I currently am using a Cantenna and am getting ok performance but I am wondering if I can create a Franklin antenna such as the one seen here with the coax that I found on the side of the road. Will this give better performance then what i am getting now:
Thanks!
You’re gonna have to ask a clairvoyant.
Graphs don’t say anything about how good your hardware works as the reception is affected by terrain / antenna location / obstacles.
The good news is that it’s in your power to determine if such an antenna would be better:
Build it and compare it to your current setup.
It’s also the only way to determine this as no one can know how good of an antenna you’re gonna build.
As above - and what is the Vf of your found coax?
Absolutely no idea I tried to find out but wasn’t able to find any info on it, What is a recommended vf? Also if I am right you should point the “bumps” on the franklin towards or directly away from the area where you want to pick up more traffic?
Ok that’s what il do!
I’d recommend building a quarter wave with 4 to 8 radials first.
Even if you don’t get the dimensions perfect, you’ll get pretty good performance.
That should give you a baseline to know if any of the more advanced antennas you’re building are any good.
Ok I will try that, thanks!
The velocity factor is irrelavant for Franklin antenna. Franklin antenna is NOT made of coax, it is made of metal wire or tube or rod. One may also use core wire of any coax after removing outer jacket, braid, shield & core insulation.
Now there is a new variable for the imagination. Coax that was found on the side of the road!
Yep after soaking in bleach due to it being in a rat infested bucket (also has some bite marks)
Sounds like scrap pile to me. The bite marks are signal reflection.
Yeah there was quite a few things it was unclear if they wanted people to take it (as free stuff) or if they just dumped it. Luckily only a few bites so I could just cut off bits
Yes - quite so.
I should have phrased the question better - the point I was trying to make is that the physical proporties of the coax are much more important than the price.
Will the thickness of the coax affect the signal (found more dump coax and it is about ahalf inche and a bit thick) will this make a better signal,
Thicker is likely better but you should remove a portion of the outer jacket to expose the braided shielding that is hopefully there in 2 layers. See if the dielectric is pvc or foam and how the center conductor is made [solid or stranded] and the gauge of the center conductor.
And the impedance of the coax needs to be 50 ohms. No small issue that should not be assumed.
I usually just remove everything but the copper itself, is that right?
depends on the connector. You need the center dialectic to isolate the center conductor and you need the connector body to make 360 degree contact with the ground braid. I expect you already know this but I won’t assume just in case. My description assumes you are putting a connector on a piece of coax. If you are talking about stripping a coax for making a custom home grown antenna then I’m off subject.
