09/03/2016

70cmFMYagiWoodandWire

70cmFMYagiWoodandWire

Havingnoteverreallyspentmuchtimeon70cmFM,andyethavingan
interestinthebandIheardaboutanewnetrunbyVK4FSCCGlennofThe
SunshineCoastAmateurRadioClubon438.075MhzonMondaynightsat
7.30pm.
LookingatmylargearrayofradiogearIfound,onedualbandHTwithabout4
wattson70cm(Laterfoundtobearound3.5watts),adualbandmobilewhip
andmagmount,androundingallthisoutametalpizzapanfortheground
plane.
OnthefirstMondaynight,Icheckedintothenetwiththemobilewhippizza
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09/03/2016

70cmFMYagiWoodandWire

panarrangementsittingonatableonourbedroombalconyandmestanding
nearby.HavingcheckedpriortothisIfoundthattherewasnowaytogetinto
therepeaterfrominsidewithjusttheHT.WhileGlennandtheothersmade
meverywelcome,mysignalintotherepeaterwasmarginalatbest.
TheSunshineCoastAmateurRadioClub70cmrepeaterislocatedatWilkes
Knob,Maleny.About53KM(28Miles)approximatelyfrommyQTH.Outside
antennasarenotanoptionformeatthemoment,andofcoursecosthadto
bekeptataminimum(inmyjunkboxorfree).SothinkingWWMGDWhat
wouldMacGyverdo?oneofmyfavoriteanswerscamebacktomeWoodand
Wire.
SomereadingandGoggle'ing(isthataword?)gavemestartingdimensions,
andIhaveadjustedthemfurtherintheabovedrawing.Thisshouldonlybe
usedasastartingpointandfinaltuningmustbedone.Considerthe
measurementsgainFBetcaveryroughguideonly.(PLEASENOTE:my
antennawastunedinsidearoomunderametalroof,solistingdetailedsizes
wouldbeoflittleuse).IthinkthephotostakenbymyXYLwillmostlikely
giveyouasmuchinformationasIstartedwith.

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09/03/2016

70cmFMYagiWoodandWire

Theboomwasalengthofpine(10mmx19mm)thatwaslayingaround.All
theelementsare2mmAluminumwire,withelectricalconnectors(ChocBlocks)
astheattachments.Thecoaxfromtherigisconnecteddirectlytothedriven
element.

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09/03/2016

70cmFMYagiWoodandWire

Tomountthepineboomontoacameratripod,acastresinbracket,whichI
hadmadebefore,wasused.Thecastingtrapsastandardnutandhasworked
wellwithmostofthecameratripodstried.Thebracketwasthendrilledforthe
boltstoholdtheboomtothemount.(Note:Ifanyoneneedsoneofthe
mountingbrackets,emailme.)
Thewholethingwasputtogetherinanafternoon,withlotsofhelpfrommy
XYL.(Shecansee!).Usingabout8feetofRG58andSWRmeter,ittunedup
withjustalittletrimminghereandthere.Idontfeelitisofmuchusegoing
intoexactmeasurements,Ijustwanttogiveanoverviewandleteachbuilder
workouthowfartheywanttogo.Andastheysayyourmileagewillcertainly
vary..
Iamhappytoreportnowgettingintothe70cmrepeaterisnoproblem,good
reportsbothviatherepeaterandsimplexhavebeenreceived.Manynetshave
beenenjoyedwiththissetupinsidetheroom.SoIwouldsaythisantenna
"lashup"hasfarexceededmyexpectations.
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70cmFMYagiWoodandWire

Thislittlestoryisnotaboutantennatheory,designorefficiency,simply
puttingsomethingtogetherandseeingwhathappens.Ireallyhopeyouhavea
go.
RememberWhatwouldMacGyverdo?havefun.
73AL(VK4BL

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