DIY radio antenna question

[hotpocket]

Hey guys, not sure if this is in the correct section if not, could someone please move it to the correct section.

I’m trying to come up with a way to create my own antenna for my scanner. The frequencies I’m looking to receive are 138mhz to 164 mhz. I’d really like to try to make it as simple as possible. I have heard you can use a coat hanger for part of a dipole antenna, as well as some coaxial cable. I do know how to solder a little bit. What would be the simplest way to put this together and what would be the length of the rods I would need.

Thanks in advance,

Hotpocket

 

[mmckenna]

18" will get you quarter wave on the VHF band.

Building a Simple Ground Plane antenna – Practical Antennas

practicalantennas.com

These are directions for a basic 1/4 wave ground plane. 1/4 wave antennas are fairly broad banded, so you don't need to be exact on the lengths.

 

[dave3825]

I do know how to solder a little bit.

Try to find some good coax as a lot of the stuff out there uses aluminum braid which is not the easiest to solder.

 

[popnokick]

Simple, DIY, low cost, and effective. This -
Homebrewed Off-Center Fed Dipole - The RadioReference Wiki
Scroll down to the wire version at bottom of the page. Hang vertically as high as possible in your structure, preferably in / near a non-metallic (Low E) window. Feed with 75 ohm TV coax cable at a 90 degree angle away from the antenna legs. You'll need a female "F" type connector adapter to match your scanner's antenna connector.