80 Meter Squirt PLUS

A Reduced Size Dipole Antenna and Tuner

GENERAL INFO:
     They say necessity is the mother of invention, and N2CX does it again. Joe wanted to operate 80m PSK with the prototype Warbler transceivers during our beta testing over the summer, but the lots size at his home is somewhat restrictive.  Therefore, Joe worked up this design and packaging to produce a reduced-size 80m dipole that will fit his needs, and probably the needs of many others too!
       The Squirt is a handy lightweight antenna for 80-meter operation in limited space. Designed to be built with minimal tools by those with a few basic skills, its construction should take no longer than an afternoon. The end result is a compact dipole that will give a good account of itself while requiring only a small yard to erect and only a single high support. The Squirt was conceived as a companion to the PSK-80 "Warbler" PSK31 transceiver designed by Dave Benson, NN1G and sold by the NJQRP Club. But it is also a general-purpose 80-meter antenna that need not be dedicated to only PSK31 use. Although the Squirt tuner can probably only handle 10-15 watts due to its small tuning capacitor, the antenna itself is capable of operating with transmitters up to 50 watts or so.
     This project is a homebrewer's delight. Not being satisfied to just make a plain ol' dipole, N2CX went yet another mile to create a simple built-in tuner that would allow this shortened dipole to be useful and efficient on 80m. It tunes 80 meters only with the included tuner. Plus, with a separate wide range tuner such as a Z-match or other balanced tuner you can use it on any of the HF bands. And in classic "Gusher" tradition, antenna guru N2CX also provides detailed and step-by-step instructions on how to finish the raw materials to produce the center insulator, the feedline connector, and the tuner frame. 
PARTS LIST
2 –
33-34 foot lengths of wire for the dipole legs
1 -
45 foot length of 300 ohm twinlead
1 -
5 inch length of #18 ga. wire for feedline connector
1 –
assortment of glass-epoxy pc board material for insulators, etc.
1 -
200 pf mica trimmer capacitor
1 –
T68-2 toroid core
1 -
55 inch length of 26 or 28 ga magnet wire
1 -
6 inch length of solid hookup wire
1 -
4 inch nylon tie
1 -
red 5-way binding post
1 –
black 5-way binding post
1 –
chassis-mount BNC receptacle
1 - comprehensive assembly and reference manual ... an N2CX trademark!

THE SQUIRT ANTENNA KIT IS NOW RETIRED! 
Sorry, we've stopped "production" and no more orders can be filled.  Thanks for the great response from everyone for this kit, as over several hundred of these antennas are now out there squirting 80m RF waves into the atmosphere. 
A full technical article describing this project is called "80 Meter Alchemy" in QRP Homebrewer #4.  In N2CX-characteristic fashion, the QHB article is absolutely top-notch and filled with all sorts of additional background and reference material.

 

 

Last Modified:  June 8, 2001