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 EFLW Antenna Wire Kits (41, 71, 92, 111, 155, 173, 203, 268 feet) includes coated wire, insulator and connector lug - preassembled

SKU BWK-41
$24.95
Bullet Wire Length (FT)
1
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Bullet EFLW Antenna Wire Kits (41, 71, 92, 111, 155, 173, 203, 268 feet) includes coated wire, insulator and connector lug - preassembled
Product Details
Brand: Palomar Engineers, Inc.
Country/Region of Manufacture: USA

Bullet End Fed Long Wire (EFLW) Antenna Wire Kit for end fed long wire antennas - choose 41, 71, 111, 155, 173, 203, 268 foot lengths complete with end insulator, #14 Insulated stranded copper wire and spade lugs and heat shrink for lugs for attachment to an optional Bullet 9:1 unun.


Insulators are a very stealthy, strong, pair of 2 PVC, 2 1/4" long. 1" wide. 1 1/8" hole separation wire antenna insulators and may be black, gray or white depending upon inventory

See related products for 9:1 transformers from 100 watts to 5KW, 9:1 toroid kits, and feed line chokes.

For a complete installation you will need 9:1 unun, wire kit, appropriate length of coax, and feed line choke (SOFLC is easiest to use and change position as you tune the antenna).

Bullet Antenna Length - feet (41, 71, 92, 111, 155, 173)
Corresponding Counterpoise length feet (16, 42, 90, 37, 95, 80) - place feed line choke on coax at this measured length from 9:1 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