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.
Here are several different 1:1 baluns you can use depending on power requirements:
1500/3000 Watt 6:1 CUBE Balun™ – Model CB-6-1500/3000
Model CB-6-1500/3000 is a 6:1 (300:50) balun housed in a NEMA enclosure box (1.5KW in 4″ x 4″ x 2″, 3KW in 6" x 6" x 4") with two top studs capable of input power levels up to 1.5KW PEP watts when used with a matched load. The 6:1 ratio takes 50 ohms input and matches to 300 ohms balanced output from 1-61 MHz with SWR < 1.5:1 under matched load conditions. A great balun for windoms, OCF antennas >60 feet over ground, Hertz and folded dipole antennas, T2FD etc. 8 core, Use “EB” version with side eye bolts for wire attachments for OCF dipole use.
Typical SWR and impedance transformation from 1-61 MHZ shown below:
This transformer requires a feed line choke to isolate the coax feed line from the antenna. A coax noise filter is also recommended.
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