How to Build Amateur Satellite Antennas

How to Build Ground Plane Antennas

• 1

  Using the steel wool or a small wire brush, clean the area around the four bolt holes on the panel jack connectors.

• 2

  Cut one piece of wire 19 5/16 inches long. This will be the 2 meter vertical radiator.

• 3

  Cut 4 pieces of wire 20 3/16 inches long. These will be the 2 meter Radials.

• 4

  Using the steel wool or a small wire brush, clean one end of each of the 5 pieces of wire. Clean at least ½ inch of wire.

• 5

  Using the soldering iron, flux and solder, Solder the 19 5/16-inch piece of wire to the center solder cup of the RF panel jack that will be used for the 2 meter antenna. Use the cleaned end of the wire to solder to the solder cup.

• 6

  Using the needle nose pliers, make a small loop on the cleaned end of the remaining four pieces of wire.

• 7

  Using one bolt, one nut, and two washers, attach one radial wire to the connector body.

• 8

  Repeat step 7 for the other three radial wires.

• 9

  Bend the four radials down at a 45-degree angle. This will present a 50 Ohm impedance to the feed line and radio.

• 10

  Cut one piece of wire 6 3/8 inches. This will be the 70cm vertical radiator.

• 11

  Cut four pieces of wire 6 inches long. These will be the 70cm radials.

• 12

  Using the steel wool or a small wire brush, clean one end of each of the 5 pieces of wire. Clean at least ½ inch of wire.

• 13

  Using the soldering iron, flux and solder Solder the 6 3/8 inch piece of wire to the center solder cup of the RF panel jack that will be used for the 70 cm antenna. Use the cleaned end of the wire to solder to the solder cup.

• 14

  Using the needle nose pliers, make a small loop on the cleaned end of the remaining four pieces of wire

• 15

  Using one bolt, one nut, and two washers, attach one radial wire to the connector body.

• 16

  Repeat step for the other three radial wires.

• 17

  Bend the four radials down at a 45 degree angle. This will present a 50 Ohm impedance to the feed line and radio.