I just wanted to share an idea I picked up from an old Hamateur rag back in the 70's "To straighten stiff wire, rough out the kinks, then roll it lengthwise between two boards". It works extremely well. Thanks for the great videos!
Thanks a TON for this video. I just made a coat hanger yagi with a PVC boom.I managed to key a repeater 80 miles away with only 5 watts! Not bad for my first yagi. For the feed point I used a BNC to binding post adapter. The driven element wires have spade connectors on the end and are attached to the binding posts. This allows me to orient the boom vertically and bring the elements in to make a V beam. Thanks again for your excellent videos. :)
Thanks for the inspiration!!! I just built a 4 element Yagi and now i can hit my club repeater 30 miles away on 5 watts using coat hangers! Thank you for making these videos. 73, N5STS
That's great! :) It is a simple antenna that works well and is a lot of fun. Some hams will tell you that the best antenna they ever had was one that they just threw together. Thanks for watching and 73! :)
I used 3/4" pvc tubing, tee at 40% mid point and 1/4" copper plated steel tubing for the elements, with somer old power disconnect wire binder loops with the set screw on the ends. Inserted about 4 inches of polished 1/8 braze brass rod inside and tightened the loop clamps after fine tune. Same 90 deg feed point with Beldon 9915 flex at about 18 feet. Used an old fiberglass extendable limb trim saw for elevation and it works great up to about 10 watts before swr goes beyond 2:1. This gave me a great field day local comm antenna for talk in for club swaps. A great and quick setup is with one of those drive over base plates with a 18 inch pipe welded to it, drop your mast in with antenna and go ! Great project DT.. 73, Gary kb8qlz
Thanks for sharing this. I just put together one using parts from around the house. Going to borrow an antenna analyzer at my local ham club to check the resonance and test it out.
After watching you build that antenna, I'm definitely gonna have to try making a coat hanger yagi antenna. Gonna have to get me a dual band HT after I get my Tech. license.
No balun required for a simple VHF or UHF yagi like this one. This antenna is similar to the antennas in my videos, "Ham Radio 2m/70cm Vertical Dipole Antenna," and the, "6m/2m/70cm Yagi Antenna Built from Old TV Antenna."
Great video, a thought to share. 1) when installing the radials, how about making the eye run clockwise so that tightening the screws doesnt fight the direction of the screw.
This is off the top of my head. Try this and please post a reply with your results. 70 cm: R = 12-5/8" (32.1 cm), F = 12" (30.5 cm), D1 = 11-7/16" (29.1 cm), D2 = 11-3/8" (28.9 cm), Equal Spacing = 6" (15 cm). 73 and thanks for watching!
I made 2 coat hanger antenna for my tv made 2 of them.for indoor one is 2.5 and other one is 4 ft tall bith works good im use the shirt one now with a antop signal gain booster for my local channel and I git 54 channels now in my area
Made this and it works pretty well. I hit my local repeaters better than I ever have with my handheld but I can't quite get the reach I want for simplex. Can you give the length and spacing for one more director element? Thanks
Hi and thanks for the video. I followed instructions very closely. It looks fine, continuity is not an issue, and I used decent materials. However, I simply cannot SWR it, constantly reading VERY high and with a AT-5555 I get an S-HI warning almost as soon as I pick up the Mic - what am I doing wrong?
Hi. I like your Mc Gyver antennas but with this one I am wondering how is it possible to have such a low SWR and impedance of around 50 Ohm, when the antenna itself (3 element yagi) is supposed to have a rather high impedance of 200 ohm or more, depending on the element count. Shouldn't you build some king of impedance matching from 50 to 200 ohm? A balun made of coax perhaps?
Curious how when you connect the coax to the 2 driven elements there is one wire each for the driven elements and yet there is but one coax wire, did you add a splitter of some kind to the coax cable before you made those 2 connections?
Colm Brazel Colm, I believe you bought the right stuff, 50 ohm coax. The center conductor goes to the upper half of the driven element and the shield goes to the lower half. Just a suggestion, you can Google a dipole antenna to see how to connect or watch one of Dave's other videos on making another dipole antenna if this one wasn't clear to you. I'm going to build one myself. Dave was helpful in my first 10 meter dipole. Dick N4ORQ
Dick, I actually bought tv/satellite coax 75ohm resistance, couldn't find in usual places the pl 259 connector, but found a Ham store and now have the pl 259 connectors I need. I think I need 3, 2 for connecting in/out on a SWR meter and one for direct connection to rear of radio. I got now the correct 50ohm cable as well. I noted there are 2 types of PL 259 one for a heavier gauge 50ohm cable. I got the lighter cable and the smaller pl 259 type connector, I'll connect the driven elements up as you say the center conductor and the shield etc ..thanks for the heads up
Dave, I've watched quite a a few of your ham / non0ham videos….liked them all. Could you do an analysis / compare of coaxial cables and the plus / minus of various connector types. Thanks I 'copied' your inverted 40m V bought the trap wire but did not get to building the traps yet. Have a great day. walt K2CXP
Would you please tell me the formulas that you are using? Also, is I wanted to know if you have a picture of diagram for a Yagi with more elements? If I wanted to add more elements for more gain, where would I place them on the antenna. I am new to this, and thanks for such great videos.
Thanks for this video,I have just passed my foundation ham licence here in the UK and im going to try to build this.Thanks for the measurements 73 - M6ZEF
Hello Dave, great video. So question: If you were going to do a (4) four element. 1 director, feed and two reflectors. What would the length of the boom be, element spacing and the length of the elements? Thank you in advance, 73
them measurement sound about right for tubing. (say from a old TV antenna) being you used coat hangers were they longer or shorter like you were saying in the steel ver copper part in the beginning?
Try making a second director 1/8th inch shorter than the first director and space it also 15". Height will also increase performance. Using the wide 15" spacing will help maximize gain. To increase front to back ratio (but decrease gain) use a spacing of 15" between the driven element and the reflector and use 12-3/8" spacing between the rest of the elements. You can add as many directors as you like. Just taper the first four or five directors in 1/8" increments and the rest all the same.
Hi total noob when it comes to external antennas. I have a few handhelds but really need to increase my range. I have about 20/30foot of C.B coax. I have soldered a plug that fits into U.K. radios (handhelds but I'm planning on using static mainly) need anything else except coat hangers and tools? I have recently obtained an allotment on a hill. One of the highest points in my city in England. What is the reflector? Like foil to create a satellite dish so to speak?. As I say I have listed the few items I have obtained. Can someone please help me in layman's terms as to make an antenna. I'm happy to just talk local but confused as to which bits of coax attach where? You know as it has singular central copper wire and like a bushy copper wire just under the coax skin. Ranting sorry but please help me. Or is a dipole easier to build or any other model that may be more effective and hopefully easier to construct lol. Please please and thanks. A fellow allied from the U.K.
Just came across your channel. Nice build. If you don't mind my asking, will this work for uhf 433.mghz signal? It's probably a stupid question because I know very little about thu. Thanks and I gave you a like and sub!
Yes but made slightly different. See the video the $4.00 Satellite Antenna and use the measurements for the UHF side of the antenna. Check the antenna with an SWR meter or analyzer and it should be close in frequency. You may have to stretch out the driven element a little to tune the antenna. Thanks & 73.
the front and back dipoles are known as the director and the reflector, they are parasitic elements and serve to focus the radiation more in the direction of the shorter one(director) the longer one at the back (the reflector reduces radiation coming from that direction \. this is what makes a yagi such a good antenna as most of the power is focused in a single direction. you can add more directors with each one slightly shorter than the one before it but the gain per director drops off eventually
@@traprmike I take it you are a typical ham radio AH.... Why would you even make a statement like that to a man trying to understand how something works.
Would something like this work for a WIFI router across an open field? Approximately 500 yards? I know receiving would be no problem, but the sending part is what I am concerned with.
Hi, You would have to shorten the elements find a yagi calculator and type in the frequency your router runs on and it will tell you all the measurements. Kg7qca
Hello my friend, very thanks for the video, I will make this antenna with coax RG 58 And i want to put it outside Is this antenna good ? And please if you send me the dimensions 73 de z31vaj
I just wanted to share an idea I picked up from an old Hamateur rag back in the 70's
"To straighten stiff wire, rough out the kinks, then roll it lengthwise between two boards".
It works extremely well. Thanks for the great videos!
does copper housewire work connnected to a coat hanger that is steeel
Thanks a TON for this video. I just made a coat hanger yagi with a PVC boom.I managed to key a repeater 80 miles away with only 5 watts! Not bad for my first yagi. For the feed point I used a BNC to binding post adapter. The driven element wires have spade connectors on the end and are attached to the binding posts. This allows me to orient the boom vertically and bring the elements in to make a V beam. Thanks again for your excellent videos. :)
Thanks for the inspiration!!! I just built a 4 element Yagi and now i can hit my club repeater 30 miles away on 5 watts using coat hangers! Thank you for making these videos. 73, N5STS
That's great! :) It is a simple antenna that works well and is a lot of fun. Some hams will tell you that the best antenna they ever had was one that they just threw together. Thanks for watching and 73! :)
I used 3/4" pvc tubing, tee at 40% mid point and 1/4" copper plated steel tubing for the elements, with somer old power disconnect wire binder loops with the set screw on the ends. Inserted about 4 inches of polished 1/8 braze brass rod inside and tightened the loop clamps after fine tune. Same 90 deg feed point with Beldon 9915 flex at about 18 feet. Used an old fiberglass extendable limb trim saw for elevation and it works great up to about 10 watts before swr goes beyond 2:1. This gave me a great field day local comm antenna for talk in for club swaps. A great and quick setup is with one of those drive over base plates with a 18 inch pipe welded to it, drop your mast in with antenna and go !
Great project DT..
73, Gary kb8qlz
Im just learning about two meter antennas and radios and you've helped me understand alot more. Thank you very much.
very nice idea & nice to see the real battles in the build instead of an edited version
Thanks for sharing this. I just put together one using parts from around the house. Going to borrow an antenna analyzer at my local ham club to check the resonance and test it out.
Michael Grace hello Michael Grace..
Why hello there! It would appear that our hobbies has caused our paths to cross. :)
Yes,, fancy meeting another Michael Grace, that likes radios too
After watching you build that antenna, I'm definitely gonna have to try making a coat hanger yagi antenna. Gonna have to get me a dual band HT after I get my Tech. license.
No balun required for a simple VHF or UHF yagi like this one. This antenna is similar to the antennas in my videos, "Ham Radio 2m/70cm Vertical Dipole Antenna," and the, "6m/2m/70cm Yagi Antenna Built from Old TV Antenna."
Great video, a thought to share.
1) when installing the radials, how about making the eye run clockwise so that tightening the screws doesnt fight the direction of the screw.
I use this antenna and I can talk to people more than 45 miles away. awsome
This is off the top of my head. Try this and please post a reply with your results. 70 cm: R = 12-5/8" (32.1 cm), F = 12" (30.5 cm), D1 = 11-7/16" (29.1 cm), D2 = 11-3/8" (28.9 cm), Equal Spacing = 6" (15 cm). 73 and thanks for watching!
I made 2 coat hanger antenna for my tv made 2 of them.for indoor one is 2.5 and other one is 4 ft tall bith works good im use the shirt one now with a antop signal gain booster for my local channel and I git 54 channels now in my area
Made this and it works pretty well. I hit my local repeaters better than I ever have with my handheld but I can't quite get the reach I want for simplex. Can you give the length and spacing for one more director element? Thanks
Hi and thanks for the video. I followed instructions very closely. It looks fine, continuity is not an issue, and I used decent materials. However, I simply cannot SWR it, constantly reading VERY high and with a AT-5555 I get an S-HI warning almost as soon as I pick up the Mic - what am I doing wrong?
I'm a newbie "ham"; just want to say that your videos are very helpful and entertaining. Great job. 73s KF5YOF
Hi. I like your Mc Gyver antennas but with this one I am wondering how is it possible to have such a low SWR and impedance of around 50 Ohm, when the antenna itself (3 element yagi) is supposed to have a rather high impedance of 200 ohm or more, depending on the element count. Shouldn't you build some king of impedance matching from 50 to 200 ohm? A balun made of coax perhaps?
Thanks, very inspiring. Looking forward to following your methods for my first antenna later today!
Curious how when you connect the coax to the 2 driven elements there is one wire each for the driven elements and yet there is but one coax wire, did you add a splitter of some kind to the coax cable before you made those 2 connections?
Colm Brazel Just googled it and found twin lead is the cable used. Unfortunately I'd bought the single line coax, wondering if there is a workaround?
Colm Brazel
Colm, I believe you bought the right stuff, 50 ohm coax. The center conductor goes to the upper half of the driven element and the shield goes to the lower half.
Just a suggestion, you can Google a dipole antenna to see how to connect or watch one of Dave's other videos on making another dipole antenna if this one wasn't clear to you. I'm going to build one myself. Dave was helpful in my first 10 meter dipole. Dick N4ORQ
Dick, I actually bought tv/satellite coax 75ohm resistance, couldn't find in usual places the pl 259 connector, but found a Ham store and now have the pl 259 connectors I need. I think I need 3, 2 for connecting in/out on a SWR meter and one for direct connection to rear of radio. I got now the correct 50ohm cable as well. I noted there are 2 types of PL 259 one for a heavier gauge 50ohm cable. I got the lighter cable and the smaller pl 259 type connector, I'll connect the driven elements up as you say the center conductor and the shield etc ..thanks for the heads up
Colm Brazel Got it built, not even tuned on a SWR and I can hear some stations I believe from China, so very pleased with it, thanks.
Dave, I've watched quite a a few of your ham / non0ham videos….liked them all. Could you do an analysis / compare of coaxial cables and the plus / minus of various connector types. Thanks I 'copied' your inverted 40m V bought the trap wire but did not get to building the traps yet. Have a great day. walt K2CXP
i am gettting pure static
MacGyver would be proud of you!
Would you please tell me the formulas that you are using? Also, is I wanted to know if you have a picture of diagram for a Yagi with more elements? If I wanted to add more elements for more gain, where would I place them on the antenna. I am new to this, and thanks for such great videos.
Thanks for this video,I have just passed my foundation ham licence here in the UK and im going to try to build this.Thanks for the measurements 73 - M6ZEF
Great Video! I build one using your measurements and instructions it works great!
Hello Dave, great video. So question: If you were going to do a (4) four element. 1 director, feed and two reflectors. What would the length of the boom be, element spacing and the length of the elements? Thank you in advance, 73
You did a good job would you send me the dimensions of that antenna thank you
Hi. Nice video. Could you do a video for an 12 element yagi for 70cms 430MHz to 446MHz with the coat hangers. 73
Would it work better if it was made of Brazing rod hi Fred.
Another creative idea Dave!
can you use galvanised steel, thanks!
them measurement sound about right for tubing. (say from a old TV antenna) being you used coat hangers were they longer or shorter like you were saying in the steel ver copper part in the beginning?
Try making a second director 1/8th inch shorter than the first director and space it also 15". Height will also increase performance. Using the wide 15" spacing will help maximize gain. To increase front to back ratio (but decrease gain) use a spacing of 15" between the driven element and the reflector and use 12-3/8" spacing between the rest of the elements. You can add as many directors as you like. Just taper the first four or five directors in 1/8" increments and the rest all the same.
Congratulations on passing your foundation.
Hi total noob when it comes to external antennas. I have a few handhelds but really need to increase my range. I have about 20/30foot of C.B coax. I have soldered a plug that fits into U.K. radios (handhelds but I'm planning on using static mainly) need anything else except coat hangers and tools? I have recently obtained an allotment on a hill. One of the highest points in my city in England. What is the reflector? Like foil to create a satellite dish so to speak?. As I say I have listed the few items I have obtained. Can someone please help me in layman's terms as to make an antenna. I'm happy to just talk local but confused as to which bits of coax attach where? You know as it has singular central copper wire and like a bushy copper wire just under the coax skin.
Ranting sorry but please help me.
Or is a dipole easier to build or any other model that may be more effective and hopefully easier to construct lol.
Please please and thanks.
A fellow allied from the U.K.
Why do some people solder a piece of copper between the 2 elements? Isn't that a short circuit?
The 3.5m one is so big!!! 2-metre is slightly smaller. I gave up making a 3.5-metre 4 element yagi cause the beam is too short
Hi!
How long elements should be for 70cm's band?
Greetings from Serbia!
Greetings from Sweden 🇸🇪
Great channel!
You just got yourself a new subscriber 🤖
Thank you!
Just came across your channel. Nice build. If you don't mind my asking, will this work for uhf 433.mghz signal? It's probably a stupid question because I know very little about thu. Thanks and I gave you a like and sub!
Yes but made slightly different. See the video the $4.00 Satellite Antenna and use the measurements for the UHF side of the antenna. Check the antenna with an SWR meter or analyzer and it should be close in frequency. You may have to stretch out the driven element a little to tune the antenna. Thanks & 73.
Thanks for the video, just built one.
Good project Dave !
I built one for fun and from a valley I hit a repeater 24 miles away.
whats the formula for spacing elements
Noticed the tat on your left arm. Where did you do your time? `+'
how are dipoles at the sides contributing at all? they don't seem to be connected to the coaxial cable...
I was wondering the same.
the front and back dipoles are known as the director and the reflector, they are parasitic elements and serve to focus the radiation more in the direction of the shorter one(director) the longer one at the back (the reflector reduces radiation coming from that direction \. this is what makes a yagi such a good antenna as most of the power is focused in a single direction. you can add more directors with each one slightly shorter than the one before it but the gain per director drops off eventually
that's the way Yagi antennas work, only the the driven element is connected. your not a ham radio guy I take it?
i used to a coat hanger
@@traprmike I take it you are a typical ham radio AH.... Why would you even make a statement like that to a man trying to understand how something works.
What materials do I need as far as an antenna to pick up an LTE tower about 7 miles away? So that I can get better coverage on my cell phone?
Anything that conducts electricity works. Brass is what i use.
How do you plan to hook it up?
Would something like this work for a WIFI router across an open field? Approximately 500 yards? I know receiving would be no problem, but the sending part is what I am concerned with.
Hi,
You would have to shorten the elements find a yagi calculator and type in the frequency your router runs on and it will tell you all the measurements.
Kg7qca
i did this and my antenna has the highest swr ive ever seen hahaha
can I use this for 15 watt FM transmitter?
ashrafur rakib For an antenna built like this, I wouldn't recommend more than 10 Watts.
Hello my friend, very thanks for the video, I will make this antenna with coax RG 58 And i want to put it outside Is this antenna good ? And please if you send me the dimensions 73 de z31vaj
+Lamba Struja I made this antenna it's perfect and has excellent performances
would this be an OK starter antenna
Absolutely.
i made this with 4elements but i have High SWR
Thankyou Kevin
Another great video Dave. 73, KB8AMZ
aw man... metal coat hangers aren't "common" anymore. lol :P
Get some shirts dry cleaned....they come back with metal coat hangers.
Great job, thank you. WA5SAT
Penn or teller lookalike
de KK4WDQ: great video.
dude focus the camera man
NOhair pin match kg6mn
So cool! kG6ILB
I wonder what the use of such a precarious and useless realization could be
i did this and my antenna has the highest swr ive ever seen hahaha