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Build your own cheap VHF & UHF Yagi antennas

Moleculo

Ham Radio Nerd
Apr 14, 2002
9,194
1,674
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A while back I bult a 1.2 Ghz yagi antenna for about $20. I've also mentioned on occasion that you can build a satellite 2m/440 yagi for about the same cost. Since I've mentioned that, I've gotten several requests for the information. The attached instruction sheet is courtesy of WA5VJB who designed these antennas. It outlines how to build yagis for 144Mhz, 220Mhz, several different 440 band frequencies, 900 Mhz, and 1.2 Ghz. For some of the broader bands (like 2m & 440) you may need to tweak the elemnt lengths slightly, but if you follow the dimensions you'll have very good success and getting the antenna to tune to the indicated frequency.

I was able to build the 1.2 Ghz yagi in a couple of hours. The most time consuming work was carefully measuring and re-measuring all of the dimensions. Once I had that task completed, assembly time went quick. I think it too me longer to round up all the parts at Home Depot than to actually build the antenna!

Enjoy!
 

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  • cheapyagi.pdf
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You can get aluminum tubing from Ace hardware.

The first time I bought some, I misread the price.

It was 1.15 a foot and I told the girl at the checkout it was .15 a foot. Ooops.

Paid full price after I noticed a new, legible tag.

That's for 1/4 inch.

For VHF/UHF, the elements are short enough to use 10ga solid copper.
 
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Thanks for the .PDF and instructions Moleculo. I tried my hand at making a dual bander for working satellites and this is what I came up with.

DSCN2218half.jpg

DSCN2219half.jpg


The driving elements are solid copper wire and the reflectors and directors are from a 50' roll of aluminum; both I picked up at Lowe's. Also got the 36"x¾"x¾" square dowel there as well. Cost about $20

The duplexer I made for about $15 with a SMA connector to put directly on my VX-7

So for $35 I made the equivalent of Arrow's dual band Yagi and duplexer combo which would normally cost around $140. I've tested it to some local repeater towers and can pick-up some pretty far away ones that I would normally not be able to get with clear as a bell reception. I tried hitting the ISS last night (it went straight overhead), but alas, they were all asleep. I'll try hitting a ham satellite in the next day or so when a good pass comes up.
 
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Two questions...

1.) Is the aluminum tubing for the reflectors/directors, hollow?

2.) When drilling the holes for the elements to slip through, do you drill all the way through for both holes on the driven elements, or all the way through for the top part, and most of the way through, for the bottom?

Thank you

~Brian (KG6EAK)
 
Two questions...

1.) Is the aluminum tubing for the reflectors/directors, hollow?

2.) When drilling the holes for the elements to slip through, do you drill all the way through for both holes on the driven elements, or all the way through for the top part, and most of the way through, for the bottom?

Thank you

~Brian (KG6EAK)


1) If it's not hollow, then it's not tubing :love:. As was mentioned, you can even use solid rod if that's what you can find.

2) Either way will work.
 
will a sky tv uhf antenna do the same job looking at getting one for my handheld when i don't have it in my car. the one on my car was off a marine handheld.
 
I just downloaded it and opened it fine. Do you have a PDF reader? Adobe Acrobat Reader? Some web browsers (Edge?) have PDF readers built in, or have plugins (Chrome or Firefox plugin PDF reader).
 
Adobe PDF Reader app
I use PocketBook Reader but looks like no longer on Google Play ??

I have both on my phone.
 

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