MILES OF COAX & FEEDLINES

skylarkcolo

Jan 13, 2024

5 min read

Updated: Aug 20

There are miles of feed-lines at the K0UO antenna site.

The K0UO Rhombic Array Logo

K0UO Near Kiowa, KS Features High-Performance Antennas: The facility employs advanced High Frequency (HF) stacked LPDA type beams, along with Rhombics, V Beams, Curtain arrays, Delta loop beams, and Four-square phased verticals on designated bands. These systems are optimized for minimal noise, exceptional efficiency, and high gain. A key component of this setup includes coaxial and other low RF loss feed-lines.

Transmission Lines, SO what to call it?

Feedlines, feed Lines, or feed-lines, they are all acceptable variations, but their usage varies depending on context, standard terminology, and style preferences:

Feedlines (One word)
- Best for: Technical writing, ham radio documentation, and engineering publications.
- Usage: Standardized term across major radio and electronics publications (such as ARRL and IEEE) when referring to coaxial cables, open-wire lines, or waveguides as a single noun or adjective (e.g., "coaxial feedlines" or "feedline loss").
Feed lines (Two words)
- Best for: General prose and formal English grammar.
- Usage: Commonly used in standard English dictionaries to describe the physical lines or cables that feed RF energy into an antenna (e.g., "miles of feed lines").
Feed-lines (Hyphenated)
- Best for: Compound modifier usage.
- Usage: Typically used when functioning directly as a compound modifier before a noun (e.g., "feed-line attenuation"), though less common as a standalone noun in modern technical style guides.

Recommendation: For amateur radio and RF engineering topics, feedlines or feed lines are the most widely recognized standard spellings. .Avoid “fed lines”—that changes the meaning and is maybe incorrect for antenna systems. In RF engineering, “fed line” is not an alternative spelling or synonym for feedline (transmission line)

Hardline Rule of Thumb: Use hardline as a single word for all RF transmission line contexts to maintain professional clarity and avoid confusion with non-technical idioms.

COAX HARDLINE

50 ohm hardlines 1 5/8", 7/8" & 1/2" , and 50 ohm coax using mostly LMR 400/600 type.

72 ohm Hardlines 7/8", 3/4/", & 1/2", RG11 with a 12 gauge steel messenger cable for overhead, RG6 for receive antennas (all 72 ohm) along with hundreds of jumper coax cables.

Consisting of limited use of open wire balance ladder feeds 300 ohms to 900 ohms.

an actual photo of K0uo has miles and miles of antenna feed-line coax and Hard-line also open wire feed systems, General Steven Walz 1200 acre world largest antenna site and test range, k0uo ham radio station k0uo,
miles of antennas for ham radio
dozens of tall antenna support structures, like FCC registered towers up to 195 foot, numerous 100 foot wood powerline poles, concrete silos, and portable mobile tower view from the top of the FCC TOWER NUMBER AR #1216715 on the k0uo antenna test and rhombic farm is a big gun and contester dream station the biggest ham station with the highest gain antennas in the world. miles of OPEN WIRE BALANCE FEEDERS in used at K0UO.OPEN WIRE BALANCE FEEDERS, General Steven Walz's, known as K0UO 1200 acre antenna farm, The number Amateur radio “Super Station” which is the worlds largest antenna site and test range with super ham station, k0uo ham radio station k0uo,
miles of antennas for ham radio
dozens of tall antenna support structures, k0uo's ham radio setup is optimized for high-efficiency operation — K0UO's skid steer loader is positioned next to a large wire spool 1800 foot of 50 ohm hardline, ready for transportation or installation work in an outdoor, rural setting.

view of 2000 foot roll of coax in use at the k0uo ham radio station. k0uo, uses
miles of antennas for ham radio
dozens of tall antenna support structures, like FCC registered towers up to 195 foot, numerous 100 foot wood powerline poles, concrete silos, and portable mobile tower view from the top of the FCC TOWER NUMBER AR #1216715 on the k0uo antenna test and rhombic farm is a big gun and contester dream station the biggest ham station with the highest gain antennas in the world. view of the many miles of coax, open-wire and hard-line RF feed lines at K0UO Rhombic antenna farm the highest forward gain array and largest area on 1200 acres in use by any amateur ham station DX, remote, or contest station in current use any where in the world, General Steven Walz's, known as K0UO 1200 acre antenna farm, The number Amateur radio “Super Station” which is the worlds largest antenna site and test range with super ham station, k0uo ham radio station k0uo,
miles of antennas for ham radio
dozens of tall antenna support structures, — **ABOVE: HARDLINE, I USE IT BY THE SPOOL!**

a view of a components. use by K0UO world larges Ham radio antenna site in KS K0UO has years of expertise in contesting, DXing, using cutting-edge engineering and technology.

K0OU uses many very high-gain directional LPDA-Yagis beamed at all continents, large 160 -40 meters four square verticals, stacked systems of rhombics, V-beams, and curtain arrays, The achieved goal has been met to have a world class station with multiple antennas combined (stacked) for increased gain and better performance on all the amateur bands, that are optimized for maximum gain. All utilizing optimum take off angles. at the world biggest ham radio station and antenna farm in the world — **Above: Feed-lines of K**0UO's on the fence RG11 for some of the RX antennas, 7/8" hardline to one of the main rhombic control boxes, overhead from the barn to the house is a number of coax lines with messenger cables for overhead. Also see the 100Ft tower on left, 195 Foot tower in mid photo, and a 50 ft by the house.

k0uo ham radio station k0uo,
miles of antennas for ham radio
dozens of tall antenna support structures, like FCC registered towers up to 195 foot, numerous 100 foot wood powerline poles, concrete silos, and portable mobile tower view from the top of the FCC TOWER NUMBER AR #1216715 on the k0uo antenna test and rhombic farm is a big gun and contester dream station the biggest ham station with the highest gain antennas in the world. — **Above: K**0UO 7/8in Hardline with grounding every 200 feet.

an actual photo of a flooded area on the K0UO antennal sitea towers, of the Multi-Multi Super station dense sprawling extensive antenna arrays on a 1200 acres farm with dozens of towers and antenna structures, with extensive hardware multi radios and amplifiers using the latest and advanced software with integrated Hardware using the latest artificial intelligence as part of the legendary operating setup. — K0UO has Coax and Hardline feeders going over Mule creek and under the U.S. Highway 281 bridge

an actual photo of K0UO's flooded site — **Some of K**0UO's coax feeders on tee post going across the flooded creek, good hard-line works under water!

The 7/8" hardline feeders on tee post going across the flooded creek!

They have since been reinstalled on 10 high steel pipe, to keep above the floating debris (Trees) in the water

an actual photo of a flooded area at k0uo site — **Floodwaters rise in a rural area, submerging roads and surrounding greenery as heavy rainfall continues to impact the region.**

an actual photo view of a 2000 foot roll of 1" coax hard-line at The K0UO antenna test range site makes use of the 4KS Walz airport and its surrounding area as a practical learning environment for STEM (Scientific, Technical, Engineering, & Mathematics) antenna projects in a real-world outdoor setting. If your group has a university aerospace or antenna research STEM program, please let me know.view of the many miles of coax, open-wire and hard-line RF feed lines at K0UO Rhombic antenna farm the highest forward gain array and largest area on 1200 acres in use by any amateur ham station DX, remote, or contest station in current use any where in the world — **ABOVE: With some of the antennas over 1000 to 1500 feet from the K**0UO station, the Rhombic Farm needs a lot of feed-lines!

BELOW: RX ANTENNA 75 OHM, I USE ROLLS OF OVERHEAD COAX WITH A MESSENGER CABLE FOR SUPPORT

an actual photo of the miles of coax and feed-lines at the world largest ham station in the world K0UO — **ABOVE at K**0UO: 1/2 IN OVERHEAD COAX WITH A MESSENGER CABLE FOR SUPPORT

an actual photo of a skid-loader with miles of coax and feed-lines at the world largest ham station in the world K0UO — **ABOVE: RG11 WITH MESSENGER CABLE FOR SUPPORT AT K**0UO

an actual photo of the miles of coax and feed-lines and a antenna control system box at the world largest ham station in the world K0UO — **One of the control boxes which is over 1000 feet from the K**0UO station

ABOVE: OPEN WIRE FEEDERS FROM THE ANTENNA, an exponential taper feed 800 ohm balanced to 50 Ohms balanced termination. The K0UO Arrays are using 3/8" Triple Galvanized Wire Rope Cable for the antenna wire. — **ABOVE: OPEN WIRE FEEDERS FROM THE ANTENNA, an** ***exponential taper feed*** **800 ohm balanced to 50 Ohms balanced termination. The K0UO Arrays are using 3/8" Triple Galvanized Wire Rope Cable for the antenna wire.**

View of a 100 foot pole to support antennas for use at General Steven Walz's 1200 acre antenna farm awhich is the worlds largest antenna site and test range with super ham station, k0uo ham radio station k0uo,
miles of antennas for ham radio
dozens of tall antenna support structures, like FCC registered towers up to 195 foot, numerous 100 foot wood power-line poles, concrete silos, and portable mobile tower view from the top of the FCC TOWER NUMBER AR #1216715 on the k0uo antenna test and rhombic farm is a big gun and contester dream station the biggest ham station with the highest gain biggest antennas in the world. The K0UO Rhombic farm and antenna test range is one of the very few big gun ham radio stations that has a tower which is tall enough and required by the FCC to have a registration. The Antenna Structure Registration or ASR tower number is 1216715. So the K0UO site, station, and antenna is in the FCC public file, for actual verification, unlike other so called big gun ham radio stations .
1200 acres to test and build all types of antennas and tower pole supports, also the largest ham radio station in the world with milrd of wire arrays and many towers, Antenna Test Facility ATF, electromagnetically-quiet area. View of General Steven Walz 1200 acre world largest antenna site and test range, k0uo ham radio station k0uo,
miles of antennas for ham radio
dozens of tall antenna support structures, like FCC registered towers up to 195 foot, numerous 100 foot wood powerline poles, concrete silos, and portable mobile towers.
The K0UO Rhombic farm and antenna test range is one of the very few ham radio stations that has a tower which is tall enough and required by the FCC to have a registration. The Antenna Structure Registration or ASR tower number is 1216715. So the K0UO site, station, and antenna is in the FCC public file. used in conjunction with RSI Corp of Kiowa KS seehttps://www.rsicorp.com/dtic. Use for DOD and commercial wireless telcom groups groups. K0UO uses Re-entrant system that achieves 90% efficiency, by re-phasing the power back into the antenna, rather than dissipating it as heat in termination resistors.Welcome to K0UO's premier ham radio antenna site farm, spanning hundreds of acres dedicated to innovative design and rigorous testing of antennas. The largest in the world, so join me in advancing the field of ham antennas radio with cutting-edge technology and expert guidance. This station has been very competitive, and has won many major worldwide amateur radio contest.
High-Frequency Stock Trading groups should use the rhombic antenna.

The Defense Technical Information Center is RSI's central facility for the collection and dissemination of scientific and technical training information. RSI supplies training and assessment services to the United States and other governments.Welcome to the K0UO Ham Radio Station, home the world's largest antenna site and test range, spanning impressive 1,200 acres. Featuring miles of antennas and towering structures—including FCC-registered reaching up to 195 feet—our facility is a dream destination for serious contester and big gun operators. With numerous -foot wooden powerline poles, concrete silos, and portable mobile towers, the K0UO Rhombic Farm stands out for its significant height and capabilities. Registered under Antenna Structure Registration number 1216715, our station is recognized in the FCC public file, credibility and verification that sets us apart from other so-called big gun ham stations. The station and antenna farm uses very complex highly engineered arrays.

k0uo uses Re-entrant Rhombic array is one of the highest forward gain HF antennas with its 90% efficiency, the highest forward gain of any HF ham antenna. Also a world-class multiple stations, with many large LPDA yagi type beam antennas, 195 to 300 foot towers, and multiple very large wood power-poles. Antennas from 160 meters up to 2 meters. Using the new Icom IC7760 as the main transceivers.

With 1200 acres near by to test and build all types of antennas and tower pole supports, also the largest ham radio station in the world with milrd of wire arrays and many towers, Antenna Test Facility ATF, electromagnetically-quiet area.
Miles of antennas for ham radio
dozens of tall antenna support structures, like FCC registered towers up to 195, to 300 foot on a near by Gypsum hills site, numerous 100 foot wood power-line poles, concrete silos, and portable mobile towers.
The K0UO Rhombic farm and antenna test range is one of the very few ham radio stations that has a tower which is tall enough and required by the FCC to have a registration. The Antenna Structure Registration or ASR tower number is 1216715. So the K0UO site, station, and antenna is in the FCC public file. used in conjunction with RSI Corp of Kiowa KS seehttps://www.rsicorp.com/dtic. Use for DOD and commercial wireless telecommunications groups.

RSI Corp can Handle technical management, RF testing logistics, and integration of measurement instrumentation in collaboration with the facility. The K0UO site is a highly technical facility used to precisely measure an antenna's performance characteristics, such as its radiation pattern and gain.

K0UO antenna test range site has significant out door real estate, so anechoic test chambers are not needed.

https://www.rsicorp.com/dtic

What exactly does RSI do? Steve Walz says, “RSI is the leader in the field of radiofrequency emissions safety.” The King of wire antennas is a K0UO rhombic as shown in the photo

K0UO Rhombic antenna farm which is the highest forward gain array and largest area on 1200 acres in use by any amateur ham station DX, remote, or contest station in current use any where in the world View of the K0UO RSI Corp. - Radiofrequency Safety International in a training class at the 1200 acres antenna test range site at the worlds largest ham radio station with the largest highest gain DX, contest antennas, K0UO has 100 to 195 foot rohn rotating towers with stack high gain arrays, rohn tower are great for dxers and contesters — **ABOVE: OPEN WIRE FEEDERS FROM THE ANTENNA, an** ***exponential taper feed*** **800 ohm balanced to 50 Ohms balanced termination. Note: this is now the only place that the site still uses open wire feeders**

miles of OPEN WIRE BALANCE FEEDERS in used at K0UO.OPEN WIRE BALANCE FEEDERS — **ABOVE: BUILDING OPEN WIRE BALANCE FEEDERS (880 OHMS) BY K**0UO, not used at all in 2025

an actual photo of the miles of coax and feed-lines at the world largest ham station in the world K0UO view of miles of OPEN WIRE BALANCE FEEDERS in used at K0UO.OPEN WIRE BALANCE FEEDERS — **ABOVE: 3 WIRE OPEN FEEDERS, I JUST SWITCH THE TOP OR BOTTOM WIRE, TO CHANGE FROM EITHER OF MY TWO 1200 FOOT LONG V-BEAM ANTENNAS. NOTE: this was replaced with 50 ohm hard-line**

view of the miles of miles of OPEN WIRE BALANCE FEEDERS in used at K0UO.OPEN WIRE BALANCE FEEDERS

k0uo antenna test and rhombic farm is a big gun and contester dream station the biggest ham station with the highest gain biggest antennas in the world. The K0UO Rhombic farm and antenna test range is one of the very few big gun ham radio stations that has a tower which is tall enough and required by the FCC to have a registration. The Antenna Structure Registration or ASR tower number is 1216715. So the K0UO site, station, and antenna is in the FCC public file, for actual verification, unlike other so called big gun ham radio stations .
1200 acres to test and build all types of antennas and tower pole supports, also the largest ham radio station in the world with milrd of wire arrays and many towers, Antenna Test Facility ATF, electromagnetically-quiet area. View of General Steven Walz 1200 acre world largest antenna site and test range, k0uo ham radio station k0uo,
miles of antennas for ham radio
dozens of tall antenna support structures, like FCC registered towers up to 195 foot, numerous 100 foot wood powerline poles, concrete silos, and portable mobile towers.
The K0UO Rhombic farm and antenna test range is one of the very few ham radio stations that has a tower which is tall enough and required by the FCC to have a registration. The Antenna Structure Registration or ASR tower number is 1216715. So the K0UO site, station, and antenna is in the FCC public file. used in conjunction with RSI Corp of Kiowa KS seehttps://www.rsicorp.com/dtic. Use for DOD and commercial wireless telcom groups groups. K0UO uses Re-entrant system that achieves 90% efficiency, by re-phasing the power back into the antenna, rather than dissipating it as heat in termination resistors.Welcome to K0UO's premier ham radio antenna site farm, spanning hundreds of acres dedicated to innovative design and rigorous testing of antennas. The largest in the world, so join me in advancing the field of ham antennas radio with cutting-edge technology and expert guidance. This station has been very competitive, and has won many major worldwide amateur radio contest.
High-Frequency Stock Trading groups should use the rhombic antenna.

The Defense Technical Information Center is RSI's central facility for the collection and dissemination of scientific and technical training information. RSI supplies training and assessment services to the United States and other governments.Welcome to the K0UO Ham Radio Station, home the world's largest antenna site and test range, spanning impressive 1,200 acres. Featuring miles of antennas and towering structures—including FCC-registered reaching up to 195 feet—our facility is a dream destination for serious contester and big gun operators. With numerous -foot wooden powerline poles, concrete silos, and portable mobile towers, the K0UO Rhombic Farm stands out for its significant height and capabilities. Registered under Antenna Structure Registration number 1216715, our station is recognized in the FCC public file, credibility and verification that sets us apart from other so-called big gun ham stations. The station and antenna farm uses very complex highly engineered arrays.

k0uo uses Re-entrant Rhombic array is one of the highest forward gain HF antennas with its 90% efficiency, the highest forward gain of any HF ham antenna. Also a world-class multiple stations, with many large LPDA yagi type beam antennas, 195 to 300 foot towers, and multiple very large wood power-poles. Antennas from 160 meters up to 2 meters. Using the new Icom IC7760 as the main transceivers.

With 1200 acres near by to test and build all types of antennas and tower pole supports, also the largest ham radio station in the world with milrd of wire arrays and many towers, Antenna Test Facility ATF, electromagnetically-quiet area.
Miles of antennas for ham radio
dozens of tall antenna support structures, like FCC registered towers up to 195, to 300 foot on a near by Gypsum hills site, numerous 100 foot wood power-line poles, concrete silos, and portable mobile towers.
The K0UO Rhombic farm and antenna test range is one of the very few ham radio stations that has a tower which is tall enough and required by the FCC to have a registration. The Antenna Structure Registration or ASR tower number is 1216715. So the K0UO site, station, and antenna is in the FCC public file. used in conjunction with RSI Corp of Kiowa KS seehttps://www.rsicorp.com/dtic. Use for DOD and commercial wireless telecommunications groups.

RSI Corp can Handle technical management, RF testing logistics, and integration of measurement instrumentation in collaboration with the facility. The K0UO site is a highly technical facility used to precisely measure an antenna's performance characteristics, such as its radiation pattern and gain.

K0UO antenna test range site has significant out door real estate, so anechoic test chambers are not needed.

https://www.rsicorp.com/dtic

What exactly does RSI do? Steve Walz says, “RSI is the leader in the field of radiofrequency emissions safety.” The King of wire antennas is a K0UO rhombic as shown in the photo

K0UO Rhombic antenna farm which is the highest forward gain array and largest area on 1200 acres in use by any amateur ham station DX, remote, or contest station in current use any where in the world View of the K0UO RSI Corp. - Radiofrequency Safety International in a training class at the 1200 acres antenna test range site at the worlds largest ham radio station with the largest highest gain DX, contest antennas, K0UO has 100 to 195 foot rohn rotating towers with stack high gain arrays, rohn tower are great for dxers and contesters — **ABOVE: OPEN BALANCE LINE TO THE CONTROL BOX**

**Open wire feeders with 10 amp relays with lightning protection.**

K0UO's Setup uses the same DPDT relays for 180 degrees switches

SEE:

Ladder Line Static Bleeder with Ground Lug (palomar-engineers.com)

DXE has them now also

**ABOVE: A RF CURRENT METER TO RF CHECK OF OPEN LADDER LINES, you are trying to achieve equal current on each leg.**

The old Twin-Lamp tester below

https://www.rfcafe.com/references/qst/twin-lamp-qst-october-1947.htm

ABOVE: K0UO Station 1, Look under the desk-top at the roll of Alpha Delta antenna switches with center ground, which is the final lightning protection point. With thunderstorms possible on any day from spring to fall here in Kansas you can unhook dozens of cable all the time. I also have a master switch which kills power on all the remote control boxes, and shunts all the antennas to ground in the field. I never leave my shack with out turning off the master switch, which also disconnects all 220 AC, 120 AC, and 12 DC power to all equipment. Storms can pop-up fast out on the High Plains of Kansas.

ABOVE: A roll of Alpha Delta antenna switches at K0UO — **ABOVE: A roll of Alpha Delta antenna switches at K**0UO

ABOVE: A COAX PATCH PANEL AT K0UO — **ABOVE: A COAX PATCH PANEL AT K**0UO

ABOVE: Is a lightning strike counter in use at K0UO, which attaches to tower structures, with a good ground system sometimes you never know that lightning hit your site. With a counter you know. Then you will need to check out your grounding, and make repairs before the next hit.

ABOVE: UNDER GROUND LINES CAN BE HARD WORK AT K0UO!

view of the many miles of coax, open-wire and hard-line RF feed lines at K0UO Rhombic antenna farm the highest forward gain array and largest area on 1200 acres in use by any amateur ham station DX, remote, or contest station in current use any where in the world — **OPEN WIRE FEED-LINES**

OPEN WIRE FEEDER AT K0UO — **OPEN WIRE FEEDER AT K**0UO

**ABOVE: 1000s of FOOT OF LADDER LINES THAT WERE IN USE, 800 to 400 ohms**

ABOVE: SPARE HARD-LINE, IT IS BIG! If you have high noise, use Hardline, the reason, is signal to noise.

Hardline is worth every penny.

**ABOVE & BLOW: REPAIRS ON THE HARDLINE DIN CONNECTORS, Sweeping the line with a Rig Ex**

7/8 DIn connector used at K0UO — **7/8 DIn connector used at K**0UO

7/8" DIN Connector in use at K0UO — **7/8" DIN Connector in use at K**0UO

The K0UO antenna test range site makes use of the 4KS Walz airport and its surrounding area as a practical learning environment for STEM (Scientific, Technical, Engineering, & Mathematics) antenna projects in a real-world outdoor setting. If your group has a university aerospace or antenna research STEM program, please let me know.

The KØUO Rhombic Antenna Farm and Antenna Test Range: Home to the World's Largest amateur radio (ham), High Frequency (HF) Wire Arrays, miles of wire in the air and on the air daily.