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Old 3rd May 2017, 5:51 pm   #1
Al (astral highway)
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Default Frame aerial - wire attachment, hive-mind?

Hi folks ,

Here is my initial design for what I'm calling the 'Snooker-Frame Six' frame aerial. It is actually a resonant loop in a helix, just one turn of 2mm wire around the wooden hexagonal frame.

Some of you will know I have limited workshop facilities . I now that many of you are resourceful and inventive and so I'm interested in fairly simple ways to keep a wire loop taut t the frame . Transparent epoxy resin would do it fairly well but there may be better ways . I was thinking of cutting 18 small blocks with a notch in the centre to tension the wire , but even this amount of cutting or 'fettling' is too much for right now .
Thank you
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Old 3rd May 2017, 6:38 pm   #2
ionburn
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Default Re: Frame aerial - wire attachment, hive-mind?

I cannot instantly see the mechanical method but an expanding star in the centre would be adjustable to vary the circumference. If this were sprung the tension would be self adjusting. It would require each turn to be identical in tension.

I think perhaps a bit too complex but may spur better ideas.

My own frame aerial of similar size has four spokes and small blocks with grooves, as you suggest. It is a square. There is no method of adjustment for tension, but I have not found it and issue.
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Old 3rd May 2017, 6:55 pm   #3
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Default Re: Frame aerial - wire attachment, hive-mind?

An idea...
Make the wire a shade shorter than it needs to be, when secured to the 'bottom' triangle.
Then force in the last triangle tensioning it.
 
Old 3rd May 2017, 7:47 pm   #4
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Default Re: Frame aerial - wire attachment, hive-mind?

Idea: Put the snooker-frames in the freezer [or blast them with a CO2 fire extinguisner?] to shrink them before quickly winding the coil? As they warm up they'll expand and tension the windings.
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Old 3rd May 2017, 8:15 pm   #5
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Default Re: Frame aerial - wire attachment, hive-mind?

Or the other way round, pass a current through the wire to warm it up, wind and turn current off.
 
Old 3rd May 2017, 8:28 pm   #6
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Default Re: Frame aerial - wire attachment, hive-mind?

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Originally Posted by G6Tanuki View Post
Idea: Put the snooker-frames in the freezer [or blast them with a CO2 fire extinguisner?] to shrink them before quickly winding the coil?
Like it, like it. Only the thing is 2 metres in diameter, so no room in my freezer. (I've already bonded the frames together, you see...)
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Old 3rd May 2017, 8:33 pm   #7
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Default Re: Frame aerial - wire attachment, hive-mind?

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Originally Posted by merlinmaxwell View Post
... pass a current through the wire to warm it up, wind and turn current off.
Definitely doable and looking like the favourite solution.

How much current will do the trick, do you think? It's 2mm dia single strand so is 20A enough to heat it decisively?
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Old 3rd May 2017, 8:35 pm   #8
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Default Re: Frame aerial - wire attachment, hive-mind?

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Originally Posted by ionburn View Post
My own frame aerial of similar size has four spokes and small blocks with grooves, as you suggest. It is a square. There is no method of adjustment for tension, but I have not found it and issue.
Good idea, like it. The reason tension is an issue with mine is it's single turn of single strand of a beefy diameter and will be wound over a varnished surfaced (although I can rub it down with glasspaper to matt it down, I realise).
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Old 3rd May 2017, 8:44 pm   #9
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Default Re: Frame aerial - wire attachment, hive-mind?

Six rubber bands pulling the windings into the dimples at the apices?

A bit of an anticlimax after the other suggestions

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Old 3rd May 2017, 10:18 pm   #10
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Default Re: Frame aerial - wire attachment, hive-mind?

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Six rubber bands pulling the windings into the dimples at the apices?
Ahaha! I like your thinking, David! Be great for a multi-turn version using up to 24 gauge wire? But this is a single turn of 2mm, so the apices won't bend the wire at all.

definitely maybe!!
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Old 4th May 2017, 6:52 am   #11
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Default Re: Frame aerial - wire attachment, hive-mind?

Don't forget to 'kill' the wire first, by stretching it a bit first in one long length.
 
Old 4th May 2017, 7:34 am   #12
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Default Re: Frame aerial - wire attachment, hive-mind?

With structural wire, if you make an assembly jig, you can make your frame aerial using only three of your snooker triangles.

So you can have TWO aerials!

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Old 4th May 2017, 9:13 am   #13
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Default Re: Frame aerial - wire attachment, hive-mind?

Two opposing wedges.

Lawrence.
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Old 4th May 2017, 3:30 pm   #14
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Default Re: Frame aerial - wire attachment, hive-mind?

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...So you can have TWO aerials!
I like your thinking, David. Only I've already bonded them all together and they look great as a hexagon!
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Old 4th May 2017, 3:31 pm   #15
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Default Re: Frame aerial - wire attachment, hive-mind?

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Originally Posted by merlinmaxwell View Post
Don't forget to 'kill' the wire first, by stretching it a bit first ...
Good thinking, MM. I wouldn't have thought of this. Cheers!
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