View Full Version : The Ugly Ground Plane (December 2008 CQ)
KC2LKS
12-11-2008, 12:53 AM
I read with interest an article on a home brew ground plane that appears in this months issue of CQ. It is called "The Ugly Ground Plane". This seems to be an antenna I'd like to try and build. But before I do I have a couple that I hope you can answer.
The project calls for an SO-239, 10 or 12 gauge wire and of course coax. I already have an SO-239. All I need at this point is the wire. Being curious I did a search on Radio Shacks website and I am coming up with several types of wire.
So my question is, What type of wire should I use for the element and radials?
Thanks for the help.
73,
Ryan
I don't know what band youre thinking about, but if it's 2 meters or higher, I'd suggest some pieces of small brazing rod, available at welding supplies. I've made several GP antennas using this and they worked very well. Brazing rod is a lot stiffer than copper of the same diameter.
I have not read the article but you should be able to use any solid wire available in the electrical department of any major store.
K9STH
12-11-2008, 02:35 AM
Just use a wire coat hanger (you know, the type that has the larval form of a sock). Scrape the paint from the end that goes into the SO-239 and then solder.
Back in the late 1960s I made a 440 MHz yagi from coat hangers and a brass plated curtain rod for a temporary repeater control link. Even wrote an article for 73 Magazine about this antenna which Wayne Green published. The entire antenna was soldered together. The antenna ended up being used for 3 or 4 years before it was replaced with a more substantially built antenna.
Glen, K9STH
W4INF
12-11-2008, 02:56 AM
For wire, fetch up a spool of 14ga stranded, insulated in the color of your liking (black tends to disappear nicely) THNN electricians wire. A 500ft spool should last a few fun projects, more for VHF. :-) Check HomeDepot and Lowes, etc..
GL,
Andrew
KC2LKS
12-11-2008, 03:00 AM
I don't know what band youre thinking about, but if it's 2 meters or higher, I'd suggest some pieces of small brazing rod, available at welding supplies. I've made several GP antennas using this and they worked very well. Brazing rod is a lot stiffer than copper of the same diameter.
Most of my activity is on 2 Meters. But I do use 70 cm on certain occasions.
N8EKT
12-11-2008, 03:03 PM
Get some brazing rod from your local hardware store.
Just use a wire coat hanger (you know, the type that has the larval form of a sock). Scrape the paint from the end that goes into the SO-239 and then solder.
Glen, K9STH
Thank you Glen - I was getting ready to send that same response - use a coat hanger - cost is nothing and works just as good as anything else. "IF" you do decide you want fancy, then do a prototype with coat hanger to work the bugs out - not sure what bug in a ground plane, but when learning there are always "bugs".
Made bunches of antennas with coat hangers.
73 de Ken H>
KC4YLV
12-14-2008, 07:49 PM
You can also possibly buy 10 feet of Romex for a few bucks and strip the wires out. Make sure it's solid.
I would recommend against using coat hangers. I have never had any luck soldering them, no matter what solder, how hot an iron or how much flux I used. Stick to brass/copper.
Upside is that you have a nice 10 foot piece of romex casing for random projects :)
Alternative is brass rod at Lowe's/Home Depot, but it's like 3 bucks a piece, and you'll need 4.
K9STH
12-14-2008, 08:13 PM
To solder to coat hanger wire just use paste flux. You can get a can of this at any home improvement center for less than $2 that will last for years. Look in the plumbing department.
Just dip the end of the wire in the flux and then use a large iron, soldering gun, or even a propane torch to "tin" the wire. Then you will not have any problems soldering to the SO-239, etc. You also will need a large iron, soldering gun, or propane torch to solder anything that has a relatively large diameter.
Paste flux makes it MUCH simpler to solder large items. Just make sure and clean up after using it.
Glen, K9STH
K5DEL
12-15-2008, 02:55 AM
I used a 2 meter GP made from coathangers for quite a while. Worked well. At least it did until a hail storm came through. ;) But at least I wasn't out a lot of bucks for the thing and a trip to the clothes closet made it good as new.
So my question is, What type of wire should I use for the element and radials?
Thanks for the help.
73,
Ryan
I've used metal curtain rods. Hard to solder to teh connector, and tend to rust. Cheap, though.
Cortland
KA5S
