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:

Bullet 50:50 (1:1) HF Balun + Optional Dipole Kit - .1-61 MHz, 500 Watts PEP, up to 34 dB noise reduction!

SKU Bullet-1B-500EB
$79.95
Bulk pricing available for quantities of 2 units or more
Optional Wire Dipole Kit
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Bullet 50:50 (1:1) HF Balun + Optional Dipole Kit - .1-61 MHz, 500 Watts PEP, up to 34 dB noise reduction!
Product Details
UPC: Does not apply
Brand: Palomar Engineers
MPN: Bullet-1B-500EB
PEP Power Rating (watts): 500
Choking Impedance Range (ohms): up to 6000
Common Mode Attenuation (db): up to 38 dB
Estimated Insertion Loss (db): .1
Input Connector Type: SO-239
Output Connector Connector Type: Side Eyebolts

New improved version now goes down to 100 KHz and up to 61 MHz < 2:1 SWR. Choose Balun only or add optional dipole wire kit (wire, Insulators, Spade lugs for attachment to balun - assembly required). Center insulator and Balun in one case - 1/4" stainless hardware and 500 real watts rated!

The Bullet-1B-500EB is a multi-core current balun with built in feed line choke offering up to 34 dB of common mode current rejection (plenty for most applications) to keep RFI off the coax outer braid. The Bullet-1B-500EB is housed in a compact enclosure (looks like a bullet) that is lightweight and easy to transport for your portable/permanent antenna solution. Halyard hoist at top of balun for convenient attachment point. Input is via SO-239 coax connector and output with dual side eye bolt output and wire strain relief. Rated 500 Watts PEP Watts from .1-61 MHz. Bullet-1B-500EB weight is .85 pounds (14 oz).

This balun/feedline choke keeps TRANSMIT RFI off the coax outer braid while transmitting. If your station suffers from common mode RFI noise on RECEIVE, then use one of our Common Mode Coax Noise Filters (such as the CMNF-500-50) that suppresses common mode noise on RECEIVE operations.

Make a FAN DIPOLE using optional dipole kits (e.g. 80/40 would use extra 40 meter dipole if you chose the 80 meter dipole lit for this listing).

NOTE: We rate our Bullet baluns (and ununs) VERY conservatively at 500 watts PEP with a 50% duty cycle. Some manufacturers selling low cost baluns may use a 5% duty cycle for their PEP rating to make it appear you get a higher rated balun for a lower price, but you may in fact be getting be getting less. Their 1500 watts PEP really means 750 watts continuous or 1500 watts at a 50% duty cycle compared to our 250 watts at 50% duty cycle. Our baluns typically cover a larger frequency range under 2:1 SWR which make your transceiver happy and probably will last longer with less electrical stress.

Remember we over engineer our products, to out perform our competition - just compare the weight of our baluns to theirs and you will know we put much more into our products so you don't have to worry about failure at a critical moment.



 

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