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1-10 of 11 messages
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Bill's- HomeBrewed Pan Cake - 40 Meter TAK-tenna
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by KA6KBC on June 12, 2008
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Project Overview
So I've been reading about this Small Space antenna that is being sold as the TAK-Tenna. Really neat idea - Has a 30 inch boom and Spiral Coils on the ends. See a picture at http://www.taktenna.com/
Looks easy to build - Right ?
So I Built my version out of wood - Mine is very ugly as compared to the store bought one.
Materials:
Parts:
• 3 - Wooden sections - 1 1/2 in X 1/2 in X 8 ft - Cost 92 Cents each - Home Depot
• 1 - 100' Spool of Steel Guide/fence Wire - Cost - $7 - Home Depot
• 1 - 25 foot RG8 coax with PL259 - Radio Shack - Close Out - $5
• 2 Packages - Nuts/Bolts - $2 - Home Depot
• Total Material Cost: $16.76
The commercial version uses PVC and tie wraps, which would have been much easier.
Fab Time for my version was about 4 hours - Drilling Lots of Holes and feeding the wire in to make the Spiral Coils was most of the work.
However - Test wise it isn't bad I got it tuned up on 40 meters at about 8 feet off the ground and it has an SWR 1:2 to 1:5 from 7.30 to 7.175 MHZ. Also does ok on 15 meter - Tune up wise.
Bad news the performance is not Great - Signal pick up is several S units below my Dipole, but it does work.
From what I have read the Antenna has problems in that most of the performance is based on feedline radiation (See the links below).
http://lists.contesting.com/archives//html/Towertalk/2008-04/msg00339.html
http://groups.google.ie/group/rec.radio.amateur.antenna/browse_thread/thread/167fb7a34305cf3e
I'm still testing and will upload a picture of my ugly version at some point
It was an interesting experiment and the Antenna fits into a small space 24 inch X 30 inch. Hey it works. If you have no space it might be worth $20 and a few hours of your time or If you aren't a Homebrewer Buy one.
If you make your own one point - I needed more wire than the 468/7.2 MHZ = 65 Feet Total or 32.5 Feet per side - I had to add wire after the fact. So I would make it about 33.5 per side.
- Bill - KA6KBC - 73's
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RE: Bill's- HomeBrewed Pan Cake - 40 Meter TAK-ten
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by WW5AA on June 12, 2008
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"Bad news the performance is not Great - Signal pick up is several S units below my Dipole, but it does work."
Thanks Bill, I thought that I was going to hear another, "I worked DXCC" with this great antenna".
73 de Lindy
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RE: Bill's- HomeBrewed Pan Cake - 40 Meter TAK-ten
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by KA6KBC on June 12, 2008
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Hi Lindy,
Thanks for the comment. That's what's great about our hobby - We hams should use some critical thinking and Engineering - Not just buzz words and marketing.
However - With that said - I really like the idea of this antenna - The original designer has a great idea. He is very clever. I hope he is making some money on it.
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RE: Bill's- HomeBrewed Pan Cake - 40 Meter TAK-ten
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by WB6BYU on June 13, 2008
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• 1 - 100' Spool of Steel Guide/fence Wire - Cost - $7 - Home Depot
Copper would have lower losses than steel - perhaps even
a measurable amount in this situation were the radiation
resistance is VERY low. Of course, steel wire would
have better SWR and bandwidth due to the higher losses.
For a high performance version I'd suggest copper pipe
(as long as possible/practical) for the center section
and #6 solid copper wire for the spirals ( if you can't
afford to use copper tubing.)
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RE: Bill's- HomeBrewed Pan Cake - 40 Meter TAK-ten
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by KA6KBC on June 13, 2008
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Yep - Looked at copper wire, but price was more than 2X @ Home Depot :)
I was trying to keep a budget.
Here is the link to Some Pictures of my Antenna:
http://www.myhamshack.com/HamShackPictureViewer/732/Pan-Cake-Antenna_1.aspx
http://www.myhamshack.com/HamShackPictureViewer/734/Pan-Cake-Antenna_3.aspx
73's
Bill - KA6KBC
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RE: Bill's- HomeBrewed Pan Cake - 40 Meter TAK-ten
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by K1CJS on June 21, 2008
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The two 'compromise' antennas that are more widely known, this one--the taktenna--and the isotron, both rely on feedline radiation for part of their preformance. I had a pair of isotrons--all I had room for--and I was satisfied to the signals I was getting. Satisfied and happy--until I moved and was able to put up a simple dipole.
I'll tell you one thing--I'll NEVER get another 'squashed' antenna again, I'll find a way to put up a dipole or another type HF antenna.
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TAK-tenna ?
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by KA6KBC on June 22, 2008
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Check these comments as well:
http://www.eham.net/forums/Elmers/171329?page=1
Overall comments - Ok if you have no space, but a Dipole is better.
Still a fun Homebrew Project.
Thanks,
Bill - KA6KBC
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RE: TAK-tenna ?
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by K9FV on June 23, 2008
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Good work on the antenna - I have been wanting to build one of those myself to see how they work. Now you have done it - thanks.
73 de Ken H>
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RE: Bill's- HomeBrewed Pan Cake - 40 Meter TAK-ten
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by N3ZJY on July 3, 2008
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I wouldn't say that it came out ugly!
I experimented with a 20 meter version. Question is: where do you attach the feedline to the coil? All the pics I've seen show the connection a turn or two into the coil and I can't make out exactly where on the pics. Thanks...
Dave N3ZJY
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RE: Bill's- HomeBrewed Pan Cake - 40 Meter TAK-ten
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by KA6KBC on July 6, 2008
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Hi Dave,
Working from the Smallest center circle of the coil - Connect an Alligator Clip on each side then go out to the next larger part of the circle - I had to go out from the center turn almost one full turn to get mine to load up well on 40 Meters. I moved out even on both sides about an inch each time before checking my SWR.
- Bill - KA6KBC
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