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:
BUY THIS KIT NOW TO SOLVE YOUR RFI PROBLEMS! WORKS WITH MANY BRANDS OF COMMERCIAL VHF RADIOS INCLUDING ICOM A120, A220, A220T.
Quick installation - immediate RFI/noise reduction. No radio mods required.
This kit will help reduce or eliminate:
1. Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) to electronic devices including instrumentation and GPS systems.
2. RFI from other electronic devices such as switching power supplies, LED instrument and cockpit lights, battery chargers, GPS and computer systems which generate common mode currents on your radio interface or coaxial antenna feed lines.
3. These filters help reduce SWR problems between transceiver and antenna. The DC power line filter helps keep common mode current out of the power line which could cause interference to other devices connected to the same power source.
These chokes use a ferrite core material that is effective in suppressing RFI from transmitters and receivers experiencing a high noise floor in the 1-300 MHz range.
The ferrite split bead filters are easy to use, don’t require modification of the protected equipment and work in almost all cases, even when plug-in filters fail.
Kit Includes 2 noise reduction split bead (they snap on like a clam shell) filters for coax and AC/DC power/ standard 15 Pin connector cable. 3/4" whole ID - just wrap 2-3 turns of coax cable thru 1 bead and 2-3 turns of the DC power/15 Pin cable thru the other split bead. Does not affect signals carried by the cables, only the common mode interference noise is suppressed.
For additional RFI suppression, use a feed line choke at the antenna feed point to suppress common current on the coax feed line during TRANSMIT and a CMNF-500-50 coax noise filter at the radio end of the coax to reduce common mode noise during RECEIVE.
If you use a linear amplifier use a Palomar Engineers amplifier RFI kit for additional RFI interference suppression.
Visit our website for all your RFI needs!
Note: A120 radio pictured NOT included.
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