VE6AB Antenna Werks

All the photos in my galleries expand and include captions located beneath the photos.

178 / 226

Antenna Werks - Whips That Rule

Wouldn't you know it - I build high-performance antennas, then strive to eliminate the coil!

After trying many different types and configurations of whips, I now use the ultimate in a whip/caphat combination.

For the foundation of my whip, I start with a tapered 96 inch fiberglass whip, that has a very stiff spine. Once I cut it to the required length, I then clad the whip with stainless steel 304 mesh. A sleeve is machined out of 304 stainless steel, and is silver soldered in place over the tip of the braided whip. This allows for the mounting of the caphat assembly on to the very top of the whip.
You now have the ultimate performer in a whip/caphat assembly.

Now its important that you know that not all metals are created equal when you utilize them as part of your whip. Loss can and will occur if you select the wrong material for your whip. So to maximize the radiation resistance of your whip, your choice of antenna conductor material is crucial. My choice of 304 stainless steel proved reasonable, although 316 SS would have been a better choice, but stainless steel 316 mesh proved impossible to find.

2011