G5RV/ZS6BKW Antennas

The ZS6BKW antenna is a better match for our bands than the G5RV. The method of construction and tuning  is essentially the same for both antennas but the dimensions are different.

Here is the ZS6BKW antenna installed at AK6R fine tuned for the CW/FT8 frequencies on 40-20-17-12-10 meters.  An excellent antenna when installed at 30 feet or higher and no tuner required avoiding the tuner losses and constant retuning.  If you want to work all bands from 80-10 install an antenna tuner between the 1:1 balun and the amplifier and ignore the 39/40 switch.

Is this the best FT8 antenna?  – I think so as I has made over 70,000 contacts and it still is a proven winner -Good world wide DX, easy to install, no tuner and takes full legal limit.

PAL ZS68006 Ant Layout - G5RV/ZS6BKW Antennas

 

Here are several different 1:1 baluns you can use depending on power requirements:

50:250 ohm (5:1) CUBE™ Unun™, 1.8-61 Mz, 1500 Watts, end fed, vertical

SKU CU-5-1500
$129.95
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50:250 ohm (5:1) CUBE™ Unun™, 1.8-61 Mz, 1500 Watts, end fed, vertical
Product Details
MPN: CU-5-1500
Input ohms/Output ohms: 50 in / 250 output
Frequency Range < 2:1 SWR (MHz): 1-31
PEP Power Rating (watts): 1500

Model CU-5-1500EB- 5 to 1 Unun

(SO-239 in/Eye bolt hoist with output connector on top, side stud for ground/counterpoise)

Purpose. This unun is designed to match 250 ohms unbalanced to 50 ohms unbalanced up to 1500 watts PEP power from 1.8-61 MHz. It provides conversion from unbalanced 50 ohm coax to an unbalanced 250 ohm load/antenna feed point and gives a 5:1 impedance step-up to reduce VSWR on the coax feed line. The unun is housed in a 4” x 4” X “2 NEMA weather resistant box with SO-239 coaxial input and a ¼” stud terminal with wing nut on the top for output and another on the side for ground or counterpoise connection.

This unun is DC grounded and will bleed off static electricity but it is NOT A LIGHTNING ARRESTOR.

Model CU-5-1500 is a 50 ohm to 250 ohm (5:1) voltage unun used to translate a 50 ohm input up to 250 ohms at RF power levels up to 1500 watts PEP (30% duty cycle) when used with a matched load. With a matched 250 ohm unbalanced load SWR should not exceed 2.0 over the frequency range 1.8-61 MHz.

Application. For traveling wave, end fed or portable 20-31 foot vertical antennas the 5:1 balun makes a good transformer for converting 50 ohm coax to a 250 ohm feed point. If you use the antenna on multiple bands, the feed point impedance may not always be 250 ohms and use of the unun at high (>350 ohms) or low (<100 ohms) will require reduced power input or the unun may have its power ratings exceeded and damage to the unun may occur. The (5:1 conversion ratio will change for loads other than 250 ohms unbalanced.

Typical Antenna System Using CU-5-1500

CU 5 1500 antenna - G5RV/ZS6BKW Antennas

Use a coax noise filter to reduce noise from any vertical antenna or a line isolator to suppress coax cable braid radiation on transmit.


 

Here is the Coax Noise Filter used to suppress coax common mode currents (works for all type of antennas)

 

PDF of ZS6BKW at AK6R Construction Article HERE: My ZS6BKW Antenna