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:

+3

CUBE Feed Line Choke/Line Isolator Unun, 1.5KW, 1.8-65 MHz, -38dB Suppression

CU-1-1500SO

$109.95

In stock

Quantity:

1

Add to Bag

Product Details

Brand: Palomar Engineers

Effective Frequency Range (MHz): 1.8-65 MHz

PEP Power Rating (watts): 1500

Estimated Insertion Loss (db): .10

Input Connector Type: SO-239 female

Output Connector Connector Type: SO-239 female

Ground Connector (Y/N): none

Enclosure Size (LxWxH inches): 4 x 4 x 2

1500 Watt Rated 1:1 CUBE™ Unun

Th CU-1-1500 unun is useful as common mode feed line chokes or coax to antenna interfaces. SO-239 output models can also be used with balanced antennas if a short coax cable “pigtail” is used on the output and connected to the antenna. Rated 1500 Watts PEP from 1.8-61 MHz. Use as line isolator, antenna interface, or as a common mode choke to keep RF on the antenna and off the outside of the coax braid. Much more effective then our sleeve feed line chokes due to our exclusive Multimix(TM) multi-core topology using high permeability ferrite cores which provides a high choking impedance over a broad frequency range. Typical common mode suppression is 20-38 dB (up to 6 "S" units) from 1.8-61 MHz reduces common mode current! For most effective results, use 1 choke at the antenna and another at the radio. Helps reduce noise floor too by choking off common mode neighborhood noise picked up on outside of coax braid.

Save this product for later

Favorite

• Search Products
• My Account
• Track Orders
• Favorites
• Shopping Bag

Display prices in: USD

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