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:

Solar Micro-inverter/PV Module Noise Filters (2)-ID=1.4" Ring, 1/2" Snap On

SKU RFI-PV-MI
$24.95
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Solar Micro-inverter/PV Module Noise Filters (2)-ID=1.4" Ring, 1/2" Snap On
Product Details
MPN: RFI-PV-MI
Type: New
Country/Region of Manufacture: United Stats
Filter Power Rating (PEP watts): not applicable
RFI Suppression Range (MHz): .1-10
Enclosure Size (inches): none

The RFI kit is designed to suppress RFI caused by Solar micro-inverters, power optimizer, and solar arrays by electrically isolating the “antenna” wires used to connect the various devices.The cabling between the PV array, the micro-inverters or power optimizers and their connection to the electrical bus combining their individual outputs can be considered “antennas” for the pulse switching circuits of the individual devices thereby causing radiation at very low fundamental frequencies with harmonics that can cause undesirable radio interference in the 1-30 MHz (and sometimes higher) frequency range.This interference may be objectionable to the owner of the solar installation as well as neighbors who may also experience the interference to their electronic devices.

THE RFI KIT FILTERS ONLY SUPPRESS COMMON MODE CURRENT (SIGNALS) THAT ARE COMMON TO ALL WIRES IN THE CABLE, AND DOES NOT EFFECT INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENTIAL SIGNALS ON EACH WIRE. THE FILTERS HAVE NO EFFECT ON THE NORMAL SIGNALS CARRIED WITHIN THE CABLE.

Micro-inverter RFI

Ferrite cores (snap on) are snapped over the two (+/-) cables from the solar array module and the two wires hooked to the “string” connecting the micro-inverters together. Suppressing RFI on all wires in and out of the micro-inverters helps to reduce any broadband RFI “noise” generated in the SOURCE switching circuits (typically at 50-200KHz and harmonics thereof). Two ferrite cores are required for each micro-inverter/PV array – one ring for the PV DC cables and a snap on for the micro-inverter cable to the string bus – size to fit the trunk cable with 1 or 2 turns.

Application Note for Enphase M190/M215/M240/M250 series Micro-inverters (and similar other brands). For each PV array/micro-inverter use a RFI-PV-MI filter kit with a ring (ID=1.4″/36MM) ferrite for installation on PV module DC cables to micro-inverter and a snap on (ID=.4″/10mm) filter for the data/trunk cable output of the micro-inverter. At the connection of each junction box and the Engage cable install a RFI-PV-JB filter (ID=1″/26MM) with multiple turns through the center.


 

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