10-40 Meter "Monkey" Multi Band Vertical

8/19/2019 10-40 Meter "Monkey" Multi Band Vertical

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The KF5RZG Multi Band vertical “Monkey”

Antenna.

I. Introduction

I’ll start by saying that I am a newer Ham. I received my General License in 2014. Ihave a limited background in the science o !mateur "adio. I consider mysel a

#user$ o technology instead o a designer. I still %ossess the trait o all Hams in

that I like to build %ro&ects and #tinker$. 'ith a lot o research and hel% rom my

(lmer’s) I successully built a *ultiband Inverted + and a *ulti,-and. !ter reading

the !""L antenna book) I wanted to build a single or multi,band vertical to take

advantage o a lower take,o angle and im%rove my / ca%abilities.

In researching a multi or single band vertical antenna) I ound much inormation in

many re%utable sources. However) I ound that the overwhelming ma&ority o this

inormation was not written or a Ham o little e%erience. !rticles were written or

someone with at least more e%erience than mysel. the countless articles) blogs)

and 3orum %osts I was able to %iece enough inormation together to attem%t amultiband +ertical that worked on 10,40 meters.

I call this the #*onkey$ antenna because it is so easy to build a *onkey can do it. I

will lay out eactly what I %urchased and ste% by ste% instructions to build this. I

you wish to du%licate this %rocess) all the inormation will be in one resource.

/I5L!I*(". I have 6 7est e8ui%ment) I can only give data on my own

observations on the %erormance. I am sure there are *!69 ways to make a better

antenna) or to make this one better. *y goal was 67 to build the %erect antenna)

but to build a unctioning *ulti band vertical that meets the ollowing criteria.

1. 'as chea%er than buying one :/ebatable;2. 'ould be a %ermanent install and withstand weather conditons.2> 7uner) to work 20)

1?) 1@) and 10 meters :it may work A meters) but I haven’t worked A meters;.

%eciBcally) the /ata :CD,


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aluminum,%ole . 9ou can buy single %oles or @.>> or a whole set

or A>.>> :minus shi%%ing; 3rom what I have read) aluminum %oles

rom a hardware store or even metal (*7 conduit can be used as a

substitute. -ottom line) is get a metal :%reerably aluminum; %ole

at least 20,24 eet long.#. "adialsE I %urchased a @00’ roll o 14 gauge insulated wire rom

Lowes or


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d. *easure and mark the holes where you will attach the antenna to

the 24. It will be easier i you drill these holes beore you attach

the 24 to the base %ole.e. nce you have drilled your holes) %ass the K,-olts though the 24

and tighten them against your base %ole. 7he K,-olts should be no

closer than 4$ rom the to% o the base %ole. (nsure you don’t

overtighten and crack the wood or bend your base %ole as you’ll

%robably have to ad&ust a bit once you attach the !ntenna.


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metal gets hot. !nd i you’ve ever had an ob&ect all o a tower and

almost hit you on the head) you’ll understand a sim%le %lastic hard

hat an eye %rotection rom a Hardware tore is a great investment.

'(!" 7H(*Qb. 7he com%leted antenna should be laid out on the ground. 5ut your

@@0 %arachute cord :or whatever material you are using as your

guy wires; to 2@’. 7his will give you enough etra to tie your knots

and make ad&ustments.c. !ttach your guy wires now. I used a three %oint anchoring system)

so I attached three guy wires right above the #Li%$ on the to%

section o the antenna. I used a bowline knot to attach each guy

wire. :Look u% how to tie a bowline knot. It will always come in

handy;.d. Clace < stakes 10’ rom the center o the base %ole in a ty%ical <

%oint %attern :or 4 i you %reer;. I &ust eyeballed where to %ut the

stakes based u%on e%erience making < %oint anchors. earch the

web i you need better guidance) but the most im%ortant thing is to

make it 10’ rom the center o the base) so that your guy ro%es will

not be too short.e. I not already com%lete) connect your K,bolts that will hold the

antenna to the 24 and &ust get it tight enough to kee% the nut rom

coming out. !lso have your wrench in your %ocket so you can

8uickly tighten the K,bolt to secure the antenna.. tand the antenna u% and dro% the bottom in the K,bolts. 7ighten

the K,-olts to kee% the antenna secure) but not too tight. Dee% the

#Li%$ o the bottom section about A$ below the bottom K,-olt.g. !ttach your guy wires to the !nchor %oint stakes. 7ie them in a

loose knot or now.

h. Ksing your guy wires) ad&ust your antenna so it is as vertical as%ossible. I loo%ed my guy wires though the stakes) then used a

taught line hitch knot. 7his is the second greatest knot ater the

bowline) as this knot allows you to ad&ust the tension while kee%ing

the guy line secure.i. nce you have ad&usted the guy lines so the antenna is vertical)

Bnish tightening the K,-olts or the base and !ntenna. 7he guy

lines should kee% the antenna vertical during tightening. I the

antenna starts to move while you are tightening the K,-olts) ad&ust

your guy wires to kee% the antenna vertical.

@. 5onnecting the coa to the antenna :ee !ttachment ?;a. ,a-etyE 9ou will need a soldering iron and be re8uired to do some

cutting. (nsure you have saety gear such as gloves) and be aware

o your surroundings. /on’t lay a hot soldering iron on Fammable

material.b. nce you have measured your coa to cover the distance rom the

antenna and the radio :I usually leave


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the insulation o o one end o the coa &ust as you would i you

were %utting on a connector) ece%t e%ose about < inches more

braid than normal.c. Get your outlet bo. 9ou should see several %re,cut access holes.

"un your coa though one o the bottom access holes.d. 5ut one 1’ %iece o the 14 gauge insulated wire) and stri% about

2$o o each end. older one end to the center %in o the 5!.e. 5ut one 2.@’ %iece o the 14 gauge insulate wire) and stri% about 2’

o o each end. older one end to the braid.. I you are a %oor solderer like mysel) make sure you get a good

#7wist$ and get as much co%%er to co%%er contact between the 14

gauge wire and the center %in and braid o the coa beore you

solder.g. nce you are Bnish soldering) wra% both connections with cotch

u%er


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c. 7ake the our :4; grounding bar kits and lay then out in a s8uare on

to% o the 24’s. 6ail both ends o the load center ground bar to

orm a s8uare %attern.d. 5ut 4 %ieces o your 14 gauge wire about $ long. tri% 1$ o

insulation o o each end.e. 7ake your screwdriver and loosen u% a screw. !ttach one end o the

wire to one o the ground bar holes and tighten back the screw.

!ttach the other end o the wire to the net grounding bar until all

our bars are connected. 7ake your continuity tester and ensure you

have connection between all or bars.. 7ake the 14 gauge wire coming rom the utlet bo that is

connected to the coa braid and attach it to an o%en slot on the

Ground bar. !t this %oint you should have a solid connection

between the braid o your coa and all 4 ground bars.

?. 5onnecting the "adials :see attachment ;a. 6ow take your radials and connect to each Ground bar. %read

them out so you have good se%aration between them. on each 4

sides gives you


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a. I do not own an antenna analyOer. I used the digital waterall view in

Ham "adio /elue to com%are the receiving %attern between this

antenna) an inverted +) and a /i%ole. 7his antenna %erormed no

worse than the other two) and sometimes better :/e%ending on the

conditions;. !t best) this antenna has similar %erormance to my

home brew di%ole and inverted + that are elevated


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!ttachment 2

!ttachment


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!ttachment 4

!ttachment @


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!ttachment A

!ttachment ?


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!ttachment


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Cic 1,howing utlet -o and connection rom the coa center %in to the antenna


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Cic 2,howing the grounding and radial system :beore I buried it;

Cic


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Cic 4, howing antenna section connection with sheet metal screw


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10-40 Meter "Monkey" Multi Band Vertical

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