Tech / Special Interest → Ham Radio > Turn G5RV into a G5RV Jr?

Turn G5RV into a G5RV Jr?

I have a G5RV. It is too long for my available space.

Is there a way I can convert the G5RV to a G5RV Jr?

The G5RV is 102' with a 28' section of ladder line. The G5RV Jr is 51' with a 18' section of ladder line, which would better for me.

Or I am thinking about making a simple 20m dipole, putting the apex at the top of a 20' pole, and bringing the ends down into an inverted V.

Sucks when you don't have room.... and now I have the HF bug...
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"F is for Fire that burns down the whole town...
U is for Uranium...... Bombs...
N is for NO SURVIVORS!!!!!" Sheldon Plankton

Keep Calm and Carry On

The G5RV is a 20 meter only antenna.

Regardless of what anyone tells you - this antenna cannot be tuned anywhere else to resonance.

It has both a horizontal and a vertical component - by design.

It does nothing especially well.

You can do anything you want with it - all it is - is two pieces of wire and a coupler and a length of ladder line.

Think of it this way - as long as you can get it 40' above ground - it will work. It does not matter if it is in a straight line or if it is made into a loop or a figure 8 or the letter W. As long as you can get it all in the air - it will work somewhere.

However - if you shorten it - you reduce it's efficiency proportionate to the amount removed.

The amount you suggest would render it almost useless.

And - you do not use an amplifier to compensate for a lack of antenna - hence amplifiers are only used when all other honest attempts at using a more efficient antenna has failed.

Use this antenna as a learning lesson - heck, even I own one.

Keep it for mobile use for field days or what ever.
It honestly isn't even any good for field days - unless you want to tie yourself to the 20 meters band - which closes up in the evening and doesn't open up again until the next morning - unless you work digital modes.

A off center fed dipole antenna - 10 - 80 meters would probably appease your radio needs - but it would be even longer then the G5RV.

Sometimes when you want to become a ham - you either have to make allowances or move. Most times if you can sell your neighbors on the idea - you can get permission to put a pole in their yard. It is not that much of an eye sore - and once they get used to it - they probably wouldn't even notice it after a couple of weeks.

With a lot that small - your 20 meters needs would be better met using a beam antenna or a vertical such as a Hustler 5BVT - etc..

20 meter dipole would require you to use a balun to keep the RF out of the shack.

I had the same problem with the ladder line with the G5RV - radiating it's power everywhere except into the antenna.

It caused the computer hard drive to crash several times and burned out the port for the mouse and keyboard in my computer.

I couldn't use it - even with ferrite beads on the lines.

2 weeks of that nonsense was all I could take and it went back into the bag it came in and that was it!

Just like you - I couldn't get the center up 40' to use it the way it was designed. You might want to go to a hamfest and invest in a set of those military fiberglass tent poles.

They were selling bags with 60' worth at Butler Hamfest this year for $20 a bag.....

Yes, you can cut it down to G5RV Jr. If you have the time and materials to experiment I think I would try the 20M dipole as an inverted V and compare it to the G5RV Jr. to see which works better for you.
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I do not, have not, and will not work for AT&T/Comcast/Verizon/Charter or similar sized company.

"The G5RV is a 20 meter only antenna."

Yet I am making contacts on 40 and above into Central and South America using an 817-ND @ 5 Watts. I can make contacts on 80 but I don't waste my time there dealing with the Hams who think they are entitled to "THEIR" frequencies.
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I do not, have not, and will not work for AT&T/Comcast/Verizon/Charter or similar sized company.

Re: Turn G5RV into a G5RV Jr?

I ended up just putting the antenna up in a tree. The center is about 30-40' up, hoisted into a pecan tree. The ends run down in an inverted V to the wooden privacy fence on either side of the yard, and then the ends are folded back about 3-4' on either end.

Antenna orientation is east west. So far, from my QTH in east central Florida, I was hearing IL, NY, and NM. I was talking to a guy in IL, and he was giving me a 5 9, but I couldn't make out his call. I was on 20m.

I am thinking about turning the antenna more northwest southeast, and try to eliminate the folded back part.

I am using a tuner, a LDG YT-100 for my Yaesu FT-857d. I need to get a headset, as the stock speaker is horrible, even with the DSP in the radio.
--
"F is for Fire that burns down the whole town...
U is for Uranium...... Bombs...
N is for NO SURVIVORS!!!!!" Sheldon Plankton

Keep Calm and Carry On