N2MH Information For Rovers

Six Meter Moxon Antenna

 

Description and photos by Mark Herson, N2MH

 

This is a picture of the whole antenna on the ground in my driveway. The driven element is in front and the reflector is in the rear.
It is constructed of 3/4" by 3/4" aluminium angle stock.
The dimensions are approximately 29 inches deep by just under 7 feet long. Exact dimensions will be given later.
 

In this antenna, the aluminium angle stock is cut into seven pieces:

  • One long piece which forms part of the reflector.
  • Two long side pieces which forms part of the reflector.
  • Two short side pieces which form part of the driven element.
  • Two long pieces which form part of the driven element.
 
The side pieces are joined together with a piece of 3/4" by 3/4" molding and 1/4 x 20 bolts and nuts. The wood lays inside of the angle stock.
In a similar fashion, the two pieces of the driven element are joined together with a piece of 3/4" by 3/4" molding and 1/4 x 20 bolts and nuts. Attached to the inner ends of the driven element pieces is an SO-239 supported by #12 wire.
With both sides and the driven element joined together like this, there are now only four sides and four assemblies that have to be bolted together at their corners. Again, I use 1/4 x 20 bolts and nuts. Holes for the screws are drilled approximately 3/8" in from the ends and are centered on the inside of the angle stock. The extra holes in the picture about 3" in from the ends are used when storing the antenna for travel.
Attaching the antenna to the mast is a boom made from a piece of 1" schedule 40 PVC pipe. It is slightly longer than the depth of the antenna. Radio shack U-bolts with brackets fasten the antenna to the boom. The first picture is how the driven element is done and the second picture is the reflector..

On the director U-bolt, do not use fender washers. Just use flat washers - they are not as wide and will not short out the driven element feed. Also, make sure that the connections between the SO-239 and the driven element do not short out to the U-bolt or its bracket

Holding the whole thing to the mast is a homebrew boom to mast adapter. It is made from a blank steel cover for a 5" electrical box and 4 Radio Shack U-bolts with brackets.
Feeding this whole thing is a piece of RG-58 coiled into a choke balun. There are 3 turns in a 5" diameter coil. The cable is a Radio Shack 6' jumper with a male connector on one end and a female connector on the other.
 

 

Dimensions

Using Cebik's nomenclature, and diagram (used with permission :-)
Driven element dimensions not shown on the drawing Please note that with the exception of the gaps, the dimensions shown are from end to end on the aluminium angle.

Modeling this antenna with software

If you want to model this antenna, here are a couple of hints:

--73, Mark Herson, N2MH.  Copyright 2005 Mark Herson, used by permission.

Mark has a webpage at www.n2mh.net.  He has larger sized pictures of all pictures here, as well as photos from others who have built his 6 meter design.  Mark's website is a great resource and we very much appreciate his contributions.

Webmaster: Steve Hammer, K6SGH