In my unscientific experiments done with homemade DBGH, SBGH and C2 antennas the DBGH was the most effective. The SBGH marginally outperformed the C2. The construction was not ultra-precise but was more careful than some of the antennas whose pictures have been posted here. They are within 2-3 mm of the designs with regard to length and straightness, with a bit more variability in thickness of materials depending what was on hand.
For deep fringe where an attic, roof or tower is available I would definitely recommend DBGH. For ordinary fringe areas or where space doesn't permit a DBGH then I would use a SBGH. Where an in-room antenna is required I would build a C2 and try to make it as attractive or inconspicuous as possible by using a nice board with some kind of picture or frame, and optionally a hinged mount of some kind so that it can be rotated as required when in use and returned flat to the wall when not in use. Some great ideas I've seen have been to either incorporate the antenna elements into a design on the front of the picture, or else hide them on the back behind a rigid foam board and an art poster.
Two of the cheapest, easiest to use materials I found are galvanized fencing wire from Home Depot (sometimes called Bottom Wire) for the bent elements and aluminum telescoping curtain rods for the reflectors. These will seldom coincide with the dimensions called for in the antenna designs, but I suspect that they will be adequate most of the time. For indoor antennas pine boards or 2 to 4 inch rigid foam panels are cheap and easy to work with. More robust materials are required for outdoor antennas.
I tried adding NARODs to a SBGH and didn't notice a big difference in reception for hi-VHF channels. I didn't try adding caps to my C2.
For deep fringe where an attic, roof or tower is available I would definitely recommend DBGH. For ordinary fringe areas or where space doesn't permit a DBGH then I would use a SBGH. Where an in-room antenna is required I would build a C2 and try to make it as attractive or inconspicuous as possible by using a nice board with some kind of picture or frame, and optionally a hinged mount of some kind so that it can be rotated as required when in use and returned flat to the wall when not in use. Some great ideas I've seen have been to either incorporate the antenna elements into a design on the front of the picture, or else hide them on the back behind a rigid foam board and an art poster.
Two of the cheapest, easiest to use materials I found are galvanized fencing wire from Home Depot (sometimes called Bottom Wire) for the bent elements and aluminum telescoping curtain rods for the reflectors. These will seldom coincide with the dimensions called for in the antenna designs, but I suspect that they will be adequate most of the time. For indoor antennas pine boards or 2 to 4 inch rigid foam panels are cheap and easy to work with. More robust materials are required for outdoor antennas.
I tried adding NARODs to a SBGH and didn't notice a big difference in reception for hi-VHF channels. I didn't try adding caps to my C2.
