Poor Man's Electronics Web Page

Random Wire Antenna

Computing resonance:

If you haven't installed the interpreter software yet, go back to the main page and do so. Unzip all the files to a directory of your choice on your hard drive. Then open up Windows Explorer and display the current directory.

Run the FLIP.EXE program (double click on its icon). When the program comes up and gives you the little triangle prompt, enter LOAD RANDWIRE and press enter as shown below. Follow the instructions on the screen.
UPDATE: Vista users MUST double click on the FLIPV icon to run the interpreter.



For an AM broadcast station operating at 580 KHz, the resonant length for a 1/4 wave random wire antenna is 403 feet. Verify this with the program. The illustration below shows the program's output.



For an antenna that is 50 feet for the main part, 30 feet for the lead-in, and a total of 80 feet long, the resonant frequency is 2925 KHz or 2.925 MHz. Verify this with the program also. (No illustration.)

Copyright © 2007 - Prof. W.S. Walker, West Virginia State University - All Rights Reserved.
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