Build a Dipole Antenna Center Insulator - Ham Radio Q&A

The dipole is a common antenna for the amateur radio operator; and with good reason- dipoles are easy to build and are proven performers. Recently I wanted to build a dipole but didn't have a center insulator. Instead of paying $25-45 and waiting days for delivery‚ I decided to build my own for about $12 using common parts (with the exception of the SO-239) and tools available at your local home improvement store.

Parts List:
1 - ¾ x ¾ x 1 inch PVC Tee connector
2 - ¾ inch PVC plugs
1 - 1 inch PVC plug
3 - 3/16 x 1 ½ inch eye bolts
3 - Number 10 washers
3 - 10 x 24 nylon lock nuts
Rosin core solder and flux
14ga stranded insulated wire

Colophon:

#dipole #Antenna #HamRadio

[johnedwinsnyder]

I like your straight-to-the-point approach of describing/ showing each step. No rambling. No fluff. Just an efficient how-to video. Thanks!

[Logrythmic.C]

My man only blinked twice during the entirety of the video. There is a great chance that you are a Staring Competition World Champion in an Alternative Reality. Thanks for the video. Really helpful by the way.

[apoliux]

hey Michael!! im a brand new ham radio licensed past november 2022 (XE2AKL) here in san luis potosi mexio, and your video was the most easy of all!! thank you for your time and I am already your fan as soon as i get this done i ll send you a pic

[JosephAnthonyJosefius]

I became a Ham almost 3 months ago, my first homebrew antenna was a 20 meter centerfed dipole similar to yours but the PVC was just a short tube, it's still in use and I make great contacts with it. 20 meters is my favorite band, I'm going to add two more legs and use spacers for 40 meters soon. 73! KI5JCO

[oobihdahboobeeboppah]

Great idea. I strongly recommend the use of stainless steel over the cheaper zinc plated junk so common at the big box stores. Even though zinc is often considered for outdoor uses, it also rusts quite happily and well after awhile. The rust will add impedance at those points as well as fostering corrosion on conductors. I built this exact same thing many years ago in my Jurassic period using zinc plated eye bolts, which is how I began a journey to the dark side only to be saved by stainless steel.

[MrTimowens]

I use a 40m/20m fan dipole and 100 watts and have worked the world in the last 12 months.

[johnpentony]

This I've been looking for. Others don't really explain this part

[johnmanz]

I would recommend using a bulkhead connector with a square mounting flange; so that it can be mounted outside on the pvc end cap allowing the full length of thread on the so-239 connector to be available for the pl-259 to properly seat. The one wire would solder to the center connector of the so-239 and the other wire would attach to one of the small mounting screws for the so-239 bulkhead connector.

[andreVEBK]

I built on of those in the mid 80's... still have it. Worked well

[michaelcalhoun]

Michael, I just used this design to make a 10m dipole this morning. I used it for a POTA activation this afternoon and made DX contacts in Spain, France & PR, as well as several in the US. Simple easy center insulator, excellent instructions. Thanks for your help.

[cheezstke]

I made a dipole antenna for the CB Band back in around 2008. I used a triple female coax T connector for the center part. I used two PL-259 connectors to attach the dipole wires to it. One connector used the center pin and the other connector used the shield hole. It worked pretty good and I got a good match after trimming down the wires. I took a nylon coated clothes line and taped the dipole to it and used the clothes line to stretch it out and tie it off to the fence clothes line poles in the back yard. I taped the lenght of the feed coax from the center connector going down to the ground to a clothes prop and hooked the prop to the clothes line at the center to support the antenna. I called it an invisible dipole because it looked like I just had a clothes line and clothes prop stretched out across the yard.

[paulshaffer]

I have made a few of these. I made some with multiple antennas hooked to the same center. They worked great. I spread out the different antennas on different lines. One was for the bottom of 10, 15, and 20 . One was for top of 10, 12, and 17 meters. KG7IRJ Ohio.

[bshupejr]

This is a great video! You brilliantly demonstrate why sometimes its simply better to buy something from someone than to make it yourself. With all your parts costs, tools and time, you spent about 5x the cost of just buying one online.

[nazmi]

Thanks Mike! I think you've made the most detailed and easy to follow video I've been able to find on the internet for how to make a center insulator. I'm working on a fan dipole and I was struggling with picking the right hardware and assembling the insulator. Your video helped tons!

[garyrushing]

Great video! Easy for folks to follow. I typically build my own 20m center-fed dipoles. I run one in my attic and the 2nd is used for deployment in the field when playing ham radio. 73, KB5AEB

[jcduplessis]

So why would this video get voted down??? Free information, well presented, thorough, clear and concise. Very good sound and video quality with clear Some people just can't be pleased. Sad. Thank you for your effort anyway sir.

[rodneyjohnson]

having the parts list and picture up front is useful. you're very organised!

[davidfsnyder]

Good explanation. I modified the structural parts a little based on what I had available but it's just what I need and cheaper than ordering the part on its own. Great explanation, you're a good teacher. Very clear instructions, great angles for seeing how you did it. Nice and simple.

[SteveH-TN]

Appreciate your detailed explanation it’s time to replace my current dipole antenna. My current center insulator has been in use for 20 years. 73 de AA4SH

[larrybomber]

Good project. I knew I was making this part way to complicated. I knew there was an easier way.