"Tom Corker" wrote in message
ups.com...

snip

Thanks for that. I'm thinking about going with the design you gave.
I'm also guessing I'll need to tune the antenna using an SWR meter. A
lot of the ones on ebay (UK) are listed as CB SWR meters. Will these
be OK for the 2m band?


Sometimes. It depends on the design. I have really fooled myself into
thinking I had done something wrong with the antenna, when the antenna was
fine but the meter was erroneously reporting high VSWR.

The only sure test, in my opinion, is to try the SWR meter into a known good
load, then (briefly) into a short and then into an open. The known good
load should, of course give you very low SWR, while the short and open
should give you very high VSWR.

I have one meter rated for HF which works not only on 2m, but also on 70 cm.

I've built about two dozen j-poles, most of them copper pipe . I love their
simplicity and ruggedness. One tip, if I may: If you can tune the antenna
for a low-VSWR point that falls inband, but it's not 1:1 no matter what, try
inserting a 100 pF capacitor at the feed point.

In the US, copper water pipe comes in three grades, K, L and M, in
increasing order of quality/cost. We also have "DWV" copper pipe for drains
and vents (non-pressure applications, I guess). Same over there?

73,
"Sal"
(KD6VKW)