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DIY Horn Lenses

When an antenna is needed for microwave operation while backpacking or camping, a dish or a large horn antenna may be too heavy to carry. As an alternative to a large horn antenna, you can build a metal lens antenna to use with a smaller sized horn. This allows you to receive additional gain when a smaller antenna is being used.

Things You'll Need

Aluminum foil roll -- 2 feet wide
Tape measure
Scissors
2-by-8-foot blue rigid insulation
Felt-tip marker
Precision knife
Compass
Razor blade

Instructions

- 1
  Measure a 2-by-8-foot sheet of aluminum foil, using a tape measure. Cut the aluminum foil to this size with the scissors.
- 2
  Coat one side of a 2-by-8-foot piece of blue rigid insulation lightly with a spray adhesive. Spray one side of the aluminum foil, in a light and even layer. Allow the adhesive to set for 1 to 2 minutes
- 3
  Lay the aluminum foil with the adhesive side down onto the blue rigid insulation. Make sure the foil is smooth on the rigid insulation.
- 4
  Make an outline on the aluminum foil for the metal plates with the felt tip marker. The plates should all be the same size. Make a mark to indicate the center for each curve. Measure the radius from this mark and draw the curve onto the foil.
- 5
  Attach the precision knife to the compass. Place the point of the compass at the center and the tip of your knife on the curve. Cut the foil and rigid insulation to make a curve. Peel off any excess aluminum foil from each cut piece. These will be the lens plates.
- 6
  Cut the metal plates out of the aluminum foil and rigid insulation with a razor blade. Stack your blocks into a lens with the aluminum foil on one side. Glue the pieces together two at a time until you obtain a block shape. Place the lenses against the horn of the antenna.

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