This Quarter-Wave Vertical Is Secretly Half a Dipole (Part 1 of 2)

A quarter-wave vertical is secretly half a dipole, and in this one I take that idea slow and work through it out loud.

Part 1 of 2. In this video we build a quarter-wave wire vertical with radials and get into why it works, including the part where a quarter-wave standing up is really just half of a dipole. In Part 2, we take that same idea the rest of the way and build it out as a full half-wave dipole.

A heads-up on how I do these: I leave my thinking in. You'll hear me float an idea, drop it, and go "okay, let's do this instead." That's on purpose. I'd rather show you the why than hand you a clean how to that skips how I got there. If you're here for the concepts and not just the steps, you're in the right place.

Credit where it's due. None of this is really mine. It builds on Salty Walt's wire vertical over at @coastalwaveswires , and a @dxcommanderhq concept I've never shaken: "I didn't create it, I just made it better." To be clear, "better" is subjective. These are changes for my needs and my situation, not a verdict on anyone else's work. Walt and Callum are the reason this exists.
If you like understanding the why and not just the how, stick around, and I'd love to hear what you'd change for your own setup.

— Links & credit — Some of the links above are affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It helps support the channel and lets me keep making videos like this. I only link to gear I actually used or would use myself.

-Salty Walt / Coastal Waves and Wires: youtube.com/c/coastalwaveswires
-DX Commander: youtube.com/channel/UC6wLPPAzu7iPDMaUeHoVvJw
-73 QRZ - 73qrz.com

• Easy Antenna Mount - youtube.com/watch?v=rJ3FfJe9Xl8
• PREMADE Antenna Mount - youtube.com/watch?v=F9cD5ZZf_K8

Part 2, building it as a half-wave dipole: [Will add when it's live].

-Wire used - 22awg BNTECHGO amzn.to/4e3F5ID

-Winder used - etsy.com/listing/4313876315/portable-ham-r…

• Wago Connector amzn.to/4ebTJwk
• Right angle connector - w5swl.com/products/3-8-24-to-uhf-so-239-fe…
• Stainless Steel Spike - etsy.com/listing/4434942420/stainless-stee…
• Aluminum Spike to save money - aliexpress.us/item/3256811802024225.html (i haven't bought from this link yet and it is not an affiliate link)

• POTA POUNDER available here- etsy.com/listing/4464445325/pota-pounder-p…