J Sean McVey .com

Don’t forget about the VHF Sweeps coming up this weekend!

VHF Sweepstakes

From the ARRL’s Contest Website:

To work as many amateur stations in as many different 2 degrees x 1 degree grid squares as possible using authorized frequencies above 50 MHz. Foreign stations work W/VE amateurs only.

Begins 1900 UTC Saturday, ends 0359 UTC Monday (January 22-24, 2011). On all authorized frequencies above 50 MHz (6 Meters).

Single Operator, High Power:

1500 Watts PEP or the maximum allowable power level established by the national licensing authority of your country, whichever is lower.

Single Operator, Low Power:

50 MHz and 144 MHz–200 W PEP.

222 MHz and 432 MHz–100 W PEP.

902 MHz and above–10 W PEP.

Single Operator Portable:

Ten (10) W PEP output or less.

Portable power source.

Portable equipment and antennas.

Multioperator:

1500 Watts PEP or the maximum allowable power level established by the national licensing authority of your country, whichever is lower.

Limited Multioperator:

1500 Watts PEP or the maximum allowable power level established by the national licensing authority of your country, whichever is lower.

Rover:

1500 Watts PEP or the maximum allowable power level established by the national licensing authority of your country, whichever is lower.

Limited Rover:

50 MHz and 144 MHz–200 W PEP.

222 MHz and 432 MHz–100 W PEP.

902 MHz and above–10 W PEP.

Unlimited Rover:

1500 Watts PEP or the maximum allowable power level established by the national licensing authority of your country, whichever is lower.

Certificates will be awarded in the following categories:

Single Operator: – Top Single Operator in each ARRL/RAC Section for high and low power.

– Top Single Operator on each band (50, 144, 222, 432, 902, 1296 and 2304-and-up categories) in each ARRL/RAC Section where significant effort or competition is evident. (Note: Since the highest score per band will be the award winner for that band, an entrant may win a certificate with additional single-band endorsements.) For example, if KA1RWY has the highest single-operator all-band score in the CT Section and her 50- and 222-MHz scores are higher than any other CT single operator

With the ARRL VHF Sweepstakes coming up this weekend, I wanted to construct a directional beam antenna for use on one of the local mountains for some of the contest. I wanted something that is simple, cheap, quick, portable, and, most importantly, effective. I thought back and recalled a single element quad antenna for 2-meters that I had constructed in college, for my amateur radio club to use locally. I wanted to make it more effective, so I decided to try to work out a design for a multiple element quad for 2-meters.

Here’s what a quad antenna looks like. This is a 2-element design.

My “design” will have four elements, a reflector, driven, and two directors. This will help to focus the beam of RF energy into a more concentrated and condensed area. That basically helps to add gain and sensitivity in the direction that the beam is pointing. The elements will be taped to square (diamond) shaped pieces of cardboard, and will be made of one strip of tin foil, 1/2″ wide, in a way that will trace the edge of the cardboard. The completed cardboard elements will then be placed in to slits made in the bottom of a large cardboard box, which will sit on its top as a support for the antenna. Tuning (if necessary) will be achieved by placing the driven element in different pre-tested and tuned slits.

Here’s what my design looks like so far. Crude, isn’t it?

Last night, I bought some of the supplies that I will need. 50ft. of RG-58 coax. I asked at the local Lowe’s if they had a cardboard box that I could have, because I will need to have one about 5ft. in length to accommodate the elements of the antenna. I already have tin foil and solder / soldering iron at home. That’s about all I will need. I will post this project, along with pictures, once it is completed, on the “Projects” page.