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:

Grow Light RFI kit - 2 Filters for AC In/Lamp Out, RFI Range: .15-10 MHz

SKU RFI-BALLAST
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Grow Light RFI kit - 2 Filters for AC In/Lamp Out, RFI Range: .15-10 MHz
Product Details

Add a ferrite filter to the digital ballast AC line input and ballast cord output and suppress ugly interference to surrounding electronic devices (yours and your neighbors)! Order 1 set for each ballast.

You get a ring filter (1.4" ID) for the AC power line and a snap on filter (3/4" ID) for the lamp cord. Wrap as many turns as possible on both cables as close as possible to the ballast.

Ballast shown is a Lumatek LK400.

All ballasts in a particular location must have a filter otherwise RFI may not be suppressed to a measurable value. Suppresses RFI in range of .15-10 MHz.


 

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