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Calcimator

Wire Antenna Calculator

Calculate wire length for dipole, vertical, loop, end-fed, and G5RV antennas by frequency and band. Includes height analysis.

Inputs

MHz
%
ft

Results

Total Wire Length

65.45 ft

≈ 12 adult heights

Leg/Element Length

32.73 ft

≈ 6 adult heights

Total Wire Length19.95 m
Leg/Element Length9.98 m
Wavelength130.68 ft
Wavelength39.83 m
Height (Wavelengths)0.27 λ
Est. Takeoff Angle74°
Antenna Type NameHalf-Wave Dipole
Band40m
How to Use This Calculator
  1. Enter your target operating frequency (MHz) — for example, 7.15 for the 40m band.
  2. Select the antenna type: half-wave dipole, quarter-wave vertical, full-wave loop, end-fed, or G5RV.
  3. Set the wire velocity factor (95% for bare copper, 93% for insulated wire) and antenna height (ft).
  4. Review total wire length (ft and m) and leg/element lengths for your chosen antenna type.
  5. Check estimated takeoff angle — higher antennas produce lower radiation angles for DX work.

How the result changes with Frequency

FrequencyTotal Wire LengthLeg/Element Length
509.36 ft4.68 ft
1752.67 ft1.34 ft
3251.44 ft0.72 ft
4501.04 ft0.52 ft

What each input means

Frequency
Target center frequency in megahertz (e.g., 7.15 for 40m band)
Antenna Type
1=Half-Wave Dipole, 2=Quarter-Wave Vertical, 3=Full-Wave Loop, 4=End-Fed, 5=G5RV
Wire Velocity Factor
Velocity factor for wire type (bare copper: 95%, insulated: 93%)
Antenna Height
Height of antenna above ground (affects radiation pattern)

How this is calculated

Formula

Dipole: L = 468/f; Vertical: L = 234/f; Loop: L = 1005/f

Worked example, using the default values

  1. Identify Input Parameters
    4 parameters
    Frequency = 7.15, Antenna Type = 1, Wire Velocity Factor = 95, Antenna Height = 35 = 4 input(s) provided
  2. Calculate Total Wire Length
    Total Wire Length
    65.45 = 65.45
  3. Calculate Leg/Element Length
    Leg/Element Length
    32.73 = 32.73
  4. Calculate Total Wire Length
    Total Wire Length
    19.95 = 19.95
  5. Calculate Leg/Element Length
    Leg/Element Length
    9.98 = 9.98

Engine last updated . Checked against 2 independently-derived tests — how we verify calculators.

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