I have an Ed Fong at home and love it! I was actually in Silicon Valley and was able to meet Ed in person. He is one of the nicest and most humble men I have ever met! As a new HAM, he spent tons of time with me guiding me on some do's and don'ts and really helped me.
It's a shame that people think that an inexpensive pre-built antenna is somehow related to a dumbing down of amateur (note the proper spelling, Dan) Radio. I don't own any twin lead, or a bunch of SO-239 or PL-259 connectors, as I'm one of your dumb new Extras. I've acquired Baofeng, BTech, Kenwood, and Yaesu radios already, but have no place to put up a simple dipole, vertical or otherwise. Wanting something simple, compact, portable, and predictable when it came to an antenna I could use with my young students, it made sense to try out Fong's antenna. When I do get around to mounting a "real" antenna, I'm hoping to keep this one as a backup for field operations. I'm astonished at your view of amateur radio, especially toward us newbies. The "science" of radio takes place with a 5-foot J-pole as much as with a 6-foot collinear. I want to see what it can do by experimenting with it, and if it performs badly compared to something else, that result is useful, too. Even so, my "skills" will be enhanced with every effort I make to maximize contacts with a challenging antenna. Clearly, the antenna works with low SWR readings, so what can it hurt to try to optimize reception and transmission with it? But if your sense of the worthiness of this thing is tied up with whether or not I make it myself, then you've not made your case. I don't have the time to find all the parts and pieces I'd need, and that counts in the cost comparison. My skills in antenna building at this point are not nearly as important to me as getting on the air, even if this is "only" VHF/UHF. Let me ask you, Dan, a similar question. If you wanted to learn a musical instrument, and weren't sure if it was going to be right for you, would you go out and buy an expensive instrument immediately? Or would you be expected to have to construct your own before you began learning how to play it? I see no difference between these scenarios. A beginner can start with something high quality, or something a little more workaday. What matters is that they learn how to play it. My piano teacher always said that a true master of the piano can make a lousy piano sound good. Wouldn't it indicate similar mastery if a ham could coax good results out of a "lesser" antenna or radio? I think so.
i'm not sure how Ed Fong can claim he is the inventor of the "j-pole inside of pvc pipe antenna" as I was using a dual band j-pole, crafted from twin lead wire mounted inside of PVC pipe, in 1994 - but Ed's website claims articles published as early as 2003, and that he has sold this antenna for ten years ...
Most white PVC is transparent to HF and UHF. However, different PVC thicknesses or chemistry (brand) will give you different impedance and a different speed factor, which would de-tune the careful hand tuning. Ed Fong is very particular about using that particular brand (Lowe's part number 23990).
I haven't been into ham radio since the early 90's, but I'm looking to get back into it. I ordered a BCD436HP scanner for now, after some digging I found my old homemade J-Pole very similar to this in my pole building. I agree these work amazing, and are simple to build. I'm going to use it with the scanner for now, then I'll have a outdoor 2m/440 antenna ready for when I get my license again!
@@singletona082 I didn't unfortunately. Good intentions I guess? I had bought the books and all, but really I just had way too much going on at the time. I also had self doubts because no one I know is into ham radio, that and I'd feel weird just showing up to some radio club?
@@jeffpv. "Feel weird"? Heck no, you'd be welcomed with open arms! The BEST thing that you can do is to join a club where they will MENTOR you. Colloquially, your mentor's name will be "Elmer".
Man i remember that 'oh hey all the newbies in the club got licensed. J-POLE PARTY!' That made such a diffrence and improvement over the rubber ducks. Even when said antenna was indoors.
Has anyone tested and printed out the SWR readings on both 2 m/70 cm bands to show the readings at both ends of each band ( high ,middle and low) for this antenna inside the PVC ??
After having used an Ed Fong antenna I have to say it was a good antenna for what I needed. I was able to hit one repeater 30 miles away but the repeater was up 350 ft. that helped. On 440 its not quite so good. However for a cheap antenna that will get it done...this aint bad.
Hey can you make a update video please and show us where you have installed this in your house. I'm looking into purchasing myself one of these. Thanks 🙏.
Is there some way to use one of these dual band antennas on a portable extension pole for field work? I have an ammo can portable 2m/7cm radio and looking for a good portable antenna.
since we are talking about rf why would using the thicker pvc pipe lower the performance of the antenna its plastic non conductive unless it affects the tuning of it
+iron man Good question and I don't know the answer...I do know if you deviate from the instructions it doesn't work as well. Stick with the 200 psi and it will amaze.
+iron man Ed Fong can answer that question better than I can. From what I understand from talking to him. 200psi PVC pipe is thin enough to allow the transmission of the signal. Schedule 40 pvc has a thicker wall and effects the performance. Ed said he had tested this. You can visit his website at: edsantennas.weebly.com/ You can find his email and phone number on his site. Thanks!
The problem I'm having (just bought the antenna direct from Ed on eBay) is that the 200 psi PVC is all but impossible to get here in the northeast...the nearest Lowes that sells this stuff in-store is located in Texas and/or California (I'm in MA)...to order for in-store pickup or delivery, I need to order a minimum of 200 feet or so at a cost of circa 250 dollars...so I would recommend you take Ed up on the offer of an additional 12 dollars to throw in the PVC unless you want to end up frustrated like me. And please, if someone else can point towards an alternative means of getting this stuff, fire away! (Yes, I've also looked at Home Depot, ACE etc...same thing).
I think the only problem using the thicker stuff is the end caps won't fit using sand paper might work. the only advantage I can see in using 200 psi is its lighter its plastic and should not effect the rf I would think
+iron man Using anything other than the 200 psi stuff will seriously degrade signal quality. I can't tell you why or how I know but I've studied this enough to know you have to stick with 200 psi.
2:24 you say we should measure out the antenna that varies in length but 3:18 Ed fong actually tunes each one before it’s shipped out If he’s tuning the length isn’t it already cut to the right length? 🤔 I’m new to the sport and want to upgrade my ht antenna.
@@gone2dmtns Appreciate the reply. Still not sure about it, I was hoping eye on stuff would have replied. I got a folding tacticool type (not abbreee) from HRO a few weeks ago and it works pretty well. If and when I ever get a base station I'll revisit Ed's antennae.
thickness of pipe has no effect on radiated signals, use schedule 40 electrical pvc for sunlight resistance. also this antenna has been around much longer than ed has been selling them, i built one back in the 80s
If the antenna are tuned with one type of plastic tube, you will see with another tube that the center of the tuning frequency have been changed. Maybee not so much, but you will see it. Put some plastic pipes in the micro, start it with full effect. Some pipes melts. So yes! Some plastics are real bad in RF/HF applications...!
Nice video, thank you. I purchased one today. Planning to use a Laird FM-2 pole-to-pole mount to secure it to a telescoping flagpole. The inside diameter of the pole mount is 1.4" which is too large for the OD of a 3/4" piece of PVC. The OD of a 1" piece of SDR 21 (200 psi) PVC is just over 1.3" which would be a perfect fit for the pole mount. I'd have to convert (or rebuild) the 3/4" endcaps or I could use a 1" to 3/4" reducer and a 1" piece of SDR 21 PVC pipe. Would either of these solutions be a problem?
Actually it affects the velocity factor just like and insulation on any wire does. All the information on this antenna is published. Here is a page of what he sells and where the information was first published.
Heya :) if you are still curious... I believe that g.m.r.s. radios have Antenna that do not come off, and the GMRS radios also have set "channels" instead of spinning the dial like an am or fm radio. Perhaps we should get you a small hand held yaesu ft65!♡ or even a baofeng...
Think of this dual band antenna, as your transmitter sees it, two vertical 1/2 wave dipoles... a half wave vertical dipole has more gain than a 1/4 wave ground plane... The 1/2 wave dipole does not require a ground plane or ground plane elements... get it up as high as you can, and away from all metal objects......
Boy, lots of elitist hams on here. Good grief. It's a simple antenna that works. You guys are poo pooing this antenna because YOU think it is junk. Isn't this hobby about experimentation as well? What works well for the individual station? Compromises? Rather than throw it under the bus, think about its place in the hobby. Light weight, portable, adequate in most cases. No, it's not as good as my Comet gp-15 or even my gp 3. But it gets out to repeaters in the area just fine. My home built copper J is the same, not as good as the Comets, but better than a a lot of mobile antennas. People have a lot to learn about the hobby, I agree, but putting down people for not knowing how to build a radio from a tin can is pathetic. What's just as important is a "dumbed down ham" that understands protocol during a disaster so they know not to stomp on a net control station and operate in a panic. That's why we test for a license and learn from others.
For myself, experimenting with different home brew antenna designs is the best part of the Amateur radio hobby all together, can't do too much to your transceiver unless you have a lab and a whole hell of a lot of knowledge, I wouldn't crack open the housing of a $4,000 dollar transceiver anyhow and put a mop and screwdriver to it.
nope, if you've ever played with pvc they can be snugged tight. gluing won't hurt either but will be a pain if you want to pull apart. LOL i see your partner in crime, i too have one she's the apple of my eye. make her a tinker, the quality time is priceless.
I am not using a choke with my antenna. It works fine with my local repeaters as far as ~30-50 miles. The antenna is mounted on a light stand inside my house on the second story. The house is surrounded by stucco so mounting outside is more idea. I'm only TX-ing with a 5W handheld. Radio checks are coming back very good to full quieting.
New ham here. I know this video is a few years old but I'm hoping you can still answer my question. You mentioned inside use. Would this antenna work well in a attic of a 2-story home? All of my local repeaters are within 10 miles of my home on very flat (Indiana) terrain.
I live in a ground floor apartment in a valley and I hung this antenna vertically inside my apartment in front of the sliding glass door curtain rod. I can hit a repeater 20 miles away on a hill top that is linked to repeaters as far as 160 miles away both 2m and 70cm. It opened up my whole world to ham radio. I'm using a HT/handheld radio 5 watts. Both 2m and 70cm, VHF/UHF
Plans are online in pdf or print. A little taxing to read. I'm in the process of building one now. The one in this vid looks like the dbj2.....almost. the extra string and wire thingies at the top are different from the plans I saw. So may want to double check.
Bear I have this antenna in the 200 watt version, it's a great antenna, and built a little heavier than the standard 75 watt version.. If you look on Ebay just do a search for the DBJ-1 dual band antenna and you will find it, no problem. Ed does a great job with these and all you have to supply is a 5 foot piece of 200 PSI PVC pipe the 3/4 O.D size. He supplies the end cap and the bottom cap has the UHF connector on it so it's ready to insert into the PVC tube, glue it and mount it and you are all set. I took a 12 inch section of Schedule 40 PVC which is thick and heavier than the thinner 200 PSI stuff and I used a coupler to attach it to the 200 psi tube, so now at the bottom of the antenna I can clamp it better because the first 10 inches of this antenna at the bottom does not radiate, Ed has it set up so you can use the metal clamps and it wont affect the SWR at all. So you can beef up the base of it if you wish if not just put it into 200 PSI tubing and mount it .
KuriosPC I have only used it with a repeater. I'll see it I can do some testing. I heard from some users of the this antenna that they have compared it to a number of other antennas and the Ed Fong antenna always comes out on top. It's worked really well for me so far. Thanks for watching!
+Eye-On-Stuff here in lays the problem with the dumbing down of the ham tests. While the J-pole may make a fine portable antenna there are far better antennas for fix station use.. The J-pole actually has less gain than a simple 1/4 wave ground plane so if a j-pole is outperforming other antennas at your shack you better take a close look at those other antennas because something's definitely wrong with the other antenna installations. If you're using a J-pole style antenna and think it's performing well then you will be amazed at the performance of some of the stacked collinear designs available. For comparison, assuming no feedline losses 50 watts into your J-pole equals around 44 watts ERP aka effective radiated power. This means you're actually LOSING about 5 watts of power, not to mention that J-poles have serious issues with feedline radiation and are susceptible to common mode. On the other hand a collinear antenna consisting of 3 stacked 5/8th wave elements will turn that same 50 watts input into a bit over 346 watts ERP. Yup thats a whopping 346 watts of effective radiated power. Even a much simpler collinear consisting of 3 stacked 1/4 wave elements will give you a respectable 142 watts ERP as compared to your J-poles 45 watts ERP. Now let's add some reasonably attainable horsepower to the mix and say you add a 180 watt MFJ brick amp to the system. Once again assuming no feedline losses your J-pole would be costing you about 20 watts in loss giving you an ERP of only 160 watts. On the other had that same collinear consisting of 3 stacked 5/8th wave elements will turn that same 180 watts input into a staggering 1245 watts ERP yup thats right a whopping 1.2kw of ERP vs 160 from the J. Unfortunately since most hams nowadays simply memorize the dumbed down tests rather than actually learn the material very few understand these basics making them easy prey for snake oil salesmen peddling their miracle antennas which defy the laws of physics. Ever wonder why fong refuses to use any real science to back up his advertising claims but rather resorts to snake oil salesmen style tactics like using "testimonials" AKA subjective personal opinion, You would think a Dr with a PHD electrical engineering could provide some solid math and science to back up his controversial advertising claims rather than relying on subjective personal opinion in the form of "testimonials"
+Dan Nelson ...set you back a LOT more cash! I know in other areas there's more ground to cover between anything, unlike where I happen to live, but to just say everyone should avoid jpoles is ludicrous. I agree a stacked colinear is a great thing to have at your disposal if you can afford it, but that's like saying a vertical for HF is a waste of time, and not a good antenna. Everybody should be using log periodic antennas!. Well maybe those ARE better, but not for everyone. A random longwire is what's best for some.
I never said people should avoid them quite the contrary Personally I think it's a rite of passage for a new ham to build a J-poll. The only issue I have is the erroneous almost sensational snakeoil performance claims that utterly defy the laws of physics which so many hams propagate regarding these antennas. They are what they are, But to seriously claim they are superior to say somthing like a stacked collinear design is delusional at best and it makes hams look like idiots to professionals who do this for a living. For example if your J-pole is outperforming somthing like a Diamond X510 for instance then there is a problem with either the feed line or the X510 . That would be the conclusion and the first place a real ham would start to look. The problem is there was some very dishonest modeling done of the J-pole and slim jim and even those those models have been debunked by some of the world's most respected antenna modelers hams are still referring to those flawed models as are dishonest sellers
Just cheap SCD 21 Pipe 200psi type, nothing expensive, 3 bucks maybe.. Good antenna, but i recommend to use hot glue or silicone the cap where the solder joints and UHF connector is, if not you (WILL) get corrosion etc in it.
unless ed fong went by different names 20 years before he "invented" this. then he isnt the inventor. just saying hell even i made one like this 10 years before he said he invented it and there are a ton of books from the 80's and 90's that have this in it well before he started selling it on ebay in 2009
If you read Ed's QST articles you will see his acknowledgement of the ubiquitous J-pole well before the 90s. His innovations are to add PRACTICAL multiband operation and versions for both base and portable use. His website - Google it - has all construction details free. By the way he has many patents and the antennas AFIK are assembled and tested by grad students for learning and club support at a cost way below commercial equivalents.
It never fails to amaze me how certain antennas can become so massively over hyped, I'm not sure maybe It has something to do with the dumbing down of the amature radio tests resulting in a new generation of technologically illiterate hams being susceptible to the charms of snake oil salesman. the fact is neither the J-pole nor the slim jim have anywhere near their advertised gain. Those original gain figures were derived from dishonest or inaccurate antenna modeling that has been proven erroneous by some of the world's most respected antenna modelers and later confirmed via range testing. These tests have confirmed that J-poles and slim-jims actually have negative gain when compared to a simple 1/4 wave ground plane and you can build a 2 meter ground plane from a coat hanger and an SO-239 for about $3. If you're using a J-pole style antenna and think it's performing well then you will be amazed at the performance of some of the stacked collinear designs available. For comparison, assuming no feedline losses 50 watts into your J-pole equals around 44 watts ERP aka effective radiated power. This means you're actually LOSING about 5 watts of power, not to mention that J-poles have serious issues with feedline radiation and are susceptible to common mode. On the other hand a collinear antenna consisting of 3 stacked 5/8th wave elements will turn that same 50 watts input into a bit over 346 watts ERP. Yup thats whopping 346 watts of effective radiated power. Even a much simpler collinear consisting of 3 stacked 1/4 wave elements will give you a respectable 142 watts ERP as compared to your J-poles 45 watts ERP. Now let's add some resnablebly attainable horsepower to the mix and say you add a 180 watt MFJ brick amp to the system. Once again assuming no feedline losses your J-pole would be costing you about 20 watts in loss giving you an ERP of only 160 watts. On the other had that same collinear consisting of 3 stacked 5/8th wave elements will turn that same 180 watts input into staggering 1245 watts ERP yup thats right a whopping 1.2kw of ERP. Unfortunately since most hams nowdays memorize the test rather than actually learn the material very few understand these basics making them easy prey for snake oil salesmen peddling their miracle antennas which defy the laws of physics. Ever wonder why fong refuses to use any real science to back up his advertising claims but rather resorts to snake oil salesmen style tactics like using "testimonials" AKA subjective personal opinion, You would think a Dr with a PHD electrical engineering could provide some solid math and science to back up his controversial advertising claims rather than relying on subjective personal opinion in the form of "testimonials"
+Dan Nelson I agree. I've built the J-pole a few times (copper pipe, twin-lead) and tuned it to resonance. Unfortunately, it's performance has been very poor. The advantage it has is its simplicity and potentially cheap cost to build (obviously not cheap to use copper pipe). I've also built a couple of 4-element yagi antennas that were simple to build and very cheap to build that outperform the J-pole by leaps and bounds. Yes. The yagi is directional, but where I live it works perfectly because everyone I talk to (simplex or via repeaters) are pretty much in the same direction away from my house. :) For an emergency antenna, the J-pole worked okay for me, but I've also crafted the 1/4-wave ground plane and yagi antennas to be portable for emergency use as well. I'll keep a roll-up J-pole in my "go kit", but it likely won't be my first choice to get on the air.
yup I agree the one place a j-pole works great is as a roll up emergency antenna, I also think every new ham should build one as their first project,. For fixed station use there are much better choices.
actually what I hate is watching the dumbing down of a hobby that's supposed to be solely based in science math and engineering and not wives tales, fantasy and snake oil
Ironicly sold as a dual band antenna but is actually a VHF J-pole where the third harmonic frequency of resonance is UHF.. easy to build any Ham can build one, 300ohm ribbon, match loop on the bottom antenna one side, ground the other, even better build a Slim-Jim..
I have one of Ed’s J-poles. Been up over 12 years and still working very well.
the man who built this antenna did a great job and it works very well ,
I have an Ed Fong at home and love it! I was actually in Silicon Valley and was able to meet Ed in person. He is one of the nicest and most humble men I have ever met! As a new HAM, he spent tons of time with me guiding me on some do's and don'ts and really helped me.
I purchased on of Ed’s GRMS antennae’s and I’ll give it a WOW.....it works like no other for me.
Ed's design was published in the February 2003 issue of QST. www.work-sat.com/Antennas_files/FONG-DBJ1.pdf
I have only one thing to add: DO NOT USE SO239/PL259 CONNECTIONS WHEN USING IT ABOVE 100 MHz. And BTW, the J-Pole is always somewhat directional....
Don't use SO239 and PL239 connectors. Use BNC, SMA or N-type. The SO and PL connectors aren't made for over 100MHz
🎉 Thnx Bro, didn't know that! ❤
Yes, this antenna will receive UHF and VHF on scanners.
It's a shame that people think that an inexpensive pre-built antenna is somehow related to a dumbing down of amateur (note the proper spelling, Dan) Radio.
I don't own any twin lead, or a bunch of SO-239 or PL-259 connectors, as I'm one of your dumb new Extras. I've acquired Baofeng, BTech, Kenwood, and Yaesu radios already, but have no place to put up a simple dipole, vertical or otherwise. Wanting something simple, compact, portable, and predictable when it came to an antenna I could use with my young students, it made sense to try out Fong's antenna. When I do get around to mounting a "real" antenna, I'm hoping to keep this one as a backup for field operations.
I'm astonished at your view of amateur radio, especially toward us newbies. The "science" of radio takes place with a 5-foot J-pole as much as with a 6-foot collinear. I want to see what it can do by experimenting with it, and if it performs badly compared to something else, that result is useful, too. Even so, my "skills" will be enhanced with every effort I make to maximize contacts with a challenging antenna. Clearly, the antenna works with low SWR readings, so what can it hurt to try to optimize reception and transmission with it?
But if your sense of the worthiness of this thing is tied up with whether or not I make it myself, then you've not made your case. I don't have the time to find all the parts and pieces I'd need, and that counts in the cost comparison. My skills in antenna building at this point are not nearly as important to me as getting on the air, even if this is "only" VHF/UHF.
Let me ask you, Dan, a similar question. If you wanted to learn a musical instrument, and weren't sure if it was going to be right for you, would you go out and buy an expensive instrument immediately? Or would you be expected to have to construct your own before you began learning how to play it? I see no difference between these scenarios. A beginner can start with something high quality, or something a little more workaday. What matters is that they learn how to play it.
My piano teacher always said that a true master of the piano can make a lousy piano sound good. Wouldn't it indicate similar mastery if a ham could coax good results out of a "lesser" antenna or radio? I think so.
Christ, pin this comment, it's brilliant.
i'm not sure how Ed Fong can claim he is the inventor of the "j-pole inside of pvc pipe antenna" as I was using a dual band j-pole, crafted from twin lead wire mounted inside of PVC pipe, in 1994 - but Ed's website claims articles published as early as 2003, and that he has sold this antenna for ten years ...
Most white PVC is transparent to HF and UHF. However, different PVC thicknesses or chemistry (brand) will give you different impedance and a different speed factor, which would de-tune the careful hand tuning. Ed Fong is very particular about using that particular brand (Lowe's part number 23990).
I haven't been into ham radio since the early 90's, but I'm looking to get back into it. I ordered a BCD436HP scanner for now, after some digging I found my old homemade J-Pole very similar to this in my pole building. I agree these work amazing, and are simple to build. I'm going to use it with the scanner for now, then I'll have a outdoor 2m/440 antenna ready for when I get my license again!
Hey, as an update did you ever get your license back?
@@singletona082 I didn't unfortunately. Good intentions I guess? I had bought the books and all, but really I just had way too much going on at the time. I also had self doubts because no one I know is into ham radio, that and I'd feel weird just showing up to some radio club?
@@jeffpv. "Feel weird"? Heck no, you'd be welcomed with open arms! The BEST thing that you can do is to join a club where they will MENTOR you. Colloquially, your mentor's name will be "Elmer".
Man i remember that 'oh hey all the newbies in the club got licensed. J-POLE PARTY!'
That made such a diffrence and improvement over the rubber ducks. Even when said antenna was indoors.
Has anyone tested and printed out the SWR readings on both 2 m/70 cm bands to show the readings at both ends of each band ( high ,middle and low) for this antenna inside the PVC ??
Rev Big D I'm not sure, but I know that Ed Fong calibrates every antenna to certain specs.
he will optimize it to your desired frequency
After having used an Ed Fong antenna I have to say it was a good antenna for what I needed. I was able to hit one repeater 30 miles away but the repeater was up 350 ft. that helped. On 440 its not quite so good. However for a cheap antenna that will get it done...this aint bad.
Hey can you make a update video please and show us where you have installed this in your house. I'm looking into purchasing myself one of these. Thanks 🙏.
hey bro can we use that for dual band 144/430 transceiver
Zj Deguzman Yes you can.
Is there some way to use one of these dual band antennas on a portable extension pole for field work? I have an ammo can portable 2m/7cm radio and looking for a good portable antenna.
As long as it works, that’s all that matters
since we are talking about rf why would using the thicker pvc pipe lower the performance of the antenna its plastic non conductive unless it affects the tuning of it
+iron man Good question and I don't know the answer...I do know if you deviate from the instructions it doesn't work as well. Stick with the 200 psi and it will amaze.
+iron man Ed Fong can answer that question better than I can. From what I understand from talking to him. 200psi PVC pipe is thin enough to allow the transmission of the signal. Schedule 40 pvc has a thicker wall and effects the performance. Ed said he had tested this. You can visit his website at: edsantennas.weebly.com/ You can find his email and phone number on his site. Thanks!
The problem I'm having (just bought the antenna direct from Ed on eBay) is that the 200 psi PVC is all but impossible to get here in the northeast...the nearest Lowes that sells this stuff in-store is located in Texas and/or California (I'm in MA)...to order for in-store pickup or delivery, I need to order a minimum of 200 feet or so at a cost of circa 250 dollars...so I would recommend you take Ed up on the offer of an additional 12 dollars to throw in the PVC unless you want to end up frustrated like me. And please, if someone else can point towards an alternative means of getting this stuff, fire away! (Yes, I've also looked at Home Depot, ACE etc...same thing).
I think the only problem using the thicker stuff is the end caps won't fit using sand paper might work. the only advantage I can see in using 200 psi is its lighter its plastic and should not effect the rf I would think
+iron man Using anything other than the 200 psi stuff will seriously degrade signal quality. I can't tell you why or how I know but I've studied this enough to know you have to stick with 200 psi.
Thanks man this is the best I've seen. Nice clean looking antenna. Doesn't attract attention
2:24 you say we should measure out the antenna that varies in length but
3:18 Ed fong actually tunes each one before it’s shipped out
If he’s tuning the length isn’t it already cut to the right length? 🤔 I’m new to the sport and want to upgrade my ht antenna.
I believe he is referring to measuring the antenna so that you can cut the PVC piping at the correct length. At least that was my take on the comment.
@@gone2dmtns Appreciate the reply. Still not sure about it, I was hoping eye on stuff would have replied. I got a folding tacticool type (not abbreee) from HRO a few weeks ago and it works pretty well. If and when I ever get a base station I'll revisit Ed's antennae.
LMR-400 is far superior and less loss at high freqs in the vhf/ uhf bandwidth.
How many times do you have to film up and down on pvc pipe. What does that show.
I must have done it too many times. Am I right?
My favorite line - "I guarantee this is one of the best performing J-Poles". Thanks - Lumpy n0eq
I have both J poles from Ed. Anyone have any problems with 70 watt power outputs to this antenna?
the single band uhf 400 mhz version on ebay for around 12 dollars as the magic stick digital indoor outdoor tv antenna
Can you paint them
Hello, I am a soldier in the Iraqi Army, I work in communications. I want to know how to make a UHF antenna
thickness of pipe has no effect on radiated signals, use schedule 40 electrical pvc for sunlight resistance. also this antenna has been around much longer than ed has been selling them, i built one back in the 80s
Scuff and oil based paint for resistance to elements...
@@MatHelm Or use electrical PVC (the grey stuff) that is rated to resist UV
If the antenna are tuned with one type of plastic tube, you will see with another tube that the center of the tuning frequency have been changed. Maybee not so much, but you will see it. Put some plastic pipes in the micro, start it with full effect. Some pipes melts. So yes! Some plastics are real bad in RF/HF applications...!
Nice video, thank you. I purchased one today. Planning to use a Laird FM-2 pole-to-pole mount to secure it to a telescoping flagpole. The inside diameter of the pole mount is 1.4" which is too large for the OD of a 3/4" piece of PVC. The OD of a 1" piece of SDR 21 (200 psi) PVC is just over 1.3" which would be a perfect fit for the pole mount. I'd have to convert (or rebuild) the 3/4" endcaps or I could use a 1" to 3/4" reducer and a 1" piece of SDR 21 PVC pipe. Would either of these solutions be a problem?
Thickness of plastic (+/- a few mm) affects erp? Surely not in any significant way? Makes me question the rest of this upload.
Actually it affects the velocity factor just like and insulation on any wire does. All the information on this antenna is published. Here is a page of what he sells and where the information was first published.
I'm about to buy one , how did you mount it ?
how do i connect the Yagi antenna to a Wouxan KG-905G GMRS 2-way radio and what connectors and cables will I need?
Heya :) if you are still curious... I believe that g.m.r.s. radios have Antenna that do not come off, and the GMRS radios also have set "channels" instead of spinning the dial like an am or fm radio.
Perhaps we should get you a small hand held yaesu ft65!♡ or even a baofeng...
Good luck out there!♡
Think of this dual band antenna, as your transmitter sees it, two vertical 1/2 wave dipoles...
a half wave vertical dipole has more gain than a 1/4 wave ground plane... The 1/2 wave dipole does not require a ground plane or ground plane elements...
get it up as high as you can, and away from all metal objects......
i hope you're not a Ham with comments like that..!!
lol..
Hi, make all bande vhf and all uhf?
How much?
How much Db gain on 2m and also 70cm???
Boy, lots of elitist hams on here. Good grief. It's a simple antenna that works. You guys are poo pooing this antenna because YOU think it is junk. Isn't this hobby about experimentation as well? What works well for the individual station? Compromises? Rather than throw it under the bus, think about its place in the hobby. Light weight, portable, adequate in most cases. No, it's not as good as my Comet gp-15 or even my gp 3. But it gets out to repeaters in the area just fine. My home built copper J is the same, not as good as the Comets, but better than a a lot of mobile antennas. People have a lot to learn about the hobby, I agree, but putting down people for not knowing how to build a radio from a tin can is pathetic. What's just as important is a "dumbed down ham" that understands protocol during a disaster so they know not to stomp on a net control station and operate in a panic. That's why we test for a license and learn from others.
For myself, experimenting with different home brew antenna designs is the best part of the Amateur radio hobby all together, can't do too much to your transceiver unless you have a lab and a whole hell of a lot of knowledge, I wouldn't crack open the housing of a $4,000 dollar transceiver anyhow and put a mop and screwdriver to it.
Right on the money
Well said brother
Hi , quick question , do you glued the end of the antenna to the end cap on the top ?
nope, if you've ever played with pvc they can be snugged tight. gluing won't hurt either but will be a pain if you want to pull apart. LOL i see your partner in crime, i too have one she's the apple of my eye. make her a tinker, the quality time is priceless.
Hello, you have the antenna measurements so I can replicate an equal antenna here in Brazil for my station. Thanks, PU5KGB
Hello. You can find the exact design measurements here: www.work-sat.com/Antennas_files/FONG-DBJ1.pdf. Good luck!
@@eye-on-stuff5248 404 error.
What or how do you attach the upper end of the antenna to the inside of the pvc so it doesn't slide down on itself ?
The material is light enough to not require anything to hold it up.
I am not using a choke with my antenna. It works fine with my local repeaters as far as ~30-50 miles. The antenna is mounted on a light stand inside my house on the second story. The house is surrounded by stucco so mounting outside is more idea. I'm only TX-ing with a 5W handheld. Radio checks are coming back very good to full quieting.
can we catch 4g TDD signals.
New ham here. I know this video is a few years old but I'm hoping you can still answer my question. You mentioned inside use. Would this antenna work well in a attic of a 2-story home? All of my local repeaters are within 10 miles of my home on very flat (Indiana) terrain.
I live in a ground floor apartment in a valley and I hung this antenna vertically inside my apartment in front of the sliding glass door curtain rod. I can hit a repeater 20 miles away on a hill top that is linked to repeaters as far as 160 miles away both 2m and 70cm. It opened up my whole world to ham radio. I'm using a HT/handheld radio 5 watts. Both 2m and 70cm, VHF/UHF
its great lil antenna for the price cant beat it really
Greetings from Poland distance I wish you 73 Over I have a question Will this antenna come to baofeng uv5r link please
Well, you can get the approximate dimensions off the video. And I have all the necessary cable in the garage. So thanks for sharing the design. 👍
ask ed fong, he will send you a pdf on how to make it.
Plans are online in pdf or print. A little taxing to read. I'm in the process of building one now.
The one in this vid looks like the dbj2.....almost. the extra string and wire thingies at the top are different from the plans I saw. So may want to double check.
Esquemática for antenna?
How can i purchase Ed fong J pole uhf/vhf antenna I'm in the Philippines I want also to buy one
have you bought 1 sir ? i want to buy also ..what is your review?
Hello
You can give your friend the dimensions of each segment of this antenna
it is in QST several times dating back to 2000 or so.
Btw what connector is the antenna using . I'm new to this stuff
SO-239 which mates to a PL-259. Easy huh?
Also you can have Ed put on a different connector for a fee.
ME PUEDE ENVIAR EL DIAGRAMA DE LAS MEDIDAS POR FAVOR
Do you have the eBay link where you found the antenna.
Bear I have this antenna in the 200 watt version, it's a great antenna, and built a little heavier than the standard 75 watt version.. If you look on Ebay just do a search for the DBJ-1 dual band antenna and you will find it, no problem. Ed does a great job with these and all you have to supply is a 5 foot piece of 200 PSI PVC pipe the 3/4 O.D size. He supplies the end cap and the bottom cap has the UHF connector on it so it's ready to insert into the PVC tube, glue it and mount it and you are all set. I took a 12 inch section of Schedule 40 PVC which is thick and heavier than the thinner 200 PSI stuff and I used a coupler to attach it to the 200 psi tube, so now at the bottom of the antenna I can clamp it better because the first 10 inches of this antenna at the bottom does not radiate, Ed has it set up so you can use the metal clamps and it wont affect the SWR at all. So you can beef up the base of it if you wish if not just put it into 200 PSI tubing and mount it .
+Bear www.ebay.com/itm/Dual-Band-Portable-roll-up-VHF-UHF-Antenna-MURS-HAM-GMRS-commercial-DBJ-2-/111746196613
+Bear Here is the link on EBAY for the base antenna: www.ebay.com/itm/UHF-Base-Repeater-Antenna-ham-70-cm-GMRS-FRS-commercial-5dB-gain-/121733765028
+Eye-On-Stuff This link is for the roll up antenna
كيف تم ربط المقدمة
Can I order this antenna phone headphones let me know God blessk1emw
WHERE TO BUY?
ok bom dia por gentileza da pra vc mim mandar as medidas dessa antena eu fiaria muito grato PU7KZA Zacarias Nisia Floresta R.N BRASIL
Nice video, unfortunately there are no measurements in centimeters.....
WERE DO I GET IT FROM i think my ant is no good it only gode out about 1 to 1 1/2 miles or some thing else is wrong with it
Michael Gunslinger Ruoss Sr you can find links in the description of this video. Thanks
How is this classified or named J Pole ntenna. ?
look at it, or at least look at a J pole,
then when you have stopped being to stupid look at the slim jim..
Very awesome antenna. Have you tried it out in simplex mode? From radio to radio?
KuriosPC I have only used it with a repeater. I'll see it I can do some testing. I heard from some users of the this antenna that they have compared it to a number of other antennas and the Ed Fong antenna always comes out on top. It's worked really well for me so far. Thanks for watching!
+KuriosPC I never used it for simplex, but I'm sure it will perform just fine.
+Eye-On-Stuff here in lays the problem with the dumbing down of the ham tests. While the J-pole may make a fine portable antenna there are far better antennas for fix station use..
The J-pole actually has less gain than a simple 1/4 wave ground plane so if a j-pole is outperforming other antennas at your shack you better take a close look at those other antennas because something's definitely wrong with the other antenna installations.
If you're using a J-pole style antenna and think it's performing well then you will be amazed at the performance of some of the stacked collinear designs available.
For comparison, assuming no feedline losses 50 watts into your J-pole equals around 44 watts ERP aka effective radiated power. This means you're actually LOSING about 5 watts of power, not to mention that J-poles have serious issues with feedline radiation and are susceptible to common mode.
On the other hand a collinear antenna consisting of 3 stacked 5/8th wave elements will turn that same 50 watts input into a bit over 346 watts ERP. Yup thats a whopping 346 watts of effective radiated power. Even a much simpler collinear consisting of 3 stacked 1/4 wave elements will give you a respectable 142 watts ERP as compared to your J-poles 45 watts ERP.
Now let's add some reasonably attainable horsepower to the mix and say you add a 180 watt MFJ brick amp to the system. Once again assuming no feedline losses your J-pole would be costing you about 20 watts in loss giving you an ERP of only 160 watts.
On the other had that same collinear consisting of 3 stacked 5/8th wave elements will turn that same 180 watts input into a staggering 1245 watts ERP yup thats right a whopping 1.2kw of ERP vs 160 from the J.
Unfortunately since most hams nowadays simply memorize the dumbed down tests rather than actually learn the material very few understand these basics making them easy prey for snake oil salesmen peddling their miracle antennas which defy the laws of physics.
Ever wonder why fong refuses to use any real science to back up his advertising claims but rather resorts to snake oil salesmen style tactics like using "testimonials" AKA subjective personal opinion, You would think a Dr with a PHD electrical engineering could provide some solid math and science to back up his controversial advertising claims rather than relying on subjective personal opinion in the form of "testimonials"
+Dan Nelson ...set you back a LOT more cash! I know in other areas there's more ground to cover between anything, unlike where I happen to live, but to just say everyone should avoid jpoles is ludicrous. I agree a stacked colinear is a great thing to have at your disposal if you can afford it, but that's like saying a vertical for HF is a waste of time, and not a good antenna. Everybody should be using log periodic antennas!. Well maybe those ARE better, but not for everyone. A random longwire is what's best for some.
I never said people should avoid them quite the contrary Personally I think it's a rite of passage for a new ham to build a J-poll. The only issue I have is the erroneous almost sensational snakeoil performance claims that utterly defy the laws of physics which so many hams propagate regarding these antennas.
They are what they are, But to seriously claim they are superior to say somthing like a stacked collinear design is delusional at best and it makes hams look like idiots to professionals who do this for a living.
For example if your J-pole is outperforming somthing like a Diamond X510 for instance then there is a problem with either the feed line or the X510 . That would be the conclusion and the first place a real ham would start to look.
The problem is there was some very dishonest modeling done of the J-pole and slim jim and even those those models have been debunked by some of the world's most respected antenna modelers hams are still referring to those flawed models as are dishonest sellers
Nice antenna 💕 love it💕
Google " PVC RV and Boat Antenna " And build your own.
Just cheap SCD 21 Pipe 200psi type, nothing expensive, 3 bucks maybe..
Good antenna, but i recommend to use hot glue or silicone the cap where the solder joints and UHF connector is, if not you (WILL) get corrosion etc in it.
Yeah, since you mention is a million times, an eBay URL would be nice.
+Marcus Benjamin www.ebay.com/itm/Dual-Band-Portable-roll-up-VHF-UHF-Antenna-MURS-HAM-GMRS-commercial-DBJ-2-/111746196613
+Eye-On-Stuff This is the roll up.
+Marcus Benjamin The base station one on ebay is here: www.ebay.com/itm/UHF-Base-Repeater-Antenna-ham-70-cm-GMRS-FRS-commercial-5dB-gain-/121733765028
or you could stop being lazy and google it yourself and find it just as easy LOL
skip ebay and go right to Eds website edsantennas.weebly.com/
Looks like a standard J Pole antenna originally designed by G2BCX Fed Judd. I agree, hyped up. Build one your self out of 300 ohm ribbon cable
The J Pole antenna predates Fred Judd by a number of decades.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J-pole_antenna
Good Luck Finding That PVC In New England!
Stores either don't carry it, or they never heard of it...
Amazing...
lowes carries it and he gives you the part number..
on 70cm i am getting 1.01 to 1 SWR...... basically near perfect....
HAM operators are some of the snootiest hens you'll ever meet.
Most of them absolutely. Then there's the occasional really down to earth helpful ham. Puss on the rest.
Ok , Very Good .....!!!!
Nice 🔥🇧🇷🚴🏽♂️✍️
I can't give this a like because of of ed Fong has this as a patent ..
Woooww
If you are looking for this antenna here is the eBay listing URL
www.ebay.com/itm/112894964287
unless ed fong went by different names 20 years before he "invented" this. then he isnt the inventor. just saying hell even i made one like this 10 years before he said he invented it and there are a ton of books from the 80's and 90's that have this in it well before he started selling it on ebay in 2009
If you read Ed's QST articles you will see his acknowledgement of the ubiquitous J-pole well before the 90s. His innovations are to add PRACTICAL multiband operation and versions for both base and portable use. His website - Google it - has all construction details free. By the way he has many patents and the antennas AFIK are assembled and tested by grad students for learning and club support at a cost way below commercial equivalents.
It never fails to amaze me how certain antennas can become so massively over hyped,
I'm not sure maybe It has something to do with the dumbing down of the amature radio tests resulting in a new generation of technologically illiterate hams being susceptible to the charms of snake oil salesman. the fact is neither the J-pole nor the slim jim have anywhere near their advertised gain. Those original gain figures were derived from dishonest or inaccurate antenna modeling that has been proven erroneous by some of the world's most respected antenna modelers and later confirmed via range testing.
These tests have confirmed that J-poles and slim-jims actually have negative gain when compared to a simple 1/4 wave ground plane and you can build a 2 meter ground plane from a coat hanger and an SO-239 for about $3.
If you're using a J-pole style antenna and think it's performing well then you will be amazed at the performance of some of the stacked collinear designs available.
For comparison, assuming no feedline losses 50 watts into your J-pole equals around 44 watts ERP aka effective radiated power. This means you're actually LOSING about 5 watts of power, not to mention that J-poles have serious issues with feedline radiation and are susceptible to common mode.
On the other hand a collinear antenna consisting of 3 stacked 5/8th wave elements will turn that same 50 watts input into a bit over 346 watts ERP. Yup thats whopping 346 watts of effective radiated power. Even a much simpler collinear consisting of 3 stacked 1/4 wave elements will give you a respectable 142 watts ERP as compared to your J-poles 45 watts ERP.
Now let's add some resnablebly attainable horsepower to the mix and say you add a 180 watt MFJ brick amp to the system. Once again assuming no feedline losses your J-pole would be costing you about 20 watts in loss giving you an ERP of only 160 watts.
On the other had that same collinear consisting of 3 stacked 5/8th wave elements will turn that same 180 watts input into staggering 1245 watts ERP yup thats right a whopping 1.2kw of ERP.
Unfortunately since most hams nowdays memorize the test rather than actually learn the material very few understand these basics making them easy prey for snake oil salesmen peddling their miracle antennas which defy the laws of physics.
Ever wonder why fong refuses to use any real science to back up his advertising claims but rather resorts to snake oil salesmen style tactics like using "testimonials" AKA subjective personal opinion, You would think a Dr with a PHD electrical engineering could provide some solid math and science to back up his controversial advertising claims rather than relying on subjective personal opinion in the form of "testimonials"
+Dan Nelson I agree. I've built the J-pole a few times (copper pipe, twin-lead) and tuned it to resonance. Unfortunately, it's performance has been very poor. The advantage it has is its simplicity and potentially cheap cost to build (obviously not cheap to use copper pipe). I've also built a couple of 4-element yagi antennas that were simple to build and very cheap to build that outperform the J-pole by leaps and bounds. Yes. The yagi is directional, but where I live it works perfectly because everyone I talk to (simplex or via repeaters) are pretty much in the same direction away from my house. :) For an emergency antenna, the J-pole worked okay for me, but I've also crafted the 1/4-wave ground plane and yagi antennas to be portable for emergency use as well. I'll keep a roll-up J-pole in my "go kit", but it likely won't be my first choice to get on the air.
yup I agree the one place a j-pole works great is as a roll up emergency antenna, I also think every new ham should build one as their first project,. For fixed station use there are much better choices.
Is this Dan Nelson as in Nelson Antennas?
Looks like Dan hates competition....hehehehe
actually what I hate is watching the dumbing down of a hobby that's supposed to be solely based in science math and engineering and not wives tales, fantasy and snake oil
i like my rubber duck better
90 stopni to 15 sec !!!
Mamute Pu7 omt tks qsl
That shit dont work
Ironicly sold as a dual band antenna but is actually a VHF J-pole where the third harmonic frequency of resonance is UHF..
easy to build any Ham can build one,
300ohm ribbon, match loop on the bottom antenna one side, ground the other,
even better build a Slim-Jim..
Wrong. Uhf Is running on first armonic in this config. Check the PDF indicated in one of the replies
Nice 🔥🇧🇷🚴🏽♂️✍️