[50mhz] Home-Brewing a 50 MHz Dipole

[n5wbi@clearsail.net]

I have tried (at least twice now ...) to home-brew a dipole antenna cut to the USB calling frequency of 50.125 MHz.  The first one I built used "cheap" stranded hook-up wire.  The second one used heavier wire (solid).  Both failed miserably.  The SWR's were off-scale, even though I had cut and trimmed each of the dipole legs using the "standard" equation (468/F).

Am I missing something here?  Thankfully, all I've "lost" is a few feet of wire and a couple of hours.  I really don't want to pay the big bucks to buy an antenna when I  can home-brew one on the cheap.

Thanks in advance for your help!

73,

Steve N5WBI
Houston TX  EL29