Pentalobe Squarepants 5.8gHz FPV antenna

thingiverse

LHCP 5.8 GHz Rx/Tx antenna for FPV. It resembles an Airblade designed by IBCrazy. Performance relies heavily on your building skills. Apparently, flipping the STL along the X axis in Sli3r is too complicated, so it was done for you. An RHCP_Gig.stl file has been added. Print Settings Printer Brand: Solidoodle Printer: Solidoodle 4 Rafts: No Supports: No Resolution: 0.1-0.3 Infill: 100% Notes: To complete the build, you will need: five M3x5 button head hex screws (for the jig) Post-Printing Print the parts and clean them up. Cut M3 threads into the five holes on the jig. Custom Section The antenna is tuned to 5780 Hz, left-hand circular polarized (LHCP). To create a RHCP antenna, simply flip the jig around the Y axis in Sli3r (no assistance will be provided). This jig was created because a set of IBCrazy Airblades costing $64.99 would end up costing $120. when factoring in shipping, tax, and Danish Postal Services handling fee. To create a set of antennas: RG402 semi-rigid coax cable SMA or RP-SMA connector (the solder-on type) 0.8mm MiG welding wire 6mm and 8mm heat shrink Epoxy putty to secure the center of the antennas once finished Using the bending tool, cut five pieces of 0.8mm MiG welding wire to 65mm (4x13mm + 4x0.8mm bends + 10mm peg). Use a set of needle-nose pliers and the bending tool to bend five square lobes with a 10mm peg at the end. Angle the peg so it fits into the center piece. About a 55-degree angle. Secure the lobes with the M3x5 screws. Bend the tips of the lobe wires to meet in the middle. Remove the center piece and insert the RG402 coax (about 3mm of the outer braid removed). Solder the center core to the lobe tips, then solder the lobe pegs to the outer braid of the RG402. Ensure that inner and outer parts of the RG402 do not touch. Add a piece of heat shrink to the antenna and solder the balun in place. Secure with another piece of heat shrink or epoxy putty. Use the bending tool to mark a 26mm section of wire to use as a balun (1/2 wavelength). Bend the wire around a 6mm rod to create a small spiral and cut the balun where marked. Andrew McNeil explains how to use a balun here: https://youtu.be/InLEq04R5So?t=9m58s Watch this video to get an idea of how to use an antenna jig: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PKhqbBy2ls DISCLAIMER: I will not alter the files to accommodate your specific printer/slicing software or available wire size. I will not provide test data or proof of concept. If you want to make one, do so. If they work for you, great. If not, buy a set of Airblade antennas from IBCrazy, as they are reported to be awesome. You may not use this jig to produce antennas intended for sale under any circumstances. Please support Alex Greve aka. IBCrazy by buying his antennas instead. A lot of time and money has gone into the creation of his antennas.