The 10 Worst Ham Radio Antennas of All Time

…and yes, you’ve probably tried at least three.

Whether you’re a seasoned operator or a freshly minted call sign holder, you’ve undoubtedly been tempted by—or tragically committed—the following antenna atrocities. Here are the ten worst ham radio antennas, ranked in descending order of disappointment:

1. No Antenna At All

Let’s start with the all-time classic: the “spiritual antenna.” Who needs radiators, counterpoise, or coax when you can manifest your signal?

Pros: Zero cost, zero maintenance.

Cons: Also zero signal. But hey, that noise floor is amazing.

2. The Antenna Still at the Shop

You found the ideal multiband vertical last year… and it’s still patiently waiting in the corner of your favorite ham radio dealer’s warehouse for you to finally claim it.

Pros: It hasn’t rusted.

Cons: You can’t work DX via invoice.

3. The Antenna in the Garage (in the Box)

You bought it. You meant to install it. But after 18 months, it’s become a shelf for cat food and that one broken soldering iron.

Pros: Excellent at absorbing guilt.

Cons: Performs about as well as a broken rubber duck.

4. The Random Wire… Inside the House

It’s 4 meters of speaker wire tacked to your ceiling, bent around a corner, stapled near the microwave.

Pros: Invisible to neighbors.

Cons: Also invisible to every station on HF.

5. The Coat Hanger Yagi

Yes, technically you can work satellites with coat hangers, duct tape, and hope. But should you?

Pros: Excellent conversation starter.

Cons: Works about as well as your cousin’s Wi-Fi antenna made from a Pringles can.

6. The “No Ground Needed” Miracle Whip

It’s 10 inches tall, costs 3x your grocery bill, and claims 160m capability.

Pros: Comes with a nice label.

Cons: That’s the only thing that’s remotely resonant.

7. The Broomstick Vertical

No one told you “vertical polarization” wasn’t literal.

Pros: Can be repurposed for cleaning.

Cons: Radiates about as well as a garden gnome.

8. The Speaker Cable Dipole with No Balun

You didn’t want to waste money on “fancy” stuff like 1:1 chokes, or even proper copper cable.

Pros: Pure budget innovation.

Cons: The RFI fried your toaster and the neighbor’s cat now glows in the dark.

9. The Dummy Load (as an Antenna)

“Why is my SWR perfect but no one can hear me?”

Because, dear operator, you’re transmitting into a glorified lightbulb base.

Pros: Great SWR.

Cons: That’s literally all it does. Ever.

10. The Fully Installed, Tuned, Elevated, Perfect Antenna… But the Coax Isn’t Connected

You meticulously did everything right. Except for connecting the one thing that actually carries RF.

Pros: Beautiful installation photos.

Cons: Makes a great receive antenna… for bats.

Conclusion

Remember, ham radio is about experimenting, learning, and occasionally crying in frustration over why your signal only makes it across the kitchen.

If you’ve used any of these “antennas”—don’t worry. We all start somewhere. Just… maybe don’t brag about it on QRZ.

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Written by Joeri Van Dooren, ON6URE – RF, electronics and software engineer, complex platform and antenna designer. Founder of RF.Guru. An expert in active and passive antennas, high-power RF transformers, and custom RF solutions, he has also engineered telecom and broadcast hardware, including set-top boxes, transcoders, and E1/T1 switchboards. His expertise spans high-power RF, embedded systems, digital signal processing, and complex software platforms, driving innovation in both amateur and professional communications industries.