Fractal TV Antenna Research & Development

[300ohm]

Did you have that setup pointed with the snowflakes and reflectors broadside towards the station ?

[ChomedeyOTA]

Well, it could have been a number of things. I did not try many configurations with it. Could have been a bad Balun, or the way I had attached it originally (short wire extentions instead of directly). I usually don't have much time to play with different settings, this is the sole source of Tv reception in use at my girlfriend's house, and when she (or the kids) want to watch tv or play on their console game, it sorts of restrict testing to a minimum.

[Graphicgreen]

Hi, I've recently found this forum and so far love the resources you provide on it.

I was wondering though if anybody has tried building Fractal Antenna's using PCB methods? (Printable circuit boards) the idea is to make it small and compact. Eventually I'd like to look into making something unique and use it outside. Otherwise, I'm just starting to look into all the options available to me.

Thank you for any input you can provide. (Materials, designs?)

My main problem right now is how long to make the antenna's (big or small) I've found some tools to help calculate the lengths, do I just have to stick to those measurements and that's all there is too it?

Thanks again.

[kd9uu]

I'm wondering about the fractal-shaped CM 42## series element replacements? Maybe save your stock elements and try some fractals out of cheap solid aluminum grounding wire?

http://ruckman.net/archives.htm#DTV

[300ohm]

I modeled fractal bowties some time ago. They really dont do the bowtie any good. Its a lot like using short whiskers of the size of the finished fractalized whiskers, so it throws the gain curve into higher frequencies.

[peekaboo]

Has anyone tried this antenna out. It seems, according to the youtube vid, to be able to pick up fringe stations while being aimed at trees. Granted the town he is in is well above sea level.

http://tomchurka.com/Fractal_Antenna...l_antenna.html

[ota_canuck]

Interesting design. Based on the 17" sides and all dimensions being symmetrical, maybe someone could do a nec model. I'm very curious to experiment with building one of these strange little animals.

I'm going out on the limb here to suggest that the scatter forager antenna [aperture/mesh screen antenna] may perform better at catching and salvaging reflected signals than one of these fractals.
http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=127205

[FranKllr]

Video said Colfax. I picked him a little hill to help the cause.

Colfax, CA, USA 39.10502164227716 -120.95638275146484

TV Fool for that location : http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...81a396b1f927b5

Last channel (51th) listed is at -7.3 NM(dB), if he happen to be living on that hill.
I guess Shorted Bowtie Loop and bi-quad would be able to pull this off too.
But that's a very nice looking antenna

[300ohm]

Interesting design. Based on the 17" sides and all dimensions being symmetrical, maybe someone could do a nec model.

But that's a very nice looking antenna

Yeah it is, but wheres his feed point ??

You certainly cant go by his mileage claims. With my DBGH, during tropos, I semi-regularly get a Long Island NY station 130 miles away. And I am in that transmitters null zone, as they use a directional transmitting antenna pointed to NYC. And my antenna is pointed off to the side as well too, heh.

[ota_canuck]

Feed points are at : Top right corner junction and centered left.

Here's a link to an enlarged pic of the antenna:
http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/3...aantennalg.png

The antenna mounting orientation shown in the mounted antenna pics show the feed point mounted to corner is at the bottom pointing toward the ground.
__________________________

Suggestion: Maybe someone should invite tom churka to this forum?
His email is on his web page. He may have a significant effort & investment into this antenna and whether it is protected or not, I think it may be unfair to post his antenna design in detail without consent.

[holl_ands]

It reminds me of the Curtain Quad Antenna, except formed by Triangular vice Rectangular Cells
and different feed arrangements (why?????):
http://home.comcast.net/~ross_anderson/CurtainQuad.htm
http://imageevent.com/holl_ands/curtainquad

[jbkeh]

maybe someone could do a nec model

Just for the fun of all those copy/moves. But how it's fed? Suspect the split feed line is more an element and the fractal is a reflector. Pattern is not exciting (nor is the gain and swr).

CM 
CE
SY r=0.000625	'radius
SY s=3	'segments
SY hl=0.012	'halflength
SY hh=hl*0.8660	'halfheight
GW	1	s	0	0	0	0	hl*2	0	r
GW	2	s	0	hl*2	0	0	hl	hh*2	r
GW	3	s	0	hl	hh*2	0	0	0	r
GM	3	1	0	0	0	0	hl*2	0	1
GM	3	1	0	0	0	0	-hl	hh*2	4
GM	9	1	0	0	0	0	hl*4	0	1
GM	9	1	0	0	0	0	-hl*2	hh*4	10
GM	27	1	0	0	0	0	hl*8	0	1
GM	27	1	0	0	0	0	-hl*4	hh*8	28
GM	81	1	0	0	0	0	hl*16	0	1
GM	81	1	0	0	0	0	-hl*8	hh*16	82
GW	244	s	0	hl*16	0	-hl*4	hl*16	0	r
GW	245	s	0	hl*16	hh*32	-hl*4	hl*16	hh*32	r
GW	246	+27	-hl*4	hl*16	0	-hl*4	hl*16	hh*32	r
GE	0
GN	-1
EK
EX	6	246	14	0	1	0	0
FR	0	0	0	0	470	0
EN

[300ohm]

Here's a link to an enlarged pic of the antenna:

What is that, twin lead into an F connector ? Offhand, that should really mess up SWR, unless its compensating poor SWR of the antenna itself.

[ota_canuck]

With the orientation of those feed points,.. it appears that it's a 8.5" triangular dipole made of 2 triangles. The rest is most likely gathering in the same manner as a narod does. except it is electrically connected to the triangular dipole. The red side may work more or less as an aperture antenna and the blue? may be gathering scattered signals?

And your right,.. there appears to be no balun!

In his pictures, he has it mounted with the blue fractalized triangle down toward the ground and the red aperture triangle at the top with the two other fractalized triangles acting as wings.

Hopefully the creator will join us with an explaination.

[ota_canuck]

Hmmm! A tiangular 8'5" dipole antenna. Maybe it's called a 8.5" tripole antenna