If you would like to experiment a bit with this program, the yagi specification file for this tape measure beam is available for download here. Pg1ns ham radio site 2m projects directional antennas. The tapemeasure antenna is a simple, handheld 2 meter yagi. Some are based on lookup tables, some completely hide their algorithms. Jan 02, 2018 a simple tape measure yagi for 2 metres 144 mhz. Yagi tape measure antenna by osuaeronerd is licensed under the creative commons attribution noncommercial license. A hawaiibased amateur radio antenna blog focusing on the theory, design, and use of homemade antennas. I realize it looks like folded dipole elements or loop elements but that is just how it looks when i have the yagi elements folded for storage and transport. About tape measure yagi antenna the resource is currently listed in in a single category. A simple 4 element 2 meter yagi made from coathangers or other common materials.
I cant even pick up stuff that my rubber antenna can. To scale this antenna for any other vhfuhf frequency, read the arrl article. This reduces their gain and directivity, and, when its really blowing, makes them useless. I decided to try to make contact with nick on vhf as it continue reading vhf 3el tape measure yagi. The 2 meter tape measure antenna k4ive version are you looking for an easy kid friendly project. The 2 meter band tape measure beam antenna is a 3 element yagi with about 7. Yagi tape measure antenna by osuaeronerd thingiverse. Simply download the yagicad program and put the tape measure beam design file in the same directory. Liked by view all give a shout out if you print this thing and display it in public proudly give attribution by printing and displaying this tag.
A machinist friend cut the pvc for the antenna, so those were accurate right up until i attached them just hand tight with no glue. Measure and cut the four lengths you will need for this antenna cutting chart below. You might want to tin the tape measure elements before mounting them to the pvc cross. A 2 meter and 70 cm portable tape measure beam work the oscar ham satellites or go transmitter hunting with this inexpensive portable dual band handheld tape measure yagi. Camden county amateur radio society georgia ccars inc. This little antenna is made from a steel measuring tape which makes it excellent for foxhunting. In this tutorial we will look at how you can build a yagi beam antenna for 2 meter ham radio out of a tape measure and a few easy to find parts. Does anyone have a link to or plans for a 70cm tape measure yagi. And connected to the steel tape by means of a nut, bolt and solder tag at the start of the tape. This antenna is designed for twometer operations, which, for a newbie ham operator, is one of the bands available under the technician license in. Hurst amateur radio club uhf tape measure yagi foxhunt antenna 1 2 1 1 4 1 8 hairpin match 12 or 14 awg solid copper wire form to shape sand away paint solder coax and hairpin match to driven element on tape ends to bare metal view a 11 16 spacing 5 turns rg58 coax and wrap with tape center freq. Dual band tape measure yagi antenna july 19, 2015 amateur satellite, antennas, ham radio amateur radio, antenna, ham radio, satellite, saudisat 1c, so50, yagi michael while i wait for my arrow antenna to arrive, i thought i would experiment and build a dual band tape measure yagi since i already had most of the parts on hand.
Since the 2m yagi can receive so50 i know i could just make a second 2m version, but i figured i could use the 70cm version to work 440 on some sota work. Often by changing the controller frequency, while keeping the transmit. John portune, w6nbc any hams have made 2 meter tape measure beams for transmitter hunting. Cheap and light portable 2m yagi 9 db gain for less than 9 pounds build in march 2006 by maik, m0run in february 2006 i took part in my first ever foxhunt and there i had the idea to build this antenna. Using the same boom, the student can build one in a matter of minutes for 432 mhz weak signal, amsat, or. Dual band tape measure yagi antenna by km4lgm while i wait for my arrow antenna to arrive, i thought i would experiment and build a dual band tape measure yagi since i. If you decide not to solder to the tape measure elements, there are two other methods that have been used to attach the feedline. That was until i made a qso with k1maz nick while he was doing a sota activation. Hurst amateur radio club uhf tape measure yagi foxhunt antenna. Tape yagi camden county amateur radio society georgia.
It contains formulas you can use to calculate element lengths and spacing, as well as boom length. Measure and cut the four lengths you will need for this antenna cutting chart. The design ive decided to go with is one that can be found on the amsat website. Rox2a we used had a simple 3 element yagi with elements made of steel tape measure. In this article well take that design two steps farther. Once you have cut the tape measure to length, put vinyl tape on the cut ends to protect yourself from the sharp edges. Half inch dowel sections are used with screws to hold the tape measure section in place. This antenna is designed for the 2 meter amateur radio band. Description this antenna is an adaptation of the rdf 2 two element, close spaced yagi antenna described in the may, 1996 issue of 73 amateur radio today magazine. For completeness this is not the only diy tape measure yagi on instructables so also check out fn64s 2 m band radio direction finding antenna for vhf and manukas 70 cm band 433. Building the wb2hol foxhunting beam by g3zoi updated 32005 the design of the wb2hol 2m tape measure yagi shows a great piece of lateral thinking, it is also is proven to be highly practical for foxhunts and ardf. First, well reduce cost and then well add oscar sat ellite mode j capacity.
Feb 07, 2017 the 2 meter band tape measure beam antenna is a 3 element yagi with about 7. Ham radio tape measure loop antenna giveaway youtube. They are available in a variety of styles and lengths ranging from 3 ft to 35 ft making them ideal for jobs both small and large. In a moment of madness during the eme contest on 12 and november 2005 i decided to have a listen on eme using my wb2hol 2m df yagi. But i just wanted it to fold up enough to get it in and out of a car without hanging up on the door. Mark smith, kr6zy a frequent guest on the ham radio workbench podcast spoke about his fox hunting tools in the ham radio village at def con 27 last month. Element lengthsdiameters and element spacing determine antenna behavior.
Strip coax to expose about 316 of the center conductor, make wire from braided shield 11. You will want to scrape or sand off the paint from one end of each of the driven element halves so you can make a good electrical. Heres a link to it in a pdf format w6nbc 2m70cm beam. The main category is ham radio directional yagi antennas that is about yagi antennas for ham radio use, manufacturers, plans and design. All books are in clear copy here, and all files are secure so dont worry about it. Remember the tape measure loop tuner video we did on field day.
This link is listed in our web site directory since sunday jan 26 2014, and till today tape measure yagi antenna has been followed for a total of 625 times. Apr 29, 2019 how to build a yagi antenna our of a tape measure. Club project yagi kent britain wa5vjb this antenna has been built in over a dozen meetings as a club project for new hams. Pvc is used for the boom, but no pvc fittings are used. Are you looking for a project to encourage a new generation of ham radio operators. Nov 16, 2012 after seeing a lot of articles written about making a three element yagi using pvc and a tape measure, i was interested but not excited about it. Driven element is excited directly via feedline, all other elements excited parasitically. You will then be able to experiment with the design. Well now there is a commercially made model, and i am giving away 3 of them. How to read a measuring tape with pictures wikihow. For more information on tape measure yagis, check out the following links. Virtually no ham antenna article today lists all the materials, tools and speci. Pass the coax through the hole, leaving the bnc connectors base in the hole. G8jnj fat max hf antenna 6m to 40m you may have heard of a 2m j pole antenna called a slim jim which is made from 300 ohm ribbon feeder well heres the g8jnj fat max hf antenna 6m to 40m a poor mans steppir.
During my tests i attached the case of a tape measure to one of the top sections of a 10m fibre glass fishing pole. Mark also suggested i bake the yagi in a low temp oven for a day or so to drive all moisture out of the wooden boom, then give it a coat of clear lacquer. Construction plans for a tape measure yagi antenna, used to find hidden transmitters and fox transmitters. First, well reduce cost and then well add oscar sat. Hurst amateur radio club uhf tape measure yagi foxhunt. Closeup view of rdf2 beam showing construction details.
Cheap yagi for 70 cm build this cheap and easy satellite. We would like to build an inexpensive antenna to use for satellite passes and possibly foxhunts. Mark and cut tape measure using tin snips to the proper lengths as shown on blue print 6. Antennas diy home brew projects and commercial offerings. Im not sure i would try carrying the tape measure yagi in a checked bag on a commercial flight, but the flexible elements would remove one big reason why it isnt advisable to carry the arrow yagis or elk log periodics aboard aircraft an element, especially a broken element, could be. Tape measure beam work the oscar ham satellites or go transmitter hunting with this inexpensive portable dual band handheld tape measure yagi. Testing a tape measure yagi antenna for 2 metres youtube. This lightweight antenna is perfect to use for fox hunts or as a portable directional antenna for public service events. Its an antenna built out of pvc pipe, a tape measure and a handful of hose clamps. A simple yet effective 3el vhf yagi directional antenna that could. A simple 4 element 2 meter yagi made from coathangers or.
Yagi troubleshooting guide 5 of 6 two or more elements are swapped. Simply rotate the tape till the tab of the spring can be slid through the slot in the tape. Also, it makes an excellent school, club or boy scout project. This is easy to do if you dont mark the 4 conductor cables before you tape them along the boom. If you decide not to solder to the tape measure elements, there are two other. Ive now received the tape measures, ordered from amazon these here 7. Zl2aps tape measure yagi for 70cm testing a 2m tape measure yagi one of my videos testing reception of a satellite the main disadvantage of tape measure yagis especially those on 2m is that in moderate to high winds their elements flex. Yagi in the 1920s did not receive full acclaim in the united states until 1928. How to build a yagi antenna out of a tape measure ham radio. I have seen tape measure yagi builds where people roll up the elements and velcro around the outside, and that would make it even more compact. The two yagi s bend inward a bit from the force of the supporting rope.
Luckily, with the proper approach, using a tape measure. And then everything else was a ehh, looks ok level of precision. Using the nut that came with the bnc connector, affix the connector to the bicycle hand grip. How to build a yagi antenna out of a tape measure ham. Jul 19, 2015 dual band tape measure yagi antenna july 19, 2015 amateur satellite, antennas, ham radio amateur radio, antenna, ham radio, satellite, saudisat 1c, so50, yagi michael while i wait for my arrow antenna to arrive, i thought i would experiment and build a dual band tape measure yagi since i already had most of the parts on hand. This project is unusual, so its something that will certainly capture the attention of anyone, particularly a kid. The antenna is useful especially if you want a portable antenna for back packing etc. Jan, 2014 for completeness this is not the only diy tape measure yagi on instructables so also check out fn64s 2 m band radio direction finding antenna for vhf and manukas 70 cm band 433. On the driven element, solder hairpin wire match 10. Most tape measures have a very durable paint finish designed to stand up to. The rg58 coax feedline is connected directly to the driven element. The spring will recoil into the case and the tape will be ready for trimming. The tape measure antenna is a home brew 2 meter antenna made out of pvc pipe and a steel tape measure.
This antenna is designed for twometer operations, which, for a newbie ham operator, is one of the bands available under the technician license in the us. Cheap yagi for 70 cm build this cheap and easy satellite downlink antenna by richard f. Read online dual band tape measure yagi for sat work. Figure 1 at a overall view of the tape measure vertical antenna. With a gain of approx 7dbd it is the equivalent of multiplying your transmit output power by 5 compared to a half wave dipole. No matter what method you use to attach the feedline, make sure you scrape or sand the paint off the tape measure element where the feedline is attached. This lightweight antenna is perfect to use for fox hunts or as a portable directional antenna for. When it comes to construction and craftsmanship, taking accurate measurements can be the difference between a great finished product and a subpar one. Dual band tape measure yagi antenna by km4lgm while i wait for my arrow antenna to arrive, i thought i would experiment and build a dual band tape measure yagi since i already had most of the parts on hand. Work the oscar ham satellites or go transmitter hunting with this inexpensive portable dual band handheld tape measure yagi. First measure and cut some wire or rod to the dimensions we need. The ends of the elements were rounded with tin snips to eliminate the need for taping or plastic coating the sharp edges. I did my first fox hunt more than 15 years ago and built a tape measure yagi antenna for that purpose.
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