You need to straighten heavy solid copper wire before you can precisely bend it into shapes for building your own Gray-Hoverman TV antenna. Rather than straighten the wire in bulk, I deal with only each short length as needed, and it takes just a few minutes of hand work. This is one of several of my Instructables related to building this antenna. To see the others and my related Instructables, click on unclesam in the INFO box at right and repeatedly click NEXT to page through them all. To receive automatic notice about my future antenna construction postings, you can click in the INFO box to subscribe to me. In the final step I include links within Digitalhome.ca that further describe the antenna.

Step 1: Material and Tools

The Wire
Copper wire, solid, uninsulated usually #6 (0.162 inch diameter), but other sizes are sometimes specified. This wire is sold in hardware stores by the foot, cut in the store from a reel. I have each piece cut to the length I need for each part of the antenna, to the next foot, so I can easily carry it out the store in sticks. The part pictured in this Instructable called for a piece just over 34 inches long, so I had three feet cut off for it. Doing that requires me to do less straightening before then bending it to the required shape and dimensions.
Tools
Hammer
Wood block
Small clamp
Bench top or board, flat

Step 2: Tap and Bash

Short sharp bends can be gently tapped out aginst the benchtop with a hammer, the copper will easily yeild. The wire should be rolled during the tapping. Larger severe bends can be straightened by smacking down on the wire with the edge of the wood block or hitting the block with the hammer. You do not want to flatten the wire. Once the severe bends are smoothed out, clamp one end of the wire to the benchtop and rub the block, applying downward pressure, from the center of the wire to the loose end. The wire will quickly become hot, so it is necessary to unclamp and roll the wire frequently, otherwise it will curl. Clamp the other end and repeat the process. It will take a few minutes, but the wire will become straight. The block might work better if it had a shallow V groove in its bottom to run along the wire, but the plain block works so well that I have not bothered to try that.

Step 3: Gently Rub

Once the major imperfections have been removed from the wire, unclamp it and grip one end with one hand, just off the benchtop, while using the other hand to rub the wire against the bench. Constantly roll the wire as you rub, and turn the wire to work out any curves. The wire may have a very long curl, perhaps for its entire length. Lift one end of the wire up and rub against that side that will work out that curl. With a little effort the wire will be ready to become part of your antenna, as shown in the intro photo.

Step 4: Antenna Information Links

1. The Gray-Hoverman version I am making is described at this link, though I am adding what are called tophat NARODS for improved VHF-high reception: http://www.user.dccnet.com/jonleblanc/Canada_TV_Stations/Gray-Hoverman/DBGH_VHF_hi_Antenna.pdf
2. Introduction to the Gray-Hoverman antenna
http://www.digitalhome.ca/ota/superantenna
3. Antenna Research and Development Forum
http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=186"
4. Photo of mast-mounted outdoor G-H antenna (by others, post #94)
5. The antenna design information is protected by license (by others), is made available free for individual use, but commercial exploitation is prohibited. Link to the license:
http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.txt