shorty Forty" Antenna (members-only) (128,512 bytes, PDF file) Members Only
QST July 2001, pp. 66-68
A short center-loaded 40-meter dipole for portable QRP

· A Portable Twin-Lead 20-Meter Dipole (members-only) Members Only
QST February 2002, p. 36

· K8SYL’s 75 and 10-Meter Dipole (members-only) (240,475 bytes, PDF file) Members Only
QST July 2002, pp. 32-34

· The K4VX Linear-Loaded Dipole for 7 MHz (200,463 bytes, PDF file)
QST July 2002, pp. 40-42
A short but efficient 40-meter dipole

HF J-Pole Antennas:

· A Simple Nondirectional Antenna for Ten Meters (233,289 bytes, PDF file)
QST February 1950, pp. 16-17, 88
Easy to build J-Pole antenna for restricted space.

· Flagpole J for 10 Meters (members-only) (1,221,615 bytes, PDF file) Members Only
QST March 1989
Hide your antenna in plane sight.

HF Loop Antennas:

· Small Loop Antenna for 160 Meters (members-only) (624,185 bytes, PDF file) QST June 1993, pp. 32-34
Effective, low-profile 160-meter antennas present a formidable challenge. Here’s one made form 1 inch copper tubing.

· Honey, I Shrunk the Antenna (1,405,133 bytes, PDF file)
QST July 1993, pp. 34-35, 39
Three and a half to four foot loop antennas for several of the HF bands from 160- to 10-meters.

· You Can Build: A Compact Loop Antenna for 30 through 12 Meters (members-only) (1,135,815 bytes, PDF file) QST May 1994, pp. 33-36
A low-profile, compact antenna made from copper tubing and using a small D.C. motor to remotely tune the capacitor.

· A Gain Antenna for 28 MHz (members-only) (387,063 bytes, PDF file)
QST July 1994, p. 70
A simple rectangular wire loop antenna for 10-meters fed directly with coax.

· A Home-Brew LOOP Tuning Capacitor (members-only) (1,370,421 bytes, PDF file)
QST November 1994, pp. 30-32
Another loop for 20- through 10-meters using a novel "trombone slide" arrangement as a tuning capacitor.

· An In-Room, 80-Meter Transmitting Multiturn Loop Antenna (members-only) (50,347 bytes, PDF file)
QST February 1996, pp. 43-45. Feedback QST May 1996, p. 48.
A little wood, some wire and a handful of components can make a directional antenna for indoor use where outdoor antennas are not permitted.