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Step 5Preparing phase line and whiskers
Phase line: the wires that connect the wiskers together. See the diagram. I used #12 copper house wire.
Whiskers: The wires that produce the V shaped elements. I splurged and purchased some bare solid copper #6 wire off the roll at home depot. I bought 30 feet of it and have about 2 feet left. I bought enough because we're building two of these things here and hooking them together. If you're only building one then 16 feet should be sufficient with a bit left over. I built two so I could connect them together and maximize my signal collection. One of these is good for 30 mile reception.
You can use smaller wire for the whiskers but it might no stay in the correct configuration over time as movement of the antenna might alter their shape.
Use the phase line diagram in step 2 to determine measurements.
I stripped the plastic of the house wire to obtain a length of plastic coated white and black copper wire. I wanted the plastic coating to stay on the wire everywhere except the place where it connected to the whiskers with a screw.
shape the two wires as shown in the diagram. Make loops where it will go under a screw. make sure the loops coincide with the depressions you drilled in the front brace. Be sure to make a loop for the center. This is where the antenna wire will connect when it is mounted on the roof.
Picture 1 and 2
I wanted the plastic insulation off the loops but cutting it off was getting tedious. So, I fired up the propane torch and melted it off. With a little sandpaper the loop came clean.
Pictures 3 and 4
Cut 8 pieces of the #6 copper wire for the wiskers. In the end each whisker should be 9 1/2" long. So cut it the wire 18". I found that an extra inch helped out. You can always cut any excess length off after.
Bend the wire in half around a bolt in a vise. and pound it together, then use pliers to spread the whiskers apart in a V shape.
Picture 5
Seat the V of the whisker in the recess, Place the phase line wire loop over it, add a screw, with washers on both sides and squeeze it in place by tightening the nut. Do the same for all 8 whiskers.
Whiskers: The wires that produce the V shaped elements. I splurged and purchased some bare solid copper #6 wire off the roll at home depot. I bought 30 feet of it and have about 2 feet left. I bought enough because we're building two of these things here and hooking them together. If you're only building one then 16 feet should be sufficient with a bit left over. I built two so I could connect them together and maximize my signal collection. One of these is good for 30 mile reception.
You can use smaller wire for the whiskers but it might no stay in the correct configuration over time as movement of the antenna might alter their shape.
Use the phase line diagram in step 2 to determine measurements.
I stripped the plastic of the house wire to obtain a length of plastic coated white and black copper wire. I wanted the plastic coating to stay on the wire everywhere except the place where it connected to the whiskers with a screw.
shape the two wires as shown in the diagram. Make loops where it will go under a screw. make sure the loops coincide with the depressions you drilled in the front brace. Be sure to make a loop for the center. This is where the antenna wire will connect when it is mounted on the roof.
Picture 1 and 2
I wanted the plastic insulation off the loops but cutting it off was getting tedious. So, I fired up the propane torch and melted it off. With a little sandpaper the loop came clean.
Pictures 3 and 4
Cut 8 pieces of the #6 copper wire for the wiskers. In the end each whisker should be 9 1/2" long. So cut it the wire 18". I found that an extra inch helped out. You can always cut any excess length off after.
Bend the wire in half around a bolt in a vise. and pound it together, then use pliers to spread the whiskers apart in a V shape.
Picture 5
Seat the V of the whisker in the recess, Place the phase line wire loop over it, add a screw, with washers on both sides and squeeze it in place by tightening the nut. Do the same for all 8 whiskers.
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