These lightweight, half-wave centre fed adjustable wire antennas comprise two radiating elements, suspension cords, centre junction and coaxial feeder.  The radiating element comprises 23.5m of tinned copper wire, laid up in a terylene cord and PVC sheathed, fitted with 20 frequency markers and wound on a winderboard. A suspension cord 22m long, with lead weight attached is also wound on the polypropylene winder.  The lead weight can be thrown into a tree to elevate one or both ends of the dipole if a support mast is not available.

The centre junction is moulded in black glass fibre loaded epoxy resin. It measures 100 x 80 x 20mm and weighs 0.1kg. The dimensions and weight assist in keeping operational loads to a minimum, while stainless steel links take all loads off the radiating element and coaxial cable terminations.

The standard coaxial feeder comprises 9m of URM76 cable fitted with BNC plugs at each end with strain relief at the centre junction end which eliminates any strain on the BNC connection.

When in use, the dipole is simply adjusted to the desired frequency, by unwinding the radiating element to the desired frequency marker and then locking the wire into a slot on the winder board, thereby making any tying off unnecessary.

A single element may be used as an end fed sloping wire antenna using a convenient tree or a portable mast. The end fed sloping wire, plus suspension cord and throwing weight is supplied under Part No. 655.

In operation, these dipoles can be used in either the horizontal mode, supported at each end, or in the Vee mode – using a single central support with the ends of the dipole elements secured to the ground on either side.

The Racal range of glassfibre suppot masts are particularly suitable for supporting this type of antenna in any environment.