Chapter 4: Antennas #

An antenna is where electrical signals become radio waves and back again — the part of your station that actually does the broadcasting and receiving. Everything else is plumbing.

It’s also the part of your station you have the most control over. A better antenna is usually cheaper than a better radio and makes a bigger difference, which is why hams accumulate them. This chapter covers the essentials: how antennas work, the common types, feed lines and connectors, and what SWR is telling you. Antenna theory goes as deep as you want to go — we’ll stick to what’s useful at the Tech level.