LouisvilleScanMan's 800 MHz Yagi

[LouisvilleScanMan]

I've been having trouble receiving the local P25 trunked system so I built this 800 MHz 8 element yagi antenna. I used a peice of wood, some solid copper wire and Liquid Nails wood glue to secure the elements to the boom. The over all length is 24 inches. I just pig tailed the coax connection as I don't have a good soldering iron at the moment.

I'll let you know how well it works.

 

[LouisvilleScanMan]

Here's the last 2 photos

 

[kjfswkr]

how is each arm connected to each other?

 

[LouisvilleScanMan]

how is each arm connected to each other?

How do you mean?

 

[Citywide173]

I believe he's referring to the reflector and directors. Looks like they are straight trough to me.

 

[el_pichirulo]

I am not the smartest tool in the tool box but I don't think your antenna will work. There is a reason why all the elements are bonded together on a real yagi, on a metal frame. You can't cheat RF physics with you wood yagi. Let us know how it works..

 

[b7spectra]

Looks like some Urban Engineering!

 

[Citywide173]

I am not the smartest tool in the tool box but I don't think your antenna will work. There is a reason why all the elements are bonded together on a real yagi, on a metal frame. You can't cheat RF physics with you wood yagi. Let us know how it works..

ummm, they aren't bonded together on most yagi's, the driven elements are isolated, as they are the actual antenna, and the reflector and directors may or may not be isolated from the frame, as they only affect gain and directionality. Do a search for broomstick Yagi-they have been around for years, and a lot of Ham's swear by them.

 

[N8IAA]

I am not the smartest tool in the tool box but I don't think your antenna will work. There is a reason why all the elements are bonded together on a real yagi, on a metal frame. You can't cheat RF physics with you wood yagi. Let us know how it works..

Wood booms do work.Friends and I have made many yagi antennas for ham and scanning. PVC works too. Oh, isolation of the elements from the boom is neccessary to have the antenna work properly. Doesn't mean you aren't smart, just uninformed
Larry

 

[Skypilot007]

I've seen worse looking antenna and they work. Most anything near the demensions for the band will receive decent I have found, just don't try to transmit with this one.

 

[Josh]

Isolating elements from the boom being a necessity is a gray area to me.

I have a nice arrow antenna brand yagi out in the garage, the reflectors and directors all are screwed right to the boom, which is grounded. Only the driven element is isolated.

If it works it works, guess I've seen both ways. The old radio shack antenna guide (if they even print that anymore) showed how to make a UHF yagi with a wooden boom.

 

[mr_tunz]

I think this came from the redneck antenna guide

 

[adams6451]

Nothing red-neck about it. Great job, looks good.

 

[LouisvilleScanMan]

Well it didn't fix my reception problem so I think I'll have to try putting it outdoors on a 20 foot mast.

BTW... I DO consider myself a redneck.

 

[Twister_2]

I'm thinking about making myself one of these but for 500 MHz. My problem is simulcast multi-path distortion on a P25 system.