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Building Antennas from Everyday Materials

Learn to construct antennas with materials from nearby stores without special tools. Design loops, wire yagis, and more using copper wire, aluminum, and insulators.

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Building Antennas from Everyday Materials

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  1. Building Antennas from Everyday Materials by Marc C. Tarplee Ph.D., NCE N4UFP

  2. The Problem • We’ve all seen commercially built antennas or construction plans for antennas in magazines like QST or CQ • We’ve also seen wire models of antennas that are used by simulation software. • In every case we usually ask ourselves the following question: • How to I build the #@$% thing?? • Many projects call for aluminum tubing, stainless steel hardware, fiberglass insulators, gamma matches, etc. and require the use of tools such as a drill press or lathe for construction.

  3. The Solution • See what materials are available locally. • Home improvement stores • The local hardware store • Auto parts stores • Use designs that can be constructed from those materials. • Loops with wire elements • Wire yagi designs (Moxon, Hex-Beam, etc.)

  4. Conductors/Radiators • #14 or #12 THHN stranded copper wire • Inexpensive ( 7 – 12 cents/ft) • Insulation adds strength and protection from the elements • Aluminum welding rods • Available in various lengths and diameters. • Easily fabricated • #10 bare solid copper wire • Stiff enough to be used for self supporting elements • Flexible and can be soldered/brazed. • Aluminum angle/channel • Can be bolted together to make longer elements • Radiators do not have to have a circular cross section!! • Type L copper water tubing • Can be bent and soldered • Relatively heavy – may not suitable for large radiators.

  5. Insulators • Acrylic sheet • Can be cut by scoring and drilled • Good dielectric strength • PET (polyethylene terephthalate). • Used to make soda bottles • Good dielectric strength • Can be cut with scissors • Non-biodegradeable • Wood • Available in many sizes and shapes • Easily drilled and cut • Should be painted to prevent water absorption • PVC pipe • Easily worked with hand tools • Good dielectric strength • Non-biodegradeable

  6. Booms and Spreaders • Screen Molding (0.375x0.75 inch) • Can be used for lengths up to ~ 8 feet • Should be painted • Bamboo fishing poles • Can be used for lengths up to ~15 feet • Should be varnished to prevent deterioration • Fiberglass fishing pole blanks • Lighter and stiffer than bamboo • Non biodegradeable • PVC pipe • Many varieties of pipe and fittings available • Combination of high density and flexibility make it unsuitable for long booms/spreaders.

  7. Example: 6m Moxon Rectangle • Wire used for elements • Screen molding used for spreaders • Insulators were made from a 2 liter Coke bottle. • Everything fastened with standard #6-32 hardware • Weight < 5 lbs

  8. Example: 8 element 222 MHz Yagi • Boom – screen molding • Parasitic elements – 1/8 inch diameter aluminum welding rod • Driven element - #10 bare solid copper wire.

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