I think for the first antenna at the house I'm going to go with the G0FAH/ZS6BKW variant of the G5RV multi-band dipole antenna.
It's a simple antenna, a bit shorter than the G5RV with a slightly longer ladder feed line and from what I've read online about it, has pretty decent SWR in most of the ham bands I want to operate in.
Shopping list:
- 15 meters (~45 feet) ladder line
- 33 meters (~100 feet) antenna wire
- Ladder/antenna connection/support like Ladder-Loc
- Insulators
- Coax to run from the antenna to the radio
- A balun (maybe)
- Rope
I can either make one myself, which doesn't look all that difficult, or get an already made one. Total cost ends up being about the same either way.
Still need to figure out how to put it up. There are some trees hanging over the ditch next to the house that have some sturdy looking branches that look like promising antenna supports.
There are a few constraints I have for getting the antenna up high: anything I use has to fit in the car and there's a limit to the height I can reach easily. The power lines running behind the house also limits where I can put the antenna and supports. Maybe I can get some of the club members to come out and help me figure something out.
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