160 Meter Antenna Designs and Projects
Resources for building and optimizing 160M transmitting and receiving antennas, including vertical, loop, and array configurations.
Operating on the 160-meter band, often called Top Band, presents unique challenges and rewards for ham radio operators. The long wavelengths require substantial antennas, whether for local QSOs or working DX. Many hams enjoy the quiet, often atmospheric-rich conditions found on 160 meters, especially during winter nights. Building and optimizing antennas for this band is a core part of the amateur radio experience, pushing operators to innovate with available space and materials.
This category provides numerous antenna projects and design ideas specifically for 160 meters. Operators can find plans for large horizontal loops, like the SkyWire, and various vertical antennas, often requiring extensive ground systems. There are also designs for specialized receiving arrays, such as the K7TJR Array or the Hex-Shaped Receiving Loop, which are crucial for hearing weak DX signals through noise. Even hams with small gardens can find practical solutions for getting on 160 meters, including compact wire antennas and mobile aerials.
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A Wire resonant loop antenna for 160 meters band article by N4KC -
The page provides detailed plans and pictures of 80m and 160m antennas for both transmission and reception, emphasizing the importance of antenna farm on low bands. It discusses the differences between TX and RX antennas, the significance of signal-to-noise ratio, and the benefits of directional antennae. The author shares personal experiences and recommendations for successful operation on low bands. -
This document by W4HM explains the construction and usage of a 160 meter balanced coaxial receiving loop antenna, which can be easily adapted for the 40 and 80 meters bands. The content provides detailed instructions on building the antenna, its advantages, and how to optimize its performance for amateur radio operations. It is a valuable resource for radio amateurs looking to improve their receiving capabilities and enhance their overall radio communication experience. -
Based on a W4TWW project and modified by KN4LF -
KC22TX receiving loop antenna for 160 meter band -
G8ODE 160 m Top Band Inverted L Antenna made of 33m horizontal wire in the garden -
Pictures of the 160 meters dipole antenna at W5JGV -
The antenna is a 10 - 160 meter horizontal loop fed with 450 ohm ladder line all the way into the ham shack to an Palstar AT1500BAL balanced line antenna tuner -
The total length of the inverted L is 240 feet, which is 7/16th of a wave length long. It has a 92 foot horizontal linear load section 1 foot above ground that terminates into a home-brewed parallel network tuner by KN4LF -
160 meter linear loaded voltage fed T antenna -
VE7CA experiments on 160 meters band antennas, looking for better performances on reception. -
N6RK receive only loop antenna -
The page provides a detailed guide on building a successful 160 Meter short TX loop antenna, with specific dimensions and tuning instructions. It includes information on the design, construction, and tuning of the antenna, as well as the materials required. The intended audience is amateur radio operators looking to build an effective antenna for the 160 Meter band. -
KD0SO receiving loop for 160 meters -
160 meter tx antenna array -
Bill Orr W6SAI ham radio techniques. Improving ground connection, computer analysis of the antenna, modelling sample antennas pdf file -
Coaxial receiving loop antennas for 160m and 80m bands, ideal for reducing noise. -
The page provides detailed information about the construction of a full-size 160M 3 element beam antenna and an 80M 5 element beam antenna on a 330ft tower. It includes specifics about the tower height, types of antennas, elements, gain, take off angles, front-to-back ratio, operating frequencies, weight, and dimensions of the beams. The content is aimed at amateur radio operators interested in building high-performance antennas for the 160M and 80M bands. This Antenna is now been destroyed and is no more operational. -
G7LRR aerials's that work in small Garden of 20ft x 15ft with a 60ft mast -
Small & practical DIY inverted U antenna. This design worked very well during the 2017 CQWW 160M SSB contest. -
M0VEY 160 m DX mobile antenna -
A full size delta loop antenna for top band by PA3FUN -
A 160 meter antenna with a base loading coil used to tune the two lower frequency segments of the band. -
This is a very small vertical 160m antenna that fits in the loft of even my small house. It was built as a way of getting a signal out on 160m for local AM contacts, but the local noise level was far too high to allow it to be used at night for this purpose. However, on WSPR it did a pretty good job with WSPR spots from a very long way across Europe being received when running 2.5W out. -
A vertical antenna for the top band, made with a 26m fiberglass spiderpole by DJ0IP -
Article by N6LF on a top band vertical antenna array system -
Improve your 80 and 160 meter signal without a Yagi! -
Frame antenna for 80 and 160 meters band -
An cheap, easy to construct and not too visible antenna for the low bands -
This 80/160 meter antenna is constructed from six 12 foot aluminum tubes to form a slip-up mast antenna some 60 feet high by K0RWU -
If you have a small lot and want on 160 meters this is our version of the antenna by K5CBL Troy -
The article provides detailed instructions on how to build a half-sloper antenna for the 160 meters band. It explains the concept of a sloper antenna and how it differs from a slooper. The article includes practical tips on the construction and installation of the antenna to ensure optimal performance. The intended audience is amateur radio operators interested in building their own antenna for the 160 meters band. The content is informative, practical, and focused on DIY antenna building. -
The Shunt-fed Tower, an effective Low Band Antenna, uses your beam as a capacitive top-hat and only needs a simple feed network and a good ground system to work DX on 80M and 160M. -
A potpourri of 160-Meter vertical antennas and modeling issues, inverted-L, 3-element parasitic array, 1/4-wavelength monopole -
140 feet of insulated wire, the first half of which (70 feet) is space wound on an insulated tube. -
A half sloper antenna for 160 meter band Italian translation of a WD8DSB article appeared in a QST issue during 1998. This article presents a **Reduced-Size Half Sloper Antenna for 160 Meters**, designed for amateur radio operators with limited space. By utilizing a 40-foot tower or a tree, you can build an efficient antenna that slopes down, achieving a 2:1 SWR bandwidth of 120 kHz. This innovative design allows for effective communication on the "Top Band," making it ideal for winter DXing. -
Low noise, receive only coax loop antennas for 160 - 10 meters HF bands -
Extend your inverted-L antenna to cover the 160m band effectively. -
Balcomy antenna modification to cover top bands, by Harry Lythall SM0VPO -
If you want an antenna resonoant on the 160 meters band this is a possible solution, but of course, need space. -
K0EMT 160 meters sloper antenna -
An easy to build single wire antenna for 160 and 80 meters with a better than 2 to 1 swr across the 80 meter band by K5GP -
The Bruce array is a simple, often-forgotten wire antenna array that is advantageous for 80 and 160 meters, where typical gain antennas are very large. This bi-directional broadside vertical array is only 1\4 lambda high and does not require a ground system. It offers substantially greater SWR bandwidth than the half-square or bobtail curtain. A 4-element Bruce array used by N6LF showed a gain of about 4.6 dB compared to a 1\4 lambda vertical with 8 elevated radials, with a 2:1 SWR bandwidth greater than 400 kHz. The antenna is simple and its dimensions are flexible. -
This page describes the loading coil (inductor) that W8WWV built for my center-loaded 160 meter band (1.83 MHz) vertical antenna. -
This double extended Zepp provides 3 db gain over a dipole on the band it is designed for. Each side or leg is about 5/8 wavelength long. -
The page describes a Double-L antenna for 80 and 160 meters bands, designed by Don Toman, K2KQ, with a simple, effective, and ground system-free design. The antenna is a center-fed half-wave vertical with horizontal top and bottom sections, providing good performance without the need for an elaborate ground system. -
160m Is it a sloper? or tower drive? -
EH antenna for 160 mt: my experiment and comparison with a short vertical. with full details on construction procedure and testing. -
The Powerpoint presentation below was given by Fred Hopengarten, K1VR, at the 1998 Dayton Hamvention Antenna Forum -
This simple antenna is capable of remarkable results on 160, 80 and 40 metres. Forming a triangle from around 50 feet of satellite TV coaxial cable, the top of the triangle can be as low as 15 feet, and the lower side just high enough to prevent a passer by hanging themselves -
G7LRR Amateur Radio Site,160m Helical Antenna -
My Sloopers antennas for 80 and 160 meters -
KN4LF article about a 1/4 wave fan inverted L antenna for 80 and 160 meters band -
An inverted U wire antenna for 200 meters and down -
Article by DK5WL describes a multi-band DX antenna for the 160m-40m amateur radio bands with low visibility but great performance for long distance communication. -
A really simple receiving antenna for 80 and 160 meter dxing by WA2WVL -
This compact 160m antenna is a half-wave dipole with a vertical section. It requires no radials and has worked well for me. -
This is a vertically and horizontally polarized antenna the Linear loaded 1/4 wave length vertical radiator introduces very little loss for 80 or 160 meters -
How do you fit a full length 160 meter antenna into a 40 foot deep yard? -
An article on TX and RX antennae for the low bands 80 and 160m by EI7BA -
Pictures and calculated values for this home made magnetic loop antenna for the 160 meters band by HB9MTN -
A monster magnetic loop antenna for 160 meters band. This Magnetic loop is optimized for 1840 Khz + 50 Khz. PDF Article published on La Radiospecola 10.22 -
A 100Ft wire antenna for the top meter band -
A multiband 20/40/75/160 trap dipole antenna plan by KG0WX -
K9AY loop antenna installed at PA6Z Contest group. This is a receiving antennas for the low bands (160m, 80m and 40m). Include schematics and info on a building the control box, preamplifier and low-pass filter -
Flag antenna project for 160 meters band -
How to build a roofspace antennas and get them to work. Explains how to build an effective antenna in your roof. Very interesting if you don't have possibilities to setup an antenna in your roof. -
A DIY project detailing a 160m/80m band splitter and switch for K9AY receive antennas, designed to enhance SO2R operations and provide RF isolation -
A quick vertical for 160 meters portable use -
A switchable antenna for 80/160 meters by IK1ZOY. A new version of a 1/4L 80 m. dipole modified for use in 160 m. band. using it's own coaxial cable feeder to wrap a coil. -
160m T Antenna broadcast design by Guglielmo Marconi has been built and is used by Jim NN4AA on 160m. Article by G7LRR -
This antenna is designed for stations having a difficult time putting a decent signal on 160M from small or CC&R d lots. It is a 24.5 ft. vertical antenna, made from three 10 ft. PVC sections bolted together, and half wavelength of antenna wire helically wound around the PVC sections. -
3 Band vertical Marconi-antenna for the bands 40, 80, 160 meters with a ground net of wires as radials. -
A folded wire antenna for 160 meters as appeared on 73 amateur radio magazine june 1997 -
Anyone attempting to work DX on Top-Band 160 Meters, soon learns of the need for a good receiving antenna. This is a 160 meter 8 element receiving array. -
A complete site for anyone wanting to use kites or balloons for supporting Top Band antenna systems. -
A compact antenna contender for 160 meters. -
Details the integration of a 160-meter vertical antenna with an 80-meter Yagi, covering setup, troubleshooting, and maintenance for Top Band operation. -
Operating on 160 meters from a city lot is always a challenge. Here's how K9YC does it. -
Sharing information on Topband Homebrew Antennas, Base & Mobile -
Build a space efficient trapped dipole antenna for 40-80-160 meter bands using RG-58 and PVC pipe. The document provides a brief guide on building a compact dipole antenna appropriate for the 40, 80, and 160-meter amateur radio bands. It explains the materials, building processes, and tuning methods required to provide best performance while preserving space. The paper also discusses theoretical elements of dipole antennas, such as impedance matching and feedline selection. -
A 220-ft tower that has five catenary lines, each about 500 feet long. Four of these lines, running NE, SE, SW, and NW support four 1/4-wavelength wire verticals used in a 160-meter four-square antenna. -
A compact antenna for 160 meters, suitable for hams tha want operate top band buh have a limited space -
This high antenna require a large ground composed by 40 radials. It's not very handy expecially in windy situations but is very powerfull in pile-ups. In italian -
The basic antenna is a vertical monopole, using elevated radials to complete the ground plane by k5oe -
K1JJ shares practical insights and condensed opinions on vertical radial ground systems for 160m antennas, covering design, installation, and performance. -
90 foot tall top loaded vertical for 160 meters -
Notes on building a basic wire vertical or horizontal antenna for 160 meters band by L. B. Cebik, W4RNL -
The WT0G crazy W dipole, a solution for 160 meter operations -
The quarter-wave Marconi working against ground is a popular and inexpensive antenna for 160 meters. A lot of newcomers to the band favor this simple antenna because it's easy to put up, it isn't too big, and it works. -
The 160 meter ground plane is constructed from #10 stranded insulated wire available in most hardware stores. The feedpoints / tiepoints use PVC pipe T-sections Article by W1TR -
How to turn a G5RV antenna into a 160 meter band antenna with easy to find parts. A G5RV adapter for tob band by Thomas AD1B -
A dual band vertical antenna for 160 and 80 meters band, on a 18m spiderbeam fiberglass pole. This vertical is a good compromise when you want good performance on these two low ham bands and don't have the space to install two seperate antennas. -
Learn how to build a portable receiving antenna for the 160 meter band. This guide provides detailed instructions on constructing a loop antenna using a coaxial cable RG-316 with SMA connectors. The antenna weighs 1.7 kg and has dimensions of 2m in height and 1.892m in width. The wooden frame consists of four 0.945m long pieces and two 1m long pieces. Perfect for hams looking to enhance their 160m band reception during travel or portable operations. -
Planning and modeling a special L antenna for Top Band -
An FCP is not magic. It has no gain. An FCP improves an antenna system by replacing more loss with less loss. Some have been able to erect better wires in the air because the small size of the FCP allowed better placement of the antenna. -
WB5NHL describes setting up a 160-meter antenna on a small suburban lot, where standard options like Beverage antennas and 1/4 wavelength verticals require extensive space and ground systems. Instead, Guy Olinger's Folded Counterpoise (FCP) provides a solution. The FCP minimizes ground losses by using a folded wire design, allowing effective antenna placement in limited space. The FCP, fed with an isolation transformer, enabled WB5NHL's first 160-meter antenna installation, offering improved performance despite space constraints. -
This 160 meter Delta Loop antenna is made of Hard drawn copper wire AWG 10, the two upper side are 148.5 foot each base wire is 240.9 foot, the feed point at 30.69 foot to one corner, feed with 450 Homs balanced line to an antenna tuner on the ground, then with 50 homs coax to the shack. -
An essential kite antenna plan for the top band, Antenna has been tested at half wave and quarter wave. -
The Shoddytenna is a 160 meters band vertical antenna intended for portable use. This antenna takes just 15 minutes to erect on site, can be carried by hand and is ideal for local groundwave work. -
Spitfire Collinear Arrays for 160 meters band at UA2FW -
A conversion of a 80m dipole into a 160m vertical antenna -
22 Different Wire Antennas for the 160 Meter Band, Random Length Radiator Wire, delta loop, loop antennas, off-centered antennas, sloper, dipoles, Z antenna, Zepp and Clothesline Antennas -
Building an 80-160 meter antenna in a small garden (9m x 14m) involves creative solutions due to space constraints. This project outlines the construction of a trapped 80-160 meter vertical dipole, utilizing a crank-up tower and an 11-meter fiberglass pole. The design prioritizes minimal visibility, ease of construction, and cost-effectiveness, achieving effective operation despite limited space. -
80m Inverted-L Antenna, Base-loaded for 160m antenna. This antenna is not a good DX antenna however within small garden where true DX antennas would be impossible it has performed very well. -
This antenna looks like an inverted L antenna, yet it is not, it could also be viewed as a 160m off-center fed dipole antenna, it looks more like an end-fed 1/4 wave 160 meter antenna. -
An easy to build single wire antenna for 160 and 80 meters with a better than 2 to 1 swr across the 80 meter band -
Modeling compact 160 meter antennas, inverted L, half wave dipoles and linearly loaded dipole -
A workign example of a simple half-sized, end fed halfwave for 160 meter band by N0LX -
Experimentin wire antennas on top band using several type of aerials. This includes a 40 to 160 meters EndFed Half Wave kite antennas and 160m/80m loaded vertical antenna. -
The article by Guy Olinger, K2AV, published in the May/June 2012 National Contest Journal, introduces the Folded Counterpoise (FCP), a compact 516-foot single-wire counterpoise elevated at 8 feet, designed for 160-meter operations on small lots like 100x150-foot backyards. Originating from efforts to revive Top Band for W0UCE on a postage-stamp property, the FCP uses strategic folds to cancel ground fields within 33 feet of center, minimizing losses to 0.13-0.53 dB—outperforming sparse or on-ground radials by up to 15 dB in poor soil—while mimicking opposed radials for efficient feedpoint impedance. Paired with a critical 1:1 or 4:1 isolation transformer (e.g., trifilar on T300-2 toroid) to block common-mode currents on coax feeds, it delivers proven results: K2AV's #8 North America low-power contest score, 7+ dB gains at W4KAZ and K5AF, and over 10,000 global web hits for DIY instructions using bare 12 AWG wire and weatherproof enclosures. Ideal for acreage-challenged hams, the FCP also excels on 80 meters with scaled dimensions, offering a low-loss alternative where full radials are impractical -
A vertical antenna for 160 meters band based on the K6MM vertical with some enhancements and modifications on the main capacitance hat -
After a storm damaged the antenna, W6AER replaced it with a pre-made capacitance hat from DX Engineering. Using hose clamps and conductive grease, he ensured durability. Experimenting with radials and a coil, he aimed for better performance and resilience. -
Experiments with Balloon and Kite Lifted Antennas bby G4VGO -
This antenna is designed for 40, 80 and 160 meters to complement a tri-band beam normally taken on DX peditions for 10, 15 and 20 meters, so six bands can be worked with only two antennas. -
This article details an Inverted-L antenna design optimized for 160-meter band operation, consisting of a 10m vertical section and a 28m horizontal section supported by Spiderpoles. Despite its relatively low height compared to the wavelength, the antenna has demonstrated impressive DX capabilities, achieving contacts up to 3,453 miles into Asiatic Russia. The system incorporates a Pi-Network ATU at the base for tuning flexibility. While modeling shows a radiation pattern favoring the South, practical operation indicates effective all-round coverage on Top Band. -
A review of all possible receiving antennas for top band 160 meters -
A shortened 160 meters band antenna for hams who do not have 260 ft of space, based on a open-wire-fed short dipoole -
A top band shortened vertical antenna project. This project includes drawing and MMANA-GAL output screens. -
SJ2W Contest Station, antenna for the 160 meter is a 39m vertical. This 160m antenna consist of 29m of WIBE tower sections with an insulated base and 10m top tube. -
Modeling small 160 meter antennas, with a focus on the vertical H antenna -
A 160 Metre Transmitting and Receiving Thin Wire Magnetic Loop Capable of DX. Designed and Patented by Ben Edginton G0CWT -
This article demonstrates how to convert an existing tower into a dual-band vertical antenna for 80- and 160-meter DX operation. Using EZNEC modeling and practical design principles, the authors achieved a low-profile, efficient setup with a single coax feed line, no moving parts, and optimal radiation patterns. The system integrates an 80-meter vertical wire and a 160-meter shunt-fed gamma match for simultaneous operation. Detailed construction insights, including feed system and capacitor configurations, offer a reliable, full-legal-power solution. -
Article from 73 Amateur Radio Today about experimenting on ferrite loops transmitting loop antennas for 80 and 160 meters bands.