ANTENTOP- 01- 2015 # 019

Universal Beverage Antenna

Igor Grigorov, va3znw, Richmond Hill, Canada

Beverage Antennas are widely used at commercial and military radio communication. In commercial communication Beverage Antenna as usual is used as a receiving antenna. However, in military communication Beverage Antenna is used for both purposes- for receiving and transmitting applications. Transmitting/receiving Beverage Antenna was used in DX- Pedition EK1NWB on to Kizhy island (the antenna described at: http://www.antentop.org/008/ua3znw008.htm)

where the antenna (against skepticism of some persons) illuminated its good job.

So when again in Toronto I have changed my QTH and the QTH allowed me install Beverage Antenna, I did not hesitated.

Beverage Antenna has lots advantages that attractive me. First, it is low noise receiving antenna. At all my previously settled QTHs I had so devastated noise level that 160 and 80 meter Bands were closed for me. Second, Beverage Antenna is lighting safety antenna because the antenna wire grounded from both sides and the antenna wire is placed at small height above the ground. Third, Beverage Antenna is sustained at strong winds and ice rain- it is very important for Canadian winter.

Forth, Beverage Antenna is (at proper installation) practically invisible. That is very important in the place where some antennas may be restricted. Fifth, Beverage Antenna is very broadband antenna. Without any ATU the antenna may have good SWR on all amateurs HF Bands from 160 to 6 meter. Sixth, Beverage Antenna has single lobe diagram directivity. It is possible count again and again the advantages of the Beverage Antenna.

But we begin count disadvantages. First and the main lack of the antenna is the low efficiency on to transmission. However, the lack may be easy improved with PA- but if you do not hear anything (usual matter in modern city overloaded by electromagnetic smog) you do not need PA...

Figure 1 shows a Classical Beverage Antenna. Beverage Antenna consists of a horizontal wire with length L. The length may be from one-half to tens wavelengths long. The wire suspended above the ground at height H. For real receiving antennas the height may be from 1.5 up to 5.0 meter. For military transmitting Beverage Antennas the height may be from 0.5 up to 1.5 meter.

Figure 1 Classical Beverage Antenna

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