The Dipole is Dead, Long Live the Dipple!

Hold the phone, everyone. We have a seismic shift in the world of amateur radio, and you can thank our very own Treasurer, Alex K7ALO. After a highly scientific (and slightly caffeinated) late-night session, Alex has conclusively proven what many of us have suspected all along: that “dipole” you’re running? It’s not.

It’s a dipple.

A dipple is the glorious, lopsided, and probably slightly haunted antenna that works perfectly fine despite all known laws of physics. It’s the wire that’s a few feet too long on one side, has a random kink from that time you accidentally ran over it with the lawnmower, and still manages to pull in a faint signal from a contact 10,000 miles away.

So, go outside and give your dipple a hug. You’re not a ham running a sub-par antenna; you’re an inventor using a revolutionary new creation. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go try to make a dipple out of a sentient garden gnome and a string of leftover Christmas lights.

73!