[NLRS] Club Cheap Yagi Build Day Advice Needed

[James Duffey]

Bill - I have used #8 or #6 copper wire from Home Depot or Lowes for elements. #6 is closer to the 3/16” that is specified in the design but #8 works fine. You should be able to get it by the foot at Menards. :^)=  It will work fine and it is easy to straighten the elements when they get bent. 

I use Gorilla glue to glue the elements in the boom.

With a 3 element Yagi, you can support the antenna from the end. Make the boom a bit longer and drill holes in each direction at the end so that the builders can use the antennas mounted either vertical or horizontal. You might want to add a U-bolt for mounting. I use Channel Master TV mast U clamps which the local hardware store has for about $2 each. Radio Shack has the same thing, but they are three times the price. 

When I build the antenna I write the length of the element on the boom next to the hole it fits in with a Sharpie. That way, if an element gets damaged the user can replace it without hunting up the original design. I found that particularly useful when I used these antennas roving. I carried a length of #8 copper wire and cut new elements to length with a big pair of diagonal cutters. 

You might also want each builder to measure the SWR of the antenna after it is built and write it next to the driven element. That way they can use it as a baseline if they think something is wrong.

Encourage them to make QSOes with the built antenna, even if it is just hand held to hand held. If can you have a fixed station broadcasting nearby, they can use it to see the directivity available. 

Building these antennas is fun. I hope that your club enjoys the project. Let us know how things turn out. - Duffey KK6MC





On Nov 15, 2016, at 6:14 PM, W. S. Mitchell <wsmitchell3 at gmail.com> wrote:

> 
> 
> Greetings,
>  I am organizing a WA5VJB Cheap Yagi build day for the Bloomington
> (MN) Amateur Radio Association, which will happen at some point in the
> next few months.  However, having never built these antennas before, I
> could use some advice.
> 
> Assume for a moment that there are 8 participants, each of whom is
> interested in building a 3-element 2 m yagi.  Each antenna requires
> roughly 12' of conductor, with lengths of 37" (director), 41"
> (reflector), and 60" (driven).
> 
> Am I correct to think that the best way to approach this is to use #10
> solid copper wire for the whole thing?  I've looked for welding rod,
> and it seems like it's more suited for 222 MHz and above (hard to find
>> 36" pieces).  From my searching, 1/8" or 3/16" copper tubing are a
> bit tricky to find as well, and is generally more expensive (and less
> robust in the field) than the (admittedly thinner) solid stuff.
> 
> My hardware store has 1/2"x3/4" pine in 8' sections, which should be
> good for a few antennas.  I already have coax that can be used, and
> tracking down crimp-type connectors (BNC, PL-259, probably not N
> because the club members are unlikely to have any N gear) shouldn't be
> too difficult.
> 
> Any advice or suggestions on sourcing materials would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Thanks,
>  Bill
> AE0EE
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