Introduction

Overview on Conical Antenna

More and more people are foregoing cable and satellite television to save a bit of family income,
realizing that there is plenty of free television out there to watch. Many of those people are purchasing
overpriced and underperforming commercial HDTV antennae, when you can make a simple antenna
yourself out of an inexpensive 3' or 4' long 1" X 4" or 2" X 4" board, some short wood screws and
washers, and some inexpensive metallic wire (galvanized "baling" wire works just fine), and a couple of
short pieces of tape (electrical tape; or if you want to truly construct a quality product, of course
consider duct tape to go with your selection of baling wire).

This antenna is a variant of Conical antenna . This antenna design was made out of recycled
materials, making it costless and very affordable.

METHODOLOGY

MATERIALS

2.5 x 28 “ Wood

Old Hangers (metal)

Screws

Washers

Antenna Balun

Coaxial Cable (2m)

Since the materials we used for this project is recycled, we did not spent any single centavo in
constructing this antenna.

Steps

1. Measure and mark your board . and pre-drill with the appropriate size drill bit starter holes for
the screws that will hold the antenna to the board, which essentially forms the "spine" for your
antenna.
2. "Lace" two lengths of baling wire. between the screws and under the washers, pulling the wire
relatively tight around the screws; then hook the four ends of the two wires around the screws
towards the ends of the board; then drive the screws down tight to hold the wires to the board.

Where the wires cross over each other, insulate the wires from each other by wrapping one of
the wires with either electrical (or if you want to maintain the baling wire/duct tape theme, then
with duct tape) so that the two wires do not directly touch each other.
 3. Cut 8 lengths of baling wire that are at least 16" long, straighten the wires, then form them into
"Vs" as shown.

It is easier to cut your wire a little long, form your "Vs", then cut each leg of the "V" to the
appropriate length.

Attach one "V" apiece under the 4 washers/screws nearest each end of the board that is the
"spine" of your antenna. Loosen each screw in order to slide the wire "V" under the screw head
and washer, then retighten each screw to hold the "V" firmly in place.

4. Attach either a 300/75 ohm balun or the two connectors of antenna "twin-lead" wire to the two
middle screws of the antenna (the two screws that do not have wire "Vs").
If using a balun, attach coaxial cable of sufficient length to reach from your antenna to your
television set; if using twin-lead, use a similar length of twin-lead attached directly to the two
middle screws of your antenna to your television set.
Hang the antenna vertically from one or the other end of the board so that the front
side of the antenna faces towards the predominant source(s) of television signals. You may be
able to increase both the number and strength of signals by adjusting the direction that your
antenna faces. You will avoid more sources of interference with television signals and
accordingly should increase the strength of your available television signal by (a) hanging the
antenna as high as possible from the ground; and (b) hanging the antenna away from sources of
potential interference or signal blockage (i.e., away from motorized appliances, furnaces, etc;
and not behind metal roofing/siding that may block television signals).

CALCULATIONS

Frequency Ranges: 470 MHz – 890 MHz

3.0 𝑥10 8𝑚/𝑠

Carrier Frequency:  = C/F = 560 𝑀𝐻𝑧
= 0.535 m

Bandwidth: 0.33 x f = 0.33(560 MHz) = 184.8 MHz

Width: 0.375 () (1000mm) = 203.2, mm or approximately 8 inches.

Distance: 0.02066 () = 31.75 mm or 1.25 inches

Height : ()(0.25) = 139.7 mm or 5.5 inches

DOCUMENTATION