Tool to make 5.8gHz cloverleaf/skew-planar antennae

[Terje]

I am working on a easier way to make cloverleaf/ skew-planar antennae, using the method David describes.

I am using 0.8mm copper plated MIG welding wire and a 3D printed template.

63mm wire:
13,2mm (half wavelength)
26,5mm (full wavelength)
13,2mm (half wavelength)
10,1 mm (base for soldering)

Still working on getting the loop just right 🙂

Attachments:

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   8-loop-bend.jpg
   

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   7-finished-90-degree-bends.jpg
   

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   1-Cutting-wire-to-63mm.jpg
   

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   2-wire-cut-to-63mm.jpg
   

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   3-using-pliers-to-bend-just-right.jpg
   

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   4-first-bend.jpg
   

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   5-second-bend.jpg
   

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   6-third-bend.jpg
   

[peter010103]

COOL! mind sharing the file… Please?

Maybe you could make files for 5.8, 2.4, 900 etc and sell these.

[lauka]

Nice idea!

A bit off-topic, how close to cheaper commercial ones (e.g. Spironets) performance can you get with a DIY? Can you make them even better if you try hard enough?

[Terje]

The spironets are pretty well tuned so I guess it would be hard to match that performance. After flying my vTx and realizing that I got signal on channel 11, 38 and 47 with the cheap Hobbyking cloverleaf antennae, I found it was time to try and make some of my own. Watched an episode of RCModelReviews realized that my Hobbyking antennae also use 1mm wire.

I am planning on using the RG402 wire mentioned in this episode, but am not quite sure if I need to adjust the loops accordingly to accommodate the thicker wire base? I figure if I make the loops exactly the same on both receiver and transmitter, there is a better chance that they are tuned to each other, if that makes sense.

I will share the design once I have perfected it 🙂

[Terje]

Had to figure out a few kinks 🙂 It’s 115 degrees, not 105 degrees 🙂

You can now download the STL file from Thingiverse – Please do share any makes and finished antennae 😀

[peter010103]

just out of curiosity, which 3D printer do you use… I don’t have one yet, but I do plan on buying one.

[Terje]

I’m running a Solidoodle 4.

[Terje]

Added an alignment tool

and a base for 40mm ping-pong ball protector

as well as a tool for cutting those pesky ping-pong balls 🙂

[lauka]

Thanks for sharing these. Maybe I’ll try my luck after I break my airblade antenna.

How the alignment tool is meant to be used? Do you solder the leafs one by one to the coax cable? I mean as there is only one slot where you can align the 45 degree angle.

[Terje]

I solder all 3 or 4 leafs pre-bent to the antenna and do the final adjustment with the tool. Since you can rotate the antenna in the tool, only one alignment slot is needed for both skew-planar and cloverleaf antennas.

You can actually temporarily fix the leafs with a piece of heatshrink to the base while aligning the leafs in a perfect 120/90 degree pattern.

[Terje]

I made another tool for building a 6 loap version of the antenna. You can get it on Thingiverse. I also made a bad but rather boring and way too long video using my dreadful voice speaking some hard to understand danglish…

Attachments:

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   Six-loap-CP-antenna-kit.jpg
   

[Kevin]

Another reason I need a 3d printer

[Chadwick]

@Terje nice video wish I had acces to a 3d printer to print out some templates, I’m just going to have to keep building them the old fashioned way. By the way you voice is not dreadful, I find it rather calming, and your English is fine.

[donnyb]

I think it’s a fine video. And I understand what your saying. By the way still buying the cheap ones at hobbyking. With that said, I seen a video of a guy checking the actual power output on the boscam 600mw 32 channel transmitter. It varied by 300mw On different channel’s. Could this be the same problem? Different power on different channel’s on 32 channels?

[Terje]

I did a four lobe version as well. And an experimental SPW58 lobe version also. Defies all antenna theory though…

[Author]

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