Ham Radio V-Dipole / Tripod Antenna System

Possible Antenna Conifgurations:

1. Tripod based vertical antenna (perfect start for a POTA Performer)

2. Tripod based dipole 6-20M

3. Raised dipole 6-20M (using a standard painters pole)

The raised dipole uses a standard painters pole and the handle from a paint roller, along with a few u-bolts and 3D printed parts. Just use the 40mm wide u-bolts to attach the paint roller handle (with the metal roller bar cut off) to the bottom of the 3D printed dipole "V" (threaded end down), and then attach the 3/8 bolts and couplers to the each side of the V, using the smaller (20mm) u-bolts. Then cut off the PL259 (MALE) end of a 1 foot coax patch cable, make pigtails from the ground and positive parts of the coax, and connect those to each antenna coupler. The guy-rings are two prints of the same part, either bolted or zip-tied together, around the pole for guying. I love using the CamJam tensioners that make guying a breeze.

To mount the dipole on a tripod, thread the part labeled "tripod adater" onto the 3/8 stud that is typically found by disconnecting the ball joint part of the tripod. Add an ACME thread replacement tip to the part labeled "pvc-end-cap-1_5_stud", and then you can twist on the paint handle connected to the v-dipole. Then just place the end cap stud over the tripod adapter. I also recommend adding a weight bag to the tripod. This can literally be anything that ties to the tripod and adds weight to the base.

Below are some affiliate links to the parts, if you do not already have them lying around. The raised dipole is guyed for support, but you could also use one of those flag holders that you park on top of and avoid the stakes in the ground. Be aware, that if you keep the dipole closer to the car, tuning is a bit more challenging as the car itself will couple with the antenna when it is lowered to tune.

Notes:

The paint roller handle that is used to attach the v-dipole to the painters pole just needs the metal bracket (that holds the roller) sawed off. You then use the 20mm U-bolts to hold that to the V.

I combined some zip-ties under the roller handle clamps to take any strain off the coax cable.

The hole in the v-dipole bracket is big enough for a bulkhead mounted SO-239 adapter, but using the pigtail coax is easier.

I created two different vee-dipole brackets; one at 90 degrees and the other at 120 degrees between the two whips. I use the 90 degree angle version on the tripod in order to keep antenna tips up higher away from people and animals, 120 degree version on the raised pole solely for the better impedance match. But you could definitely stick to one or the other.

There are alot of different pole types, but as long as they are topped with the standard ACME threading, it should work. I bought the 18 foot version for myself, but there are other versions (23 and 30 foot), and I would love to hear if those work as well. The guy rings are split and required to be bolted together, but in a pinch I used zip ties, which worked just fine.

To get to 40 meters: I already had a Sporty 40 coil from Wolf River Coils, so I decided to buy a second coil to see if I could get this dipole to 40 meters. Unfortunately, the coils are too close and the cross-coupling makes a match too difficult. BUT, Wold River Coils sells a 4 foot antenna extension, used to center load coils, which is actually two 2-foot sections (labeled "24 inch extensions" on their order page). I place one of these sections on each end of the dipole, then the coil, then the antenna (shortened by 2 feet). This separated the coils enough, and I can now work 40 meters. Theoretically, you could combine any two matching coils and whips with this pseudo-center-loaded dipole configuration. You could also use alligator clips to attach an additional 5+ meters of wire onto the tip of each whip to create an elevated "M" for forty meters.

I successfully printed and used prints using PETG-CF, and ASA, and all of my infills are 50%.

2 20mm u-bolts with nuts and plates https://amzn.to/49KXVRq

2 40mm u-bolts with nuts and plates https://amzn.to/4qIQv8C

2 3/8-24 1.5" boltshttps://amzn.to/4jUoEQg

2 3/8-24 Nutshttps://amzn.to/3LT2AZw

2 3/8-24 couplershttps://amzn.to/3YPvBbF

2 17 foot whipshttps://amzn.to/4pRr03y

2 M10-3/8 Adaptershttps://amzn.to/4sZ8I3s

1 1-foot coax patach cablehttps://amzn.to/4rdmD49

1 4-18 foot telescoping painters polehttps://amzn.to/3LXGXaE

4 CamJam carabinershttps://amzn.to/4692jZo

Acme thread tip for tripod mounthttps://amzn.to/4sVcTwT

Paint Roller Handlehttps://amzn.to/45or2sq

My Tripodhttps://amzn.to/4k3OKAj

Under-wheel flag holdershttps://amzn.to/3Zdog61