All of these antennas are fed with 450 ohm ladder line connected to a 4:1 current balun.

I already have found a place for a multiband inverted vee, an 80-10 meter doublet, and an 80 meter loop antenna. This is a perfect environment for antenna experimentation. Fortunately, our property is surrounded by a semi-tropical forest of ohia, hale koa, and norfolk pine trees which range from 20 to 60 feet/6.09 to 18.29 meters high. There would also be plenty of time to search for new antenna locations once the building chores got done. My xyl and I planned a brief visit to our new property in the Puna District to continue work on remodeling our permanent home. Such was the case last week Friday after the Laupahoehoe Community Public Charter School took its annual spring break. I approach my antenna 'adventures' with that sort of mindset, and I'm always on the lookout for intriguing antenna ideas that I can modify for my own use. Add to this mix a few simple transceiver kits or accessories and you have something that will be your faithful radio companion for many years. It's all part of a continuing educational experience that can last a lifetime. If the antenna doesn't meet your expectations, you can salvage most of your material and try again. Whether you make simple dipoles, inverted vees, loops, or even directional vertical arrays, the satisfaction of having built something that links you to your fellow amateurs around the world is beyond compare. Your nearest hardware store or home improvement outlet is chocked full of wire, connectors, pvc pipe, copper tubing, and basic tools to launch your antenna building efforts. Building wire antennas is one of the few amateur radio activities that remains fairly inexpensive.

Ham radio antenna patch panel