Build technique for 5.8GHz CP antennas (Cloverleaf or Skew-Planar Wheel)

This is the way I have been building my Cloverleaf and Skew-Planar antennas. I have no idea if this is actually a good way of building them. What I knwo is that these antennas clearly outperform the stock antennas I got with my 200mW 5.8GHz TX/RX kit. See this video for a comparison: • FPV Test #3: Antennas ...
Leave comments if you spot any flows in my construction or if you have any suggestions to improve the process.
For more information on these antenna have a look at RCGroups threads which have been started by the original designer of these antennas:
Cloverleaf antenna: www.rcgroups.co...
Skew-Planar Antenna: www.rcgroups.co...

[@Friendroid]

the video was short and objective, the technique was clear and very straightforward as well, which helped me build my antennas.

[@GarretB123]

Great tutorial! To get a nice curve in your wire, use a piece of 5/8" dowel. It's the perfect size for this frequency.

[@chrisleech1565]

This is interesting, can you flesh it out a little more please. He is clearly using copper, but for the lower frequencies is is recommended to use MIG welding wire which iscopper clad steel. And so what you are referencing is important to the use of this material. It is of course much harder to make bends in after you have formed it.

[@TomFlite]

Holy crap that is an awesome method. I will try this tonight after getting super frustrated at another method last night. SP seem a lot more fiddly than CL

[@daisy8luke]

Wow, that's impressive. I need to learn to solder like that. I'm not quite the artist that you are!

[@OzoneRush2007]

veldig bra teknikk, samme som jeg bruker, bare at jeg har laget meg en jigg. ut fra lengdene du oppgir i filmen så får du nok dessverre ikke noe god SWR. du må lage de litt kortere for å kompesere for feedgap. Med litt "trimming" og et SWR meter lager du lett antenner med SWR < 1.1

[@thewelp73]

Great vid. I also make them similar to this and find so people say its not the best way but hey it works for me and extends my range and that's what counts.

[@ffleurey]

Takk! To compensate for the feedgap I actually cut a bit the side feedgap side (see at 1:55). Is this the right way of doing it, or should both sides be cut? I really need a SWR meter but so far I did not find any reasonably priced 5.8GHz directional coupler. Thanks again for your comment!

[@RAXsound]

Very accurate results

[@tootomthumber]

Another person asked if the diameter of the wire makes a difference. I'm wondering that but also the diameter of the wire begs another question. The bends are made with a fraction of a MM accuracy, so are you measuring the bend from the inside, outside or middle of the wire? Also, does the solder thickness matter? For instance if you cover more wire doesn't that in effect shorten it?

[@ffleurey]

Thanks, glad to see that the video is useful to someone. Cheers!

[@chrisleech1565]

What have you used for the 6mm copper wire. I have been trying to make these with 8mm MIG welding wire and it is not easy to work with for lengths indicated for 5.8. Very stiff. So I have been looking for another source of copper that is easily available, One that I was thinking of trying was the signal wire for thermostats or believe it or not doorbell wire ( I think its the same thing really) I do think the MIG wire has its purpose though but for lower frequencies to be sure. :-)

[@SashaNaronin]

Nice idea to solder the center first!

[@danielbennett2891]

I am assuming you mean ghz not MHz . When I do the calculations for 5.8 ghz I get 51.6mm? What value did you use for the speed of light. I used 299792458m/s. also a steel wire has a velocity factor of 0.95 ish that makes the wire about. 49.1mm

[@StefanHermann87]

Nice video, but can you tell me the physical fact why the calculated length of the wire is not length=speedOfLight/frequency but approximately 2% than that?

[@ffleurey]

That is a good idea, I will try for the next. I think it is also possible to make a better rig than my piece of paper with two lines but until now I have not really tried :-)

[@OzoneRush2007]

fikk ikke med meg den detaljen når jeg så den første gangen. Jeg kompenserer likt på begge sidene av "loopen". Det kan hende at du kan klare å treffe bra på en og annen antenne, men skal den bli bra MÅ du vite nøyaktig hvor mye kortere du lager den. Da har du muligheten til å tune deg inn ved å lage den litt kortere eller lengere med 0,05 mm av gangen, og da er det bare å teste seg frem. +-0,5mm er forskjllen mellom god og ubrukelig.

[@marianohernandez198]

Yea but how long is the coaxial wire for the transmitter n receiver

[@pinoydad_0811]

i just got an uno 5800 rx and a 600mw tx ..how do i know what frequency i'm running ..thanks

[@xtian3188]

What about the length of the coax?

[@KKSHADOW1]

Does the thickness of the wire matter?

[@alexpolakis2016]

i assume you meant 5.8 ghz cause on 5.8 mhz you could get around the world with a linear polarized antenna before you lost signal

[@ffleurey]

Yes indeed, GHz it is. I noticed the typo too late to fix it... Cheers! Franck.

[@cylllka]

thanks a lot!

[@jbx907]

perfect

[@regfeener]

Thanks man..You make it look easy but I know it's not..