Foil Based Fractal Antenna.

This Instructable is based on a copper based antenna: (https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-fractal-antenna-for-HDTV-DTV-plus-/). Took several hours of calculus in college, but was never interested in fractals. After watching a show on PBS about fractals and how many antennas such as cell phones are based of them, I was hooked. I had to try it myself. Did some research and found the instructable this antenna is based off of.  Had already done some other foil antennas. The are cheaper and safer than the hardwired antennas for the most part. Had to try to make a version in foil. This is what I came up with. The antenna is a bit directional, but does ok.

Here are some more antennas you might be itnerested in: https://www.instructables.com/id/Antennas-TV-Wifi-and-etc/

Note: somehow while editing this instructable the text was lost. I have the original somewhare, I will try to find it later.

Original text per www.archive.org/:

If you saw my original (over the air) foil antenna, then you maybe interested in a new antenna I am working on. This is basically a duplicate of Mr. Ruckman's antenna, but it is made with foil instead. Why foil you say? It is easier to conceal in a frame, safer around kids, and I just wanted to try it. For a long time I was not into fractals even with having taken 7 hours of now forgotten Calculus in college. After watching a show about fractals on PBS (Nova?) talking about how most modern cell phones use fractals for antenna shapes, I was hooked. Plan to make a coat hanger version also to see how it compares. Should of added over-the-air antenna to the title. This antenna seems to work best of all the ones I have done so far.

You may also like: https://www.instructables.com/id/Dtv-Antennas-I-have-tried/, https://www.instructables.com/id/Yagi-foil-HDTV-antenna/

Worst case scenario, it makes an interest holiday decoration.

Step 1: What's Needed.

A roll of foil that you can get usually less expensive at the dollar store.
Piece of cardboard to act as a backing.
Tape to put it together. 
Wire
1 coat hanger to make a form.
TV transformer.

Tools
Ruler that can measure in inches
60 degree triangle or equivalent.

Step 2: Make the Form.

Using a form will make it easier to make consistent folds for the antenna sections.
Take a coat hanger and cut an eight inch length out of the bottom part of the hanger. The rest of the coat hanger is unneeded.

Per the original author:

You will repeat this step for each wire. Each bend on the wire will be 60 degrees exactly as we will be making equilateral triangles with this fractal. I used two pairs of pliers and a protractor. Each bend will be made at the 1 marks. Make sure you visualize the direction of each bend first before making it! Use the diagram below to help.

Mine still needs a little tweaking, but you get the idea.

Step 3: Making Each Antenna Leaf.

Unroll 24 inches of aluminium foil. Cut the 24 inches of foil into three 8-inch pieces.
Cut each section so that each 8 inch section is half as wide.
Fold each piece of foil lengthwise in half. Repeat and repeat until you have a foil stick approximately a 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide.
Two of these will be the two long sections. We will use them in a later step

Four or the rest of these will be the fractals.
Take each of the four fractal sections and fold them like your form. This one still needs a bit more work.

 

Step 4: Putting It All Together.

From all the antennas I have tried they all will work to some degree. The better you make onm the better the results will be. Try this one and expect to do some tweaking.

Get an a 8x11 piece of paper or even better cardboard.
Tape down the two main strands so you can add the transformer.
Tape down the transformer.
The add the stars along each of the two strands.

Note: what is pictured is just a prototype, but you get the idea..

Step 5: Alternative Version.

We will take one of those cookie tins and make an alternative verion of the fractal antenna.

Draw two long straight stips in the middle going lengthwise on  the foil.
Use the original form  to draw the fractals. (Just draw around it.
Do this four times till it looks like the fractal antenna.
Cut out the two sections. BE CARFUL THE EDGES ARE SHARP!!
Mount the sections.