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QFH diy Guide

 

***Don't forget to check out the international weather image competition (New Horizons) a good guide to what systems others are using***

Last updated: 7/5/08

 

NOTE: Please see Repository for more illustrations showing Endlift, "T" etc CLICK HERE for Repository

Right then some new developments what you've all been waiting for!

Recently a gentleman from South Africa called Angus Anderson contacted me and asked if I would like to emigrate to the South pole KIDDING I bet that made some people happy!

He offered to compile the QFH and Balun DIY guides into PDF format, well the  QFH and Balun guides are now both ready please see below

I hope you all appreciate the work that Angus has done, it will save you trawling through the guide online, but I will leave the original intact for those who wish to browse through it.

For those that don't know the difference between their PDF's and MDF's then one's for DIY and one's for reading ;-)

To read the document you will need Adobe Acrobat reader, if you already have this installed on your computer then just download the Balun PDF 550KB and QFH DIY PDF 1.185KB guide you can then open it in Acrobat reader.

If you don't have Acrobat reader then I am afraid you will need to get it, where you ask?

I am good to you just click this link  

http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/

Well would you believe it! we now have the Balun Guide and QFH DIY Guide as a word Doc. A big thanks to Kenneth Jones who has been very busy compiling the word docs.

And now more good news for our Spanish speaking cousins, Pauli Nunez has translated the Balun Guide and QFH diy Guide, a BIG Thanks Pauli
Pauli has recently been busy creating his own web site :) I am pleased to announce the doors are now open for visitors see icon below.

Please note Balun guide word doc updated 2nd November important changes

And a special thanks to those who gave me feedback whilst I was developing the guides, Milan Konecny, Paul Telco. and to many to mention.

Balun Guide PDF 550KB 

QFH DIY Guide PDF 1.185KB

Balun Guide Word Doc 106KB Zip file

QFH DIY Guide Word Doc 881KB Zip file

Spanish Balun Guide Word Doc 235KB Zip File

COMO CONSTRUIRSE UNA QFH 791KB Zip File

So you have no excuses now 

If you want to start making the balun then CLICK HERE

Warning: If you intend not to use a preamp then beware that the QFH will be a dead short, if your receiver outputs 12volts DC then you may need to disable the 12 volt output either via switch or some other means.

Illustrations by Kevin Bates.

Because of the numerous enquiries about the QFH I have decided to concentrate on producing a comprehensive guide into making your own QFH.

For convenience for those not using the metric system (why not it's a lot easier) that comes from a man who learnt his apprenticeship using nothing but feet and inches, while we are on this subject why not have 10 days in a week? we could get more work done then ;-)

Please note the following conversions:

 In the UK the old 1/2" copper pipe was inside diameter,  metric pipe measures outside diameter, both old and new have same outside diameter so the old fittings still fit, sadly not the case with larger copper pipes.

3mm= 1/8.    4mm= 5/32.    8mm= 5/16.    10mm= 13/32.    15mm= 19/32.  

 22mm= 7/8.    175mm=6 7/8.    200mm= 7 7/8.    367mm= 14 7/16.

  752mm= 29 5/8.    804mm= 31 5/8. 

Addition 16th December 1999   

I had assumed you would use Bob Thorpe's QFH calculation program which  would give you a list of dimensions and perhaps a understanding of how we arrived at these figures but from the feedback I have had it would appear that some have not, so I have added below the finished sizes. 

--- Half turn Quadrifilar Helix Aerial using 15mm copper tube ---

Frequency 137.50 MHz

Aspect ratio of height to diameter                                1.45

Mean perimeter to wavelength ratio                              1.07

Deviation of perimeter to wavelength ratio              +/- 3.27%

Dimensions                                         Inches                Millimetres

Wavelength                                        85.83909              2180.313

Perimeter                                       183.69                     4665.87

SMALL LOOP: 

all measurements are to tube centres

Don't forget these are finished sizes

Diameter                                             14.15742              359.5985

Height                                                 20.52825             521.4178

Length of Helix                                   30.26478             768.7253

Perimeter                                            88.8444               2256.648

LARGE LOOP:

Diameter                                             15.11462               383.9112

Height                                                 21.91619              556.6713

Length of Helix                                   32.31101               820.6996

Perimeter                                             94.85125             2409.222

**************************************************************************

I will attempt to explain some of the technical and practical problems that you may encounter, some of my methods and conclusions may be a little controversial but at this stage I am not prepared to get involved in any debates.

I will not be quoting technical specs that I cannot prove, but I will provide images from myself and various people who have bought ready made aerials from me, because I think most readers would agree that they have on more than one occasion been taken in by some well produced advertisement quoting everything you want to see and then after purchasing the items finding that they are a disappointment.

I would encourage any one who feels confident with plumbing and safe with a blow lamp (there is an alternative to the blow lamp read on!) to have a go at making their own QFH, don't be discouraged if your first attempt fails I am sure you will get better with a little patience, the feeling of satisfaction when you complete your QFH and see the improved images is well worth all the hard work, not to mention the comments from neighbours.

 I have recently developed a marine version this conforms to the British Standard 1706 for Nickel/Cobalt, this version is completely sealed with a 75cm length of RG 059 cable terminating in a 259 connector.

I will be updating this Page as I go, but in the mean time I would suggest you acquire the RIG 53 Journal and the QFH calculation software, Please go to my Favourite links page for details, go to RIG/software/QFH.  

A 25cm Plant pot and some good potting compost may be useful (Kidding)

CLICK HERE Next Page: Recommended required tools and, it's that long since I wrote this bit that I have forgot what the end of the sentence was! I blame it all on all this radiation and contaminated water, not to mention senile dementia.

Click Here for RIG Beginners

See below for RIG and GEO web sites and user groups

User Group

User Group



The Remote Imaging Group
Web Site and Shop
where you can buy various Weather Satellite receiving equipment including the RIGSAT RX2C kit
Web Site and Shop
where you can buy various Weather Satellite receiving equipment including the R2FX APT Receiver and R2ZX

If you find this guide to be of interest and wish to make a donation then all proceeds will gladly be accepted. please use link below. Thank You

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