Making Waves – the Shorty Forty

So you want to get onto 40m but don’t have room for a dipole (20.28m)? Then this could be
just the answer if you have a little time on your hands and enjoy home construction.

The Shorty 40 is a helical whip for 40m wound on a 3m long, 32mm diameter piece of PVC
tubing (the sort available in most DIY stores). You will need 21m of 1.2mm diameter
enamelled copper wire, 80cm of 2mm diameter ECW and 10 or 15m of 1.5mm diameter
insulated copper wire (the sort used for lighting circuits or earth wire). You will also need a
SO239 connector and a piece of angled aluminium.

The picture says it all really but, just in case, begin by winding the 21m of copper wire along
the length of the pipe, using tape or adhesive to secure it along the way. Cut the 80cm of
2mm ECW in half and push through the holes drilled in the top of the pipe. Solder together
in the centre and solder the end of the coil here also. Drill a 16mm hole in the aluminium
bracket for the SO239 socket and then attach it to the pipe using machine screws. Then
solder the other end of the coil to the centre pin of the socket. Connect pipe to mast and
connect two or three 5m radials to the solder lug on the aluminium bracket. Attach coax,
raise mast and away you go.