Just been going through the air cadet communications badge criteria, and in the practical exercises section it says antenna design and construction, any help with this section?
thanks 
i confess i have only seen this done at the start of my “Sqn Radio Officer” role completed as part of a Wing course.
the aerials were constructed from basic electrical wire and run through plumbing/trunking pipe work to create a “T” aerial (which i presume is at a pre-determined dimensions to suit the frequency).
although i saw these aerials returned to Squadron by the Cadets who attended the course never seen them in action or personally seen them constructed, for reasons best known to the Wing Radio Officer we havent included this aspect in the advance course for sometime…
The simplest and quickest (dirtiest) dipole antenna you can build is to use coax cable (RG58). Measure lamda/4 of the centre frequency on the coax and strip it back to that length. Separate the inner and outer conductor, inner to one side outer part to the other. Get a piece of bamboo cane to the lambda/2 length and tape the dipole you have made to the bamboo. This is a rudimentary dipole.
A search on the internet will let you find more instructions.
There is nothing new - Radio Amateurs have been building their own antennae for years.
Use the formulae and steal their designs.
All sorts of designs are there…
UHF/VHF
J-pole, slim jim, phased array, colinear, HB9CV, yagi, moxon.
All are within your grasp with simple tools.
More thought to be given if you want to use them as permanent installations though.
Smashing, thanks for this, just become the temp radio officer for the squadron and was abit lost, wouldn’t happen to have a radio test i could steal do you? or do i have to be a big boy now and use my brain to think of one haha
thanks
snowie
a radio test??? explain what it is you’re after
a basic competency test? mainly to satisfy the compulsory module of acp 31 sec 6
following the intriductino of Ultilearn ACP31 Vol 6 is a now void as training material
however, looking at the LO (learning objectives) required (found on Ultilearn) you will find that give or take the requirement of what a Cadet needs to knowhasn’t changed.
as for a test. mine is practical, given the topic is a practical, rather than theoretical topic.
once i have completed the theory (lesson 1), the second lesson introduces practical, starting with talking in the group first to ensure procedure is understood then sent out to the various corners of the Squadron.
i will then get them to spell words i have given them, radio check, authenticate…
this plus the theory ticks the “understanding” of the various LOs, so i would advise avoiding a written test, as most a verbal questioning “what is the difference between open/closed network” for example…
Presumably the new Instructors Guide on Ultilearn is the current standard?
i believe so. i admit it has been some time since i looked at the ultilearn documents in any detail but when i did i quickly identified there was little change to what i taught through the ACP31Vol6 material.
in fact i still use that document as a memory jog and as reference material (the diagrams are sinple to follow, it has a good phoenetics and Codenames page) during my lessons, if only because it is readily available and saves the need for .ppt set up or loose prints kicking about.
the lesson i teach has only changed to taylor the material to hit the required LO that are now in place.