Building a Template

So one of the main problems with my first antenna was that it looked like crap. 😀 I coiled the cable by hand in the air and it didn’t turn out so well. This time I wanted to create a hard cone-shaped shell to wrap a cable around.

With a large 33 degree angle spanning several sheets of paper laying on the table, I got a large piece of posterboard and curled it up into a cone and taped it down when it was the right angle. (Having a partner here helps to tape down the edges while you hold the posterboard in place.)

Trim down the bottom so that it has a relatively flat base and you’re good to go. It wound up being about 20″ tall or so.

Paper Antenna Template

Now, I’m gonna want to make sure it maintains its shape when I start applying pressure onto it by squeezing it with copper wire. A pair of balls will work fine, a tennis ball to support the apex and a larger bouncy ball to support the larger section. They’re both lightweight and resistant enough to push back when I apply pressure.

Paper Antenna Template with Guts

With the balls shoved inside the paper template, we’re good to go!