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:

50:50 ohm (1:1) Common Mode Choke HF Balun Kit - 1500 watt PEP, 1.8-31 MHz

SKU BA-1-1500
$29.97
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50:50 ohm (1:1) Common Mode Choke HF Balun Kit - 1500 watt PEP, 1.8-31 MHz
Product Details
Input ohms/Output ohms: 50 in, 50 out
Frequency Range < 2:1 SWR (MHz): 1.8-30
PEP Power Rating (watts): 1500

Model BA-1-1500 is a 1:1 balun kit used to translate a 50 ohm unbalanced input to 50 ohms unbalanced at power levels up to 1500 watts PEP when used with a matched load. With a matched load the SWR will not exceed 1.5 over the frequency range 1.8 to 30 MHz. 1,500 PEP watt rating on a 25% duty cycle.

The kit consists of a F240 ferrite core, two colors of selected insulated wire, two SO-239 connectors (one for input and one for output connections) with stainless steel hardware, and an illustrated instruction manual with directions to assemble the kit as a 1 to 1 balun (unbalanced coax to balanced antenna/load) or unun (unbalanced to unbalanced). Leave one of the SO-239 connectors off on the output side and connect to your balanced antenna (dipole, beam driven elements, etc). To use as a line isolator/common mode choke, use both SO-239 connectors and insert in series with the coax feed line. For best results use one at the antenna and one for the rig side at the antenna tuner. The number of turns on the toroid can be changed to emphasize the low, mid or high portion of the 160-10 meter bands range as well as the choking impedance (see graph below). Assembly time is about 30 minutes. You can vary the number of turns to emphasize different frequency ranges.

BA 1 5000 ZMAG 1024x565 - G5RV/ZS6BKW Antennas

BA-1-1500 Choking Z magnitude – 14 Turns and 10 Turns

Just add your custom enclosure, or optional enclosure box below, with the kit and you have a compete 1:1 current balun/unun.


 

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