HF ZS6BKW Multi Band Antenna

ZS6BKW (aka G0GSF), similar to the G5RV, but it actually resonates on 6 bands, and doesn’t rely on a tuner (ATU) to make it work. The design appeared in TT (RadCom) It’s only 90 ft long (28.40 metres), with a 40 ft (12.2 m) down lead.So, it’s a cousin to the G5RV (which only resonates on 14 & 24 MHz), but better as it needs no ATU on 40, 20, 17, 12, 10 and 6 metres.Any length of 50-Ohm coax to shack. SO 239.

Are you a fan of the G5RV antenna?  Then you may be interested in the ZS6BKW antenna.  The ZS6BKW antenna is an optimized variant of the venerable old G5RV.  The G5RV antenna (c. 1946) was designed by Louis Varney (G5RV, SK). The ZS6BKW (early 1980’s) was derived from the G5RV by Brian Austin (G0GSF, formerly ZS6BKW).  He developed computer programs that were used in conjunction with Smith charts to calculate the optimum dimensions for his variant of the antenna.  Read G0GSF’s own article about the antenna.

Construction of the ZS6BKW antenna is essentially the same as the G5RV except for the lengths of the radiators and matching section ladder line.  The original G5RV “flat-top version” had a 102′ (31.1 m) horizontal span with a 34′ length of matching ladder line. The wire elements are 14.20 meters long for a total element length of 28.40 meters and the vertical 450 Ohm ladder line is 11.91 meters long.

Power input 1.0 Kw

3.38 MHz (80m) tunes with  external ATU

7.00 MHz (40 m) 1:1 40

10.1 MHz (30 m) high high needs atu

14.06 MHz (20 m) 1:1 40

17.85 MHz (17 m) 1:1 50

18MHz band 1.3:1

21.00 MHz (15m) high high needs atu

24.69 MHz (12 m) 2:1 100

28.62 MHz (10 m) 1.3:1 60