Build the ZED dipole antenna for 2 m and 70 cm bands — a compact bent-element half-wave dipole with near-50 Ω feed, broadband VHF/UHF coverage, and simple DIY construction
DIY
“DIY” on DXR Electronics Bits is where practical ham radio projects come to life. Here you’ll find buildable circuits, antennas, receivers, preamps, audio tools, and experimental rigs designed for real‑world shack and field use. From compact HF antennas for small spaces to regenerative receivers, QRP transmitters, and uBITX add‑ons, each article focuses on parts you can actually source and solder on the bench.
Faulkner FM Loop Antenna for Superior FM Reception
The Faulkner FM Loop Antenna is a popular and highly effective design among FM radio enthusiasts and DXers worldwide. It provides excellent reception over the 87.5–108 MHz FM broadcast band and can be built easily using common materials. Despite its simple structure, it performs as well as many commercial indoor FM antennas
Complete Guide to Flight Tracking with RTL-SDR: Multi-Feeding Setup
Have you ever wondered how tracking websites like FlightAware and Flightradar24 get their real-time data? The secret lies in a global network of volunteers who feed aircraft position data using surprisingly affordable hardware. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll show you how to set up your own aircraft tracking station using an RTL-SDR dongle and contribute data to multiple flight tracking services simultaneously.
Curumim Transceiver – World’s Smallest QRP CW Transceiver
Discover the Curumim Transceiver, an ultra-minimalist QRP CW rig for 7.030 MHz that combines a single-transistor crystal oscillator and LM386 audio amplifier into one of the world’s smallest working HF transceivers, ideal for homebrewers, educators, and portable CW enthusiasts
Building a Quarter-Wavelength Coaxial Collinear Antenna for 2 Meters
Quarter-wave COCO antenna design for 2 m band: stacked λ/4 coax elements with phase-reversing joins for compact high-gain VHF performance and easy DIY construction
Building the FBK Sleeve Antenna for VHF/UHF Amateur radio
Build a compact dual-band FBK sleeve antenna for VHF/UHF bands from coax cable. Simple, efficient, and ideal for portable ham radio use.
Shortened G5RV Antenna – DX Power in a Smaller Package
Shortened G5RV antenna design: a compact multiband HF dipole covering 20m–6m bands with ladder-line matching and 4:1 balun for portable or small-yard installs.
High Gain Collinear Antenna for 145 MHz and 433 MHz Bands
Learn to build a 145 MHz/433 MHz collinear antenna with 0.64λ radiators, 0.25λ phasing stub, and direct 50 Ω feed for compact high-gain VHF/UHF stations
Popovic Dual Band Antenna for 2m and 70cm Bands
Build the Popovic dual band antenna for 2m and 70cm bands — a simple, efficient DIY VHF/UHF antenna with excellent SWR, omnidirectional pattern, and easy home construction
Building End Fed Half Wave antenna (EFHW) for 40M – 10M
DIY EFHW antenna for 40 m–10 m: a 10.1 m multiband end-fed wire with 34 µH loading coil and 49:1 UNUN matching for portable HF and limited-space stations