If you have been interested in participating in a fox hunt but you don’t have a directional antenna, we have the perfect opportunity for you!

Clint Miller KCØJUO and Paul Cowley KB7VML with the Story County Amateur Radio Club are hosting a 2-meter “Tape Measure” Yagi Building Workshop April 1st in Ames. We will be supplying a kit and hands on instruction for you to build your own WB2HOL tape measure antenna, with some slight enhancements to the design.

These antennas have a really great front-to-back ratio with a very deep notch in the pattern toward the rear. It uses three steel tape measure elements that fold easily to get in and out of the car and yet remain stiff enough to be self-supporting when hunting for a hidden transmitter. Between hunts, the elements can be folded or rolled to reduce storage space.  This antenna design has been used for decades for ARDF and transmitter or fox hunting, but also can be used to contact astronauts on the International Space Station, make satellite repeater contacts, extend your HT range to hit that repeater in the next county, sniff out local RFI noise, locate a stuck transmitter or jammer, the options are endless.

There are no special skills or tools needed to participate in the workshop, just the ability to follow instructions and an interest to have a good time. For $14, each participant will get a complete kit with all the parts needed to build an antenna with a male BNC connector on the end of the coax. Adapters for your HT or handheld scanner will be available for an additional $3 when registering. We will have all the tools and supplies available so you will leave the workshop with a tested and functioning antenna.  During the workshop, we will provide some additional ideas for enhancements to make later if you so choose. If you bring your HT or handheld scanner, there will be a fox hidden outside for you to practice finding.

When:  Saturday, April 1^st, 9 AM – Noon

Where:  Fire Service Training Bureau, 1015 Haber Rd, Ames

Who:  Anyone, please freely forward this email to other interested groups.

Cost:  $14 payable at time of registration