Before I ever had any knowledge about the contents of this article, I knew one simple thing. I knew I couldn't hear anything without ears. In understanding that, I was able to piece together the fact that the antenna was the ear. As long as you can comprehend that, you won't get lost in this article. Which is about setting up an affordable antenna at your home for a wide range of uses.

Antenna

KMR 400 Coax Cable

Grounding Rod

Grounding Connector

Antenna Switch

Proxicast Tape

Adapters

 

Because this topic can get wildly out of hand, I am not going into all the different options that are available to you. I will simply stick to what I know & have been using successfully for the last year. Noteworthy is the fact that I have not had to re-buy anything in that year. Which is tremendous. Sometimes when you're new to a hobby you mistakenly purchase equipment that either doesn't serve you or only serves you for a short time. The affordable antenna array I have is the 1st antenna array I purchased, and it has done me well for the last year. Amazing. Spectacular. Rarely do I get that lucky. 

Before I dive off into the technicalities of what exactly it is I have set up. I would like to first speak about what I have accomplished with this humble setup. 

SDR	RADIO
SDR Trunk: Actively de-trunking local EMS, Police, & Fire Dispatchers	2 Meter (VHF) Single Side Band (SSB) contacts up to 300mi
SDR Scanning: Surfing the RF waves with SDR++ i.e. listening to local construction workers	HF Digital Modes (worldwide)
WEFAX: Using FLDIGI and an SDR Dongle I have engaged in Weather Fax decoding	HF voice intercontinental
ADSB: Tracking various aircraft that are within the area above my house	Standard local repeater communications
TESTING: I have used SDR++ to test equipment for functionality & on one particular occasion was able to determine that my Yaesu 857D was out of alignment. (Yaesu charged me handsomely to get that fixed :/ )	GMRS, FRS, & MURS  Automated Packet Reporting System (APRS) transmitting
APRS: Using direwolf and SDRs I have been able to decode APRS transmissions and use my home as an iGate.	Slow Scan Television (SSTV) Image Transferring

 

Now, some of you may know what all this stuff means. Others may feel beyond lost at this point. Fear not. When I first purchased this antenna set up about a year and a half ago, I didn't know what 90% of the list above meant either. I just knew I needed a capable ear in the sky. 

Antennas are black magic f*ckery. I am always learning more about how they work. But, for the purposes of this article we are going to measure an antenna by two simple factors. 1, Standing Wave Ratio & 2, Receiving Range. 

 

Let's address the first...

Imagine transmitting radio frequencies as similar to controlling the flow of water through hoses. Just like with water hoses, we aim for an optimal balance between the width of the hose and the pressure of the water. When the hose's diameter matches the water pressure, we achieve a steady, efficient flow.

Consider firemen using larger hoses for higher water pressures, ensuring they can handle the force without any issues. Conversely, residential garden hoses have smaller diameters because they typically deal with lower pressures.

Now, picture what would happen if there were a mismatch between the hose size and water pressure. If you were to connect a fire hose to a standard house spigot, the result would be underwhelming – the pressure would be too low to utilize the hose effectively. On the other hand, connecting a small garden hose to a high-pressure fire hydrant would create a dangerous situation, potentially causing damage or injury due to the mismatch in pressure and capacity.

In much the same way, our antennas throughput has to match the radios output. The results of this mismatch get more drastic as the power of the radio increases or as the SWR gets less optimal. So, what is optimal?

In radio frequency engineering, a perfect impedance match, where the impedance of the transmission line matches that of the antenna and the load, results in an SWR of 1:1. However, achieving a perfect match is often difficult in practice.

In practical terms, an SWR of 1.5:1 or lower is generally considered acceptable for most applications. This indicates that the impedance mismatch is relatively minor and won't cause significant reflections or loss of power. SWR values between 1.5:1 and 2:1 are usually considered manageable but may result in some loss of efficiency and performance. SWR values higher than 2:1 indicate a more significant impedance mismatch and can lead to increased power loss, decreased efficiency, and potential damage to equipment in extreme cases.

Ultimately, the acceptable SWR depends on the specific requirements of the RF system and the sensitivity of the equipment involved. It is not recommended to run equipment on an antenna system that is any worse than 2:1. And, I am pretty sure I have torched a few radios transmitting on stuff that wasn't optimally matched. 

SWR is either established by the tuning (length) of the antenna, OR an antenna tuner. An antenna tuner acts as a go-between the radio & the antenna and runs a series of resistors/capacitors until it gets an optimal impedance match. Tuners such as the LDG 100A (what I use) do a great job at this but they are usually only used for HF. It is uncommon to use a tuner for VHF/UHF operations. For that we mostly rely on a good solid tuned antenna. 

The concept of receiving range remains somewhat of a puzzle to me. Technically, a simple piece of wire can intercept signals across the RF spectrum. However, there are nuances in efficiency that determine a wire's suitability for certain frequency ranges over others. Without delving deeper into the technicalities, it's essential to consider this aspect when selecting an antenna for your QTH.

Ideally, you'd want an antenna with a broad capability across different frequency bands. Why? Let's take receiving ADSB (aircraft tracking) signals, for example. These signals typically operate between 978MHz and 1080MHz, while local repeater operations are commonly found in the UHF/440MHz or VHF/144MHz range. HF encompasses frequencies below 30MHz.

A high-quality wideband antenna enables you to receive signals ranging from HF/CB Radio all the way up to ADSB. In practical terms, this means you could pick up signals from the 10 Meter Band to the ISM Band, spanning from 20MHz to 900+MHz.

Alternatively, you could opt for separate antennas for each frequency band you wish to receive. However, this approach entails mounting multiple antennas on your roof, running coaxial cables from each to the radio room, and ensuring proper grounding for each antenna to mitigate potential electrical hazards. It's a meticulous process, but it's crucial for preventing God's 12v from wreaking havoc on your radio equipment.

See this flow chart below for a 30,000' view of what the system would look like from a connection standpoint. 

So, let's talk TRAM 1411. This antenna is a winner, especially for SDR freaks like me. It's been my go-to for just about everything, except those super low HF frequencies. But for everything else, it's been a champ across all my radios, SDR or not. Currently, it's hooked up to a bunch of SDR Dongles and my trusty ICOM IC-706MK2G on my desk. Occasionally, it will get hooked up to my Uniden Bearcat Scanner. 

I've used this antenna for all sorts of things – 2M SSB nets, hitting repeaters, tuning into NOAA weather broadcasts, and even dabbling in FT8 on 10m digital modes.

Now, I've got it mounted up on the eave of my roof, connected with some KMR 400 Coax. Sure, you could get away with using RG-58 for SDR reception only, but if you ever plan on transmitting, you'll want that KMR 400. Otherwise, you'll be dealing with a ton of signal loss, and your antenna might as well be a paperweight. Take it from me, I learned that lesson the hard way during one sweltering July attic adventure.

SUMMARY

This set up is "goated in the sauce" and covers such a wide scope of the band that I am not sure I'll ever be taking it off of my roof. Hopefully I can sell my house to a radio guy who can appreciate it. Of course, we didn't get a chance to talk about my HF set up. That is for another time. I'll be covering it right here in this blog so be sure to stay tuned. 

If you have questions, don't hesitate to reach out!

- Jake

@gridbasedotnet