Quoted:
Rather than buy an antenna, consider making your own. Making a dipole ain't rocket surgery.
I have exactly one store bought antenna in the attic. A 6m M2 loop. Got me on the air but I'm thinking of building a moxen for that band.
You will need center insulators/feedpoints, and end insulators.
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/antsup/5524.html
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/antsup/5367.html
A 500' roll of THHN wire will last you for many antennas. If one doesn't work, take it down, throw the wire at a copper thieves feet and start again. I tried 14ga and found it a bit stretchy. 12ga seems to be fine. Go with stranded wire as it's easier to work with.
In official ARF.com orange.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Southwire-500-ft-12-Gauge-Stranded-THHN-Wire-Orange-22970857/202316575#.Uc73NPlJMuc
Pick up some wood screw eyelets, split bolts, and electric fence post insulators. For insulators I have a liking for ...
http://www.zarebasystems.com/store/electric-fence-insulators/biwkny-z
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Blackburn-4-Solid-to-8-Solid-Split-Bolt-Connector-4H-B1-5/100125660#.Uc758PlJMuc
Bookmark this ...
http://www.kwarc.org/ant-calc.html
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- Calculate antenna length using the online calculator and add a foot on each end to allow for end termination and to give you some wiggle room for tuning.
- Install the terminal at the feedpoint ends and secure with split bolts.
- Mount the center insulator somewhere. You'll have to make a wild assed guess as to where depending on what wiring and ducting you have.
- Pound in a fence post insulator about every other rafter and thread the antenna wire through it.
- At the end go another rafter over and install the wood screw eye. Install the end insulator and tie off with MIL-C-5040 Type 2. (550 paracord)
- Once both sides of the antenna are done, hook up the coax and head down to the radio end. On coax length avoid 1/4 wavelengths. Multiples of 1/2 wavelength is the way to go.
- Bust out the antenna analyzer and get busy. You'll be making two adjustments. One is to adjust for resonant frequency. The other is to bring the impedance close to where it should be of 50 ohms.
- Adjust the resonant frequency by lengthening or shortening both ends the same amount.
- Adjust the impedance by offsetting the antenna. Lengthen the hot wire (center terminal of the coax connector) and shorten the ground. A couple inches at an adjustment is all you need. Having a couple inches of excess wire on the end is no big deal and should be left for future retuning if required. If you have 6" of wire hanging off the end that can affect both the resonant freq and impedance. Cut a couple inches at a time and remeasure. Go slowly here as once cut off it's hard to glue it back on. Measure twice cut once certainly applies here.
- Once you get down to a SWR of 1.7 or less stop. You're done.