Building a Yagi from a forum post is a classic ham rite of passage. So is wondering why SWR looks like a mountain range.
Start with a design frequency, element count, and boom constraints. A 10-meter Yagi calculator spits lengths and spacings from common models. That’s a draft. Metal diameter, mounting plates, and the mast in the near field all nudge resonance.
Things the PDF won’t warn you about
- Using thinner stock than the model assumed—elements get electrically longer/shorter than you think.
- Ignoring boom correction.
- Mounting too close to a wet roof or gutter that becomes part of the antenna.
Cut long, measure, trim. Bring a nanoVNA or something you trust. The calculator saves you from random inches; the instrument saves you from transmitting into a dummy load shaped like a beam.
If you’re new to HF beams, build for one band first. Multiband cleverness multiplies variables faster than enthusiasm can debug them.
Use the 10-meter Yagi calculator while the numbers are still in front of you.
Launch 10-meter Yagi calculator →