Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
SEP 27
1997
Discone
VHF-UHF Antenna
The discone is a popular wide-
band antenna for VHF and UHF.
This article shows you how to
build a very efficient one for
your UHF scanner.
BY WILLIAM SHEETS, KPMQJ
and RUDOLF F GRAF, KASCWL
The Discone Antenna described here are a flat conducting disc mounted
was designed to operate over a frequency horizontally atop, but insulated from, a
range of 700 to 2000 MHz. It is a very small conducting cone. The disc diameter is
antenna, but very effective. It is vertically about 0.17 wavelength at the lowest
polarized. and has an omni-directional desired operational frequency and the
radiation pattern. cone has a length of 0.25 wavelength on
The antenna's two principle elements the side. The discone's impedance is 50
.
IA
D
19/32 inch. The center hole
3”
should be 1/4-inch diameter to HOLE 5/8”
#28 DRILL
pass the 1/4-inch brass rod. Glue 4 1/4”
COPPER DISK
the washers together to form a BEND EVERY 5–10º
TO FORM
shoulder washer. Now trial fit the BRASS TUBE CONE
1/4”
entire discone assembly together. (OUTER CONDUCTOR)
SOLDER
TO TUBING
LIST OF MATERIALS
BRASS
ROD 1—Brass tube, 5/8-in. (0.015-in. wall), 5-1/2-in.
BRASS
TUBE
long
SOLDER TO CENTER PIN 1—Brass rod, 1/4-in., 5-3/8-in. long
SOLDERED ENTIRE CIRCUMFERENCE 1—Copper or brass sheet, 0.019 to 0.030-in. thick,
approximately 5 x 12 in.
Fig. 3—ASSEMBLY TYPE N CONNECTOR 1—Type N UHF connector, UG58A/U, preferably
(UG – 58 A/U)
VIEW of the discone silver plated
antenna. Parts 2—Plastic faucet washers (3/4 to 1-in. dia.) with
should fit firmly hole for #6 screw or smaller
together before end of brass tube, being careful not to dent (drill and file to sizes in Fig. 2)
soldering is 1—6-32 x 1/2-in. brass machine screw, Philips or
or crush it. You can use small metal or slotted head
attempted. Clean
surfaces to be plastic cable clamps as the antenna is very 2—Pipe clamps to fit 5/8-inch OD tube (plastic
soldered to a bright light, or it can be plugged directly into the preferred) for mounting
shine with #0 steel antenna.
scanner antenna jack. Use a right-angle
wool.
adapter. When the antenna was used with Parts and materials not normally stocked by
a pocket scanner, excellent reception electronic parts stores can be obtained at hobby
shops specializing in model aircraft and/or cars,
results were obtained on 860 and 935 MHz
plumbing supply outlets and hardware stores.
commercial signals, much better than the
8-inch "rubber ducky" original equipment. A catalog describing kits for ATV transmitters,
Also, a marked reduction in ATV receiving converters and other projects
usable with the antennas described in this article
intermodulation and cross modulation is available from:
effects was noted. Although below the North Country Radio
cutoff frequency, satisfactory 450-MHz PO Box 53
Wykagyl Station
reception was also obtained. For optimum New Rochelle, NY 10804
450 MHz performance, increase the cone
and disc dimensions 75%. Please include a #10 SASE and $1.00 to cover
handling and postage.
In field tests, the discone assembled by
the authors outperformed a 24-inch E-mail: Ncradio200@aol.com or CompuServe
commercial discone sold for scanner 102033,1572